research paper

Ashford University | ENG122 WEEK TWO

Hi. My name is Todd, and I work in the Division of General Education, here at Ashford University. I'd like to

introduce you to your assignment this week, the outline. An outline is not a draft, it is a unique type of document

used in the development of any academic essay. The process of writing an outline helps you to organize your

thoughts and structure your paper.

It's important to use a formal alphanumeric structure for your outline. This format gives you a visual representation

of the hierarchy of ideas, the order of topics, and the distribution of information. When you can see your argument

in a formal outline, you can start to organize the parts of your academic argument for the greatest success.

Outlines begin with the Roman numeral, and then break down into letters and numbers for subordinate

information. Basically, an outline will start with big ideas, and then break them down into individual components.

Think of each individual paragraphs as a Roman numeral section. Then, you'll list the pieces of that paragraph like

a topic sentence, the claim, supporting evidence or evaluation, and subordinate elements.

After organizing your thoughts into an outline, take a step back and look at the big picture. Does your outline

provide a good structure for the argument with clear introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion sections?

Then, pay attention to the way each section relates to the sections above and below. Does the argument follow a

logical flow? Should sections be shuffled and reorganized? Do all of the sections fit into the argument without

bearing off topic?

Finally, take a look at the amount of subordinate information listed in each section. Are you missing any elements?

Do you need more evidence to support a particular claim? Is one section too long or too short?

Once you've analyzed your outline and made revisions, you'll be ready to submit it for grading. Your instructor will

provide feedback on your outline as quickly as possible. Please be sure to consider instructor feedback as you

prepare for next week's rough draft. It's also a great idea to print a copy of your outline, so you can easily refer to

it while you're writing your rough draft. With a strong outline, the rough draft can be a piece of cake.

If you have questions about the outline, be sure to post them and ask your instructor, or contact the Writing

Center for tutoring support. Remember, your outline is due by midnight Monday night. Good luck, and enjoy

putting your ideas together in the outlining process.