Outlining
Outlining as a Process
Definition and Purpose
Outlining is the process of organizing research into a structured format.
An outline serves as a roadmap for writing, providing a clear structure for the content and flow of the paper.
Structure of an Outline
Major Ideas
Outlines begin with the major ideas of the paper.
These ideas are divided into manageable portions, which will later be designated as topics for the body paragraphs or sections of the paper.
It is suggested to have three or four major points or ideas outlined for the paper.
Outlines typically consist of five to six sections or paragraphs, forming the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Traditional Organization
Outlines are traditionally organized using Roman numerals to indicate major categories.
Subcategories are further indicated using capital letters, numbers, and lowercase letters.
Example of the Outlining Process
General Topic
Begin with a general topic like "running."
Transform the general topic into a guiding question: "How do ordinary people become marathon runners?"
From this question, the following main topics may emerge:
Getting Started
Running for Fun
Training for a Marathon
Writing the Paper
Introduction and Conclusion
Many people write the introduction and conclusion after completing the main section or body of the paper.
This ensures that both sections accurately reflect the content in the paper's body.
Balance in Wording
When creating an outline, pay attention to balance in wording.
The choice of words for major ideas or themes should be consistent in type and form.
For example, if verbs are used, they should be in the same tense and preferably all in the active voice:
Balance Example:
Run, Train, Compete (all are action verbs in present tense)
Balance in Subtopics
There should be balance in the number of subtopics related to each main idea.
The information in the paper should be distributed evenly,
For example, if one section has three subtopics, each other section should also contain three subtopics.
There should always be at least two subtopics per major idea or theme.
Benefits of Outlining
Organization
Outlining research and labeling it with Roman numerals, letters, or numbers assists in keeping information organized during writing and documentation.
Example of an outline format:
Main Ideas (Roman numerals)
Subtopics (Uppercase letters)
Information Labeling
As information is gathered, labeling it helps identify which parts belong to the respective sections of the paper.
For instance, research regarding route selection might be tagged as "2a" to denote its relevance to the first subtopic in the second main idea.
Revising the Outline
Adaptability
As the student begins creating an outline and integrating information, additional research may be needed to fill in gaps, or changes might have to be made to the outline itself.
An outline can be revised multiple times before drafting the first draft.
Example Scenario
A student addressing the question about ordinary people becoming marathon runners may initially include a subtopic on terrain.
Upon further analysis, the student might determine that this subtopic does not suit the balance of the paper, leading them to either undertake more research on terrain or replace it with a different subtopic altogether.