5.2: Creating an Outline

A. Types of Outlines

There are different ways that you can approach outlining, all depending on how you organize ideas best. The three most popular ways are a numbered outline, a graphic organizer, and a chart.

Numbered outlines are just like the outline above: they use a combination of symbols or numbers and letters to organize ideas. All of the same symbols represent the same level of organization. For example, all bullet points that look like this \(\bullet\) could symbolize supporting points, this symbol \(\circ\) represents subpoints, and so on.

Graphic organizers, on the other hand, use pictures to help organize your thoughts. Usually shown as a series of connected bubbles, this outline method is very useful if you prefer to organize your thoughts through pictures or drawings. You can create your own graphic organizer or download one from the internet for free.

Finally, a chart outline is what you’ve been using for other assignments, and it’s what you’ll use for your argumentative research paper. This method is a combination of both a numbered outline and a graphic organizer and can help you visualize how all the pieces of your essay will fit together.

This is the type of outline you’ll be using for this assignment. While outlining, you can move through the outline vertically (column by column) or horizontally (row by row). Each row of the chart below the column row will be its own paragraph. See below and Appendix C for the outline you’ll be using.

Remember, parts of this outline may change, and that’s okay! Change means you’ve evaluated your original ideas and have found flaws or ideas that are more effective, both of which shows you’re thinking critically about your own writing. That’s a good thing!