why is building an outline before writing an essay beneficial

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• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Why create an outline? There are many reasons, but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline when you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information. For research papers, an outline may help you keep track of large amounts of information. For creative writing, an outline may help organize the various plot threads and help keep track of character traits. Many people find that organizing an oral report or presentation in outline form helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd. Below are the primary reasons for creating an outline.

• Aids in the process of writing
• Helps you organize your ideas
• Presents your material in a logical form
• Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
• Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
• Defines boundaries and groups

How do I create an outline?

• Determine the purpose of your paper.
• Determine the audience you are writing for.
• Develop the thesis of your paper.
• Brainstorm : List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper.
• Organize : Group related ideas together.
• Order : Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to concrete.
• Label : Create main and sub headings.

Remember: creating an outline before writing your paper will make organizing your thoughts a lot easier. Whether you follow the suggested guidelines is up to you, but making any kind of outline (even just some jotting down some main ideas) will be beneficial to your writing process.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > The importance of creating an outline for an essay

The importance of creating an outline for an essay

Essays can be daunting. How do you know what part goes where? When should I make this point? How do these two ideas connect to each other? Outlines help you answer these questions, and that’s why writing a good essay outline can be key to essay success. We’ll see if we can outline our argument for you here.

Keeping yourself organized

You probably have quite a lot of knowledge or research that you’re bringing to this project. And you likely know that your essay needs a beginning, middle and end—or more precisely, an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. What an outline can do for you is to help you figure out the order of concepts or information. Why is this important?

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• It helps mitigate fear and writer’s block. It’s definitely easier to talk yourself into outlining an essay than expecting yourself to sit down and write it all at once. Writing an essay outline is literally a plan of attack and seeing what you have to do next can help you approach your essay in bite-sized, manageable chunks. This is great if you don’t have a lot of writing time or if you need to step in and out of working on your essay—your outline will keep all your ideas fresh and patiently waiting for you to return to them.
• It can help you draft the essay. By arranging your thoughts beforehand, you can be inspired to start writing—and write faster overall. Rather than having to imagine and be inspired on the spot, you’re just following your steps and filling in the gaps versus jumping in wherever.
• It allows you to see new connections between information. When you sit down and plan a structure, you might be surprised by ideas that suddenly take on a whole new meaning now that you’ve considered how to best present them.
• It helps you stay on topic. You’re less likely to go off on a tangent when your conceptual road map has your next few turns laid out for you.

Another great thing about doing an outline before writing a whole essay is that it’s a lot easier to be flexible in an outline than after several pages of writing. You’re less likely to realize you missed a point and have go back and insert it or rearrange several whole pages of writing and find new ways to reconnect them. With an essay outline, you have room to make mistakes and experiment before diving in, which can save you time and stress.

Structuring your structure

You can make your essay outline as basic or as detailed as you need—this is your outline for your writing, and different projects might require a different level of planning. For instance, if you know you’re going to need to offer several examples or statistics, you can have an overall topic heading and then list places for:

You can also use your essay outline as a notetaking template even earlier in the process or as a tool to help you brainstorm . If you have an idea of the essay’s overall structure or a section’s topic, you can write it down and then write down relevant information as you discover in your research. Then, you can go back and assemble each section individually, and watch the entire essay begin to take shape.

Perhaps the most important part of your essay is your thesis, or the entire idea your essay is communicating. All your supporting points and information can spring from your desire to prove or flesh out your thesis. Your thesis is a key part of your introduction , so figuring will help the beginning of your essay take shape in addition to the rest of the piece.

Then, after your supporting points are created, you can also use your essay outline to highlight moments for transition. With the information in front of you, you can see what’s missing or how one idea naturally leads to the next. Before you know it, you’ll have an entire essay laid out in front of you. If you write your essay in chronological order, by the time you reach your conclusion, you should have no trouble restating your case and driving your point home.

Hopefully this was a convincing argument for outlining essays. So, what are you waiting for? Get outlining so you can get to writing!

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Outlining: Writing

Guide contents.

• Building an outline is an effective way to plan or understand the structure of an essay.
• Outlines aren't just for planning: they can help with rethinking, reshaping and editing as well.
• There is no 'right way' to outline: play with various outlining techniques to discover what works best for you.

What is outlining?

An outline is an organised list of major and minor points used to map out the structure of an essay. We choose the verb to build for our outlines, instead of to write , because we think of them as a structure for our ideas. They are the frame from which we will turn our thoughts into sentences, paragraphs, and full essays.

Many people like to build at least a rough outline before they begin to draft their work. However, the outline can come at any point in your writing process . Maybe you want to begin with a list of ideas and fill it in as you research. Maybe you want to form your thesis after doing a lot of research. Maybe you write a simple draft first and then do a reverse outline from that.

Tip:  Revisit your outline throughout the process of rough drafting , reshaping the outline as your work progresses. That’s called a recursive system. It’s smart. Be smart and use it!

How to do it

There are many options for an outline, so the key is to adapt the principles of outlining to your individual writing process. It doesn't matter if your outlining method looks weird or nonsensical to other people: the outline serves you, and you alone.

To start, let's explore one of the most common outlining methods, which we will call 'Loose, Precise, Write' . Here's how it works:

• First, build a very loose outline that identifies the main focus/purpose of each paragraph (or if dealing with a longer work, each section of a given chapter).
• Next, rework the loose outline: make it more precise by writing out topic sentences, indicating key pieces of evidence or literature, and/or transcribing key ideas in short phrases.
• Finally, start to write.

The examples below illustrate the 'Loose, Precise, Write' method for an essay that will critically analyse depictions of transportation in zombie apocalypse films.

'Loose' step: example

Research Question: Why are there no bicycles used in zombie apocalypse films?

• Introduction.
• The Road  (body paragraph 1).
• Shaun of the Dead  (body 2).
• 28 Days Later  (body 3).
• Zombieland  (body 4).
• Further analysis and thesis support (body 5-7).
• Conclusion.

'Precise' step: example

• Hook: Where are the bikes?
• Thesis statement: The absence of bicycles in zombie apocalypse films is more than just plot contrivance – it is a conspiracy.
• Essay map sentence: To understand this limitation, we will first discuss important films, then the merits of bicycle function, and finally some new understandings behind the anti-bicycle apocalypse.
• Background: Films to use – The Road , 28 Days Later , Shaun of the Dead , Zombieland.
• Evidence: No bikes in The Road . C’mon Viggo…
• a. There was no fuel.
• b. They had to move a great distance.
• c. Bikes are quiet.
• Transition: Same as in Shaun of the Dead .
• [Et cetera.]

'Write' step: example

Introduction:  The world is overtaken by zombies, but where are the bikes? In film after film, un-infected characters face the difficult task of moving from a dangerous place to a safer one. Often it is on foot or by car and there are various risks (fuel, noise, exposure, speed, etc.) in both options. A largely unexplored transport option is the bicycle. Which raises the question: why are there no bikes? They are efficient, quiet, and available. The reactionary response would argue that it is a conspiracy – but by whom? In order to answer such questions, this paper will begin with a discussion of relevant films to establish the trend. Then, this paper will offer the merits of the bicycle as a superior zombie-avoidance transport. Finally, this paper will expose the anti-bicycle and pro-automobile conspiracy foisted on viewers. Spoiler alert: it’s all about OIL. Let’s move into the relevant literature: The Road , 28 Days Later , Shaun of the Dead , and Zombieland . [Et cetera.]

Outlining to resolve writing difficulties

As stated above, there is no 'right way' to outline. In fact, you might prefer to build a mind map, move sticky notes around a wall, etc. – the key is to ensure at least one practice in your writing process enables you to envision structure, connect ideas, and consider how argument progresses. To tailor an outlining approach that helps you grow as a writer, try this:

• First, reflect on how and why you would like to improve your writing or writing process.
• Then, consider if an adjustment to your outlining technique could help address the issue.
• Finally, test the outlining modification, and see how it works out.

Example 1:  You often receive feedback that your essays are 'jumpy' and movement between points is 'abrupt'.

Outlining fix:  You can modify your outlining technique to include the first sentence (e.g. topic sentence) and final sentence (e.g. takeaway or transition sentence) of each body paragraph. Doing this will encourage you to pay more attention to how you establish the focus of individual paragraphs and enable 'flow' between ideas. [For more on topic sentences and takeaway points, see our Basics of Structure webinar. ]

Example 2:  You often receive feedback that your ideas are good, but you don't support them with sufficient evidence or literature.

Outlining fix:  You might stick to a loose outlining method (i.e., a bullet point per body paragraph with just a few words to express the main idea). However, add one important modification: under each  body paragraph's bullet point, add two sub-bullets called  Evidence 1  and  Evidence 2.  Doing this will remind you to reference at least two distinct pieces of literature to support each paragraph's central claim.

In the next section, you will read about some other ways to tailor your outlining approach. The list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to mix, match, and get creative.

Experiments in outlining

Digital companions –  The bullet points and/or numbered formatting available in any word processor offer a great foundation for outlining. Importantly, you can indent to visualize the hierarchy or nesting of ideas. However, dedicated outlining apps offer additional functionality such as branching/tree options, collapsible headings, rearrangeable elements and more. If such features sound helpful to you, just run a search for 'outlining apps' and play with what's out there.

Colour coding –  An outline needn't be black and white! You can use colour however you see fit, but let's start with two common ways to use colour in outlines:

• To  track drafting progress,  you assign colours to signify 'Complete' ( perhaps green ) and 'Not Yet Started' ( perhaps red ). You can also signify a middle grounds, e.g. 'In Progress', 'Done But Need to Add Literature', or other states ( perhaps yellow ). As you work on your rough draft, you update the highlighting in your outline. This lets you understand with a quick glance what you have completed so far, and where you should resume in your next writing session.
• To  code writing elements,  you assign colours to signify 'moves' or elements of the writing. For example, blue might indicate claims, orange might indicate supporting evidence, and purple might indicate analysis of counterarguments. This approach can be helpful if you are working to deepen the criticality of your prose, as you can track how you are engaging with contrasting viewpoints and literature.

Going old school –  Even tech-savvy writers can find merits in an 'old school' approach to outlining. You know how satisfying it is to cross items off a paper to-do list as you finish them? If you outline in a notebook, that same satisfaction awaits with each paragraph you draft! In all seriousness, some people find it easier to engage in the inventive, sloppy parts of writing via pencil rather than typing; somehow, a scrap of notebook paper can feel less daunting than a blank Word document. If you get overwhelmed or freeze up when you start to plan an essay structure, try going old school: it might help.

• Tip:  Get crafty. Grab scissors to cut outline pieces into strips, or jot your ideas onto index cards or sticky notes. This will let you nimbly rearrange your points to build a structure that flows logically. (Just remember to pin the pieces in place or take a snapshot before your cat scatters that precious outline into every corner of the room.  Ahem... )

Zoom in, zoom out, regroup –  As silly as this might sound, one of the most important skills in academic writing is grouping : specifically, the critical thought you apply when grouping related ideas, and your ability to break a related group into logical subgroups as needed. When outlining, remember to think about comfortable paragraph lengths and the reader's experience. You might need to subdivide, consolidate or shuffle points in your outline as you draft.

• Subdivision example:  In your outline, you allocated a single paragraph to focus on 'Inclusive nursing practices'. As you draft, that paragraph is becoming unwieldy, yet the material is all relevant to the assignment aims. Therefore, you regroup and amend your outline, converting one paragraph into three: 'Inclusive nursing: plain-speech communication', 'Inclusive nursing: LGBTQ+ patients', and 'Inclusive nursing: religiously diverse patients'.
• Consolidation example:  An assignment asks you to consider the extent to which TikTok has influenced Gen-Z's attitudes towards the consumption of fast fashion. To build a foundation for the analysis, you want to define and explore relevant aspects of Gen-Z itself, so your outline first allocates three paragraphs to this purpose. However, as you draft, you 'zoom out' and realise this approach simply won't work given the assignment's maximum word count. Therefore, you cut the broadest or most general background on Gen-Z, consolidating the three envisioned paragraphs into one or two that maintain tighter, more relevant focus.

Bring an awareness of grouping to your outlining practice by critically considering the hierarchy or nesting of ideas. For longer assignments, it's helpful to think not just in terms of 'paragraphs > essay', but 'paragraphs >  major sections  > essay'.

• Last Updated: Jun 25, 2024 4:17 PM
• URL: https://library.soton.ac.uk/outlining

How to use an outline to your advantage when you’re writing

How often do you start writing an essay with a great idea in mind, only to lose steam—or worse, lose track of your argument—well before you meet the length requirement? Have you ever reread a paper draft only to realize what you’re arguing on the first page isn’t quite the same thing you’re arguing on the last one? These sorts of problems are common in writing, but the good news is that you can help avoid them by taking the time to outline your paper before you start.

What is an outline?

At its most basic, an outline is a way of organizing information. It starts with big ideas and works inward towards specifics. When you’re writing a paper, your outline might be organized paragraph by paragraph, argument by argument, or theme by theme.

How do I use an outline?

Start with your thesis statement at the top. Everything in your paper should be working toward proving your thesis. When you’re outlining, it’s easy to stop and check to make sure you’re not including extraneous information by just looking back up at the thesis and asking yourself, “Does this argument / piece of evidence / anecdote work to prove my larger point?” And if it doesn’t, you can simply delete it! Once you know what you want to argue, you can begin organizing your thoughts. Start with the skeleton of the argument—the major points you need to articulate in order to prove your thesis. Make sure they flow logically from one to the next. Then you can start filling in the evidence underneath those larger points, again making sure that your logic flows well from one piece of evidence to the next one. 

As you go along, ask yourself: what am I trying to accomplish with this section of the paper? What evidence can I deploy to make sure it does its job? When you’ve answered those questions, fill in your outline accordingly. 

Why is an outline helpful?

Outlines are especially good for visualizing the flow of your argument. As you work, you will move from big ideas (the thesis, the main arguments that prove your thesis) to smaller ideas (individual pieces of supporting evidence). You can easily see the connections between different parts of your paper. Outlines help you make sure you’re always writing in the service of your thesis.

Another benefit is that they allow you to write different parts of your paper at different times. Maybe you’ve done the research for your third paragraph but haven’t fully fleshed out what you want to say in your second paragraph. That’s okay! You can easily work on the paper out of order. Authors almost never write their books from front to back—they might write chapter five, then chapter two, then the introduction, and so on. Having an outline helps them keep track of the job each chapter is doing, so they can jump from one to another.

Outlines can also save you time. You may come to the realization one section of your paper isn’t actually that convincing or that helpful—with an outline, you can see the potential problems with your work before you actually go through the process of writing everything out. With an outline, you can also much more easily tell if you’re going to be under the word limit—or over it! Outlines help you plan to meet the requirements of your assignment, so you aren’t trying to add words at the last minute or hastily delete whole paragraphs.

Kellen holds a BA from Princeton in History & African American Studies, and a PhD from Columbia in History. She was a Predoctoral Fellow at UPenn’s McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and is now working on her Postdoctoral Fellowship at Penn State University.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Identify the steps in constructing an outline.
• Construct a topic outline and a sentence outline.

Your prewriting activities and readings have helped you gather information for your assignment. The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them. Patterns and gaps may begin to stand out. But only when you start to organize your ideas will you be able to translate your raw insights into a form that will communicate meaning to your audience.

Longer papers require more reading and planning than shorter papers do. Most writers discover that the more they know about a topic, the more they can write about it with intelligence and interest.

Organizing Ideas

When you write, you need to organize your ideas in an order that makes sense. The writing you complete in all your courses exposes how analytically and critically your mind works. In some courses, the only direct contact you may have with your instructor is through the assignments you write for the course. You can make a good impression by spending time ordering your ideas.

Order refers to your choice of what to present first, second, third, and so on in your writing. The order you pick closely relates to your purpose for writing that particular assignment. For example, when telling a story, it may be important to first describe the background for the action. Or you may need to first describe a 3-D movie projector or a television studio to help readers visualize the setting and scene. You may want to group your support effectively to convince readers that your point of view on an issue is well reasoned and worthy of belief.

In longer pieces of writing, you may organize different parts in different ways so that your purpose stands out clearly and all parts of the paper work together to consistently develop your main point.

Methods of Organizing Writing

The three common methods of organizing writing are chronological order , spatial order , and order of importance . You will learn more about these in Chapter 9 “Writing Essays: From Start to Finish”; however, you need to keep these methods of organization in mind as you plan how to arrange the information you have gathered in an outline. An outline is a written plan that serves as a skeleton for the paragraphs you write. Later, when you draft paragraphs in the next stage of the writing process, you will add support to create “flesh” and “muscle” for your assignment.

When you write, your goal is not only to complete an assignment but also to write for a specific purpose—perhaps to inform, to explain, to persuade, or for a combination of these purposes. Your purpose for writing should always be in the back of your mind, because it will help you decide which pieces of information belong together and how you will order them. In other words, choose the order that will most effectively fit your purpose and support your main point.

Table 8.1 “Order versus Purpose” shows the connection between order and purpose.

Table 8.1 Order versus Purpose

Writing a Thesis Statement

One legitimate question readers always ask about a piece of writing is “What is the big idea?” (You may even ask this question when you are the reader, critically reading an assignment or another document.) Every nonfiction writing task—from the short essay to the ten-page term paper to the lengthy senior thesis—needs a big idea, or a controlling idea, as the spine for the work. The controlling idea is the main idea that you want to present and develop.

For a longer piece of writing, the main idea should be broader than the main idea for a shorter piece of writing. Be sure to frame a main idea that is appropriate for the length of the assignment. Ask yourself, “How many pages will it take for me to explain and explore this main idea in detail?” Be reasonable with your estimate. Then expand or trim it to fit the required length.

The big idea, or controlling idea, you want to present in an essay is expressed in a thesis statement . A thesis statement is often one sentence long, and it states your point of view. The thesis statement is not the topic of the piece of writing but rather what you have to say about that topic and what is important to tell readers.

Table 8.2 “Topics and Thesis Statements” compares topics and thesis statements.

Table 8.2 Topics and Thesis Statements

The first thesis statement you write will be a preliminary thesis statement, or a working thesis statement . You will need it when you begin to outline your assignment as a way to organize it. As you continue to develop the arrangement, you can limit your working thesis statement if it is too broad or expand it if it proves too narrow for what you want to say.

Using the topic you selected in Section 8.1 “Apply Prewriting Models,” develop a working thesis statement that states your controlling idea for the piece of writing you are doing. On a sheet of paper, write your working thesis statement.

You will make several attempts before you devise a working thesis statement that you think is effective. Each draft of the thesis statement will bring you closer to the wording that expresses your meaning exactly.

Writing an Outline

For an essay question on a test or a brief oral presentation in class, all you may need to prepare is a short, informal outline in which you jot down key ideas in the order you will present them. This kind of outline reminds you to stay focused in a stressful situation and to include all the good ideas that help you explain or prove your point.

For a longer assignment, like an essay or a research paper, many college instructors require students to submit a formal outline before writing a major paper as a way to be sure you are on the right track and are working in an organized manner. A formal outline is a detailed guide that shows how all your supporting ideas relate to each other. It helps you distinguish between ideas that are of equal importance and ones that are of lesser importance. You build your paper based on the framework created by the outline.

Instructors may also require you to submit an outline with your final draft to check the direction of the assignment and the logic of your final draft. If you are required to submit an outline with the final draft of a paper, remember to revise the outline to reflect any changes you made while writing the paper.

There are two types of formal outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. You format both types of formal outlines in the same way.

• Place your introduction and thesis statement at the beginning, under roman numeral I.
• Use roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to identify main points that develop the thesis statement.
• Use capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) to divide your main points into parts.
• Use arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) if you need to subdivide any As, Bs, or Cs into smaller parts.
• End with the final roman numeral expressing your idea for your conclusion.

Here is what the skeleton of a traditional formal outline looks like. The indention helps clarify how the ideas are related.

• IntroductionThesis statement
• Supporting detail

In an outline, any supporting detail can be developed with subpoints. For simplicity, the model shows them only under the first main point.

Formal outlines are often quite rigid in their organization. As many instructors will specify, you cannot subdivide one point if it is only one part. For example, for every roman numeral I, there must be a For every A, there must be a B. For every arabic numeral 1, there must be a 2. See for yourself on the sample outlines that follow.

Constructing Topic Outlines

A topic outline is the same as a sentence outline except you use words or phrases instead of complete sentences. Words and phrases keep the outline short and easier to comprehend. All the headings, however, must be written in parallel structure. (For more information on parallel structure, see Chapter 7 “Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique?”.)

Here is the topic outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing. Her purpose is to inform, and her audience is a general audience of her fellow college students. Notice how Mariah begins with her thesis statement. She then arranges her main points and supporting details in outline form using short phrases in parallel grammatical structure.

Click to Enlarge Image

Writing an Effective Topic Outline

This checklist can help you write an effective topic outline for your assignment. It will also help you discover where you may need to do additional reading or prewriting.

• Do I have a controlling idea that guides the development of the entire piece of writing?
• Do I have three or more main points that I want to make in this piece of writing? Does each main point connect to my controlling idea?
• Is my outline in the best order—chronological order, spatial order, or order of importance—for me to present my main points? Will this order help me get my main point across?
• Do I have supporting details that will help me inform, explain, or prove my main points?
• Do I need to add more support? If so, where?
• Do I need to make any adjustments in my working thesis statement before I consider it the final version?

Writing at Work

Constructing sentence outlines.

A sentence outline is the same as a topic outline except you use complete sentences instead of words or phrases. Complete sentences create clarity and can advance you one step closer to a draft in the writing process.

Here is the sentence outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing.

Click Image to Enlarge

The information compiled under each roman numeral will become a paragraph in your final paper. In the previous example, the outline follows the standard five-paragraph essay arrangement, but longer essays will require more paragraphs and thus more roman numerals. If you think that a paragraph might become too long or stringy, add an additional paragraph to your outline, renumbering the main points appropriately.

Expand the topic outline you prepared in Note 8.41 “Exercise 2” to make it a sentence outline. In this outline, be sure to include multiple supporting points for your main topic even if your topic outline does not contain them. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Key Takeaways

• Writers must put their ideas in order so the assignment makes sense. The most common orders are chronological order, spatial order, and order of importance.
• After gathering and evaluating the information you found for your essay, the next step is to write a working, or preliminary, thesis statement.
• The working thesis statement expresses the main idea that you want to develop in the entire piece of writing. It can be modified as you continue the writing process.
• Effective writers prepare a formal outline to organize their main ideas and supporting details in the order they will be presented.
• A topic outline uses words and phrases to express the ideas.
• A sentence outline uses complete sentences to express the ideas.
• The writer’s thesis statement begins the outline, and the outline ends with suggestions for the concluding paragraph.
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Why You NEED an Outline for Essay

Now, we’re going to talk about the importance of creating an outline before you begin writing a paper . A number of students skip this step – mostly because they want to get the hard process of writing a rough draft out of the way. Don’t make this mistake. Once you start writing proper essay outlines, you’ll never go back.

There are a variety of reasons why outlines are not only useful, but necessary in writing a great paper.

First of all, an outline makes the writing process run smoothly. You already know what you want to say, and how you want to say it. You already know what points you want to hit. You already know where your important quotes go.

Plenty of students simply build on their outline and call it a rough draft. Once you take away the numbers and letters, you’re left with a workable paper.

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Outlines also give you an idea of where to go next. Since you know what point you’re building toward, you can aim your writing in that direction. For example, if I want to use Barrack Obama to navigate toward a conversation about medical insurance, I’m going to cater my quotes and information to hit that point. I’m getting from Point A to Point B. This makes my writing clear and direct. I’m not scrambling to make a relevant point.

In addition, for those of you who hate sitting down and writing for three or four hours, creating an outline breaks your writing up into bite-sized chunks. You can sit down, elaborate on a few important points, then take a break. When you come back, you’ll still be in the exact same place you were before. You won’t need to get your mind back in the game. Your writing will already be there. You won’t have to think of somewhere to go next. You’ve already done that. Your writing will be anything but sporadic, and you won’t be able to tell when you took a break or lost your sense of motivation.

Finally, in the long run, having an outline saves you time. Your paper will be clean, precise, and straightforward. Your professor will appreciate the amount of thought you put into the structure of your essay. And, in addition to everything we just said, you won’t feel the constant pressure to come up with useful ideas. Everything will be done already. You just have to write.

Writing is much easier when you know where you’re going with it

Before we move on and talk about actually writing your rough draft , we’re going to give you a quick step-by-step guide to creating an outline. If you’ve chosen a topic (or, if you’re using the topic we provided), make an outline. You don’t have to write a rough draft or look for resources. Just see what you can create based on your subject. Chances are, you’ll find that writing an outline helps you formulate  and connect ideas and stay on track.

1. Organize your paper in a stepping-stone fashion with both numerals and letters from the alphabet. For example –

A. Introduction

1. Hillary Clinton

2. Barrack Obama

3. John McCain

B. Hillary Clinton

1. Health Care

a) Proposals

b) Experience

2. Prison Reform

2. Once you’re organized, add a sentence or two for each subsection. What point are you trying to make in this section? What are you trying to say?

3. When you’re formatting your outline, only add a subsection if you have more than one thing to talk about. If you only need to make a singular point, don’t bother with a subsection. For example –

A. Hillary Clinton

1. Prison Reform

B. Barrack Obama

This outline doesn’t make sense. If you want to talk about prison reform and Hillary Clinton, but the whole subject in the same line. There’s no sense in creating a subtopic when it’s actually the main essay topic . It should become –

A. Hillary Clinton and Prison Reform

It just makes your outline neater and easier to understand.

4. Add to your outline as you come up with more ideas.

5. Add quotes from your research to your outline. If there’s something you want to quote in your paper, it should already be included in the outline. That way, you don’t have to worry about quote placement after you’ve written your essay.

Finished papers

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Creating an outline is an essential step of any writing process. It can help you structure and organize your ideas in a logical way. Taking the time to create an outline can save you from the frustration of having to reorganize your paper later. With an outline, you can easily identify gaps in your essay and order a paper to fill in those gaps.

Again, outlines are a huge part of the essay writing process. They help you stay organized and keep your thoughts collected. Getting into the habit of making a proper outline for your essays will ensure that you inch closer and closer to that “A” paper.

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How to write an outline for an essay

Whether you’re a researcher, an academic, or a student, knowing how to write an outline for an essay will be an essential skill.

Despite how important it is, there are all too many individuals out there carrying on with the writing process without knowing how to write effectively. Creating an outline for your next essay can help you to structure your thoughts more clearly before you put them down on paper.

The advantages of working on a paper outline first are numerous; besides planning your answers, you’ll be able to organize them for better flow and ensure you haven’t missed anything important. An organized outline leads to an organized paper, which will have a better chance of being published or getting a good grade.

We’ve put together all the basics behind writing an outline for an essay in this easy guide:

Before writing your outline

You’ve been assigned a topic or you have a thesis statement that needs to be put onto paper. Before you jump into writing the final essay, you’ll want to create an outline that you can work from. The problem is there are a few things that need to be done before you can start essay writing.

It’s essential to look at the writing assignment carefully. If you’re a student, pay attention to the marking rubric and try to get a good idea of what your teacher or lecturer is looking for.

To write a strong outline, you'll ultimately need to make sure you've reviewed all the resources given and that you are approaching it from the right angle.

The basic parts of essay outlines

Every essay or research paper has to have a structure, and this is what you should also attempt to do in your essay outline. Broken down into the most basic parts, every essay outline should have:

• A strong introduction or thesis statement
• A body , or arguments and counterarguments
• A conclusion that reiterates the thesis statement and summarizes key thoughts

Your outline should ideally be structured so that your arguments are ranked in terms of their importance. You can imagine your outline having four layers of organization - the first two layers are the more general, and the following layers go into more detailed information from there.

Since you’re working on an outline first, you can easily shift around arguments and supporting statements to make sure the final project will be suitable for publishing or marking.

Remember to check carefully for any repetitive ideas or statements and to think about the audience you are writing for. More than a basic essay that follows the assignment prompt, you want to try and use different writing techniques to make the paper an interesting read and cater your writing to your audience.

Language in outlines

Even though you’ll be working on a rough outline, it will be important to focus on the language you’re using from the beginning. Paying attention to language now will get you in the right headspace for writing your full essay and help you avoid mistakes that can affect your essay later on.

Ask yourself, is my outline grammatically correct and consistent? Are my headings correct? Typically, your main headings should be more general with each sub-heading becoming more specific as it explains your answers.

Even within the basic structure of your outline, you want to make sure that you are using complete sentences while in the process of writing. Use the outline to make note of interesting terminology and theories you want to add to the final essay.

Formatting your essay outline

Your essay outline should adhere to the requirements provided along with the essay topic - this is what makes taking that first step to evaluate everything so important

The majority of essays are structured using an alphanumeric structure, but there are other options like the decimal outline structure. It all comes down to what the teacher or lecturer has asked for.

If there is no prior requirement, you can use the system of your choosing. In this case, just be sure to remember that consistency is key - you want to use the same system all throughout your outline and eventual essay.

The alphanumeric structure is a common type of outline formatting system that uses the following characters for headings:

• Roman numerals
• Capital letters
• Arabic numerals
• Lowercase letters

The decimal system on the other hand is similar but has the additional purpose of showing how every part of the outline relates to the rest of the essay. Instead of numerals and letters, a decimal outline uses decimals when formatting headings and sub-headings.

Formatting will be especially important when it comes to doing your references. You can have all the credible sources in the world in your paper, but if they aren't formatted in the proper reference style they may affect your overall score. This can be crippling when you're handing in an academic paper or another essay type that requires a common structure and some critical thinking.

Writing your essay outline

When you’re ready to start writing your essay outline, it’s best to take a step by step approach.

The first thing you want to do is to carefully consider the subject. Is the essay meant to be argumentative, narrative, or expository? Different categories will require different types of outlines -  narrative essays for example will have a structure that is unlike the format used in an analysis essay.

It may be worthwhile to take some time to brainstorm all of the topics or ideas you want to write about and to choose the one you feel has the most potential from the shortlist. This is also a good opportunity to connect related ideas and strengthen your paper even further.

The next step is to take your list of organized ideas and structure them into an essay outline. When working on this part, you should organize your ideas by the level of importance. Think about how you can introduce these topics, give an explanation for them, and what conclusions can be drawn from them as an ending to your essay. Don't go into too much detail.

From there, you’ll want to write headings and subheadings based on the ideas you have gathered. Headings are one of the most underrated parts of writing an essay, but they too play a huge role in the success of a paper.

The secret to writing great headings is to make sure that everyone you put down adheres to the following guidelines:

• Does the reader understand the essay content?
• Is each content section clear?
• How does each section relate to the other sections?

If you’re unable to say “yes” to all the above, your headings will need some additional work.

When all of the above has been completed, you can start to fill in the body of your outline with your ideas and some rough sentences that you can build on in the final version.

Essay outline example

As mentioned above, your outline is essentially broken down into multiple layers of organization. Let's take a closer look at how this will work in practice.

Layer one is the most generalized section of the outline and will contain an introduction to the ideas you'll be discussing in the paper, and the conclusion. Think of this as the elevator pitch of your research. You can expect layer one to look like the following:

From the above, you can see that the main points of the example outline are separated into their own sections. Every main idea you introduce should have at least one or two supporting statements before you add another main idea.

Final thoughts

The chances are good that you will write many essays in your life, and hopefully, with the knowledge in this guide in hand, the process of outlining them will be easier each time.

Writing an outline might be a bit more time-consuming than jumping into the full paper immediately, but the final product is much more likely to excel. By taking the time to prepare a strong outline, you’ll be ensuring that you can create a better paper much faster.

Frequently Asked Questions about Writing an outline for an essay

Creating an outline for your essay will help you structure what you want to write, and usually contains a few bullet points under each section you plan to add. An outline is just a very rough plan for the paper you plan to write.

Perfecting your essay will come down to understanding the relevant literature, offering a fresh take with a strong opening hook, and keeping to the rubric set for the assignment. Once you've finished your first draft, try to read it objectively and improve any of the weak points you spot.

The four types are expository, descriptive, narrative, and argumentative. An expository essay is an essay that takes a closer look at an idea and evaluates the relevant evidence, while a descriptive essay describes an experience with a person, a place, or situation.

Narrative essays tell a story - anecdotal or personal experiences that are written creatively. Lastly, an argumentative essay tries to prove a point by investigating a topic and the evidence related to it.

This will highly depend on the type of assignment. If no specification is given, try to start with five paragraphs on the main topics and expand on sub-topics as needed. Prioritize your strongest points and only add supplemental ones to support them.

Give yourself a refresher on grammar and vocabulary rules, plan a solid outline and make sure you have carefully analyzed your research sources. Reading more papers will also help you improve your writing skills.

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What Are the Benefits of Using an Outline When Writing?

Marie brown.

Creating an outline as part of the writing process can save writers the frustration of staring at a blank screen waiting for ideas. While outlines seem like a time-consuming extra step, they actually save time by providing “structure that can quickly become more elaborate and detailed” state Cheryl Glenn and Loretta Gray, authors of the “Hodges Harbrace Handbook.” Regardless of the type of outline, there are several advantages to using an outlining when writing.

Explore this article

• Informal and Formal Outlines
• Writing Plan
• Stay on Track
• Stay Organized

1 Informal and Formal Outlines

To create a list outline, start with a thesis and list ideas. For a basic scratch outline, start with a thesis, number your topic sentences and include answers to questions the paper will answer. In a topic outline, begin with a thesis, and then using short phrases, assign Roman numerals to topics and letters to subtopics. A formal, sentence outline, organized like a topic outline, is most useful for long, complex papers.

2 Writing Plan

An outline helps writers create a writing plan. Writers can test which ideas work well together and which examples best support their topics. With an outline, writers can move information around, see gaps in logic and experiment before committing to a full draft. Outlines enable writers to visualize whether they have included enough information for an introduction, body, and conclusion.

3 Stay on Track

With an outline, writers have already laid out how they will proceed with writing their paper, which prevents meandering aimlessly on the page and confusing readers. With most of the heavy lifting done, writers need only to refer to their outline to keep their writing on track. Outlines are especially helpful when writing longer papers, where forgetting important points and sources are more likely. An outline is a detailed roadmap.

4 Stay Organized

Essay organization can be challenging when writers generate pages of text and then try to impose order. More often than not, the paper will be marked by repetition and include irrelevant content. This is where an outline can save the day. With the thesis, topics and sub topics already in place, the writer does not have to stop the flow of writing. She can just use the outline as a template and expand with details.

• 1 Hodges Harbrace Handbook; Cheryl Glenn and Loretta Gray; 2010
• 2 Writing Matters; Rebecca Howard; 2011
• 3 Handbook of Technical Writing; Gerald Alred, Charles Brusaw and Walter Oliu; 2003

About the Author

Marie Brown is a Nashville-based writer who has been writing professionally since 2004. She began writing instructional articles online in 2009, writing articles about writing, business, home organizing and childcare issues. Brown holds a master’s degree in English, a minor in writing and has an associate degree in early childhood education.

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Difference Between an Essay & a Paper

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A clear, arguable thesis will tell your readers where you are going to end up, but it can also help you figure out how to get them there. Put your thesis at the top of a blank page and then make a list of the points you will need to make to argue that thesis effectively.

For example, consider this example from the thesis handout : While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake”(54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well”(51) is less convincing.

To argue this thesis, the author needs to do the following:

• Show what is persuasive about Sandel’s claims about the problems with striving for perfection.
• Show what is not convincing about Sandel’s claim that we can clearly distinguish between medically necessary enhancements and other enhancements.

Once you have broken down your thesis into main claims, you can then think about what sub-claims you will need to make in order to support each of those main claims. That step might look like this:

• Evidence that Sandel provides to support this claim
• Discussion of why this evidence is convincing even in light of potential counterarguments
• Discussion of cases when medically necessary enhancement and non-medical enhancement cannot be easily distinguished
• Analysis of what those cases mean for Sandel’s argument
• Consideration of counterarguments (what Sandel might say in response to this section of your argument)

Each argument you will make in an essay will be different, but this strategy will often be a useful first step in figuring out the path of your argument.  

Strategy #2: Use subheadings, even if you remove them later  

Scientific papers generally include standard subheadings to delineate different sections of the paper, including “introduction,” “methods,” and “discussion.” Even when you are not required to use subheadings, it can be helpful to put them into an early draft to help you see what you’ve written and to begin to think about how your ideas fit together. You can do this by typing subheadings above the sections of your draft.

If you’re having trouble figuring out how your ideas fit together, try beginning with informal subheadings like these:

• Introduction  
• Explain the author’s main point  
• Show why this main point doesn’t hold up when we consider this other example  
• Explain the implications of what I’ve shown for our understanding of the author  
• Show how that changes our understanding of the topic

For longer papers, you may decide to include subheadings to guide your reader through your argument. In those cases, you would need to revise your informal subheadings to be more useful for your readers. For example, if you have initially written in something like “explain the author’s main point,” your final subheading might be something like “Sandel’s main argument” or “Sandel’s opposition to genetic enhancement.” In other cases, once you have the key pieces of your argument in place, you will be able to remove the subheadings.  

Strategy #3: Create a reverse outline from your draft  

While you may have learned to outline a paper before writing a draft, this step is often difficult because our ideas develop as we write. In some cases, it can be more helpful to write a draft in which you get all of your ideas out and then do a “reverse outline” of what you’ve already written. This doesn’t have to be formal; you can just make a list of the point in each paragraph of your draft and then ask these questions:

• Are those points in an order that makes sense to you?  
• Are there gaps in your argument?  
• Do the topic sentences of the paragraphs clearly state these main points?  
• Do you have more than one paragraph that focuses on the same point? If so, do you need both paragraphs?  
• Do you have some paragraphs that include too many points? If so, would it make more sense to split them up?  
• Do you make points near the end of the draft that would be more effective earlier in your paper?  
• Are there points missing from this draft?  
• picture_as_pdf Tips for Organizing Your Essay