Creating Effective
Outlines
TAKE NOTES IN YOUR
NOTEBOOK
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We’ll compare your outlines to
these examples…
Outline of Presentation
I. General Overview
II. Getting Started
A. Brainstorm
B. Mind Map
C. Thesis Statement
III. Establishing a Pattern
A. Types
B. Sample Activity
IV. The Formal Outline
Structure
A. Activity
B. Answers
V. Conclusion
Why Use Outlines?
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To show the logical structure of
your paper or presentation.
To help you organize your
ideas.
To help you separate main
ideas from supporting ideas.
Outlines are Flexible
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Outlines range from casual to
formal.
Your outline will change as your
ideas change.
Getting Started: Brainstorming
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List everything you can think of
related to your subject.
Look at your list and jot down
the main ideas.
Insert sub-points and examples
under the main points.
Getting Started: Mind Mapping
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Place your main idea in the
middle of your paper.
Connect related ideas using
lines.
There is software in the LEC
that will help you with mind
mapping!
Getting Started: The Thesis
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Write the thesis (the main idea).
Build an outline around the
thesis.
Ask for a thesis handout from an
LEC staff member.
Arrange the ideas in your
outline into a logical pattern.
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Chronological (order in time)
General to Specific
Least to Most Important
Problem-Solution
Using your outline
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Use your outline to guide your
writing or presentation!
Fill with examples and more
information about the points you
want to make.
The Formal Outline Structure
I. Roman numerals are against the left margin of the
page and contain the major divisions of a text.
A. Upper-case letters are the first indentation
and contain the secondary ideas that will
support a major division in a text.
1. Arabic numerals are indented under
upper-case letters.
2. Arabic numerals contain important
examples that support the writer’s
ideas.
a. Lower-case letters are indented
under Arabic numbers.
b. Lower-case letters have specific
details or an explanation of an
example’s main points.
The Formal Outline Structure
cont’d…
B. Except for single examples of
specific points, individual divisions (I, II, III)
generally have two or more sub
points (A, B, C).
II. Formal outlines contain more than one
major division.
A. Each outline must have at least two
roman numerals (I, II).
B. If there is an “A”, then there must be
a “B” included as well.
Practice Outlining: Arrange the
information below into an outline.
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Curious George
Videos
Winnie the Pooh
E.T.
Michael Jackson: Thriller
Music
Waterboy
Media
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Harry Potter
The Titanic
Books
Grateful Dead: Mars Hotel
An Answer to the outline
activity is on the next page.
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Note: The categories should fit
the division, but it does not
matter how the information is
organized within the division.
Possible Answer
I. Media
A. Books
1. Curious George
2. Winnie the Pooh
3. Harry Potter
B. Videos
1. Titanic
2. Waterboy
3. E.T.
C. Music
1. Michael Jackson: Thriller
2. Pink Floyd: The Wall
3. Grateful Dead: Mars Hotel