Outlining: How to Organize Your Research

Ms. Payne

Why Outline?

Helps in the process of writing Organizes your ideas Presents your information in a logical format Shows the relationships among ideas in your

writing

Basically, it makes writing the final paper easier!

From: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/2/

Process- How to begin…

1. Decide which pieces of information will go into your paper (go through your data charts and circle/star useful notes)

2. Organize- group related ideas together (basically done for you on the data chart)

3. Label information as “Main” or “Sub” (main are big ideas and sub are the details to support the main).

Format of the Alphanumeric (topic) Outline

Roman numerals are used for the 3 main parts of the paper:

I. IntroductionThesis statement

II. Body

III. Conclusion Thesis statement reworded/rewritten

Formatting, cont’d.

After Roman Numerals, use Capital Letters as main ideas:

A.

B.

C.

Etc.

Formatting, cont’d.

After Capital Letters, use Arabic numerals for sub headings:

1.

2.

3.

Etc.

Formatting, cont’d.

If you need to go even further, use lowercase letters:

a.

b.

c.

Etc.

Writing the Body of the Paper

Think about it this way…1. Background/overview of the topic- this is where you

will define terms, give history and major players involved

2. Issue- discuss the problem you are writing about. Support your stance on the topic (benefits/pros) AND give counterarguement (cons/bad points), but disspell them…

3. Proposal/Solution- describe/detail what should be done/is being done to fix the problem to support your stance. Problem-solve and support with research!

Formatting, cont’d.

Major rule!!!– You cannot have a 1. without a 2.– You cannot have an a. without a b.

You must indent each type of heading as you

move down the paper. Outlines should be typed and double-spaced

with the title, Outline

Examples