Outlining

Please keep these notes in your “Writing” section

Outlining

See also section 3.0 of the Writing Handbook on page 8

Outlines

• List of topics that you will cover in an essay

• In order

• Labeled according to level of specificity

• Indented according to level of specificity

• Incomplete sentences

Outline

I. Roman Numerals - Big, General Topics

A. Capital Letters - Medium Concepts

1. Arabic Numerals - Details

2. Details

a. Lowercase Letters - Specific Details

b. Specific Details

B. Medium Concepts

II. Big Topics

Indenting

Notice how each level is indented 1/2 inch with a TAB?

If a line of text goes onto the second line of the page, make sure that the words of the second line start at the same place as the words on the first line.

Rules of Outlines

You cannot have an “a” without a “b” or a “1” without a “2”. If you only have one thing to write, just add it to the line above.

II. Topic

A. Category

1. Fact

2. Fact

a. detail

3. Fact

a. detail

b. detail

Other Rules of Outlines

Do not simply list ideas, categorize them.

You should not get above “E” or “F”

Group them instead.

II. TopicA. CategoryB. CategoryC. CategoryD. CategoryE. CategoryF. CategoryG. Category

Other Rules of Outlines

As with the previous slide, do not list small details and facts in a long list; group them.

You should not get above “7” or “8”

II. TopicsA. Category

1. Fact2. Fact3. Fact4. Fact5. Fact6. Fact7. Fact8. Fact9. Fact

Try it out

On the back side of your notes, practice making an outline. The subject matter will be in the following pictures.

On the following slide, what do you see?

This will be a Roman Numeral item. It should be on the left margin.

How did you do?

Did you write

I. North America

Skip nine lines

Now pick two more similar items, and write them next to Roman Numeral II and III

Next Step

On the line below “I. North America”, indent half an inch and put the next label.

Next to the label, write what you see in the next picture.

How did you do?

Did you write

A. United States of America

Skip six lines

Now pick two more similar items, and write them next to Capital Letters B and C

Next Step

On the line below “A. United States of America”, indent half an inch and put the next label.

Next to the label, write what you see in the next picture.

How did you do?

Did you write

1. California

Skip three lines

Now pick two more similar items, and write them next to Arabic Numerals 2 and 3

Next Step

On the line below “1. California”, indent half an inch and put the next label.

Next to the label, write what you see in the next picture.

How did you do?

Did you write

a. Los Angeles

Now pick two more similar items, and write them next to Lower Case Letters b and c

What if you have more details?

If you are writing a very long, fact-filled paper, you can indent one more level and use a dash.

a. Los Angeles- North Hollywood- Santa Monica- El Segundo

EarthI. North America

A. United States

1. California

a. Los Angeles

b. San Diego

c. Sacramento

2. New York

3. Tennessee

B. Mexico

C. Honduras

II. Africa

II. Europe

For Homework

Make an Outline of a children’s story you know.

It should be 30-40 items long.Use proper labels and indents.Do not use complete sentences.Be sure to show that you can use all four

levels of outline items.

I. Introduction A. Pigs move

1. first pig builds house of straw a.dumb b. lazy

2. second pig builds house of stick a.dumb b.lazy

3. third pig builds house of brick a.smart b.hard working

B. Wolf 1. Big 2. Bad 3. Hungry

II. First Pig A. Wolf Arri ves

1. Wants to eat pig 2. Pig lives in straw house

B. Wolf req uests entrance 1. ŅLittle Pig, little Pig, let me inÓ 2. ŅNot by the hair on my chinny, chin, chinÓ

C. Wolf destroys house 1. Huff and puff 2. Blows house down

D. Pig flees to second pigÕs house III. Second Pig

A. Wolf Arri ves 1. Wants to eat pig 2. Pig lives in stick house

B. Wolf req uests entrance 1. ŅLittle Pig, little Pig, let me inÓ 2. ŅNot by the hair on my chinny, chin, chinÓ

C. Wolf destroys house 1. Huff and puff 2. Blows house down

D. First and Second Pig flee to third pigÕs house IV. T hird Pig

A. Wolf Arrives 1. Wants to eat pig 2. Pig lives in brick house

B. Wolf req uests entrance 1. ŅLittle Pig, little Pig, let me inÓ 2. ŅNot by the hair on my chinny, chin, chinÓ

C. Wolf canÕt destroy house 1. Huff and puff 2. Brick house still stands

V.Con clusion A. Wolf gets cooked B. Smart Pig lives