ENG 4U1
CRITERIA FOR A HIGH QUALITY ESSAY OUTLINE
Thesis:
a) Include 2-3 different phrasings of your thesis.
b) Make sure that your thesis is stated in terms of the novel. (e.g. In the novel, The
Bluest Eye, the characters are destroyed by their poverty and their consequential
self-loathing.)
c) Make sure that your thesis encompasses all of your arguments. If your arguments
examine the evolution of a character from his/her beginnings to his/her ultimate
downfall/salvation/discovery of identity, then your thesis needs to allude to that
evolution in its entirety.
Arguments: Create a clear outline for each argument that includes the following:
a) Topic sentences which are argumentative and which relate back directly to the
thesis. If they don’t relate, then you need to change either your thesis or your
topic sentences.
b) Each argument should be divided into distinct paragraphs. You are no longer
writing a 5-paragraph essay, so you should have more than 3 body paragraphs.
Even if you have 3 main arguments, which is fine, you need to indicate how
you are going to divide each of those 3 arguments into 2-3 paragraphs. Look
for cause and effect relationships as a possible means of dividing each
argument.
c) Include quotations which are substantial, relevant, and with which you may
support your topic sentence directly. You should have a minimum of 2
quotations for each argument, but challenge yourself to find 3-4.
d) Include point-form notes to outline the support for your topic sentences.
Additional Considerations:
Include any questions/concerns you have about your essay outline, so that the feedback
you receive is more focused on your areas of concern.