How to Outline a Term Paper

The dreaded term paper. If you haven't written one you will. They are favored by teachers and feared by students at all levels of academia. But writing a good term paper is quite possible if you plan ahead, and follow some important steps. Once you learn the steps you can use them for many writing tasks you will encounter once you leave the classroom and enter the boardroom.

Things You'll Need

• Paper Note cards Computer Access to library

Instructions

How to Write an Outline for a Term Paper

1. Make sure you understand the assignment. Read and reread the instructions. According to the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University, you need to: "Determine the purpose of your paper. Determine the audience you are writing for. Develop the thesis of your paper." Make sure you know the due date? What is the length requirement? How many sources must be used? Do you have to cite your sources? If so, in what format? Many students receive poor grades simply because they did not follow assignment instructions.

2. Research your topic. Use a variety of sources to discover information about your topic. Write your information on note cards, and then put all the similar information together so that you have three or four different categories or ideas.

3. Understand the purpose of an outline. An outline helps you develop the structure needed for an organized paper. It helps you stay organized and allows you to make sure you have all the elements needed for a good paper.

4. Develop your main points. Three to five main points is the usual number for most average length research papers. Each main point should be a single idea that you can state in one complete sentence.

5. Organize your main points. According to www.theeasyessay.com, "People remember the last thing they heard the most, so save your best point for last. Then they remember the first point, so let that be your second best point. Your weakest proof should be in the middle, as it will be least remembered." Designate main points with Roman numerals.

6. Support your main points. You need to support each main point with evidence. Use the notes you developed during the research phase. List each piece of evidence as a separate idea underneath the corresponding main point. Designate support materials with capital letters.

Tips & Warnings

• Creating an outline may seem time consuming. However, a good outline will actually save you time in the long run and ensure that you have an interesting, informative research paper.

References

• Easy Essay Writing Website
• Purdue University Writing Lab