Examples of Outlines

Everyone,

It is important to create an outline as part of your preparation for the writing of your essay. The outline helps guide you into the writing process by helping you stay on topic. Because it can become a strategy or plan for what you want to say in the essay, it helps you see the "big picture" or the purpose of your essay.

Things to remember about your outline:

You should have two or three subtopics. The subtopics are the reasons which help prove your thesis statement. For instance,
if my thesis statement says that "Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" is a foil for the author's poor mental and physical health, which shows how the line between fiction and non-fiction can be blurred.", then I would need to have two subtopics which help prove that thesis. The subtopics might be: 1) Gregor's mental and physical condition and 2) Kafka's mental and physical condition. My essay would compare the Gregor's health to Franz Kafka's.

You should remember to develop a restated thesis in the first line of your conclusion. The restated thesis reminds the reader of the purpose of your essay. Restated thesis means that you have re-written the idea of your thesis statement but used different words.

The last few lines of your conclusion should have an insightful closing, which tells the reader something about the future of your topic. You may also use a saying or a proverb which provides an insight.

My outline would look like this:

I. Motivation: Quote from Kafka to his girlfriend about his health.
Thesis statement: Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" is a foil for the author's poor mental and physical health, which shows how the line between fiction and non-fiction can be blurred."

III. Body paragraph: Gregor's mental and physical condition
A. Gregor's exhaustion consumes him
B. Gregor's denial of his disease

IV. Body paragraph: Kafka's mental and physical condition
A. Kafka's depression consumes him
B. Kafka's lack of hope

V. Conclusion
A. Restated thesis
B. Insightful closing sentence


I have included below links to help you with your outline for your essay.

Developing An Outline/OWL Purdue Guides:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

Creating and Using Outlines/University of Arkansas at Fayetteville-Quality Writing Center
http://www3.uark.edu/qwct/resources/handouts/10%20Creating%20and%20Using%20Outlines.pdf