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How to Write an Outline
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T. Hala W.
KSU
How to Write an Outline
What is it?
An outline is a general plan of the material that is to be presented in a speech or a paper. The
outline shows the order of the various topics, the relative importance of each, and the
relationship between the various parts.
Order in an Outline
There are many ways to arrange the different parts of a subject. Sometimes, a chronological
arrangement works well. At other times, a spatial arrangement is best suited to the material. The
most common order in outlines is to go from the general to the specific. This means you begin
with a general idea and then support it with specific examples.
Thesis Statement of Summarizing Sentence
All outlines should begin with a thesis statement of summarizing sentence. This thesis sentence
presents the central idea of the paper. It must always be a complete, grammatical sentence,
specific and brief, which expresses the point of view you are taking towards the subject.
Types of Outlines
The two main types of outlines are the topic outline and the sentence outline. In the topic
outline, the headings are given in single words or brief phrases. In the sentence outline, all the
headings are expressed in complete sentences.
Rules for Outlining
1. Subdivide topics by a system of numbers and letters, followed by a period.
Example:
I.
A.
B.
1.
2.
a.
b.
II.
A.
B.
2. Each heading and subheading must have at least two parts.
3. Headings for parts of the paper of speech such as, Introduction and Conclusion, should not be
used.
4. Be consistent. Do not mix up the two types of outlines. Use either whole sentences of brief
phrases, but not both.
Examples
Topic Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend on larger questions I
am beginning to ask myself about my life’s work.
I. Two decisions described
A. Art history or chemistry
1. Professional considerations
2. Personal considerations
B. A third year of French?
1. Practical advantages of knowing a foreign language
2. Intellectual advantages
3. The issue of necessity
II. Definition of the problem
A. Decisions about occupation
B. Decisions about a kind of life to lead
III. Temporary resolution of the problem
A. To hold open a professional possibility: chemistry
B. To take advantage of cultural gains already made: French
Sentence Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend on larger questions I
am beginning to ask myself about my life’s work.
I. I have two decisions to make with respect to choosing college courses in the immediate future.
A. One is whether to elect a course in art history or in chemistry.
1. One time in my life, I planned to be a chemical engineer professionally.
2. On the other hand, I enjoy art and plan to travel and see more of it.
B. The second decision is whether to continue a third year of French beyond the basic college
requirement.
1. French might be useful both in engineering and travel.
2. Furthermore, I am eager to read good books which are written in French.
3. How necessary are these considerations in the light of other courses I might take instead?
II. My problem can be put in the form of a dilemma involving larger questions about my whole
future.
A. On the one hand I want to hold a highly-trained position in a lucrative profession.
B. On the other hand I want to lead a certain kind of life, with capacities for values not connected
with the making of money.
III. I will have to make a decision balancing the conflicting needs I have described.
A. I will hold open the professional possibilities by electing chemistry.
B. I will improve and solidify what cultural proficiency in another language I have already
gained, by electing French.
Courtesy of Marion Cushman, Los Angeles City College Library
01/22/01
HOW TO WRITE AN OUTLINE
An outline breaks down the parts of your thesis in a clear, hierarchical manner. Most students
find that writing an outline before beginning the paper is most helpful in organizing one's
thoughts. If your outline is good, your paper should be easy to write.
The basic format for an outline uses an alternating series of numbers and letters, indented
accordingly, to indicate levels of importance. Here is an example of an outline on a paper about
the development of Japanese theater:
OUTLINE
NOTES
I. Thesis: Japanese theater rose from a
popular to elite and then returned to a
popular art form.
The thesis is stated in the first section,
which is the introduction.
II. Early theatrical forms
The body follows the introduction, and
breaks down the points the author wishes to
make.
A. Bugaku
B. Sarugaku
C. Primitive Noh
D. Authors and Audience
III. Noh theater
A. Authors
B. Props
1. Masks
a. women
b. demons
c. old men
2. Structure of Stage
C. Themes
1. Buddhist influence
2. The supernatural
D. Kyogen interludes
E. Audience
IV. Kabuki
A. Authors
B. Props
1. make-up
2. special effects
Note that some section have subdivisions,
others do not, depending on the demands of
the paper.
In this outline, II, III, & IV all have similar
structure, but this will not necessarily be
true for all papers. Some may only have
three major sections, others more than the
five given here.
C. Themes
1. Love stories
2. Revenge
D. Audience
V. Bunraku (puppet) theater
A. Authors
B. Props
C. Themes
1. Love stories
2. Historical romances
D. Audience
VI. Conclusion
Your conclusion should restate your thesis,
and never introduce new material.
How to Write an Outline
Everyone's heard about outlines, and that they are necessary for better writing. But what is an
outline, exactly? Why do you need one? And how do you make one? If you wonder about
these questions and how to write an outline, keep reading for the answers from WhiteSmoke, the
all-in-one writing solution. Then learn how WhiteSmoke online writing software will help you
go beyond outline writing and create an impressive finished product, whether you are writing a
business plan, essay, or research paper.
The first step in outline writing is understanding what an outline is. Basically, an outline is an
organized list of information. A formal outline uses an established system of Roman numerals,
capital letters, Arabic numerals, and lowercase letters to show how ideas are related. An
informal outline might just have indentations to show relationships between ideas. Further down
the page, you will see an example of a formal outline, to illustrate this definition.
Regardless of which type of outline you decide to write, whether for an essay, paper, book or
other type of English writing, you have a few more choices to make. You can write a topic
outline, which will not have complete sentences, but rather words and phrases. Or, you can learn
how to write a full sentence outline and use that style, with complete sentences. You can also
choose when to write your outline during the writing process. Some professors assign outlines in
the beginning stages of assignments, as a way for students to organize their initial research and
ideas. You might not have specific instructions, and instead choose to write an outline while you
write a draft to keep track of information, or even while you revise to check the flow of your
writing.
No matter when you write your outline, you must be sure to remain flexible throughout the
whole process of writing; you may need to rearrange the order of your ideas so that you will
write the most effective document. Take a look at the following example of a formal outline, to
understand the conventions for writing it and how it organizes ideas and information.
General topic:
Movies
I. Types of movies
A. Foreign films
B. Domestic films
C. documentaries
1. biographies
2. films about nature
3. films about history
II. How movies are produced
A. independent
B. major corporations
Note that if there is an A, there must be at least B; if there is a 1, there must be at least 2; etc.
Now that you have learned how to write an outline and written one, work on perfecting the rest
of your document with the right choice in writing software. Write a strong thesis statement and
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