#Outlining how to#

Your broad ideas should connect back to your thesis or controlling idea.Thesis to Conclusion - Everything that you will need to touch on. The purpose of an outline is to help organize. The 4-Paragraph - These are the exact steps you take and prompts to get you through it. It can quickly cover the main ideas (Topic Outline) or become a detailed, in-depth undertaking (Sentence Outline). The Basics - A simple flowchart to help you with the process.

#Outlining how to#

From there, order your major subtopics so each one naturally flows into the next. Essay Outline Worksheets: Argumentative - We explore how to incorporate the use of the MEAT technique. For an essay or speech, pick the subtopic with the most supporting materials, and lead with this argument. If you're writing a story or presenting a historical argument, a chronological order makes sense.As supporting details, you might include quotes from the book. Many people find that organizing an oral. Your subpoints might be that Victor Frankenstein is restored by nature and that his scientific efforts create a monster. For creative writing, an outline may help organize the various plot threads and help keep track of character traits.

For example, your main point might be that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein champions emotion over reason.

However, aim to have at least 2-3 subpoints and 2-3 supporting details for each main idea. Depending on the purpose of your outline, you may have many subpoints and supporting details. Broad ideas are more likely to be your main points, while details are the bits of information you will use to support those ideas.

Each level of supporting detail is indented further.Put each group in order from broad ideas to specific details. In the example below, main ideas are numbered, while the supporting ideas are indented one level and labelled with letters. Outlines are usually created using a structure that clearly indicates main ideas and supporting points. Each piece of information from another source must be cited, whether you have quoted directly, paraphrased, or summarized the information. Step 3: Identify the supporting points and evidence for each major ideaĮach main point will be supported by supporting points and evidence that you have compiled from other sources. These main ideas will become the topic sentences for each body paragraph. An outline also determines the order in which these pieces will be presented. Consider carefully the most logical order, and how each point supports your thesis. Outlining is the process of laying out the main ideas, key concepts, supporting details, and evidence to be included in the paper. Step 2: Identify the main ideas that relate to your thesis statementīased on the reading and research you have already done, list the main points that you plan to discuss in your essay. The rest of your outline will include the main point and sub-points you will develop in each paragraph. Write the thesis statement at the top of your paper. A thesis statement is a concise presentation of the main argument you will develop in your paper. It will include the main ideas and show how they are organised and the overall structure. If you are writing an essay or research paper, you will begin by writing a draft thesis statement. Outlining an Essay Step 1: Create a thesis statement Most word-processing applications include outlining capabilities. It’s expected that each subtopic will merit at least two details. Details under each subtopic are given a different style of number or letter and are indented further to the right. Each subtopic is numbered and has the same level of indentation. Learning how to outline your novel will help you brainstorm better ideas, write better plot structures, and create flawless first drafts.

Generally, you begin with your main point, stated as a topic sentence or thesis (see “Finding the Thesis” in the “Drafting Section”), and place the subtopics-the main supports for your topic sentence/thesis-and finally fill out the details underneath each subtopic. For more on reverse outlining, see the “Revising” section.) Traditional OutlineĪ traditional outline uses a numbering and indentation scheme to help organize your thoughts. (Note: A reverse outline can be useful once you have written a draft, during the revision process. Many writers work best from a list of ideas or from freewriting, but you may have an assignment that is purely to create an outline. Outlining is a useful pre-writing tool when you know your topic well or at least know the areas you want to explore.Īn outline can be written before you begin to write, and it can range from formal to informal. Outlining your first draft by listing each paragraphs topic sentence can be an easy way to ensure that each of your paragraphs is serving a specific. Prewriting: Organizing and Outlining 29 Outlining