Samples of Outlines

Outlines

It is important to create an outline as part of your preparation for the writing of your essay. The outline helps guide you into the writing process by helping you stay on topic. Because it can become a strategy or plan for what you want to say in the essay, it helps you see the "big picture" or the purpose of your essay.

Things to remember about your outline:

You should have two or three subtopics. The subtopics are the reasons which help prove your thesis statement.

You should remember to develop a restated thesis in the first line of your conclusion. The restated thesis reminds the reader of the purpose of your essay. Restated thesis means that you have re-written the idea of your thesis statement but used different words.

The last few lines of your conclusion should have an insightful closing, which tells the reader something about the future of your topic. You may also use a saying or a proverb which provides an insight.

Outline Structure

I. Motivation/Hook:
Connecting sentence:
Thesis statement:


II. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail:
B. Supporting detail:

III. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail
B. Supporting detail

IV. Conclusion
A. Restated thesis
B. Insightful closing sentence


I have included below links to help you with your outline for your essay.

Developing An Outline/OWL Purdue Guides:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Creating and Using Outlines/Univ. of Arkansas at Fayetteville-Quality Writing Center:

http://www3.uark.edu/qwct/resources/handouts/10%20Creating%20and%20Using%20Outlines.pdf