Essay
What is an essay?
Outline for the Essay
• What is an outline?
▫ Shows the organization of the essay
▫ Tells which ideas you will discuss
 Shows which ideas come first, second and third etc.
▫ Ends with the conclusion
• Writing an outline before the essay will
▫ Show you what to write before you actually begin
writing.
▫ Help you make your essay well organized and
clearly focused.
▫ Keep you from forgetting any important points.
Writing an Outline
• Gather ideas
▫ Select which aspects you will add in your work
• Now organize them
▫ Select which idea will be discussed first, second or
third in your essay.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Introduction
First Main Idea
Second Main Idea
Third Main Idea
Conclusion
• Fill in information for the paragraphs
I. Introduction
II. First Main Idea
a.
i.
ii.
b.
First Supporting Point
First Detail
Second Detail
Second Supporting point
III. Second Main Idea
IV. Third Main Idea
V. Conclusion
Evaluating an Outline
• Outline Checklist
• Organization
▫ Paragraphs in the right order
▫ Supporting details in the right order
• Support
▫ Each main idea related to the thesis statement
▫ Each supporting detail related to the paragraphs
main idea
▫ Each detail related to the paragraphs supporting
detail
• Topic Development
▫ Enough (and not too many) main ideas to develop
the thesis statement
▫ Enough (and not too many) supporting points for
each main point
▫ Enough (and not many) details for each
supporting point