Words2Content: How To Write Outline - A Free Guide

March 23, 2007 20:25

How To Write Outline - A Free Guide

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An outline is a hierarchical description of a report or thesis broken down in logical sequence. Outline is a visual illustration, a schematic flow-chart based on which the main narration follows. An outline vividly reflects overall plan of your essay.

It determines what are the central points of your report and how you are going to organize them to support your thesis. In this article, we've described salient features and important steps on how to write outline.

Before you embark on writing your paper, preparing an outline of main points to be discussed is an essential requirement. As you'll notice, it always pays to be precise in your thinking when you write your paper, and this is possible only by charting out a properly-segmented outline. Consider some important steps on how to write outline:

1. Main Statement. Just as tributaries flow into a large lake, all parts of your outline should logically converge to the central point. In other words, every branch of your outline should be constructed and organized to focus and support the main theme of your thesis. Therefore, when you begin writing outline you must have a clear idea about the main statement of your thesis.


2. Main Categories. This is the next important step. The main categories are the main topics on which to support your thesis. You may try pyramid model, in which the broad categories are at the bottom. As you move up, your main topics also get more and more focused. This way you'll be able to engage readers' attention and the progress will be smooth and easy-to-follow. For each main category, find a suitable statement or two that best describes that category.


3. Sub-categories. Decide on sub-categories (and sub-sub categories, if need be) for each main category. Once again write down specific notes for each sub-category that supports the argument of that sub-category. As you proceed further, ensure that the main categories, the sub-categories (within each main category) and your supporting arguments (for sub-categories) all follow a clear relational and logical pattern. If you spot an anomaly, it is better to rectify before proceeding further.


4. Organize outline. After you have written the categories, it is time now to organize your outline. You may want to alter the sequence of main categories, or shift a sub-category from one main category to another. Whatever you do, maintain a clear objective and logical relation within the categories and with respect to the central theme of your paper.

To take the example given below, we've named the project "Expedition to Himalayan Foothills". The main categories have been suitably selected to reflect the central theme. If your project was to discuss only the forests, you would naturally delete some categories and instead include other relevant ones.

Another way to organize outline is to visualize that you're going to present the paper before live audience. Where will you start? How will you proceed from point to point? Above all, where and how do you finish? If you are able to answer these questions to your complete satisfaction, your job is almost done. Reread, revise if required, repeat the cycle once or twice. Your outline is now ready.

To help with how to write outline, we've provided a sample here. Notice how the main categories and sub-categories form a chain of relational information with respect to the central theme. As said above, if your project is a little divergent from the present one (for example, Forests of Himalayan Foothills), the categories too will change accordingly. In this context, wikiHow's guide on how to write outline can be referred to.

Project: Expedition to Himalayan Foothills

1. Journeying to the foothills
   
   1. By air
   2. By road
   3. By rail
   4. Sailing on river


2. Description of the place
   
   1. Total area
   2. Scenic beauty
      1. Reserve Forests
         1. Jaldapara
         2. Gorumara
      2. Animals Inhabiting
   3. Rivers
      1. Teesta
      2. Torsa
      3. Jaldhaka
      4. Raidak
   4. Tea Gardens
   5. People Of The Place


3. Sightseeing