| An
outline is a formal plan for an essay showing, in skeleton fashion,
the thesis, the major divisions of the paper, and the major points
of evidence.
I. ORDER - The nature of order is important
to the organization of ideas.
Some types of order:
A.
General to Specific (deductive)
Begins with a general statement and supports it with specific
examples.
| Example
- |
General
statement: |
Specific |
| |
Taxes
are growing higher every year. |
1.
Two years ago taxes were $100. |
| |
|
2.
Last year taxes were $200. |
| |
|
3.
This year taxes are $300. |
B. Specific to General (inductive)
Begins with specific examples and concludes with a general statement
inferred from the examples.
| Specific |
General |
| 1.
Two years ago doctors discovered
a cure for disease X. |
Medical
discoveries are enabling doctors to cure previously incurable
diseases. |
| 2.
Last year doctors discovered a cure for disease Y. |
| 3.
This year doctors have found a cure for disease Z. |
C. Spatial Order is
used within essays to describe something concrete, or to show how things
relate to one another in space.
D.
Chronological Order is used to show how things relate to one
another in time sequence.
II. Conventions of Outlining
List
your major ideas (I, II, III, etc.), subordinate ideas (A, B, C, etc.),
and even more subordinate ideas (1, 2, 3, etc.).
Example:
I. _________________________
(FIRST MAJOR IDEA)
A. ____________________ (SUBORDINATE IDEA TO
I)
1. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO A)
2. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO A)
B. ____________________ (SUBORDINATE IDEA TO
I)
1. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO B)
2. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO B)
II. _________________________ (SECOND MAJOR IDEA)
A. ____________________ (SUBORDINATE IDEA
TO II)
1. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO A)
2. _______________ (SUBORDINATE
IDEA TO A)
B. ____________________ (SUBORDINATE IDEA
TO II)
C. ____________________ (SUBORDINATE IDEA
TO II)
III. _________________________
(THIRD MAJOR IDEA)
III. Types of Outlines
A. Topic Outline - All points except the thesis
are stated in phrases or single word topics.
B. Sentence Outline - All points are
stated in complete sentences.
|
