1. Creating Effective Outlines
A Learning Enhancement Center Workshop
Created by the Coconino Community College Learning Center
Edited for our purposes by Mrs. Priole

2. Outline of Presentation
I. General Overview
II. Getting Started
A. Brainstorm
B. Mind Map
C. Thesis Statement
III. Establishing a Pattern
A. Types
B. Sample Activity
IV. The Formal Outline Structure
A. Activity
B. Answers
V. Conclusion

3. Why Use Outlines?
To show the logical structure of your paper or presentation.
To help you organize your ideas.
To help you separate main ideas from supporting ideas.

4. Outlines are Flexible Outlines range from casual to formal.
Your outline will change as your ideas change.

5. Getting Started: Brainstorming
List everything you can think of related to your subject.
Look at your list and jot down the main ideas.
Insert sub-points and examples under the main points.

6. Getting Started: Mind Mapping
Place your main idea in the middle of your paper.
Connect related ideas using lines.
Use the school’s Inspiration software to help!

8. Getting Started: The Thesis
Write the thesis (the main idea).
Build an outline around the thesis.
Occasionally, you might want to look at your subcategories to help you organize your ideas into a thesis.

9. Using your outline
Use your outline to guide your writing or presentation!
Fill with examples and more information about the points you want to make.

10. Arrange the ideas in your outline into a logical pattern.
Chronological (order in time)
Problem  Solution
General to Specific
Least to Most Important

11. The Formal Outline Structure
I. Roman numerals are against the left margin of the page and contain the major divisions of a text.
 A. Upper-case letters are the first indentation and contain the secondary ideas that will support a major division in a text.
 Arabic numerals are indented under
upper-case letters.
 Arabic numerals contain important examples that support the writer’s
ideas.
 a. Lower-case letters are indented
under Arabic numbers.
 b. Lower-case letters have specific details or an explanation of an
example’s main points.

12. The Formal Outline Structure cont’d…
B. Except for single examples of
specific points, individual divisions (I, II, III)
generally have two or more sub
points (A, B, C).
II. Formal outlines contain more than one
major division.
A. Each outline must have at least two
roman numerals (I, II).
B. If there is an “A”, then there must be
a “B” included as well.

13. For our purposes…. I. Introduction A. Hook
B. Connect the reader (and the hook) to the subject of your paper
C. Thesis: (write the complete thesis statement)

14. (add more letters for more points)
II. Pattern 1 (change this to the actual name of pattern) (Can use topic sentence, if you wish)
A. First point
1. Supporting evidence—quote, paraphrase, or detail
A. Explain or connect supporting evidence.
2. Another piece of supporting evidence.
a. Explain or connect supporting evidence.
B. Second point
2. Another piece of supporting evidence
(add more letters for more points)

15. III. Category 2: topic IV. Category 3: topic V. Conclusion
A. First point
1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence
B. Second point (etc)
IV. Category 3: topic
(just add more numerals if you have more categories)
V. Conclusion
Your sub points for the conclusion to wrap up the overarching point.

16. Practice Outlining: Arrange the information below into an outline.
Oedipus
Movies
Tell-Tale Heart
E.T.
Panic! At the Disco
Elf
Media
One Direction
Romeo & Juliet
Titanic
Books from School
The Beatles

17. An Answer to the outline activity is on the next page.
Note: The categories should fit the division, but it does not matter how the information is organized within the division.

18. Possible Answer I. Media A. Books 1. Curious George 2. Winnie the Pooh
3. Harry Potter
B. Videos
1. Titanic
2. Waterboy
3. E.T.
C. Music
1. Michael Jackson: Thriller
2. Pink Floyd: The Wall
3. Grateful Dead: Mars Hotel