This week, your assignment is to submit an outline for your paper. Use the outline below to organize your paper, providing notes under each section so that your instructor knows what you plan to research.
Introduction
Includes a clear thesis statement
Background
Analysis
Arguments (that support your thesis)
Counterarguments (that oppose your thesis)
Conclusion
Recommendations
References
This product is simply a structure for presenting the primary and secondary concepts for a specific subject or topic. Outlines benefit your development of a coherent, logical structure for your paper, making it easier to translate your ideas into words and sentences. Once your outline is complete, you’ll have a clear picture of how you want your paper to develop.
Since you have already chosen your topic and established your purpose, it is important to know what you desire others to gain from reading your paper? What do you want them to comprehend about your topic? These thoughts can help you focus your ideas around the specific messages you want to leave with your readers.
Think about creating a list of main ideas or arguments you hope to make. The objective here is to come up with a list of essential ideas that you are planning to present in your essay. Regardless the topic, this provides an opportunity to get all of your ideas on paper and have a checklist of possible topics that you can cover in your essay.
Organize your primary ideas. The objective is to rearrange the list of ideas that you came up with, establishing an order that will make sense to the reader as you present your case. There are many different ways to organize your ideas, and these may vary depending on the type of essay you are writing. Once you have put your points in order, you’re on your way to developing the structure of your essay.
Analyze your main points. Once you have completed the order of your points or arguments, add some relevant content to help support each main concept. Your aim is to grow your original ideas so that your reader has a better comprehension of each point you intend to make. You can add more content to each concept by including quotes, examples, theories, facts, or personal comments. While this may seem tedious, it will make your writing process much simpler. You’ll save time in the long run because your paper will be more logical, focused and your ideas will be fully developed.
Review and Adjust. Writing is a pedestrian process, and the best writers continuously review and revise their essay until it is the best it can be. The same goes for an outline or framework; it should be like a map that you use to massage your essay exactly where you want it to go to get your point across. Ensure that you’ve incorporated all of your concepts and established the linkages between each of your main points.