Writing the Outline

Before beginning your outline, you want to have completed prewriting. Since you can't write an outline until you know more or less what it is you are going to talk about, complete any preliminary research so that you can use that information during the prewriting process.

Prewrite to generate ideas in order to determine your angle and position (Use your own ideas as well as those from research) then group those ideas as you determine your thesis, the main idea or point that will be central to the paper.

After deciding on a thesis statement, you need to identify which points or ideas will best support your thesis. These supporting points will be the main ideas of your outline.

Consider how best to organize or develop the idea of the thesis.

At the top of the page, write your thesis statement, and then below that, organize the supporting points in a logical order that best supports the thesis of your document (you can always change the order later if you need to).

These supporting points are the basis of the body paragraphs. These are the main ideas for the paragraphs. Use these main ideas to draft topic sentences for each of the body paragraphs

In the outline, for the paragraphs, add the subcategories or subtopics, which will correspond to the support in the paragraphs.

And finally, for each subcategory or subtopic, add sub-subcategories or sub-subtopics: These can be used to indicate an example or story used to illustrate a supporting point.

Generally, do not include the introduction and conclusion in your outline, although it does not hurt to do so.

In creating your outline, you can, for instance, use a comparison-contrast, cause-and-effect, or problem-solution model, you can give information chronologically, or you can begin with your weakest point and move to your strongest. As you structure your outline, you can use either phrases or complete sentences, but be consistent.

Source: Heaps, Stacie. "Writing an Outline." WriteExpress: Unblocking Writer's Block. 2011. Web. 20 Aug. 2011. http://www.writeexpress.com/writing-outline.html

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