Why create a useful outline? :

Aids in the process of writing.

Helps you organize your ideas.

Presents your material in a logical form.

Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing.

Constructs an ordered overview of your writing.

Defines boundaries and groups.

How do I create an outline? :

Determine the purpose of your paper.

Determine the audience you are writing for.

Develop the thesis of your paper.

Then :

Brainstorm : List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper.


Organize : Group related ideas together.


Order : Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to concrete.


Label : Create main and sub headings.


Remember : creating an outline before writing your paper will make organizing your thoughts a lot easier. Whether you follow the suggested guidelines is up to you, but making any kind of outline (even just some jotting down some main ideas) will be beneficial to your writing process.


Other Pages in This Section :

Developing An Outline : This resource describes why outlines are useful, what types of outlines exist, suggestions for developing effective outlines, and how outlines can be used as an invention strategy for writing.

Sample Outline : Here is an example of an outline that a student might create beforewriting an essay.