#8 Question Outline Graphic Organizer
Umbrella Question—this is the overall question of your entire research process, and
should include your research goal and various important aspects of your research.
Question #1 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Question #2 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Question #3 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Question #4 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Question #5 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Question #6 that builds towards answering and explaining the umbrella question
Helpful Tips:
--Each question should include enough depth that it will require you to explain it with at
least 2 Main Ideas that help your readers to understand the concepts.
--You will use each of the six main questions to build a paragraph in the Body.
--Each of the 6 questions will be a subheading for the body of your paper. Then, you will
turn each question into the topic sentence of the paragraph that it precedes.
Steps in this Process of Building the Paragraphs of the Body-1. You will turn the question into a topic sentence.
2. Then, think of 2-3 statements in your own words that support the topic sentence.
3. After each statement, use your Six Source Sheets to share your paraphrases of the
information that answers that question in the sources that you have found .
4. Add keyword transition sentences and transitions to help your ideas connect to the
question and flow in general.
5. If you don’t have sources with clear page numbers, lead into your paraphrases by giving
credit to the author of the source. Or, place credit at the end of the paraphrase. For
example, you could write:
According to Jerry Owens, Odyssey of the Mind is an invaluable experience for students as
it challenges them to think outside of the box.
Or
The Mayo Clinic website suggests that symptoms can be reversed by….
Or
Current medications for Lyme disease cannot always cure the long term symptoms, as
explained by the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Medical Journal.
5. Read your paragraph aloud to make sure that it flows and makes sense. Make sure that
you have full explained and answered the question, especially any words or concepts that
may be very technical. You will need to look these up and find a simple way to explain
them to your readers.
Overview:
Hook that gets the reader’s attention
Introduction
Briefly introduce and explain the “big issue”
Thesis statement based upon umbrella question and research goal
Question #1 as a bolded Subheading
Body
Question #1 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Question #2 as a bolded Subheading
Question #2 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Question #3 as a bolded Subheading
Question #3 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Question #4 as a bolded Subheading
Question #4 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Question #5 as a bolded Subheading
Question #5 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Question #6 as a bolded Subheading
Question #6 turned into a topic sentence that supports the thesis
Main Idea #1 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Transition
Main Idea #2 that answers this question in your own words
Paraphrased research that explains this idea clearly
Concluding summary and significance for this paragraph
explained..
Subheading that says: Conclusion—what is important to remember?
Conclusion
Concluding Statement reminds the reader of the main
research question/concepts that the paper explains.
Lead out with some comments that explain why this
information is important and how it may benefit readers to
know it.