Model for a Formal Outline
The template below is for a formal outline. This is the type most teachers expect to see if they ask for one.
Use it to create your outline.
I.
Introduction
A. Attention-getter
B. Background information connecting the reader to the subject
C. Thesis: (write the complete thesis statement)
II.
Category 1 (change this to the actual name of category): topic sentence
A. First point
1. Supporting evidence—quote, paraphrase, or detail
2. Another piece of supporting evidence
B. Second point
1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence
C. Third point (Same as above)
III.
Category 2: topic sentence
A. First point
1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence
B. Second point
IV.
Category 3: topic sentence
V.
Conclusion
Your sub points for the conclusion to wrap up the overarching
Writing Rough Draft of Research Paper
You must have your outline completed and your notes organized into categories before writing your
paper. You are going to write in sentence and paragraph form what you have on your outline. Your rough draft
should be typed and totally completed. In class, we will do some editing on the paper, and then the final paper
should be very similar to the first draft.
Introduction:
For your introduction, begin with the attention-getter that you have on your outline. Then tie in the
background information. Then end the introduction with your thesis. Note: the first and last sentences of this
paragraph are already written on your outline. You need to write 3 or 4 for the background information.
Body paragraphs:
Each of the 3 body paragraphs should begin with the topic sentence, which you have written on your
outline. The topic sentence must be a sentence, not a question, that is your ideas and your words.
After the topic sentence, make a statement that supports your topic sentence and leads into an example, a
quote or paraphrase. Present your quote or paraphrase. After you have given support, spend a sentence or two
explaining how the example(s) support the topic sentence. Make sure to end the 3 body paragraphs with your
own words and your own ideas.
Concluding paragraph:
For the first sentence restate your thesis. This means that you say about the same thing as you did in
your thesis, but you say it differently. After this sentence, write 2 or 3 more sentences that emphasize that it is
important to remember. You might say that it is a good for everyone to know this history for a certain reason.
Reminder:
 Make sure the paper is typed. Remember to save it so that it is easy to make changes.
 Make sure you have a heading.
 Make sure there is a title. Do not include the words “rough draft.”
 Double-space entire paper
 Make sure that margins are 1” all around.
 Make sure that you don’t have a quote by itself. All quotes should be connected to your own words.
 Don’t include words such as “quote,” “attn-getter,” “thesis,” and “introduction,” in your actual paper.
You have those in your outline as reminders.
 Do NOT put extra spaces between paragraphs.
 Use 12pt Times New Roman.
 Make sure to use your own ideas and words. Use quotes and paraphrases only to support your words
and ideas.
 There should be no quotes in the introduction, unless it is the attention getter, and the conclusion.
 All paragraphs should begin and end with your own words.
 Make sure to include in-text citations for the ideas that aren’t yours.
 Do not use 1st or 2nd person pronouns: you, I, we, me, us, our, mine, your, and so on.
 Do not start your last paragraph with “finally,” “in summary,” “in conclusion,” “lastly,” or other such
phrases and words.
Citations in the Paper
Using Sources within your Paper:
Here are some examples of how to use your facts, statistics, and expert opinion in the paper. You need to make
sure you give proper credit. Watch how the citation in the text works. The bold sentences are the quotes and
paraphrases and citations.
Paraphrase:
Anyone watching the news in recent months knows that the fast food industry has come under attack.
There have been several attempts to sue the fast food industry for causing obesity and the health problems
associated with it. According to Judge Sweet, who recently ruled in favor of the fast food industry, more
than $110 billion is spent on fast food each year (Appleson 2). No wonder, then, that the fast food industry is
the next victim of tobacco-type lawsuits.
Indirect Quote:
Someone might argue that individuals need to make the choice not to eat fatty fast food. But as Kelly
Brownell, director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, says, “[H]umans are hard-wired
to prefer rich diets, high in fat, sugar, and variety” (Spake and Marcus 1). Our bodies, then, are naturally
driven to want the food that fast food restaurants are offering, and it is difficult for many people to go against
their nature and avoid eating fast food.
Direct Quote:
Fast food is causing an epidemic of obesity. And obesity is causing an epidemic of related health
problems, such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, and heart problems. According to Amanda Spake
and Mary Brophy Marcus’s article, “A Fat Nation,” a “man with 22 extra pounds has a 75 percent
greater chance of having a heart attack than one at healthy weight” (1). It is not merely the extra weight,
which fast food eaters carry, that is a danger, but as research shows, “eating too many high-fat foods
contributes to high blood cholesterol levels. This can cause hardening of the arteries, coronary heart
disease and stroke” (“Fast Food Facts” 1). And of course, fast food restaurants have a high fat menu.
Notes:
If the author is mentioned in the sentence, such as the first direct quote, then you do not have to use the
author’s last name inside the parentheses.
If the author is not mentioned in the sentence, then you must use the author’s last name and page number
in the citation.
No commas in the parentheses. No use of the word “page,” or the letters “p.” or “pg.” To indicate page. Use
only the number—(23) or (Last name 23).
Period for the sentence goes after the citation (parentheses).
Use [brackets] to indicate changes you made to the author’s words or capitalization. See example above in
“Indirect Quote.”
Works Cited – Online Entries
• Format of On-Line Entry
Author or editor. "Title." Book title. Printed version information. Site title. Volume or issue number. Date
posted. Name of subscription service, library name and location. Listserv name. 00 pp. Sponsoring organization.
Date accessed <Electronic address>.
The above is the generic entry for all online sources. Omit whatever information you can’t find. All information
shifts left when you omit.
Examples:
• Web Site (Professional)
ESPN.com. 10 Nov. 1999. ESPN Internet Ventures. 24 Nov. 1999 <http://espn.go.com>.
• Article Within a Web Site
Devitt, Terry. "Flying High." The Why Files. 9 Dec. 1999. University of Wisconsin, Board of Regents. 4 Jan.
2000 <http://whyfiles.news.wisc.edu/shorties/kite.html>.
• Article Within a Web Site (Anonymous)
"Becoming a Meteorologist." Weather.com. 12 Nov. 1999. The Weather Channel. 24 Nov. 1999
<http://weather.com/learn_more/resources/metro.html>.
Note: When line length forces you to break a Web address, always break it after a slash mark.
• Web Site (Personal)
Hamilton, Calvin J. Views of the Solar System. 12 Nov. 1999 <http://solarviews.com/eng/homepage.htm>.
Note: When a professional or personal site has no title, use the description "Home page" without an underscore.
• Article from On-Line Computer Service (Also in Print)
Williams, Vanessa. "D.C. Votes to Limit Teenage Drivers: Council Sets 18 as Minimum Age for Full License."
Washington Post 3 Nov. 1999, final ed.: A1. National Newspapers. ProQuest. Gateway Technical College,
Elkhorn Campus Library. 12 Nov. 1999 <http://proquest.umi.com/pdqweb>.
Note: When you use a library to access a subscription service, include the name of the database if known
(underlined), the service, and the library, all before the date of access. Then give the Internet address for the
home page of the service, if you know it.
Source: above information is from The Write Source <http://www.thewritesource.com/mla.htm>.
Peer Editing Checklist
Directions:
Proofreader: Answer all questions to the best of your ability. The writer’s grade somewhat depends on
you. If you have questions or you are not sure about something, ask me. You need to read the paper several
times. Do not skip sentences. Do not skim. Read very closely. Even read aloud quietly, so you can hear
problems.
Heading:
1. Is there a typed heading? ________ Yes
__________No
2. Is the heading in the left hand corner? _________Yes
__________No
3. Does the heading appear only on the first page? _____________Yes
4. Is the heading double-spaced? ______Yes
_________No
5. Does the heading have all the proper information? __________Yes
(Name, teacher name, English 9 Pd., and date [day month year])
Title:
1. Is there a title?
________Yes
___________No
___________No
________No
2. Is the title centered? _______ Yes _______ No
3. Does the title specifically state what the paper is about?
Example: Scottsboro Trial
________ Yes
________ No
4. The title is NOT underlined, italicized, or quoted, right? Did the writer do this correctly? ___Yes ____No
Introduction:
1. Is there an attention-getter in the first sentence of the paper?
______Yes
______No
2. After the first couple sentences, does the writer provide the background detail of the case? ______ Yes
_____No
3. Is there a good transition between the attention-getter and background information? ____Yes ____No
4. Is there a thesis? ______Yes
_______ No
5. Is the thesis at the end of the first paragraph? ______ Yes
______ No
Body Paragraph #1
1. Is there a topic sentence in the first sentence of this paragraph? _____ Yes
(Remember that a topic sentence is not a question or a quote).
_____ No
2. Does the writer set up the quote or paraphrase with his or her own ideas and words? _____ Yes
____ No
3. Does the writer provide quotes and/or paraphrases to support the topic sentence? ____ Yes ____No
4. Is the quote connected to the writer’s own words? _______Yes
______No
(Remember that you do not want a quote hanging out by itself).
5. After the quote, is there some kind of explanation of how the quote supports the topic sentence? ______ Yes
_____No
**Make sure the body paragraph does not start or end with a quote. Help your partner out with transitions.
Body Paragraph #2
1. Is there a topic sentence in the first sentence of this paragraph? _____ Yes
(Remember that a topic sentence is not a question or a quote).
_____ No
2. Does the writer set up the quote or paraphrase with his or her own ideas and words? _____ Yes
____ No
3. Does the writer provide quotes and/or paraphrases to support the topic sentence? ____ Yes ____No
4. Is the quote connected to the writer’s own words? _______Yes ______No
(Remember that you do not want a quote hanging out by itself).
5. After the quote, is there some kind of explanation of how the quote supports the topic sentence? ______ Yes
_____No
**Make sure the body paragraph does not start or end with a quote. Help your partner out with transitions.
Body Paragraph #3
1. Is there a topic sentence in the first sentence of this paragraph? _____ Yes
(Remember that a topic sentence is not a question or a quote).
_____ No
2. Does the writer set up the quote or paraphrase with his or her own ideas and words? _____ Yes
____ No
3. Does the writer provide quotes and/or paraphrases to support the topic sentence? ____ Yes ____No
4. Is the quote connected to the writer’s own words? _______Yes ______No
(Remember that you do not want a quote hanging out by itself).
5. After the quote, is there some kind of explanation of how the quote supports the topic sentence? ______ Yes
_____No
**Make sure the body paragraph does not start or end with a quote. Help your partner out with transitions.
Conclusion:
1. Does the writer reword his or her thesis near the beginning of the paragraph? _____ Yes
2. Does the writer talk about the importance of the case in general? _______Yes
Grammar/Mechanics Checklist:
_____No
______No
1. Read through the entire paper and look at all of the words that end with –s. Check and make sure the
writer didn’t forget to make a possessive –s. On the paper, put ’s (apostrophe s) anywhere it is needed.
2. Read through the entire paper and look for any sentence that begins with the following words: when,
because, since, if, although, after, even though, while, in order that. First, make sure these sentences
are not fragments. Second, make sure there is a comma after the subordinate clause.
3. Check for sentences beginning with the word “So.” Get rid of the word. It probably isn’t needed.
4. Circle any use of the words “you,” “your,” “me,” “I,” “we,” and so on. Suggest how the writer can
avoid these words. If these words are inside the writer’s quotes, then they should be ok.
5. Read through the entire paper and make sure that all sentences make sense. Mark sentences that don’t
make sense and suggest how the writer can change them.
6. Read through the entire paper again and make sure that all words are spelled correctly. Circle words
that are questionable. Check for common misspelled words: then, than, effect, affect, its, it’s, their,
there, they’re, to, too, two.
7. Check all quotes. Make sure that they are not by themselves and that they have page numbers and last
name of author, if needed. Make sure that the sentences are punctuated correctly. Period goes after the
citation. And make sure the page numbers are done correctly.
8. Read through the entire paper and check every time the writer uses the word that. Make sure it
shouldn’t be who.
9. Check every comma in the paper, and make sure that they are not bringing together two complete,
independent sentences.
10. Check all of the following words: and, but, so, for, or. Make sure that there isn’t a comma needed.
Ask me if you are not sure. IF these words are bringing together two complete sentences, then use a
comma.
11. Anytime you see a colon (:) or a semi-colon (;), make sure that they are correct.
12. Read the paper one last time and make sure that there are no other mistakes that you can identify. Check
for transitions, double negatives, verb forms, subject-verb agreement, and so on.
13. Go through the paper and circle all contractions—don’t, that’s, it’s, can’t, won’t—and make sure that
the author gets rid of them. Contractions are grammatically correct, but many English teachers find
them not to fit the style of a research paper.
14. Look at every time the author uses the word “South.” Make sure it is capitalized if it is being used as a
region. And since we are writing about the South, the odds are that the writer should have capitalized it.
Web Sources:
When doing research on the web, you want to make sure that your sources are reliable. The following sources
are acceptable for our research paper.
The Trials of the Scottsboro Boys -- Very good site that includes newspaper articles, letters, biographies, and a
bunch of information that can be useful for your research paper.
Newspaper Articles -- Look at these articles, and think about what you might be able to use in research paper.
Review of the Trials -- This essay from a law professor complements the books we are looking at in class.
International Labor Defense's (ILD) Involvement -- A reliable essay from which to draw information about the
ILD's involvement.
The Scottsboro Boys -- site that accompanies the video we watched in class, Landmark American Trials: The
Scottsboro Boys -- 1931.
Study Guide for Landmark American Trials: The Scottsboro Boys -- 1931.
Scottsboro: An American Tragedy -- site accompanies the video by the same name. The site offers additional
resources