Name the title of your outline directly after your thesis. Your thesis is the summary of the purpose of your paper. For instance, if your paper is about learning how to use the library effectively, the title could be, "Using the Library and Other Informational Sources."
Denote your main headings with Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). After every Roman numeral type a period and give one space between the Roman numeral and the heading. The main heading should encompass one paragraph of your essay. The MLA Handbook recommends that each paragraph relate directly to your thesis.
Label subdivisions with capital letters followed by a period (1., 2., 3., and so on). The subdivisions should be indented once from the main heading and to the right of the Roman numeral by one tab. The subdivisions should logically be represented in even pairings. For instance, if there is an "A," it logically follows that there is a "B." The subdivisions each represent the support and explanation of the main headings.
Divide the subdivisions in longer paragraphs with numbers, such as "1," "2" or "3." As with the subdivisions, the points need to come in even pairings. It is against MLA format to have any subgroups that are odd in number. These subgroups should contain information that further explains the capital letter subdivisions.