How to write a proper outline for a research paper

Visit site An outline might be formal or informal. An informal outline working outline is a tool helping an author put down and organize their ideas.

FOSS This is a formal outline for your final research paper. It will present your thesis, the major points in support of that thesis, and the sub-points supporting each major point.

It may have additional levels of sub-sub-points if you feel that is necessary. The basic idea of a formal outline is that different types of letters or numbers I, A, 1, a, i represent different levels of the hierarchy of your paper, and sub-levels are indented below main levels.

The reader should be able to see at a glance which are the main points, which are the secondary points, which are at the third level of importance, and so on. It should also be obvious which secondaery points belong under which main points.

Usually this is accomplished by using different numbering for different levels, and indenting the less important levels. Please follow those guidelines when writing your outline. In addition to the elements of a formal outline, please also: Include a thesis statement at the start.

This list may differ from the one you submitted for the Preliminary Bibliography, if you have added new sources or eliminated old ones. Topic and Sentence Outlines There are two major types of outline: Topic Outline Sentence Outline A topic outline lists words or phrases.

A sentence outline lists complete sentences. A topic outline arranges your ideas hierarchically showing which are main and which are sub-pointsin the sequence you want, and shows what you will talk about.

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As the name implies, it identifies all the little mini-topics that your paper will comprise, and shows how they relate. A sentence outline does all of this, plus it shows exactly what you will say about each mini-topic.

Each sentence, instead of simply identifying a mini-topic, is like a mini-thesis statement about that mini-topic. It expresses the specific and complete idea that that section of the paper will cover as part of proving the overall thesis. The method described below will produce a sentence outline.

Your sentence outline should, if done thoroughly and carefully, represent almost a first draft of your research paper. The purpose, in other words, of doing this work is not to make work for you, but to save you work in the long run by breaking the job down into smaller, manageable tasks.

A paper of 12 pages about 4, words might have four major topics or points, represented by roman numerals I - IV in the outline. This would mean each point would represent about three pages of the final paper. These three pages will include background information, multiple sources, different pieces of evidence and explanation supporting that point, and often a brief description of alternative views and an explanation of why those views are not so convincing.

Finally, even smaller points under these might correspond to individual paragraphs in the final draft. Writing the Sentence Outline Write out your thesis at the top of the page.

Make a list of points you must prove to prove your thesis. What would someone have to agree with, in order to agree with the thesis? These will be the main sections of your paper. On a new page, write your first main point.

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This is the thesis for that section of the paper. Make a list of the points you have to prove to prove that point. These are your sub-points for that section. Repeat the process for each of your main points. First make sure which are main and which are supporting points. For example, you may find that what you thought was a main point is really part of proving another main point.

Or, what you first listed under a main point may need its own section.How to Write an Argumentative Research Paper.

Research Paper Outline - How to Write a Research Paper

An argumentative essay requires you to make an argument about something and support your point of view using evidence in the form of primary and secondary sources. The argumentative essay is a. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue.

Before we delve into the structure of a term paper, let’s first define it and look into the objectives of this writing assignment. A term paper is a research paper required at the end of a school semester. It tracks and evaluates the students’ knowledge about the course.

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For research papers, a formal outline can help you keep track of large amounts of information. Example Thesis: Federal regulations need to foster laws that will help protect wetlands, restore those that have been destroyed, and take measures to improve the damange from overdevelopment.