Sample Outline
(Please note: This document, inspired by the work we did on the board in class today on 9/27, is partrough draft, part-outline. This piece of writing is in flux and will require more development and revision
before it feels like a cohesive essay. This document can be used as a rough sample outline for beginning
to structure your ideas. The more evidence you’ve gathered and analysis that you’ve formulated before
trying to make an outline, the clearer your ideas will be and the more likely you’ll be able to connect
those ideas in a coherent structure.)
Paragraph 1/Thesis Paragraph/Introduction:
SUBJECT: This essay looks at time and how the Captain perceives it in Buchner’s play “Woyzeck”.
REASON FOR ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT: In scenes with the Captain,
Buchner brings up or refers to the concept of “time” over and over again. Time is an important concept
for the Captain because he is always talking about it and thus time is an important concept for Buchner.
Buchner uses the Captain as a vehicle for examining the concept of time based on Buchner’s repetitive
use of the word, “time” and reference to the idea of time through the Captain’s dialogue.
GENUINE QUESTION THAT GROWS OUT OF THE REASON FOR ASKING THE
QUESTION: According to Buchner, what is the importance of time in the play, “Woyzeck”?
APPROACH/HERE ARE THE STEPS I WILL TAKE TO UNCOVER SOMETHING ABOUT
THE QUESTION: I will look at Scene 5 because the Captain refers to time or mentions the word “time”
on a number of occasions in this scene so it is the best scene to look at if I want to uncover something
about the importance of time in “Woyzeck”.
THESIS STATEMENT: (We don’t yet know the thesis statement because we haven’t written out
enough evidence and analysis to be sure of what we will find out when we apply our approach to our
question.)
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Keep reading… below is a sample outline which shows you how to structure the body of your essay based
on your thesis paragraph/introduction.
Paragraph 2/ Body Paragraph: [Develop your REASON FOR ASKING YOUR QUESTION by
making a claim about how time is an important concept for the Captain and thus for Woyzeck. Use
evidence and analysis to argue for that claim. Remember, you may only be able to make a claim after
you’ve gathered evidence and tried out some analysis.]
Paragraph 3/Body Paragraph: [Do you need to make another claim about your REASON FOR
ASKING YOUR QUESTION? Do you need to show your reader more evidence that helps you argue for
your REASON FOR ASKING YOUR QUESTION? Or do you need to make a different claim about the
same evidence (i.e. teach your reader how to read your evidence but looking at it in a different way?)]
Paragraph 4/Body Paragraph: [Have you finished demonstrating that your reason for asking your
question makes sense? Or, do you need to make another claim about your REASON FOR ASKING
YOUR QUESTION? If so, please do and include new evidence and analysis to demonstrate the validity
of your REASON. If not, move on to asking your question. The question you ask may or may not require
evidence and analysis to support it.]
Paragraph 5/Body Paragraph: [Make a claim about why your APPROACH is the best approach to
address the question you are posing. Use evidence and analysis to help you argue that this approach is the
best approach for your question.]
Paragraph 6/Body Paragraph: [Are you done with arguing for your APPROACH or do you need to
make another claim about why this approach is the best approach for addressing your question? If so, do
so and remember to use evidence and analysis to argue for your claim. If not, move on to a claim about
your thesis statement.]
Paragraph 7/Body Paragraph: [Are you done with arguing for your APPROACH? If not, make another
claim about your approach. If so, move one and make a claim that has something to do with your THESIS
STATEMENT. Remember to use evidence and analysis to help you argue for this claim/ demonstrate to
your reader that your interpretation of the evidence makes sense.]
Paragraph 8/Body Paragraph: [Make another claim that grows out of the previous claim and has
something to do with your THESIS STATEMENT. Remember that you need evidence and analysis to
argue for the claim.]
Paragraph 9/Body Paragraph: [Are you done yet? Have you argued for your THESIS STATEMENT?
Or, do you need to make another claim to demonstrate to your reader what you found out about your
question? If so, make another claim and be sure to explain how it connects to the previous claim and how
it connects to your thesis statement.]
Paragraph 10/Body Paragraph: [Are you don’t yet or do you still have another important claim to make
that connects to your thesis statement? Carry on if you are not yet done. Make another claim and be sure
to use evidence and analysis.]
Paragraph 11/Body Paragraph: [Are you don’t yet or do you still have another important claim to make
that connects to your thesis statement? Carry on if you are not yet done. Make another claim and be sure
to use evidence and analysis.]
Paragraph 12/Body Paragraph: [Are you don’t yet or do you still have another important claim to make
that connects to your thesis statement? Carry on if you are not yet done. Make another claim and be sure
to use evidence and analysis.]
….Keep making claims and using evidence and analysis to argue for those claims until you have
completed your essay. Remember, each new claim should start a new paragraph. Each paragraph should
contain: a) a claim, b) evidence, and c) analysis.
Your Concluding Paragraph should re-state your introduction.