Download - The Essay Outline
The Essay OutlineCreating an Essay Outline for Persuasive Research Papers
What is an Outline? You create an outline (usually in your head) when
you are planning your essay. For major essays, you must construct formal
outlines, which include: Your main idea (thesis); Your subordinate points (the main idea of each
paragraph); Your supporting details (the content of each
paragraph)
In your head, it might look something like this:
BestSuperheroes
Introduction
Superman
Batman
Iron Man
Spiderman
Conclusion
Essay: The All-TimeBest Superheroes
Planning Your Essay: Introduction and Conclusion
• Begin with an interesting anecdote, a quote, or statistic to get your reader’s interest. Your introduction should also reveal the thesis of your paper (usually near the end of the introduction):
• Throughout comic book history, many superheroes have come and gone, but few have the impact of Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and the amazing Spider-Man.
Introduction
• Your conclusion should briefly summarize the most important attributes of your body paragraphs and end the essay the way you began: with an anecdote, quote, or interesting statistic.
• Heroes such as Superman, Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man have stood the test of time and remain relevant and pure icons.
Conclusion
Planning Your Essay: The Subordinate Points
•Is faster than a speeding bullet•Leaps tall buildings in a single
bound.•Is stronger than a locomotive.
•Owns the night in Gotham City.•Stands up for the downtrodden in
society.•Relies only on his wits and a very
cool bat-suit.
Planning Your Essay: The Subordinate Points
•Made his awesome suit out of empty tin cans.
•Flew from New York City to Los Angeles in four minutes.
•Was the one responsible for the apprehension of the Kingpin.
•Does whatever a spider can.•Spins a web – any size.•Catches thieves just like flies.•Arrives just in time.
Parallelism
Is faster…Leaps tall…
Is stronger…
Owns the…
Stands up…
Relies only…
Made his…Flew
from…Was the one…
Does what…Spins a web…
Catches thieves…Arrives just…Notice the first word in each supporting
detail is the same verb tense? This is parallelism.
Expanding on the Supporting Details:Is
strong
er than a locomotiv
e.
•Turned the earth’s rotation backwards.
•Stopped an airliner from crashing.
•Beat up a locomotive.
Owns
the night in
Gotham
City.
• Crime is at an all-time low.
• Villains are all in custody.
• Night is scared of bats.
Expanding on the Supporting Details:Made his
suit from
empty tin
cans.
•Tuna•Stewed Tomatoes
•Campbell’s Soup
•Miller Light
Catche
s thi
eves
just like flie
s.• Outwitted
Doctor Octopus
• Outlasted the Green Goblin
• Out-punched the Sandman
• Out-romanced Harry Osborn
CREATING YOUR ESSAY OUTLINEStep One: The Bare Bones
Perry 1
Pagination:In the final product, the outline appears on the first page of the essay, along with an abstract.
The All-Time Best Superheroes
I. Introduction
II. Superman
III.Batman
IV. Iron Man
V. Spider-Man
VI.Conclusion
Subordinate Points
Essay Title
Notice how each
subordinate point is
indicated with an
UPPERCASE ROMAN
NUMERAL?
CREATING YOUR ESSAY OUTLINEStep Two: Thesis and Re-Stated Thesis
Perry 1The All-Time
Best Superheroes
I. IntroductionThroughout comic book history, many superheroes have come and gone, but few have the impact of Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and the amazing Spider-Man.
II. Superman
III.Batman
IV. Iron Man
V. Spider-Man
VI.ConclusionHeroes such as Superman, Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man have stood the test of time and remain relevant and pure icons.
RE-STATED
THESIS
THESISNotice how both the thesis and re-stated thesis are INDENTED?
CREATING YOUR ESSAY OUTLINEStep Three: Filling in Supporting Details
Perry 1The All-Time
Best Superheroes
I. IntroductionThroughout comic book history, many superheroes have come and gone, but few have the impact of Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and the amazing Spider-Man.
II. SupermanA. Is faster than a speeding bulletB. Can leap tall buildings in a single boundC. Is stronger than a locomotive
III.BatmanIV. Iron ManV. Spider-ManVI.Conclusion
Heroes such as Superman, Batman, Iron Man and Spider-Man have stood the test of time and remain relevant and pure icons.
Remember which of these supporting details included more details?
Indent
Perry 1The All-Time
Best Superheroes
I. IntroductionThroughout comic book history, many superheroes have come and gone, but few have the impact of Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and the amazing Spider-Man.
II. SupermanA. Is faster than a speeding bullet.B. Can leap tall buildings in a single bound.C. Is stronger than a locomotive.
1. Turned the earth’s rotation backwards2. Stopped an airliner from crashing3. Beat up a locomotive
III.Batman
IV. Iron Man
IndentIndent
In larger papers, you may have to expand even further:
II. SupermanA. Is faster than a speeding bulletB. Can leap tall buildings in a single boundC. Is stronger than a locomotive
1. Turned the earth’s rotation backwards2. Stopped an airliner from crashing
a. The wings fell off the planeb. Lois Lane was insidec. The pilots passed out from lack of
oxygen3. Beat up a locomotive
III. Batman
In larger papers, you may have to further expand
on your expanded supporting
details.Indent
Let’s Complete the Outline for Batman:
III. BatmanA. Owns the night in Gotham City
1. Crime is at an all-time low2. Villains are all in custody3. Night is afraid of bats
B. Stands up for the downtrodden of society
C. Relies only on his wits and a very cool bat-suit
Now Iron Man:
IV. Iron ManA. Made his awesome suit out of
empty tin cans1. Tuna2. Stewed Tomatoes3. Campbell’s Soup4. Miller Light
B. Flew from New York City to Los Angeles in four minutes
C. Was the one responsible for the apprehension of the Kingpin
Spider-Man:
V. Spider-ManA. Does whatever a spider canB. Spins a web – any sizeC. Catches thieves just like flies
1. Outwitted Doctor Octopus2. Outlasted the Green Goblin3. Out-punched the Sandman4. Out-romanced Harry Osborn
D. Arrives just in time