+

Creating quick and easy outlines

+Why even bother?

Let’s face it… you might be a teensy tiny bit unorganized

There is not much worse than unorganized writing

It helps with the later proofreading stages

Allows you to make easy changes

Creates an evaluation of the paper before using your time to write it

Helps you ask essential questions such as: are there enough sources? Can I really write on this topic? Does it flow?

+Well… what is it?An outline is a formal system used to think about and organize your paper. Outlines can be useful for any paper to help you see the overall picture.

+Ok… how do I do it?

STEP ONE: Identify the topic. The topic of your paper is important. Try to sum up the point of your paper in one sentence or phrase (thesis). This will help your paper stay focused on the main point.

STEP TWO: Identify the main categories. What main points will you cover? The introduction usually introduces all of your main points, then the rest of paper can be spent developing those points.

5 easy steps!

+ How to get it done continued!

STEP THREE: Create the categories. What are the main points you want to cover. For a paper about a particular theory, giving the general background on the theory can be a good place to begin. You can also begin with a story to draw in the audience

STEP FOUR: Create subcategories. After you have the main points, create items under it that provide support for the main point. The number of categories that you use depends on the amount of information that you are going to cover; there is no right or wrong number to use.

STEP FIVE: Flexibility/ Adaptability

+LET’S TRY IT! Hmmmmm…. I really hate black eyed peas. Not the band (well they aren’t mind-blowing or anything) but the actual food is DISGUSTING.

Cool… I’ll write a paper on how gross they are!

+STEP ONE: IDENTIFY YOUR TOPIC

MY TOPIC: BLACK EYED PEAS = NASTY, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EAT THEM.

+STEP TWO: IDENTIFY THE MAIN CATEGORIES

Ok… well my topic is black eyed peas are gross.

So WHY ARE THEY GROSS? 1. they taste like dirt 2. no recipe has succeeded in making them delicious

3. they are mushy and wet? Really???? AKA CONSISTENCY

4. their visual appeal is not there… at all

NOW I NEED TO PUT THESE IN A MORE APPROPRIATE ORDER THAT FLOWS.

+STEP THREE: CREATE THE FIRST CATEGORY Well… I’ve got a few points. But I think I should start with the history of them? And what they are… some people might not know.

Title: Black Eyed Peas (need to be more creative)

I. Where in the world did they come from

II. Consistency

III. Taste

IV. Visual

V. Recipe attempts

VI. Conclusion

+STEP FOUR: CREATE SUBCATEGORIES I. Where in the world did they come from (basic background information, intro.) A. West Africa B. George Carver C. Nutritional value, but no taste value

II. Consistency (RED FLAG… NOT ENOUGH)/ SMELL Mushy Gritty They stink, smell like rotting

III. Taste Tastes like dirt Confusing food: is it food or element?

IV. Visual “appeal” (RED FLAG) There is none Looks like an eyeball A wet eyeball If you squish it… ew.

V. Recipe attempts Find a source that attempted to make a good bep recipe

Point out that it doesn’t fix the underlying issues

VI. Conclusion Restate main ideas

+FLEXIBILITY

Often when you start writing, especially about a subject that you don't know well, the paper takes new directions. If your paper changes direction, or you add new sections, then feel free to change the outline-- just as you would make corrections on a crude map as you become more familiar with the terrain you are exploring.

However, when your paper diverges from your outline, it can also mean that you have lost your focus, and hence the structure of your paper. How do you know whether to change the paper to fit the outline or change the outline to fit the paper? A good way to check yourself is to use the paper to recreate the outline. This is extremely useful for checking the organization of the paper. If the resulting outline says what you want it to say in an order that is easy to follow, the organization of your paper has been successful. If you discover that it's difficult to create an outline from what you have written, then you need to revise the paper.

+Here is a more detailed example of what an outline should look like Television and Children's Violence

I. Introduction A. Does television cause violence? 1. Mention game details 2. Brief mention of areas of research

B. Present studies on both sides 1. Some studies are "for”

2. Some studies are "against”

C. After weighing evidence it appears that TV does not cause violence

+ II. Research "For" A. First study "for”

1. Method 2. Results 3. Analysis of their conclusions

a. insufficient sample size b. but representative sample

B. Second study "for” 1. Method 2. Results 3. Analysis of their conclusions

a. faulty instructions b. poor control group

+ III. Research "Against”

A. Study "against" 1. Method 2. Results

a. Perfect controls b. No unwarranted generalizations

B. Second study "against"

1. Method

2. Results

3. Analysis of their conclusions a. Large sample size b. Real world setting c. But typical problems with external validity

+ IV. Conclusion

A. Studies "for" all have poor methodology B. Studies "against" all have good methodology C. Research doesn't support that TV causes violence

D. More research needed

+ NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!!! YOU MUST FOLLOW THE STEPS AND CREATE AN OUTLINE! YOU MAY SELECT YOUR OWN

APPROPRIATE TOPIC OR YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM THE RANDOM LIST BELOW. This will be submitted for a grade!

~A first person story with an omniscient main character

~The conversation you'd have with your parents if you became pregnant

~Corporate take over of the education system. You're school is owned by walmart…

~Weapon control should be more strict ~ Self defense should be offered in schools for all students

~ Federally mandated drug testing in schools, work environments, etc.

~Moments in the life of a perpetual failure Birth to Death

~A heartwarming tale about an inner-city team ~World goes into a second ice age which leads to a technological breakdown

~You’re an alien who's just started receiving American television write a message to earth

~ All relationships require lies in order to succeed