How to write a good outline
time to complete: 5 minutes
It’s important to write a clear outline of your essay or paper to help see the overall structure. Below are some general tips to help you write a better outline:
(1) Provide background and an aim
- Explain what you want to analyse/examine and why you want to do this or what the main focus of the question is.
- State the purpose of your paper and what question(s) you hope to answer.
(2) Think about organisation
- Divide your paper into sections/headings.
- Don’t use too many separate numbered sections. Instead, try to group your ideas logically.
- Give a brief idea of what points you will expand on in greater detail.
- Indicate a rough word count for each section
(3) State what to include in your introduction and conclusion
- A paper without a clear conclusion is like travelling without a map. You must know your final destination before you start travelling.
(4) Explain how and where you will use sources
- These do not have to be in perfect format in your outline but you should have a list of your primary sources. Make a note of which sources you could use in each section. How do their ideas link to your argument e.g. as supporting evidence? as background context? as part of a wider academic debate?