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How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

  • Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
  • Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
  • Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

  • Thesis statement
  • First piece of evidence
  • Second piece of evidence
  • Summary/synthesis
  • Importance of topic
  • Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

  • Importance of the internet
  • Concerns about internet use
  • Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
  • Data exploring this effect
  • Analysis indicating it is overstated
  • Students’ reading levels over time
  • Why this data is questionable
  • Video media
  • Interactive media
  • Speed and simplicity of online research
  • Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
  • Evidence indicating its ubiquity
  • Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
  • Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
  • Argument that it introduces students to citation
  • Summary of key points
  • Value of digital education for students
  • Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

  • Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
  • Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
  • Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
  • Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
  • Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
  • Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
  • Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
  • Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
  • Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
  • Link to the Reformation.
  • Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
  • Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
  • Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
  • Summarize the history described.
  • Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

  • Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
  • Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
  • Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
  • Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
  • Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
  • Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
  • Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
  • Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
  • Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
  • Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
  • Answer the research question
  • Indicate areas for further study

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essay outline activity

You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Outline

Last updated on: Jun 28, 2024

A Complete Essay Outline - Guidelines and Format

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Jan 15, 2019

Essay Outline

To write an effective essay, you need to create a clear and well-organized essay outline. An essay outline will shape the essay’s entire content and determine how successful the essay will be.

In this blog post, we'll be going over the basics of essay outlines and provide a template for you to follow. We will also include a few examples so that you can get an idea about how these outlines look when they are put into practice.

Essay writing is not easy, but it becomes much easier with time, practice, and a detailed essay writing guide. Once you have developed your outline, everything else will come together more smoothly.

The key to success in any area is preparation - take the time now to develop a solid outline and then write your essays!

So, let’s get started!

Essay Outline

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What is an Essay Outline?

An essay outline is your essay plan and a roadmap to essay writing. It is the structure of an essay you are about to write. It includes all the main points you have to discuss in each section along with the thesis statement.

Like every house has a map before it is constructed, the same is the importance of an essay outline. You can write an essay without crafting an outline, but you may miss essential information, and it is more time-consuming.

Once the outline is created, there is no chance of missing any important information. Also, it will help you to:

  • Organize your thoughts and ideas.
  • Understand the information flow.
  • Never miss any crucial information or reference.
  • Finish your work faster.

These are the reasons if someone asks you why an essay outline is needed. Now there are some points that must be kept in mind before proceeding to craft an essay outline.

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Prewriting Process of Essay Outline

Your teacher may ask you to submit your essay outline before your essay. Therefore, you must know the preliminary guidelines that are necessary before writing an essay outline.

Here are the guidelines:

  • You must go through your assignments’ guidelines carefully.
  • Understand the purpose of your assignment.
  • Know your audience.
  • Mark the important point while researching your topic data.
  • Select the structure of your essay outline; whether you are going to use a decimal point bullet or a simple one.

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How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps

Creating an essay outline is a crucial step in crafting a well-structured and organized piece of writing. Follow these four simple steps to create an effective outline:

Step 1: Understand the Topic

To begin, thoroughly grasp the essence of your essay topic. 

Break it down into its key components and identify the main ideas you want to convey. This step ensures you have a clear direction and focus for your essay.

Step 2: Brainstorm and Gather Ideas

Let your creativity flow and brainstorm ideas related to your topic. 

Jot down key pieces of information, arguments, and supporting evidence that will strengthen your essay's overall message. Consider different perspectives and potential counterarguments to make your essay well-rounded.

Step 3: Organize Your Thoughts

Now it's time to give structure to your ideas. 

Arrange your main points in a logical order, starting with an attention-grabbing introduction, followed by body paragraphs that present your arguments. 

Finally, tie everything together with a compelling conclusion. Remember to use transitional phrases to create smooth transitions between sections.

Step 4: Add Depth with Subpoints

To add depth and clarity to your essay, incorporate subpoints under each main point. 

These subpoints provide more specific details, evidence, or examples that support your main ideas. They help to further strengthen your arguments and make your essay more convincing.

By following these four steps - you'll be well on your way to creating a clear and compelling essay outline.

Essay Outline Format

It is an easy way for you to write your thoughts in an organized manner. It may seem unnecessary and unimportant, but it is not.

It is one of the most crucial steps for essay writing as it shapes your entire essay and aids the writing process.

An essay outline consists of three main parts:

1. Introduction

The introduction body of your essay should be attention-grabbing. It should be written in such a manner that it attracts the reader’s interest. It should also provide background information about the topic for the readers.

You can use a dramatic tone to grab readers’ attention, but it should connect the audience to your thesis statement.

Here are some points without which your introduction paragraph is incomplete.

To attract the reader with the first few opening lines, we use a hook statement. It helps engage the reader and motivates them to read further. There are different types of hook sentences ranging from quotes, rhetorical questions to anecdotes and statistics, and much more.

Are you struggling to come up with an interesting hook? View these hook examples to get inspired!

A thesis statement is stated at the end of your introduction. It is the most important statement of your entire essay. It summarizes the purpose of the essay in one sentence.

The thesis statement tells the readers about the main theme of the essay, and it must be strong and clear. It holds the entire crux of your essay.

Need help creating a strong thesis statement? Check out this guide on thesis statements and learn to write a statement that perfectly captures your main argument!

2. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an essay are where all the details and evidence come into play. This is where you dive deep into the argument, providing explanations and supporting your ideas with solid evidence. 

If you're writing a persuasive essay, these paragraphs will be the powerhouse that convinces your readers. Similarly, in an argumentative essay, your body paragraphs will work their magic to sway your audience to your side.

Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and no more than one idea. A topic sentence is the crux of the contents of your paragraph. It is essential to keep your reader interested in the essay.

The topic sentence is followed by the supporting points and opinions, which are then justified with strong evidence.

3. Conclusion

When it comes to wrapping up your essay, never underestimate the power of a strong conclusion. Just like the introduction and body paragraphs, the conclusion plays a vital role in providing a sense of closure to your topic. 

To craft an impactful conclusion, it's crucial to summarize the key points discussed in the introduction and body paragraphs. You want to remind your readers of the important information you shared earlier. But keep it concise and to the point. Short, powerful sentences will leave a lasting impression.

Remember, your conclusion shouldn't drag on. Instead, restate your thesis statement and the supporting points you mentioned earlier. And here's a pro tip: go the extra mile and suggest a course of action. It leaves your readers with something to ponder or reflect on.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Structure

An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes:

  • State the topic
  • Thesis statement
  • Introduction
  • Explanation
  • A conclusion that ties to the thesis
  • Summary of the essay
  • Restate the thesis statement

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Essay Outline Template

The outline of the essay is the skeleton that you will fill out with the content. Both outline and relevant content are important for a good essay. The content you will add to flesh out the outline should be credible, relevant, and interesting.

The outline structure for the essay is not complex or difficult. No matter which type of essay you write, you either use an alphanumeric structure or a decimal structure for the outline.

Below is an outline sample that you can easily follow for your essay.


Hook/Attention Grabber
Background Information
Thesis Statement


Topic Sentence
Supporting Detail 1
Supporting Detail 2
Supporting Detail 3
Transition to the next paragraph


Topic Sentence
Supporting Detail 1
Supporting Detail 2
Supporting Detail 3
Transition to the next paragraph


Topic Sentence
Supporting Detail 1
Supporting Detail 2
Supporting Detail 3
Transition to the next paragraph


Restate Thesis Statement
Summary of Main Points
Concluding Thoughts

Essay Outline Sample

Essay Outline Examples

An essay outline template should follow when you start writing the essay. Every writer should learn how to write an outline for every type of essay and research paper.

Essay outline 4th grade

Essay outline 5th grade

Essay outline high school

Essay outline college

Given below are essay outline examples for different types of essay writing.

Argumentative Essay Outline

An  argumentative essay  is a type of essay that shows both sides of the topic that you are exploring. The argument that presents the basis of the essay should be created by providing evidence and supporting details.

Persuasive Essay Outline

A  persuasive essay  is similar to an argumentative essay. Your job is to provide facts and details to create the argument. In a persuasive essay, you convince your readers of your point of view.

Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

A  compare and contrast essay  explains the similarities and differences between two things. While comparing, you should focus on the differences between two seemingly similar objects. While contrasting, you should focus on the similarities between two different objects.

Narrative Essay Outline

A narrative essay is written to share a story. Normally, a narrative essay is written from a personal point of view in an essay. The basic purpose of the narrative essay is to describe something creatively.

Expository Essay Outline

An  expository essay  is a type of essay that explains, analyzes, and illustrates something for the readers. An expository essay should be unbiased and entirely based on facts. Be sure to use academic resources for your research and cite your sources.

Analytical Essay Outline

An  analytical essay  is written to analyze the topic from a critical point of view. An analytical essay breaks down the content into different parts and explains the topic bit by bit.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

A rhetorical essay is written to examine the writer or artist’s work and develop a great essay. It also includes the discussion.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

A  cause and effect essay  describes why something happens and examines the consequences of an occurrence or phenomenon. It is also a type of expository essay.

Informative Essay Outline

An  informative essay  is written to inform the audience about different objects, concepts, people, issues, etc.

The main purpose is to respond to the question with a detailed explanation and inform the target audience about the topic.

Synthesis Essay Outline

A  synthesis essay  requires the writer to describe a certain unique viewpoint about the issue or topic. Create a claim about the topic and use different sources and information to prove it.

Literary Analysis Essay Outline

A  literary analysis essay  is written to analyze and examine a novel, book, play, or any other piece of literature. The writer analyzes the different devices such as the ideas, characters, plot, theme, tone, etc., to deliver his message.

Definition Essay Outline

A  definition essay  requires students to pick a particular concept, term, or idea and define it in their own words and according to their understanding.

Descriptive Essay Outline

A  descriptive essay  is a type of essay written to describe a person, place, object, or event. The writer must describe the topic so that the reader can visualize it using their five senses.

Evaluation Essay Outline

Problem Solution Essay Outline

In a problem-solution essay, you are given a problem as a topic and you have to suggest multiple solutions on it.

Scholarship Essay Outline

A  scholarship essay  is required at the time of admission when you are applying for a scholarship. Scholarship essays must be written in a way that should stand alone to help you get a scholarship.

Reflective Essay Outline

A reflective essay  is written to express your own thoughts and point of view regarding a specific topic.

Getting started on your essay? Give this comprehensive essay writing guide a read to make sure you write an effective essay!

With this complete guide, now you understand how to create an outline for your essay successfully. However, if you still can’t write an effective essay, then the best option is to consult a professional academic writing service.

Essay writing is a dull and boring task for some people. So why not get some help instead of wasting your time and effort?  5StarEssays.com is here to help you. All your  do my essay for me  requests are managed by professional essay writers.

Place your order now, and our team of expert academic writers will help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the three types of outlines.

Here are the three types of essay outline;

  • Working outline
  • Speaking outline
  • Full-sentence outline

All three types are different from each other and are used for different purposes.

What does a full-sentence outline look like?

A full sentence outline contains full sentences at each level of the essay’s outline. It is similar to an alphanumeric outline and it is a commonly used essay outline.

What is a traditional outline format?

A traditional essay outline begins with writing down all the important points in one place and listing them down and adding sub-topics to them. Besides, it will also include evidence and proof that you will use to back your arguments.

What is the benefit of using a traditional outline format and an informal outline format?

A traditional outline format helps the students in listing down all the important details in one palace while an informal outline will help you coming up with new ideas and highlighting important points

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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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8.2 Outlining

Learning objectives.

  • Identify the steps in constructing an outline.
  • Construct a topic outline and a sentence outline.

Your prewriting activities and readings have helped you gather information for your assignment. The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them. Patterns and gaps may begin to stand out. But only when you start to organize your ideas will you be able to translate your raw insights into a form that will communicate meaning to your audience.

Longer papers require more reading and planning than shorter papers do. Most writers discover that the more they know about a topic, the more they can write about it with intelligence and interest.

Organizing Ideas

When you write, you need to organize your ideas in an order that makes sense. The writing you complete in all your courses exposes how analytically and critically your mind works. In some courses, the only direct contact you may have with your instructor is through the assignments you write for the course. You can make a good impression by spending time ordering your ideas.

Order refers to your choice of what to present first, second, third, and so on in your writing. The order you pick closely relates to your purpose for writing that particular assignment. For example, when telling a story, it may be important to first describe the background for the action. Or you may need to first describe a 3-D movie projector or a television studio to help readers visualize the setting and scene. You may want to group your support effectively to convince readers that your point of view on an issue is well reasoned and worthy of belief.

In longer pieces of writing, you may organize different parts in different ways so that your purpose stands out clearly and all parts of the paper work together to consistently develop your main point.

Methods of Organizing Writing

The three common methods of organizing writing are chronological order , spatial order , and order of importance . You will learn more about these in Chapter 9 “Writing Essays: From Start to Finish” ; however, you need to keep these methods of organization in mind as you plan how to arrange the information you have gathered in an outline. An outline is a written plan that serves as a skeleton for the paragraphs you write. Later, when you draft paragraphs in the next stage of the writing process, you will add support to create “flesh” and “muscle” for your assignment.

When you write, your goal is not only to complete an assignment but also to write for a specific purpose—perhaps to inform, to explain, to persuade, or for a combination of these purposes. Your purpose for writing should always be in the back of your mind, because it will help you decide which pieces of information belong together and how you will order them. In other words, choose the order that will most effectively fit your purpose and support your main point.

Table 8.1 “Order versus Purpose” shows the connection between order and purpose.

Table 8.1 Order versus Purpose

Order Purpose
Chronological Order To explain the history of an event or a topic
To tell a story or relate an experience
To explain how to do or make something
To explain the steps in a process
Spatial Order To help readers visualize something as you want them to see it
To create a main impression using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
Order of Importance To persuade or convince
To rank items by their importance, benefit, or significance

Writing a Thesis Statement

One legitimate question readers always ask about a piece of writing is “What is the big idea?” (You may even ask this question when you are the reader, critically reading an assignment or another document.) Every nonfiction writing task—from the short essay to the ten-page term paper to the lengthy senior thesis—needs a big idea, or a controlling idea, as the spine for the work. The controlling idea is the main idea that you want to present and develop.

For a longer piece of writing, the main idea should be broader than the main idea for a shorter piece of writing. Be sure to frame a main idea that is appropriate for the length of the assignment. Ask yourself, “How many pages will it take for me to explain and explore this main idea in detail?” Be reasonable with your estimate. Then expand or trim it to fit the required length.

The big idea, or controlling idea, you want to present in an essay is expressed in a thesis statement . A thesis statement is often one sentence long, and it states your point of view. The thesis statement is not the topic of the piece of writing but rather what you have to say about that topic and what is important to tell readers.

Table 8.2 “Topics and Thesis Statements” compares topics and thesis statements.

Table 8.2 Topics and Thesis Statements

Topic Thesis Statement
Music piracy The recording industry fears that so-called music piracy will diminish profits and destroy markets, but it cannot be more wrong.
The number of consumer choices available in media gear Everyone wants the newest and the best digital technology, but the choices are extensive, and the specifications are often confusing.
E-books and online newspapers increasing their share of the market E-books and online newspapers will bring an end to print media as we know it.
Online education and the new media Someday, students and teachers will send avatars to their online classrooms.

The first thesis statement you write will be a preliminary thesis statement, or a working thesis statement . You will need it when you begin to outline your assignment as a way to organize it. As you continue to develop the arrangement, you can limit your working thesis statement if it is too broad or expand it if it proves too narrow for what you want to say.

Using the topic you selected in Section 8.1 “Apply Prewriting Models” , develop a working thesis statement that states your controlling idea for the piece of writing you are doing. On a sheet of paper, write your working thesis statement.

You will make several attempts before you devise a working thesis statement that you think is effective. Each draft of the thesis statement will bring you closer to the wording that expresses your meaning exactly.

Writing an Outline

For an essay question on a test or a brief oral presentation in class, all you may need to prepare is a short, informal outline in which you jot down key ideas in the order you will present them. This kind of outline reminds you to stay focused in a stressful situation and to include all the good ideas that help you explain or prove your point.

For a longer assignment, like an essay or a research paper, many college instructors require students to submit a formal outline before writing a major paper as a way to be sure you are on the right track and are working in an organized manner. A formal outline is a detailed guide that shows how all your supporting ideas relate to each other. It helps you distinguish between ideas that are of equal importance and ones that are of lesser importance. You build your paper based on the framework created by the outline.

Instructors may also require you to submit an outline with your final draft to check the direction of the assignment and the logic of your final draft. If you are required to submit an outline with the final draft of a paper, remember to revise the outline to reflect any changes you made while writing the paper.

There are two types of formal outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. You format both types of formal outlines in the same way.

  • Place your introduction and thesis statement at the beginning, under roman numeral I.
  • Use roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to identify main points that develop the thesis statement.
  • Use capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) to divide your main points into parts.
  • Use arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) if you need to subdivide any As, Bs, or Cs into smaller parts.
  • End with the final roman numeral expressing your idea for your conclusion.

Here is what the skeleton of a traditional formal outline looks like. The indention helps clarify how the ideas are related.

Introduction

Thesis statement

Main point 1 → becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 1

Main point 2 → becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 2

Main point 3 → becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 3

In an outline, any supporting detail can be developed with subpoints. For simplicity, the model shows them only under the first main point.

Formal outlines are often quite rigid in their organization. As many instructors will specify, you cannot subdivide one point if it is only one part. For example, for every roman numeral I, there must be a For every A, there must be a B. For every arabic numeral 1, there must be a 2. See for yourself on the sample outlines that follow.

Constructing Topic Outlines

A topic outline is the same as a sentence outline except you use words or phrases instead of complete sentences. Words and phrases keep the outline short and easier to comprehend. All the headings, however, must be written in parallel structure. (For more information on parallel structure, see Chapter 7 “Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique?” .)

Here is the topic outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing. Her purpose is to inform, and her audience is a general audience of her fellow college students. Notice how Mariah begins with her thesis statement. She then arranges her main points and supporting details in outline form using short phrases in parallel grammatical structure.

Mariah's outline for her essay

Writing an Effective Topic Outline

This checklist can help you write an effective topic outline for your assignment. It will also help you discover where you may need to do additional reading or prewriting.

  • Do I have a controlling idea that guides the development of the entire piece of writing?
  • Do I have three or more main points that I want to make in this piece of writing? Does each main point connect to my controlling idea?
  • Is my outline in the best order—chronological order, spatial order, or order of importance—for me to present my main points? Will this order help me get my main point across?
  • Do I have supporting details that will help me inform, explain, or prove my main points?
  • Do I need to add more support? If so, where?
  • Do I need to make any adjustments in my working thesis statement before I consider it the final version?

Writing at Work

Word processing programs generally have an automatic numbering feature that can be used to prepare outlines. This feature automatically sets indents and lets you use the tab key to arrange information just as you would in an outline. Although in business this style might be acceptable, in college your instructor might have different requirements. Teach yourself how to customize the levels of outline numbering in your word-processing program to fit your instructor’s preferences.

Using the working thesis statement you wrote in Note 8.32 “Exercise 1” and the reading you did in Section 8.1 “Apply Prewriting Models” , construct a topic outline for your essay. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your outline. Point out areas of interest from their outline and what you would like to learn more about.

Constructing Sentence Outlines

A sentence outline is the same as a topic outline except you use complete sentences instead of words or phrases. Complete sentences create clarity and can advance you one step closer to a draft in the writing process.

Here is the sentence outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing.

An updated sentence outline

The information compiled under each roman numeral will become a paragraph in your final paper. In the previous example, the outline follows the standard five-paragraph essay arrangement, but longer essays will require more paragraphs and thus more roman numerals. If you think that a paragraph might become too long or stringy, add an additional paragraph to your outline, renumbering the main points appropriately.

PowerPoint presentations, used both in schools and in the workplace, are organized in a way very similar to formal outlines. PowerPoint presentations often contain information in the form of talking points that the presenter develops with more details and examples than are contained on the PowerPoint slide.

Expand the topic outline you prepared in Note 8.41 “Exercise 2” to make it a sentence outline. In this outline, be sure to include multiple supporting points for your main topic even if your topic outline does not contain them. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Key Takeaways

  • Writers must put their ideas in order so the assignment makes sense. The most common orders are chronological order, spatial order, and order of importance.
  • After gathering and evaluating the information you found for your essay, the next step is to write a working, or preliminary, thesis statement.
  • The working thesis statement expresses the main idea that you want to develop in the entire piece of writing. It can be modified as you continue the writing process.
  • Effective writers prepare a formal outline to organize their main ideas and supporting details in the order they will be presented.
  • A topic outline uses words and phrases to express the ideas.
  • A sentence outline uses complete sentences to express the ideas.
  • The writer’s thesis statement begins the outline, and the outline ends with suggestions for the concluding paragraph.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Trying to devise a structure for your essay can be one of the most difficult parts of the writing process. Making a detailed outline before you begin writing is a good way to make sure your ideas come across in a clear and logical order. A good outline will also save you time in the revision process, reducing the possibility that your ideas will need to be rearranged once you've written them.

The First Steps

Before you can begin outlining, you need to have a sense of what you will argue in the essay. From your analysis and close readings of primary and/or secondary sources you should have notes, ideas, and possible quotes to cite as evidence. Let's say you are writing about the 1999 Republican Primary and you want to prove that each candidate's financial resources were the most important element in the race. At this point, your notes probably lack much coherent order. Most likely, your ideas are still in the order in which they occurred to you; your notes and possible quotes probably still adhere to the chronology of the sources you've examined. Your goal is to rearrange your ideas, notes, and quotes—the raw material of your essay—into an order that best supports your argument, not the arguments you've read in other people's works. To do this, you have to group your notes into categories and then arrange these categories in a logical order.

Generalizing

The first step is to look over each individual piece of information that you've written and assign it to a general category. Ask yourself, "If I were to file this in a database, what would I file it under?" If, using the example of the Republican Primary, you wrote down an observation about John McCain's views on health care, you might list it under the general category of  "Health care policy." As you go through your notes, try to reuse categories whenever possible. Your goal is to reduce your notes to no more than a page of category listings.

Now examine your category headings. Do any seem repetitive? Do any go together? "McCain's expenditure on ads" and "Bush's expenditure on ads," while not exactly repetitive, could easily combine into a more general category like "Candidates' expenditures on ads." Also, keep an eye out for categories that no longer seem to relate to your argument. Individual pieces of information that at first seemed important can begin to appear irrelevant when grouped into a general category.

Now it's time to generalize again. Examine all your categories and look for common themes. Go through each category and ask yourself, "If I were to place this piece of information in a file cabinet, what would I label that cabinet?" Again, try to reuse labels as often as possible: "Health Care," "Foreign Policy," and "Immigration" can all be contained under "Policy Initiatives." Make these larger categories as general as possible so that there are no more than three or four for a 7-10 page paper.

With your notes grouped into generalized categories, the process of ordering them should be easier. To begin, look at your most general categories. With your thesis in mind, try to find a way that the labels might be arranged in a sentence or two that supports your argument. Let's say your thesis is that financial resources played the most important role in the 1999 Republican Primary. Your four most general categories are "Policy Initiatives," "Financial Resources," "Voters' Concerns," and "Voters' Loyalty." You might come up with the following sentence: ÒAlthough McCain's policy initiatives were closest to the voters' concerns, Bush's financial resources won the voters' loyalty.Ó This sentence should reveal the order of your most general categories. You will begin with an examination of McCain's and Bush's views on important issues and compare them to the voters' top concerns. Then you'll look at both candidates' financial resources and show how Bush could win voters' loyalty through effective use of his resources, despite his less popular policy ideas.

With your most general categories in order, you now must order the smaller categories. To do so, arrange each smaller category into a sentence or two that will support the more general sentence you've just devised. Under the category of "Financial Resources," for instance, you might have the smaller categories of "Ad Expenditure," "Campaign Contributions" and "Fundraising." A sentence that supports your general argument might read: "Bush's early emphasis on fundraising led to greater campaign contributions, allowing him to have a greater ad expenditure than McCain."

The final step of the outlining process is to repeat this procedure on the smallest level, with the original notes that you took for your essay. To order what probably was an unwieldy and disorganized set of information at the beginning of this process, you need now only think of a sentence or two to support your general argument. Under the category "Fundraising," for example, you might have quotes about each candidate's estimation of its importance, statistics about the amount of time each candidate spent fundraising, and an idea about how the importance of fundraising never can be overestimated. Sentences to support your general argument might read: "No candidate has ever raised too much money [your idea]. While both McCain and Bush acknowledged the importance of fundraising [your quotes], the numbers clearly point to Bush as the superior fundraiser [your statistics]." The arrangement of your ideas, quotes, and statistics now should come naturally.

Putting It All Together

With these sentences, you have essentially constructed an outline for your essay. The most general ideas, which you organized in your first sentence, constitute the essay's sections. They follow the order in which you placed them in your sentence. The order of the smaller categories within each larger category (determined by your secondary sentences) indicates the order of the paragraphs within each section. Finally, your last set of sentences about your specific notes should show the order of the sentences within each paragraph. An outline for the essay about the 1999 Republican Primary (showing only the sections worked out here) would look something like this:

I. POLICY INITIATIVES

II.  VOTERS' CONCERNS

III.  FINANCIAL RESOURCES

            A.  Fundraising

                        a.  Original Idea

                        b.  McCain Quote/Bush Quote

                        c.  McCain Statistics/Bush Statistics

            B.  Campaign Contributions

            C.  Ad Expenditure

IV.  VOTERS' LOYALTY

Copyright 2000, David Kornhaber, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

Essay Map

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How to Teach Outlining

Last Updated: April 16, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Richard Perkins . Richard Perkins is a Writing Coach, Academic English Coordinator, and the Founder of PLC Learning Center. With over 24 years of education experience, he gives teachers tools to teach writing to students and works with elementary to university level students to become proficient, confident writers. Richard is a fellow at the National Writing Project. As a teacher leader and consultant at California State University Long Beach's Global Education Project, Mr. Perkins creates and presents teacher workshops that integrate the U.N.'s 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the K-12 curriculum. He holds a BA in Communications and TV from The University of Southern California and an MEd from California State University Dominguez Hills. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 11,115 times.

Every really good piece of writing starts with a solid outline. Whether you’re teaching a class, tutoring fellow students, or homeschooling your kids, teaching the art of outlining requires a knowledge of the components of an effective outline, as well as an understanding of how they can be adjusted according to a writer’s specific style and purpose. Explain the function of each of these components to your students in detail, then guide them through a series of exercises designed to show them the hallmarks of a strong outline in action.

Explaining the Components of an Effective Outline

Step 1 Introduce your students to the standard alphanumeric outline format.

  • Inform your students that for complex topics, they can also include additional details or examples in regular numbered-list form beneath the relevant supporting point. Make sure they indent every next line to keep track of what information belongs where. [2] X Research source
  • Teaching your students to use an alphanumeric outline format will provide them with a simple structure that they can fill in as they begin to expand their ideas.

Step 2 Stress the importance...

  • Remember that there are different types of thesis statements. In an analytical essay, for instance, the thesis statement should express a particular fact about the subject, while in an argumentative essay, it should present a claim or seek to persuade. [4] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
  • Prompt your students with helpful preliminary questions to get them thinking about their thesis statement, like, “What do you want to say about this subject?” or, “Why do you think people should care about your topic?”

Step 3 Help your students...

  • Encourage your students to ease into the writing process by starting with general information before working their way up to more specific ideas. [5] X Research source
  • If the thesis statement of an essay is, “Pollution is bad for the environment,” the introduction might open with a definition of pollution and go on to describe some of the common forms it takes.

Step 4 Instruct your students to arrange their ideas into sections ranked by importance.

  • If a student's thesis statement is that it's unethical for businesses to lower wages in order to increase profits, for example, Section I of their outline might list the immediate consequences of cutting pay rates, while Section II might provide points detailing what happens when jobs are moved overseas. [7] X Research source
  • Demonstrate to your students that by prioritizing their best ideas, everything that follows will seem like additional evidence for an already-established argument.

Richard Perkins

  • Don’t forget to go over how to establish a logical flow. Following up a paragraph on the effects of sleep deprivation on standardized test scores with one providing a definition of sleep deprivation could feel disjointed and leave the reader confused. In this case, it makes more sense to define the term clearly before showing what it does.

Tip: In longer pieces, each important idea could encompass a series of paragraphs related by theme or evidence rather than a single self-contained paragraph.

Step 6 Offer your students guidance on crafting a memorable conclusion.

  • Advise your students not to rush their conclusions. They should understand that the conclusion is arguably the most critical part of the essay, as it gives them a chance to bring together each of the ideas they’ve been developing. [11] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
  • Direct your students to use clear and direct language to construct their closing paragraphs. Even if the findings of an essay are ambiguous, the statement made by the conclusion shouldn’t be.

Making Use of Helpful Exercises

Step 1 Create word clusters to get your students generating ideas.

  • If you give your students the word “duck,” for instance, they might end up with words like “water,” “feathers,” “bill,” “bread,” “park,” “quack,” “fly,” and “family.”
  • Word clusters and other forms of free-association also make excellent warm up exercises before you actually get into organization or composition.
  • This exercise will benefit students of all ages and writing levels, from grade school to college.

Step 2 Have your students identify the topic sentence in various sample paragraphs.

  • Students who are below a high school reading level will have an easier time with texts containing short, direct sentences that convey simple ideas clearly.
  • If you want to increase the difficulty of this exercise a bit, another option is to scramble the sentences in each paragraph so that they’re out of order and have your students pick the topic sentence out of the disorganized jumble.

Tip: History books make great teaching aids for dissecting paragraph structure, as they’re often meticulously organized and tend to proceed in a clear, linear manner.

Step 3 Practice creating outlines by deconstructing existing texts.

  • You can either use the same text you used to pinpoint topic sentences or print off a different batch of examples to keep things fresh and get high school-aged students used to working with different kinds of information.
  • One of the advantages of this exercise is that it allows students to focus exclusively on organizing key information without having to worry about what they’re writing.

Step 4 Draft short mock essays on silly subjects.

  • The whole point of writing mock essays is to work quickly and freely, so be sure to tell your students not to stress over their word choice or rack their brains trying to make a compelling argument.
  • Mock essays will be most useful to 5th and 6th grade students who are getting their first taste of essay-writing.

Step 5 Help older students come up with working titles for their essays.

  • Try this rapid-fire titling exercise with your students: think up a list of conditions (one word, two words, five words, begins with a question, references popular song lyrics, etc.) then give them 5 minutes to formulate a title that satisfies each of the conditions. By the end of the exercise, they’ll have a better grasp of how to formulate a title that serves a specific purpose. [18] X Research source
  • Titling is one of the funnest parts of essay writing for many students. It lets them flex their creativity and show off their ability to appeal to the reader’s sensibilities on an emotional level.

Expert Q&A

  • Ask your students to turn in the working outlines they created along with their completed essays. That way, you’ll be able to see how they’ve chosen to structure their writing and offer advice for improving their organization in the future. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Try to help your students understand that writing is a highly subjective process, and that while certain exercises can be helpful for refining their skills and opening up new ways of looking at things, their goal should ultimately be to discover and develop their own unique personal style. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/developing_an_outline/types_of_outlines.html
  • ↑ https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/global/documents/library/essay_outline_worksheet.pdf
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
  • ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
  • ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/ThesisStatementsandIntroductionsJuly08_000.pdf
  • ↑ https://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writing/34236-how-to-write-an-outline/
  • ↑ http://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/32339
  • ↑ Richard Perkins. Writing Coach & Academic English Coordinator. Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
  • ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/faculty-resources/tips-on-teaching-writing/in-class-writing-exercises/
  • ↑ https://busyteacher.org/20229-teaching-the-art-of-outlining-in-composition.html
  • ↑ https://umanitoba.ca/student/academiclearning/media/Writing_a_Great_Title_NEW.pdf
  • ↑ http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/titles.pdf

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WTO / Guides / 35 Free Essay Outline Templates | How to Write (9 Types)

35 Free Essay Outline Templates | How to Write (9 Types)

Creating an effective essay outline is fundamental to the writing process. An appropriately crafted outline can help you create a coherent, well-planned essay. Whether you build your structure for the essay or you use a template, this first step is the key to excellent writing. 

In this article, you’ll learn what an outline is and how to make the most of it. 

What is an Essay Outline?

It is the skeleton of your final paper. It should contain all the main ideas and concepts included and demonstrate them. A proper outline will easily convey the main argument and have a coherent flow connecting ideas. 

You’ll often be asked to submit an outline before starting, but even if not, it’s essential to the writing process as it will keep your thoughts organized and your essay clear. 

Why is It Important?

While it’s entirely possible to write your essay without an outline, it won’t be nearly as structured and coherent without one. Highly effective writing takes considerable planning. After doing all the research required, you should find the best way to connect all this information to be clear and readable. 

An outline will also help keep you organized as you’re writing, making the process easier for you. You won’t need to worry about what comes next as you write. It already has the main ideas organized for you, so all you need to do is put those arguments into words. 

Finally, an outline can be helpful to make sure that you don’t miss any key arguments. It’s easy to get caught up in typing your essay as quickly as possible, so you’ll be guaranteed not to skip anything important by having an outline.

Outline Templates

Free Downloadable General Essay Outline Sample 01 for Word Document

Pre-Writing Considerations

Before jumping into drafting your first outline, there are some key ideas you should keep in mind first. A strong outline is all about appropriate planning and structure, so before putting pen to paper, here are some pre-considerations:

Read your assignment

The very first step is clear, that is read the assignment carefully. A big step in the writing process is making sure that you’re writing something with purpose, and, in this case, the purpose may be to follow instructions. For example, if you need to make a persuasive essay , the structure will differ from that of a research essay. 

Reading the assignment first will ensure that you’re on the right track and understand what the final product should look like. 

Answer the question

After reading the assignment, you should make sure you have a clear answer to the question. Your thesis statement should be the main argument for your essay and answer whatever question has been presented. 

For example, when writing a persuasive essay about raising the minimum wage, your outline should clearly state your stance. By taking a brief look at your outline, a reader should understand the answer to the prompt and the main arguments you’ll be using to support your opinion. 

Identify the audience

The following critical step to appropriate essay writing is to identify the audience. Of course, the style and tone of your writing will be very different depending on who your target reader is. For example, if your audience will be your peers, you may use a more casual tone than if your target reader is an academic expert. 

By identifying the audience, you’ll make sure that your word choice is practical, your register is appropriate, and your argument resonates with the reader. 

Organize your material

The next step is to collect your arguments and organize them coherently to create an outline. You may have already formed your ideas, but it’s okay if you haven’t created a strongly worded-argument yet. So here, the goal is to organize your thoughts and your sources so that you can refer back to them when you’re writing:

Create categories

You should go back through all the research and ideas you’ve considered and separate them into different categories in the outline. In a persuasive essay, the different categories may be the separate points to your argument and the information that backs them up. 

All of these different categories should be able to be connected back to your thesis statement since it’s the main idea. Depending on the essay’s length, you could have two or three principal arguments connecting to your thesis statement. Typically, you would want a minimum of one paragraph dedicated to each point. 

Afterward, once you have all of these points written down on your outline, take a moment to step back. Ask yourself if everything flows correctly or if there is any repetition. Likewise, make sure that all key arguments you want are represented in this structure. 

Order of information 

Once you have all the categories presented in the outline, you’ll want to work on the flow of the essay. While you should always have a clear introduction and conclusion, the body can come in different forms. 

The best way to do this is by considering how the different categories connect in the outline. If point A leads into point B naturally, then point A should come first. If there is a clear starting point to your essay, you should begin there. It would be best if you typically considered starting with your strongest argument to entice the reader and keep them interested. 

State your thesis

Finally, you’ll want to craft your thesis statement once the outline structure is determined. This statement will be exactly what appears in your essay, and so, it should be robust and well thought out. 

The thesis statement should state your main argument and the different points you will make in your essay. In short, your thesis statement should be a highly condensed version of the entire paper. 

How to Structure an Outline?

While every essay will be slightly different, a generalized template can be followed when starting. For example, consistent with the concepts mentioned above, the following example could be a potential outline for a persuasive essay on the controversial topic of raising the minimum wage.:

  • Introduction: Minimum wage and how it affects the population.
  • Hook : People working full-time cannot afford to live a luxurious life. 
  • Background : Low wages affect people’s lives by impeding their ability to grow wealth, take care of their basic needs, and enjoy a dignified lifestyle.
  • Thesis statement : “Increasing the minimum wage would positively impact society as it has not kept up with inflation over the years. It would reduce poverty and result in a stronger economy.” 
  • Topic 1: The minimum wage has remained lower over the years and has not increased proportionally with the cost of living.
  • Topic 2: Increasing minimum wage would help reduce poverty by allowing people to pay for their basic needs and have money to save.
  • Topic 3: As more people would have money to spend on goods and services besides basic amenities, the economy would improve.
  • Conclusion: Increasing the minimum wage would be largely beneficial for the entire population by allowing them to cover their basic needs, grow their wealth, and spend money at local businesses.
  • Summary : The current minimum wage is insufficient as the cost of living far exceeds a full-time worker’s financial capabilities. It should be raised in order to meet the basic needs of the population.
  • Importance of topic : The purpose of a minimum wage is to guarantee everyone’s right to have their basic needs fulfilled, therefore the minimum wage should be at a level where it reflects that.
  • Strong closing statement : The current minimum wage does not meet its own requirements by definition, therefore raising it is the only option.

Each section has been discussed below to understand the above example outline better:

Introduction

The introduction will address the topic at hand. As a writer, it is your chance to entice the reader and have them interested in what they are about to read. The introduction of outline will comprise a hook, the background, and the thesis statement. Therefore, the introduction should be as catchy as possible and specifically aimed at your target reader. 

The hook will be the first statement of the introduction and should be something that catches the reader’s attention. This can often come in the form of a statistic or an otherwise powerful statement. 

Background 

After the hook, the writer should give some background information to the problem at hand. In this case, the writer can explain the current low minimum wage problem and how it poorly affects the population. This type of argument in the background information will further strengthen the author’s argument. 

Thesis statement

Traditionally, the last sentence of the introduction will be the thesis. Doing so makes it incredibly clear to the reader what will be included in the rest of the essay. This way, the reader is prepared for what comes ahead and knows exactly what the author will argue. This allows for a clear and coherent argument at the core of every effective essay. 

The body comprises the main arguments that support your thesis statement. In this example outline, three different points were given to connect to the thesis and persuade the reader to take the author’s stance. 

A minimum of one paragraph should be dedicated to each of the three body topics. Depending on the desired length, this could be increased. Regardless, the three ideas should be independent of one another but should still naturally flow from one idea to the next. This allows for coherency and improved essay structure and can be done through transition sentences.

Within the conclusion, you should be able to summarize everything that has been said up to this point and restate your main argument firmly. 

The start of conclusion will summarize three-body topics as indicated in the example outline above. This allows the reader to understand that the essay is coming to a natural conclusion and improves the fluidity of reading. 

Importance of topic

In parallel with the introduction, it is often advisable to restate the importance of the topic at hand. In this case, to restate how low wages negatively affect the population. Depending on your audience, this could be done through pure statistics or a more emotionally-based point. 

Strong closing statement

Finally, a powerful statement that ends the essay should be placed at the end of the outline. It should restate the importance of the thesis statement and persuasively mention your argument. 

Outline Format 

Depending on the type of essay you’re writing and your personal preference, there are a variety of outline formats you can use.

Here are just a couple:

Alphanumeric format of outline

This is by far the most common of the formats. It allows for a clear representation of each topic you’ll be discussing within your essay. This type of outline will use numbers to represent the main sections, while the subsections will be represented by letters, or vice-versa.

Decimal format of an outline

A decimal format is another standard outline structure. Ultimately, it is pretty similar to the alphanumeric format, but some people prefer this style as it may seem more evident. Both are perfectly acceptable as long as you use them to give your essay structure. 

Following are a few more outlines for your ease:

Great Printable Argumentative Essay Outline Sample for Word Format

Download: Microsoft Word (.docx)

Great Printable Compare and Contrast Essay Outline Sample for Word Format

Frequently Asked Questions

You should start writing your outline before beginning to write your essay. In fact, your professor may even ask to see the outline earlier in an academic environment. Although, even when it is not required, an outline can be beneficial for you to smooth out the writing process. You can always use a template if you’re lost or don’t know where to start. 

Some supervisors have different guidelines that describe whether or not complete sentences are necessary. It won’t be indispensable as long as your ideas are clearly expressed in most cases. If you’re writing the outline for yourself solely, you can decide. But ultimately, the outline is there to help you during your writing process, so choose whatever you find most comfortable.

Ideally, you should follow your outline as much as possible. But, of course, as you write your essay, you may discover an alternative argument or structure that you find better. If that’s the case, make sure you take the time to consider whether or not it truly is beneficial to the overall essay.

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Making Outlines Worksheets

Related ela standard: w.7.2.a.

Outlines are the very first step in organizing yourself for any task. We can use outlines to help us prepare for a task or explain it to others. They are used in all walks of life and have a great degree of flexibility as to what they can be applied to help you with. In language arts, we often use them to us prepare for our writing assignments. Being able to craft a useful outline is the key to a successful approach, these worksheets will show you how to do that.

Making Outlines Worksheets:

Introduction to Outlines – Read each word in the list. Determine which words name general categories. Write them on the lines. Then sort the rest of the words into the correct category.

Anatomy of an Outline – In an outline, topics are put in a logical order, so that like things are grouped together, and supporting topics go under the main topics that they relate to.

Identifying Subtopics – Read each main topic. Select the word or phrase that is NOT a subtopic for the main topic.

Claim, Evidence, Interpretation – How are you interpreting or analyzing the evidence?

Thesis Statements – This shows us how to validate something.

Topic Sentence Outline – This helps you create solid topic sentences.

Outlining Your Essay – Hook: How will you interest the reader in your essay? How will you introduce your topic?

Body Paragraph #1 – What is this paragraph about?

Evidence or Supporting Idea – How do you back up claims of any kind?

The Capper – This should help you finish it off.

Concluding Paragraph – Will this sum up your essay, or tell the reader why the points you have made matter? Your conclusion should mirror your thesis statement.

Outline Your Essay – A nice organizer to help you sum it up for yourself.

Outline Your Speech – Tell your audience how your topic affects them.

The Preview – Preview your main points in the order you will present them.

Close Strongly – Give your audience a "call to action".

The 5-Paragraph Essay Outline – Introduce general or connecting (to your hook) information about your topic.

5 Paragraph Essay Structure – The most common writing assignment.

Getting Started with Outlines – Read each word in the list. Determine which words name general categories. Write them on the lines. Then sort the rest of the words into the correct category.

Outlining a Persuasive Essay – How will I hook my reader?

Persuasive Essay Conclusion – This attached itself to the last page.

Essay Road Map – A great way to get it done.

More of the Map – This attached itself to the last page.

What Do You Know About Outlines? – Label each outline level.

Subtopics – In an essay, the broadest or most general ideas are called main topics or major topics. The more narrowly focused ideas related to the main or major topics are called subtopics.

Essay Outline Worksheets:

Argumentative - We explore how to incorporate the use of the MEAT technique.

The Basics - A simple flowchart to help you with the process.

The 4-Paragraph - These are the exact steps you take and prompts to get you through it.

Thesis to Conclusion - Everything that you will need to touch on.

The Issue - Make sure you have enough evidence to support your claims.

The Hook - What will be your hook in your piece?

Sharpen Up - It is all about making sure that you have supporting points.

Firm, But Fair - Write a topic sentence that states your position on the topic.

My Claims - What is the central point of your work?

Assigned Topic - This is one of the best to help you construct an essay.

My Plan - Use the concept map below as a graphic organizer to plan your essay.

Opinion Essay - You will need to create a mountain of evidence.

Four Paragraphs - Another template to walk you through creating these.

Being Persuasive - Get people to see your point right away.

5 Paragraphs - For those longer thoughts that require more evidence.

How to Make an Outline

Here are the steps to making an outline:

Choose Your Topic

The most important step in creating an outline is to choose a topic. You cannot create them without the a solid topic or thesis. If you do not have a topic, then you must choose something that interests you. You can search on the internet to get a topic idea for your outline. You can also ask your teachers or any other professionals to help you out in choosing the topic. It is always best to be as specific as you can when you are choosing the topic. Do not choose a broader topic because it will require a lot of time and effort. The result will also not be as good as you might have expected. Make sure to go for a topic that only handles a narrow line of the subject in order to avoid any confusion in your text.

List Out The Main Points

The next step is to list out the main points. Once you are done with the topic, you can move towards researching for the information. You must collect as much information as possible. You can look on the internet or visit libraries to find relevant information. After you are done with the information, you can decide which information you will be using. This means that you will be listing out the main points that you do not want to miss at any cost.

Organize Your Points

Once you have your main point in front of you, it is time to arrange them. An outline is always organized and clear. It is important that you organize all your main points and assemble them in order so that you can create the perfect outline. At this stage, you can also get rid of the points that you think are not important to make it to the outline.

When you have done all the steps, you can review your outline. Look for any mistakes. At this point, you can also add any missing information to the outline.

What is The Best Way to Outline An Essay?

An essay outline is a framework of the composition you will write. It is a roadmap that lets you organize and analyze your thoughts, key points, and arguments in a structural format. This format helps readers get an overview of the essay and makes it easier for the writer to follow the outline. A good thesis silhouette can turn an average piece of work into a persuasive piece of writing.

There are many different types of essays, such as argumentative, research, academic, and expository. The type of outline for each varies slightly.

Essay Outline Elements

Introduction - The most important element of any essay is the introduction. The introductory paragraph needs to hook the reader and entice them to read further. Here, you will overview your topic and all the points you will discuss. In the end, you need to add a thesis statement. A thesis statement is around one line long and clarifies your stance on the subject.

Body - The body section is where you give a detailed description of all points mentioned in the introduction. They typically have 2 to 4 body paragraphs. Generally, one paragraph is used to discuss one point, one argument, or one source, depending on the type of article.

Conclusion - In conclusion, you wrap up the essay and summarize the points in the body paragraphs. You can also share your parting opinions and suggestions, in conclusion, to convince the reader about your stance.

The Steps - Now that you know the basic elements of an essay, let's learn the best way to create an outline.

Determine Your Objective - The first step to writing an essay outline is to determine your objective. What is the assignment, and what form are you writing in? Are you trying to persuade the audience or help them understand a process? What’s your thesis statement, and how effectively can you support it? Having a clear idea of the essay’s objective can significantly help you.

List Out and Organize Your Key Points - Next, list all the key points you want to discuss over the course of the piece. Divide each point for a paragraph and summarize it in a line. Add statistics, graphs, and other supporting evidence to validate your point. The organization and order of importance will help you write better. The more details you add to the layout, the better the result.

Remove Fluff - Once your initial draft is ready, you need to filter out the fluff. See which points best support your stance and remove those that are questionable. In the end, you should have a solid plan of action to follow that will get your points across to the reader clearly and persuasively.

You can also download a basic template from the internet and organize your thoughts for proper structuring. The order of information and presentation of the composition is equally important when putting these together.

Create a checklist to see if your essay has all the main elements, such as:

- A thesis statement - Supporting ideas - Relevant evidence and statistics - Order of importance

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4. What is an outline, and how does it help organize an essay?

Related questions.

Theodora and her husband had what famous church built?.

Answer: the Basilica of San Vitale

Explanation: Theodora and Justinian were considered equals in terms of brains and politics, and Theodora was responsible for many of Byzantium's reforms. Theodora Basilica of San Vitale was erected in 528 as an imperial church at Ravenna, Italy, on the boundaries of the Byzantine Empire.

Which president's response to the iranian crisis was considered a failure, and why? the response of president to the iranian hostage crisis was considered a failure because .

President Jimmy Carter's response to the Iranian crisis was considered a failure as the crisis was not ended with diplomacy .

President Carter wanted to safely return hostages in order to maintain the int erest of America. He worked with the policy of restraint where he gave priority to hostage people and not to his political future.

However, the program of rescue resulted in a disaster as he ordered the military mission to save the hostages.

Learn more about the Iranian crisis here:

https://brainly.com/question/26978595

the response of president Carter to the Iranian hostage crisis was considered a failure because he was unable to secure the hostages release during his time in office

Executive Order 9066, issued by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942, dealt with the issue of

evacuation of all threats

Explanation:

he evacuation of all persons deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to relocation centers further inland.

Why was inflation a problem after WWII. A.1: Many people went into debt buying on credit without the income to pay in cash. B.2: Many men came home from the war without being able to get a job. C.3: Government controls ended, and prices of goods rose without workers getting raises. D.4: Prices of goods increased at double the rate of the standard of living.

Have you ever tried to settle a conflict with someone through diplomatic solutions (talking it out, coming to a compromise, etc.)? How'd it go? Were you able to solve your problem?

The thing is i often do this with my mom and she always solves the problems and i feel dum after she solves it and I can’t.

unscrambling the letters: process of digestion​

Donating funds to help a candidate win an election is an example of ✔ campaigning . casting a ballot in a primary for a republican candidate is an example of ✔ voting . writing a letter to a senator about the issue of gun control is an example of ✔ lobbying . organizing a rally for a candidate leading up to an election is an example of ✔ campaigning this is the answer btw

The definition of all of the terms in the question are:

When funds are donated in other to help a person win an election it is called campaigning.

By organizing a rally f or a candidate leading up to an election is an example campaigning.

This would include writing a letter to a senator about the issue of gun control.

Going to the election centres in order to cast a ballot in a primary for a republican candidate.

Read more on elections here: https://brainly.com/question/25815264

When did spain come into existence?

Answer: 1492

Explanation: The Christian Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon conquer the Emirate of Granada, ending nearly 800 years of Muslim rule in the south and founding modern Spain as a united state.

the europeans met in germany to divide africa. what is that called

Berlin Conference

Who was the president at the end of the great depression?.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was the president at the end of Great Depression

Assuming the Presidency at the depth of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt helped the American people regain faith in themselves

Which nation was led by the dictator Mussolini? Spain Italy Japan Soviet Union

Benito Mussolini was an Italian political leader who became the fascist dictator of Italy from 1925 to 1945.

What color was originally associated with saint patrick.

Patrick, its official color was a sky blue, known as "St. Patrick's Blue." The earliest known image of Saint Patrick.

Answer: IM NOT SURE IF IM RIGHT but i think it’s SKY BLUE

which of the following best describes the disparity between the ideal of manifest destiny and the actual challenges settlers faced during the swell of westward migration?

The statement that describes the disparity between the ideal of manifest destiny and the actual challenges that the settlers faced was that:

The westward expansion was the an expansion of the United States from the late 18th to the mid 19th centuries

The expansion lead to economic promise and fueled the manifest destiny but it also lead to sectional tension over slavery.

In conclusion, the ideal of Manifest Destiny claimed that the West offered economic opportunity but the settlers struggled to survive on the region's difficult and unfamiliar soil.

Read more about Manifest Destiny

brainly.com/question/752645

Which accurately describes how the transmission of disease impacted the indigenous people of North and South America? A.) European explorers transmitted the bubonic plague, decimating the native people of North and South America. B.)European explorers transmitted yellow fever, decimating the native people of North and South America. C.)European explorers transmitted meningitis, decimating the native people of North and South America. D.)European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America.

Your answer would be: D.) European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America. The disease's affected the indigenous peoples of North and South America was that European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native peoples of North and South America. The colonists' war against the Native Americans resulted in the use of a violent strategy by the colonists to decimate the natives, which was the use of blankets and sheets contaminated with smallpox, designating biological warfare. Thus the colonists traded blankets and cloths to the natives, they, in turn, gave the natives diseases that lowered their population.

Have a great rest of your day #TheWizzer

D.)European explorers transmitted smallpox, decimating the native people of North and South America.

The more well-known disease that is talked about that the Europeans tranferred is smallpox, but it also includes measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, bubonic plague, and typhus. In return, Europeans brought the disease syphilis back to Europe, which came in the the cases of sores on the body, rashes, and internal infections.

What Germanic tribes from Denmark and northern Germany settled in Britain after the departure of the Romans in the 5th century.

Answer: The Jutes

Explanation: One of the Germanic tribes that landed in the United Kingdom after the Romans departed

Many Irish people immigrated to the united states in the 19th century in order to:

The reason why a lot of people migrated to the United States from Ireland was in order to escape famine.

The People of Ireland at the time that they moved and started escaping had experienced a great famine due to potato blights.

Excess poverty and hunger in Ireland, made people to run to America ion search of better life.

Read more on the Irish here: https://brainly.com/question/26238626

Explanation:The reason why a lot of people migrated to the United States from Ireland was in order to escape famine.

Why the Irish moved to America

In what two ways do the geographical features of New Orleans contribute to flooding? 1. It is surrounded by bodies of water. 2. The layout of the city causes a rise in sea-level. 3. Many of the wetlands have been drained. 4. The city is inside manmade levees. 5. Much of the city lies below sea-level.

The two ways to the geographical features of New Orleans contribute to flooding. The first is the city is inside manmade levees and the second is much of the city lies below sea-level.

Geography, New Orleans is a city defined and influenced by waterways, as it is essentially an island between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. New Orleans, known as the Crescent City because of its quarter-moon shape, was cut off from the rest of the world for over 250 years.

Piling soil, sand, or pebbles on a cleared, flat surface is how most artificial levees are constructed. Levees built of wood, plastic, or metal can be used in regions where a river's flow is strong.

The elevation of the ocean/land contact known as the shoreline is referred to as sea level. Land that is higher than this elevation is above sea level, while land that is lower is below sea-level.

To learn more about the the geographical features of New Orleans manmade levees and below sea-level here.

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How did the whites control the blacks in apartheid?

Apartheid (“apartness” in the language of Afrikaans) was a system of legislation that upheld segregationist policies against non-white citizens of South Africa. After the National Party gained power in South Africa in 1948, its all-white government immediately began enforcing existing policies of racial segregation. Under apartheid, nonwhite South Africans (a majority of the population) would be forced to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities. Contact between the two groups would be limited. Despite strong and consistent opposition to apartheid within and outside of South Africa, its laws remained in effect for the better part of 50 years. In 1991, the government of President F.W. de Klerk began to repeal most of the legislation that provided the basis for apartheid. President de Klerk and activist Nelson Mandela would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for their work creating a new constitution for South Africa

Explanation: hope it helps

Apartheid forced nonwhite South Africans to live in separate regions from whites and use separate public services .

Apartheid was a lawful system in South Africa that implemented segregationist practices against non-white inhabitants .

At the instance of the National Party to come up to powerfulness in South Africa , its all-white authorities get down to implementing existent racial segregation regulations right away.

Nonwhite South Africans were forced to reside in separate regions from whites and use separate public facilities under apartheid.

There would be little interaction between the two groups . Apartheid laws remained in place for the better part of 50 years , despite strong and constant opposition, both within and outside of South Africa .

Therefore, President F.W. de Klerk's government began repealing much of the legislation that supported apartheid in 1991.

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Why is Equiano relieved after talking to Africans in Barbados?

While Equiano was still enslaved in west Africa by his captors and owners he got treated either like a son or was comforted. For example Equiano says "all their treatment of me, made me forgot I was a slave".

Why did the european nations form opposing alliances.

European nations formed opposing alliances to protect themselves from their enemies. And the alliances made them stronger, both militarily and economically.

Evaluate the extent to which the strategies of the African American Civil Rights movement changed in the period from 1945 to 1980.

The strategy of the African - American civil rights movement changed from legality to illegal mass actions .

The Civil Rights Movement is the name of a national organization that fought to demand full access to civil rights and equality before the law for the African-American community .

During the 1950s the African - American movement was not as strong in the United States, during this decade some activists took individual actions to demand their rights .

However, since the end of the 1950s , massive activities and demonstrations began to be carried out that were hardly controlled by state forces and that drew much attention from the press and government agencies .

This generated that more attention to their demands and they managed to achieve equal access to rights as citizens and the eradication of racial segregation .

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Define judicial activism and judicial restraint. Explain the reasons that judges would exercise activism or restraint, and tell how Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education were examples of each.

Judicial restraint

Judicial restraint is a judicial interpretation that recommends favoring the status quo in judicial activities; it is the opposite of judicial activism. Aspects of judicial restraint include the principle of stare decisis; a conservative approach to standing and a reluctance to grant certiorari; and a tendency to deliver narrowly tailored verdicts, avoiding "unnecessary resolution of broad questions."

What was a difference between teenagers in the postwar period and in earlier times?

Postwar teen were a major target group of businesses

what new attitudes and perspectives were reflected in bebop?

Some of the new attitudes and perspectives that Bebop reflected were:

Bebop music was a type of jazz that was developed in the 1940s . It had a lot of characteristics such as a complicated chord progressio n, which meant that it did not plan to conform to traditional jazz music.

It also featured a tempo that was usually fast or sometimes very slow . The goal of this was to make sure that people listened to the music instead of just dancing to it.

Bebop also led to a subculture of young , hip and experimental musicians who best played the Bebop style.

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Good evening! Can someone please answer this, ill give you brainliest and your earning 50 points. Would be very appreciated.and not one of them people that put links or people that put random unsustainable answers.

Hey the answer is B, inflation isn't something people view positively so it is not a benefit. Hope this helps :}

Either C if not then D for the last question

How do nutritional needs change over time?

As you age, your body needs fewer calories, but it also needs more nutrition. It is quite the catch 22. If you eat the same amount of calories that you did as a teenager, you will likely gain weight, but you still need the same amount or greater of some nutrients.

What kind of activity aboard the international space station was recently carried out for the 248th time?.

The spacewalkers on the 248th mission on international space station carried out station repairs and upgrades on the station.

The ISS is a modular space station which is a habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit.

In conclusion, the spacewalkers on the 248th mission on international space station carried out station repairs and upgrades on the station.

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Evaluate the extent to which the strategies of the African American Civil Rights movement changed in the period from 1945 to 1980. (contextualize and use historical evidence.)

The extent of change in the strategies of the African American Civil Rights movement was a shift from legality to illegal mass demonstrations .

The Civil Rights Movement was a national organization that demanded that African-Americans must have full access to civil rights and equality before the law.

Although the vibrancy of the African-American movement in the United States in the 1950s was low , some activists employed some individual measures to fight for their rights during this decade.

Nevertheless, large-scale events and demonstrations have taken place since the end of the 1950s that have been mostly irrepressible by state forces and have attracted widespread media and government attention.

As a result of this, their demands received more attention which led to granting them equal access to citizenship privileges and the abolition of racial segregation .

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explain what happened to Emmet Till

Which five women made contributions to space exploration.

Katherine Johnson

Frances “Poppy” Northcutt

Beatrice Hicks

Mary Jackson

Sarah Al-Amiri

COMMENTS

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