Name: _______________
Modern European History
Date: ____________
Unit 6 –Nation-Building and War
Why Do I Have to Write Outlines?
Outlines Clarify Thoughts and Develop Ideas
The blank page can be intimidating. Writing an outline
can help you get over any initial writer's block when
starting a writing project. An outline can also be used
as a brainstorming tool, helping you to develop your
thoughts so you know just what it is you want to write.
An outline can help you to clarify your thoughts, as
well. What may start as a simple topic or general idea
can become a specific argument with supporting details
as you plan out your ideas and structure before you
start writing the actual text.
Outlines Identify Weaknesses in Argument
Outlines break down arguments and supporting details and can help you identify possible
weaknesses in your argument. You may realize that you don't have a supporting detail for a main
idea or that the support you have proposed is not strong enough. An outline may also help you
identify points that are out of place, such as a supporting detail in the third paragraph that should
really be in the first paragraph.
Outlines Organize Ideas to Stay on Target
When you write without an outline, it is easy for essays to become unfocused.
Not only might supporting details be misplaced or missing, but the argument
may go off on a tangent, including personal anecdotes, trivia, or information
that is related to the topic but does not advance the argument. Writing an
outline helps you ensure that your writing stays focused and helps you to
organize your ideas so that they make the most impact.
Outlines Save Time
An outline can create a step-by-step guide that makes the actual writing
easier - saving you time. Once you finalize the outline, you can use it to
write each paragraph of the essay. Once a complete outline is written,
the actual project will mostly involve expanding and connecting the
ideas together so they flow from one to the next. By the time you start
the actual writing process, your outline has allowed you to work out
any issues with the argument, details, and organization, so you won’t
waste time revising an essay that is weak and unfocused.
Adapted and revised from “Importance of Doing an Outline Prior to Writing,” © 2016 Hearst Seattle Media, LLC.
http://education.seattlepi.com/importance-doing-outline-prior-writing-3570.html
Read through the following essay outline and highlight and number each of the following elements; be
sure to highlight only the basic information, phrase, word, name, etc. - not any additional information.
Argument paragraph #1
Argument paragraph #2
Argument paragraph #3
1-1
clearly identifies
argument
2-1
clearly identifies
argument
3-1
clearly identifies
argument
1-2
evidence #1
accurately supports
argument
2-2
evidence #1
accurately supports
argument
3-2
evidence #1
accurately supports
argument
1-3
evidence #2
accurately supports
argument
2-3
evidence #2
accurately supports
argument
3-3
evidence #2
accurately supports
argument
Question: Why did the Europeans control such a small portion of Africa in the 1800s?
the geography of Africa made it difficult to explore/conquer
there were many unnavigable rivers that had fast-moving waters such as cataracts, waterfalls
there were many steep inclines that would be difficult to pass, such as the Great Rift Valley
their interactions with natives resulted in deaths for Europeans
they had battles with some of the tribes, such as when the Zulus fought and kept the British out
there were diseases that the Europeans did not have immunity to, such as malaria that killed many
Europeans until the drug quinine was developed as a cure
many European countries stayed out of Africa in order to avoid political conflicts
many European countries already had many other colonies to oversee in other parts of the world,
such as Australia, America, India, Southeast Asia, etc.
there would be competition between many European nations for colonies and they did not want to
go to war with other countries over new colonies, so they had the Berlin Conference to divide up
Africa to avoid fighting among nations
geography
unnavigable rivers: cataracts, waterfalls
steep inclines: Great Rift Valley
interactions with natives
battles: Zulus fought the British
diseases: malaria (quinine)
political conflicts
other colonies: Australia, America, India, Southeast Asia, etc.
avoid war with other European nations: Berlin Conference