How to Write an Outline

An outline is a very useful tool in the construction of any written work. It helps a writer organize his/her thoughts by breaking them into smaller - more manageable parts. Outline parts are also easier to rearrange than parts of a draft because they do not contain all the filler data used to transition between ideas.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Paper
• Pen/Pencil
• Ideas

1. Determine the Subject of the Outline.
   
   Choose the subject of your outline based on the ideas you wish to organize. If it is for a paper for school or work, the subject is whatever the paper is about. (i.e. Writing a paper on "Faust." Then the Subject of the outline will be "Faust.") For a Thesis paper, your Subject would be your thesis statement. For a work of fiction, you may have more than one outline with subjects like Characterization, Plot, Setting, etc.
2. Sample Outline Layouts Determine the Layout for the Outline.
   
   Do you want to use bullets, letters and numbers or just numbers? Each method should change representative characters with relation to the placement in an outline (is it a Main Point, Sub-Point, Support, etc.).
   
   Choose whichever is best for you or is required by the person assigning the task.
3. Write your main points in the places marked "Main Point" on the outlines shown in Step 2. Your points can be worded as single words, phrases without punctuation, or complete sentences. Whichever method you choose, stick with it throughout the outline. This will help you see inconsistencies in your work.
4. Write in your sub-points in the places marked "Sub-Point" in the outline samples in Step 2. Again remain consistent in your wording. You do not have to keep the same format as the "Main Points," but whatever method you choose for the Sub-Points should be used for all of them.
5. Sample "Setting Outline" for Narrative Now write the supports into the parts marked "Support" on the outlines shown in Step 2. You may have supports for the supports. If this is the case, continue the pattern used to mark the last three sections to mark these new parts. Again remain consistent in your wording.

Tips & Warnings

• Arrange your topics in a logical manner (i.e. by size, by time, by color, etc.) This will help the reader better follow your completed work.
• If you do not know in what order to arrange your topics, write each topic/sub-topic/support on an index card. You can then arrange them physically before you put them to paper.
• Unless this is an assignment where someone, other than you, is going to see the outline, do not worry about the wording. As long as you can come to it at anytime during your drafting and understand what you meant, it doesn't matter how short/long the phrasing is.
• Be concise. The whole point of an outline is to put the basic ideas on paper so that you will not have to worry about organization while you write. This is not the paper itself.