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