11 Creating an Outline – The Basic Principles
Before you begin to write, you need to organize the information that you have collected into an outline. A poorly organized paper may leave you and your reader confused and wondering what point you are trying to make. Preparing an outline helps you to develop an argument that answers the main question(s) in your paper. It will also provide the skeletal structure of your paper and facilitate the actual writing process. Remember, your essay should contain an argument, not just be a description of something from the past.
Steps for creating an essay outline
- Select your essay topic. A history essay should have a clearly stated argument or thesis.
A narrowed down topic often suggests a particular question, the answer to which becomes
your thesis. [Link to Defining an Essay Topic and Thesis Statement] - Categorize the information that you have collected: identify the general themes or
issues that you want to address. Then refine your categorization, distinguishing between
main arguments, secondary arguments, and supporting evidence. - Prepare a preliminary outline of your essay early in the research process to guide your
reading and writing and to help you to avoid collecting unnecessary information. The
arguments or questions that you have identified may be used as headings. The outline is
not a straitjacket: it will evolve as your research provides you with more information. - Group your ideas/arguments logically. Identify the main and secondary ideas. Organize
the ideas in a logical order (for example, chronologically, general to specific, advantages
and disadvantages, similarities and differences, or causes and effects). - Check relevance: Make certain each section is relevant to your argument (helps answer
your main question). Even if your facts and sub-arguments are correct, if they are not
relevant, then they have no place in your paper.
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