What is an outline?
An outline is an organizational tool used by authors in their academic and professional writing. It is a structure, a base of entire peace of writing, produced to structure main ideas into list of contents.
Although writing an outline is not mandatory, but those who want to come to the top it is must, Professors and readers will like well structured piece of content.
The following outline shows the basic format for most academic papers. No matter what the length of the paper is it should always follow the pattern of having introduction, body and conclusion. Use this paper to get information about the outline of paper.Below are some guidelines about it.
Introduction
The introduction should always have some of these elements, depending on the type of paper.
- Start with grabbing attention: a short story, example, statistics or historical context that introduces the paper topic.
- Explain the overview of the issues related to the paper.
- Define key terms need to understand the paper.
- Quote sources revealing the controversial nature of the subject.(argumentative papers only)
- Highlight background information on the topic so that the user understands the direction of the paper.
- Write a paragraph that consists of specifically opposing views.(argumentative papers only)
Body
- Clearly present the main points of the paper which are included in the thesis.
- Give strong example, details, explanation, to support each point in the paper.
- If it is any argumentative paper counterargument each argument and refuse those arguments.
- it it is a research paper, use strong evidences from sources and support each of the main points.
Conclusion
- Restate your thesis from the introduction in different words.
- Briefly describe each of the main point found in the body of the paper.
- Give statement of the consequences of not embracing the position (argumentative paper only)
- In the last end the whole paper with a strong meaningful sentence that ties the whole point of paper together.
Additional Tips
- Make decision on thesis and main points first.
- It is not mandatory to start writing your paper with introduction.
- Try writing the thesis body first: go back and find out how to introduce the body and conclude the paper.
- Use transitions between and main points and examples.
- Always keep the thesis in the back of your mind, everything you write in the paper must point back to the thesis.