J. Kelly Robison

Outlining

The following diagram illustrates how the outline for an essay should be formed. The outline forms the structure of the essay, the bones of the essay, while the writing (sentences and so forth) form the meat. Without an outline, an essay has no definition. The author cannot construct a coherent essay without the outline, and hence, the reader would be at a loss to understand where the author is attempting to go in the essay.

I.         Introduction
            A.        Topic A
            B.        Topic B
            C.        Topic C
            D.        Thesis
II.        Topic A
            A.        Evidence
            B.        Evidence
            C.        Evidence
III.       Topic B
            A.        Evidence
            B.        Evidence
            C.        Evidence
IV.      Topic C
            A.        Subtopic 1
                        1.         Evidence
                        2.         Evidence
                        3.         Evidence
            B.        Subtopic 2
                        1.         Evidence
                        2.         Evidence
                        3.         Evidence
            C.        Subtopic 3
                        1.         Evidence
                        2.         Evidence
                        3.         Evidence
V.        Conclusions
            A.        Topic A +
            B.        Topic B +
            C.        Topic C =
            D.        Thesis

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