Your outline will provide the basis for organizing your paper. It will help arrange the information for presentation.
Steps for Preparing the Outline:
- Sort your note cards according to guide words. The guide words that are broad will become major topics and the more specific ones may be used as subtopics.
- Arrange your topics and subtopics into a logical order. You may have to rename topics to fit the outline more clearly.
- Write the outline according to form.
- Make sure the statements in the outline are grammatically consistent, for example, consistent verb tense. The first word of each entry is capitalized.
- Begin major headings with a Roman numeral followed by a period. Each subtopic will begin with a capital letter followed by a period. Each supporting detail or example will begin with an Arabic numeral followed by a period.
SAMPLE OUTLINE
Title
Thesis Statement
I. Main Idea or Topic 1
A. Subtopic 1
1. Detail/example
2. Detail/example
B. Subtopic 2
II. Main Idea or Topic 2
A. Subtopic 1
1. Detail/example
2. Detail/example
B. Subtopic 2
1. Detail/example
2. Detail/example |