1. Outline

2. Outline Helps organize your research paper before you write
Identifies the main ideas and supporting details

3. Step 1: Write the title of the paper across the top of the page.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?

4. Step 2: Place a Roman numeral and a period before each main topic.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
II. Reasons To Disagree With
Uniforms

5. Should Students Have to Wear School
Step 3: If the topic is divided into subtopics, place the A under the first word of the main topic.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
A.Saves time
B. Reduces behavior problems

6. Should Students Have to Wear School
Step 4: If the topic is divided into subtopics, there must be at least 2 subtopics.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
A. Saves time
1. Less time spent school shopping
2. Less time spent choosing clothes in the morning
B. Reduces behavior problems
II. Reasons in Disagreement with Uniforms
A. Reduces students’ self-expression
B. Gives parents fewer choices

7. Should Students Have to Wear School
Step 5: If using words or phrases, do not put a period after the topic or subtopic.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
A. Saves time
B. Reduces behavior problems
II. Reasons in Disagreement with Uniforms
A. Reduces students’ self-expression
B. Gives parents fewer choices

8. Should Students Have to Wear School
Step 6: Always begin the topic or subtopic with a capital letter. Use capital letters for proper nouns.
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
A. Saves time
B. Reduces behavior problems
II. Reasons in Disagreement with Uniforms
A. Reduces students’ self-expression
B. Gives parents fewer choices

9. Should Students Have to Wear School
Step 7: Use parallel structure. The same kind of word or phrase should be used (verb phrase/complete sentence)
Should Students Have to Wear School
Uniforms?
I. Reasons In Support of Uniforms
A. Saves time
B. Reduces behavior problems
II. Reasons in Disagreement with Uniforms
A. Reduces students’ self-expression
B. Gives parents fewer choices

10. The Life and Times of John Quincy Adams
I. Early Life
A. Childhood
B. Education
C. Lawyer and Writer
II. Political and Public Career
A. Diplomat
B. U. S. Senator
C. Secretary of State
III. Adams’ Administration ( )
A. Democratic-Republican Party Split
B. Congress Rebuff
C. White House Life