Outlining is a useful pre-writing tool when you know your topic well or at least know the areas you want to explore. An outline can be written before you begin to write, and it can range from formal to informal.

Traditional Outline

A traditional outline uses a numbering and indentation scheme to help organize your thoughts. Generally, you begin with your main claim, perhaps stated as a thesis, and place the supporting claims, usually the main supports for your thesis/main argument, and finally flesh out the evidence underneath each subclaim. Each subclaim is numbered and has the same level of indentation. Details under each subclaim are given a different style of number or letter and are indented further to the right.

Here is a video about outlines made by the STEM Writing Resources for Learning at UBC (ScWRL):

Rough Outline

A rough outline is less formal than a traditional outline. Working from a list, a brainstorm, or a freewrite, organize the ideas into the order that makes sense to you. You might try color-coding like items and then grouping the items with the same color together. Another method is to print your prewriting, then cut it up into smaller pieces, and finally put the pieces into piles of related items. Tape the like items together, then put the pieces together into a whole list/outline.

Adaptations

This section has been adapted from Strategies for Getting Started in The Word on College Reading and Writing by Carol Burnell, Jaime Wood, Monique Babin, Susan Pesznecker, and Nicole Rosevear, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

References

UBC Science Writing. (2014, September 19). Creating and Using Outlines. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZWe3mmLcoA&t=1s