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Outlining

The basic outline format is helpful to figure out the most logical order to present your ideas in an essay. The outline below will show you how to organize and list your ideas from top to bottom.

As you plan your Introduction, try to anticipate what your readers, or audience, already know about the topic, what may surprise them, and why they should care. As you lay out your main idea or thesis, and the reasons why you're writing about it, you'll see how your Supporting Paragraphs, or the body of your paper, will lead the reader through these reasons to conclude by the end that you are, of course, correct!

The supporting paragraphs are where you present the facts, opinions of experts, laws, individual stories (case studies), and other forms of "evidence" that your position is the best or that your recommendations are sound. Depending on your purpose for writing (at school, at work, in personal business, etc.), you may have just a few short paragraphs, or a ten-page essay composed of dozens of paragraphs.

1. Introduction
   1. "hook" your audience's interest
   2. identify the thesis or main purpose in writing)
2. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others
3. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others
4. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others
5. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others
6. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others
7. Supporting Paragraph (Body) develops an example of the following
   1. facts and background information
   2. real stories
   3. vivid and clear description
   4. ideas and quotations from others.......
8. Conclusion brings the reader back from the specific reasons back to the main purpose (THESIS) with some of the following techniques, depending on the assignment:
   1. remind reader of thesis by paraphrasing (re-phrasing), not repeating it.
   2. refer back to your introduction's "hook" to frame the paper with the same quotation, metaphor, or story.
   3. refer back to another dramatic highlight from your paper, a fact or other example that should hit home for your audience.
   4. don't introduce new information or new questions in the conclusion
   5. urge your reader to take specific action depending on your purpose for writing.
   6. close on a strong, declarative note if possible

    

TRY ANOTHER PREWRITING METHOD...

• Freewriting & Listing
• Maps, Clusters, and Webs
• Twenty Brainstorming Questions
• Combining methods

Prewriting & Planning / Skills for the Writing Process / 290 Content / 290 Homepage

Writing Center / Watsonville Integrated Learning Center

English Department / Cabrillo College Homepage

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