Do I have ample materials for the required length of the paper? If not, what angle do I want to enhance?.Do I have enough support for each of my main subtopics? Will the support I have convince readers of my points?.Are my supporting points in the best possible order?.In what order do I want to present my subtopics?.Did I find an unexpected subtopic that I want to add?.Do all of my planned subtopics still seem reasonable?.Do I want to tweak my planned thesis based on the information I have found?.When you are finished, evaluate your outline by asking questions such as the following: Karen Palmer and licensed under CC BY NC SA. Instead of Point 1, for example, the outline would state the actual point. In an actual essay outline, each item would include specific details about the essay instead of general headings. The third level of points uses Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc), and the final level uses lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc).īelow is an example of both an informal and a formal outline side by side. Secondary points use capital letters (A, B, C, etc). Main points are listed using Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc). On the other hand, a formal outline has a very specific structure. An author might use bullet points, letters, numbers, or any combination of these things. An informal outline outlines the parts of a paper without a specific structure. After all, it’s much easier to re-organize an outline than to re-write an entire essay!Īn outline can be either informal or formal. In addition, a well-thought out outline can save hours of writing time. However, outlines ensure that your argument is well-organized and stays on topic. Writing an OutlineĬreating an outline might seem like an unnecessary step. Under each subtopic, list your supporting points you have researched as well as the ideas you plan to add. Consider the points you want to make in relation to the information you have found and begin typing comments between your notes to assure you have a solid plan in place when you start to make your outline.Ĭreate an outline that begins with your thesis (or message). Once you think you have an ample supply of materials, read through your subtopic files and consider the order of the different pieces. Have any of the elements (voice, audience, message, tone, attitude, reception) changed as a result of your research? If so, write up an intermediate statement of purpose, and use it as a guide as you draft and as the basis for a writer’s memo you may be asked to submit with your draft. Now that you’ve narrowed down your topic, done your research, and created your thesis, it’s time to start writing, right? Instead of jumping right in…pause for a few moments before beginning to amass your information into a first draft.

Essay rough draft outline example