Outline Template

University of Phoenix Material

Outline Template

Persuasive

Part I – Thesis Statement

Copy and paste the thesis statement you submitted with this week’s thesis statement worksheet into the box below:

Your thesis statement:

Complete an outline for your final essay using one of the templates below or developing a logical plan of organization of your own.

Part II – Overview

Persuasive essays typically follow an organizational pattern that presents one area at a time of support for your position on your topic. Your outline should consist of at least three main points, or three means of support for your position on your topic, in order to solidly back your thesis statement. Note that a good persuasive writer will try to anticipate opposing positions on his/her topic and provide effective counter arguments to them through thorough support. This support can be in the form of details, facts, and/or examples.

Part III – Template

Template: Use the template below to organize your ideas for your persuasive essay. An example follows the template.

I. First main point (your topic sentence introducing your first item of support for your position)

A. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails

B. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails:

II. Second main point (your topic sentence introducing your second item of support for your position)

A. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails

B. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails

III. Third main point (your topic sentence introducing your third item of support for your position)

A. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails

B. Supporting detail or example

1. Subdetails

2. Subdetails

Example using template:

Thesis statement: The increase in random acts of violence as a result weak gun control laws makes it clear that Americans should not be permitted to own firearms for personal use.

I. Laws that keep weapons out of private citizens’ hands and homes would lower incidents of public violence.

A. Violence in schools that could have been avoided with a lack of accessibility to guns

1. Columbine

2. Virginia Tech

B. Violence in public spaces that could have been avoided with a lack of accessibility to guns

1. Movie theater in Aurora, CO

2. Salon in Seal Beach, CA

II. Restrictions on gun ownership is heavily backed by a portion of American citizens and several major organizations.

A. Percentage of Americans who favor restrictions

1. Keeping guns out of the hands of mentally ill people

2. Keeping guns out of the hands of children

B. Organizations that endorse restrictions

1. The Brady Campaign

2. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

III. Laws that restrict gun ownership would save both human lives and government funds.

A. Human lives lost due to civilian gun ownership

1. Statistic on deaths due to gun violence

2. Statistic on injuries due to gun violence

B. Funds lost as a result of gun violence

1. Injured parties cared for by public funds

2. Funds to incarcerate perpetrators of gun violence

NOTE: Feel free to create your own logical pattern by adding points, supporting details, or subdetails.