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How to Write Formal Outlines

Writing a formal outline is a key tool when the time comes to prepare for a big essay or a term paper. The outline allows you to collect your thoughts and put them together in a framework which your paper will follow. You can look at an the outline as the skeleton of the paper and the final form the flesh you add to the bones. Not only does an outline give you a way to streamline your thoughts, it also gives you a head start on writing the paper itself.

Instructions

- 1
  Begin your outline by stating your thesis. Your thesis is your conclusion on the topic after you've done your research.
- 2
  List each major section of the paper and then assign a number to each one. For example, "I. Introduction, II. Topic, III. Topic, IV. Conclusion."
- 3
  Add subheadings under each major section. These subheadings will list more specifically what you will be discussing in each section. Begin each subheading with a letter. For example, if "III. Experimental Jazz" is your heading, the subheadings should read, "A. Miles Davis, B. Ornette Coleman."
- 4
  Add descriptions under each subhead in full sentences. Head them numerically. For example, if "A. Miles Davis" is your subhead, you can write "1. Began experimenting with free form jazz on "In a Silent Way" and "2. Fully emerged with new style on "Bitches Brew."

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