Write the topic or headline of your paper at the top of the page so you can refer to it while completing your outline.
Decide which outline format you want to use. Topic Outlines are best for simple issues easily communicated by only a few words. Sentence Outlines are most helpful when dealing with complex issues and when you need to include details so the ideas make sense.
Identify the main ideas you want to discuss and write these ideas next to roman numerals. The roman numerals should be flush left, followed by a period, two spaces and then the main idea.
Determine how you will back up your main ideas and add these as subheads, identified by letters indented below each main idea. You should have at least two supporting ideas for each main topic. The letters should be indented at least five spaces, followed by a period, two spaces and then the supporting idea.
Decide if you want to provide further detail on each subhead by breaking them up into smaller subcategories. You can add these subcategories under your subheads using indented Arabic numerals. The numbers should be indented at least five spaces from your supporting idea indent, followed by a period, two spaces and then the subcategory idea. You do not need to add these subcategories to every subhead.
Review your outline and make sure all the points you want to include are there. Add ideas or subheads if you feel something is missing.