Making an Outline
A Plan That Builds an Essay
© 2001 by Ruth Luman
References
Introduction
What is an Outline ?
Why Write An Outline?
It will help you organize all of the ideas
running around your brain!
Why Write An Outline?
It will allow you to find any gaps in your
research or ideas early enough to fix them.
Why Write An Outline?
It will make writing you essay less stressful
because you will KNOW what you have to
work with.
Why Write An Outline?
Professors are often willing to look over an
outline for you to make sure that you are
on the right track!
An Outline Organizes the
Major Parts of Your Essay
• Your Thesis Statement
• Your Major Points
• Your Supporting Details
• Your Transitions
• Concluding Thoughts
• Note: NEVER INCLUDE NEW FACTS OR INFORMATION IN YOUR
CONCLUSION!

Identify the topic

Identify the main categories

Create the first category

Create subcategories
Copyright 1997, University of Washington

Parallelism:
Each heading and subheading should preserve parallel structure.
If the first heading is a verb, the second heading should be a verb.
Example:
I. CHOOSE DESIRED COLLEGES
II. PREPARE APPLICATION
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Coordination:
All the information contained in Heading 1 should have the same
significance as the information contained in Heading 2. The same goes
for the subheadings (which should be less significant than the
headings). Example:
I. VISIT AND EVALUATE COLLEGE CAMPUSES
II. VISIT AND EVALUATE COLLEGE WEBSITES
A. Note important statistics
B. Look for interesting classes
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Subordination:
The information in the headings should be more general, while
the information in the subheadings should be more specific.
Example:
I. DESCRIBE AN INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE
A. Favorite high school teacher
B. Grandparent
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Division:
Each heading should be divided into 2 or more parts. Example:
I. COMPILE RÉSUMÉ
A. List relevant coursework
B. List work experience
C. List volunteer experience
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Example Topic:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Research Question:
Which attributes make up the best peanut butter and jelly
sandwich?

Thesis Statement:
ODU’s new sandwich assembly method produces peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches far superior to those of other sandwich
purveyors.
Example Preliminary Outline:

Introduction

Definition of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich’s critical attributes

Bread varieties and their importance

Jelly varieties and their importance

Existing sandwich preparation methods

Definition of the new ODU sandwich assembly method

Experimental findings

Conclusion
ODU’s new sandwich assembly method produces peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
I.
far superior to those of other sandwich purveyors.
A.
One must first understand the critical attributes of peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches to understand why ODU’s method is superior.
B.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have three critical categories affecting the
quality of the sandwich: bread, filling, and assembly process.
C.
While sandwich quality is a subjective finding, a preponderance of evidence
suggests the ODU method outperforms its competitors in side-by-side taste tests.
II.
There are multitudes of bread varieties worldwide but one must consider the core qualities:
crust, density, and flavor when selecting bread for the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
A.
While we will thoroughly discuss sandwich preparation later, it is important to note the
optional toasting of the bread heavily influences consumer preferences regarding bread.
1.
B.
“Evidence indicating relevance of toasting the bread (Source Year)”.
A majority of consumers prefer PB&J sandwiches with a variety of textures e.g. crunchy
and smooth.
1.
C.
“Evidence supporting the idea most consumers like crunchy and smooth (Source Year).
Given consumer preference, it’s important to consider the possibility of toasting when
selecting best breads.
D.
Ciabatta is a somewhat dense, soft Italian loaf with a crisp crust that takes well to
toasting.
1.
“Evidence supporting ciabatta’s definition (source year).”
2.
Continue expanding the outline until complete…
III.
Jelly varieties and their importance
IV.
Existing sandwich preparation methods
V.
Definition of the new ODU sandwich assembly method
VI.
Experimental findings
VII.
Conclusion
Note: Every point from the preliminary outline must be
expanded and include full sentences.
Owl Resources:
Four Main Components for Effective Outlines
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
Types of Outlines and Samples
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/03/
NOTE: You are to going to create a full sentence outline:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20081113013048_544.pdf