How to Outline a Research Essay

Research essays are a staple of college education. Nearly every subject at some point will include a research assignment as part of its curriculum. After doing thorough research, one of the most important aspects of successful essay writing is the outline or planning stage, in which you should develop a thesis and plot your major points. Properly completed, a good outline will make the writing stage much smoother and yield a more impressive essay. Read on to learn how to outline a research essay.

Instructions

1. Write your thesis statement. This is the all-encompassing statement (one to two sentences) containing your argument or analysis or your topic. This step will give your paper focus and will be a launching point for the outline.

2. Compose an introduction that will arrest the attention of your audience. Be professional, but don't be mundane. Suggest why your study is important, and include your thesis statement near the end.

3. Create focal points for your essay that serve as a backbone structure and include each argument or statement that you want to make about your subject. For a short essay, three points is standard, but this number can be easily increased to accommodate your ideas. Organize these points as major headings on your outline.

4. Outline the structure of each focal point, including the progression of any arguments you want to make, as well as references to research materials. Include any notes that will help you to write your final essay. Do this for each focal point.

5. Compose a conclusion to your essay that presents a final conclusion to your reader and references your thesis statement. The conclusion should be memorable, but concise and professional. Don't leave any vagueness in your argument; if there is, make it clear in your conclusion.

Tips & Warnings

• The overall style of your outline does not need to be the same as what is described here. The important part is content. If you can arrange the outline to better suit your style of writing, do it.

• In creating each focal point outline, include full quotations that you want to use from your research. Ideally you should be able to write your entire essay from the outline alone, without having to refer back to your research materials.

Resources

• Purdue O.W.L. program