Writing An Essay Outline Take Time Now To Save Time Later!

What is an outline?  An outline is a part of the writing process called “Pre-Writing.”  It is a list that outlines all of the information that you would like to include in your paper.  The list helps you to put all of your information in order before you begin writing. It is the best way to get your mind UNJUMBLED when writing any major paper!

How does it do that? An Outline Organizes The Major Parts Of Your Essay: YYour Thesis Statement-The sentence that tells your reader your ultimate point and what they should expect. YYou Major Points-The facts that you are using to prove your main point. YYour Supporting Details-The examples, facts, quotations, etc. that further explain and back up each major point. You should have several for each Major Point. YYour Transitions-The statement or information you will use to transition form one major point to the next. This stops your paper from sounding jumpy or disorganized. CConcluding Thoughts-Any thoughts that you would like to include at the close of your paper to wrap things up and tie it all together. NEVER INCLUDE NEW FACTS OR INFORMATION IN YOUR CONCLUSION!

Why Write An Outline? It will help you organize all of the ideas running around your brain!

It will allow you to find any gaps in your research or ideas early enough to fix them.

It will make writing you essay less stressful because you will KNOW what you have to work with.

Where do I start? 1.Gather all of your research or notes on the topic that you are writing about. 2.Review it all and decide what your research/information is telling you about your topic. 3.Form a working thesis statement that describes the point that you want to make about your topic. 4.Begin to select what information you would like to include in your essay based on what proves your point.

Then what?

How? An Outline Organizes Your Information Into 3 major parts in Preparation For Your Paper: {Click Mouse to Continue}

What goes in the intro. section? {Click Mouse to Continue} The Same Information That Should Be In Your Essay’s Introductory Paragraph

What about the Body section? Major point 3-5 Supporting Details Transition relating it back to your thesis The Body Section Outlines The Following Information On Each Of Your Major Points: