MLA Research Outline
Everything should be in MLA format.
An MLA outline looks like this:
The Setup
 12pt. Times New Roman
 Double Spaced
 1” Margins
 MLA Heading at Top-Left
 Title is Centered
 Everything else is aligned to the left
Step 1: Thesis
Type Thesis:
Then type the thesis
statement for your paper
Jose Jones
Mr. Pandit / Period 8
English 2
9 December 2010
Not Cyber Suicide, Cyber Homicide
Thesis Statement: The viewers of this online tragedy must be held accountable because they could have prevented it,
were unsympathetic to Biggs’ needs, are thus accomplices to murder.
Roman Numerals
 Each paragraph is indicated with a Roman numeral:
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
VIII =
IX =
X =
XI =
XII =
XIII =
XIV =
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Jose Jones
Mr. Pandit / Period 8
English 2
9 December 2010
Not Cyber Suicide, Cyber Homicide
Thesis Statement: The viewers of this online tragedy must be held accountable because they could have prevented it, were
unsympathetic to Biggs’ needs, are thus accomplices to murder.
I. Introduction
Capital Letters
 The first level of detail in every paragraph is indicated
by a Capital Letter
 Press the [TAB] key ONCE to indent the Capital Letter
 You should have a minimum of three letters in the
paragraph
 For any information you use from a source MUST be
followed by a parenthetical citation!
Jose Jones
Mr. Pandit / Period 8
English 2
9 December 2010
Not Cyber Suicide, Cyber Homicide
Thesis Statement: The viewers of this online tragedy must be held accountable because they could have prevented it, were
unsympathetic to Biggs’ needs, are thus accomplices to murder.
I. Introduction
A. Did you know that suicide rates are climbing each year? (Census 681).
B. Abraham Biggs not only committed suicide, he did it in front of a live “cyber-audience” through via his webcam.
C. Thousands watched
1. The site had over 100,000 visitors that day (Smith 173).
D. Police entered the room and people started posting “cyber-slang” (McKnight 85).
1. LOL (Laugh Out Loud)
2. OMG (Oh My God)
Numbers
 Numbers add further detail to the
Letters
 They are the second level of
detail in each paragraph
 Press the [TAB] key twice to
indent
Jose Jones
Mr. Pandit / Period 8
English 2
9 December 2010
Not Cyber Suicide, Cyber Homicide
Thesis Statement: The viewers of this online tragedy must be held accountable because they could have prevented it, wer
unsympathetic to Biggs’ needs, are thus accomplices to murder.
I. Introduction
A. Did you know that suicide rates are climbing each year?
B. Abraham Biggs not only committed suicide, he did it in front of a live “cyber-audience” through via his webcam.
C. Thousands watched
1. The site had over 100,000 visitors that day
D. Police entered the room and people started posting “cyber-slang”
1. LOL (Laugh Out Loud)
2. OMG (Oh My God)
E. Thesis Statement
II.
Suicide Prevention
A. For weeks, Biggs had been posting his feelings about his life on his online blog
B. “I’m tired of being a failure,” said Biggs.
1. “I want to end my life, I am tired of people always telling me that they do not like me.
I am tired of trying to be decent.” (Depner 86)
C. Biggs had threatened to commit suicide online very recently
D. His family and readers of his blog were very aware of his Bipolar disorder
1. A disorder that can trigger violent mood swings if left untreated. (MayoClinic)
2. If Biggs had taken his medication regularly the entire situation would have been different.
E. The warning signs were everywhere, yet somehow, everyone except Biggs is presumed innocent.
III. Unsympathetic to Biggs’ needs
A. The viewers should have called a suicide prevention team to report the case
B. Could have called his house to warn his family
C. Could have called the police.
D. Could have notified the webmaster of the site
E. At the very least, viewer could have begged him not to do it.
F. Biggs’ threats were a cry for help which no one answered.
Works Cited
 Type the words “Works Cited” and center it
 Left-align everything else
 Type up your Bibliography Cards in Alphabetical order
according to the author’s last name
 Use a HANGING INDENT for each source.
 Standard MLA format
 12pt Times New Roman
 Double Spaced
 1” Margins