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How to Write an Essay Outline with Examples
Why Write an Essay Outline?
An essay outline will help you organize your main ideas and determine the order in which you are going to write about them. In some cases, a decimal outline may allow you to organize your details better. Writing an outline with an alphanumeric structure is another very effective way to think through how you will organize and present the information in your essay. It also helps you develop a strong argumentative essay.
Looking for a printable list of essay outline examples?
Our printable PDF features essay outline examples and templates that your students can use as examples when writing research papers, or as a supplement for an essay-writing unit.
Sample Outline - Persuasive Essay
Competitive Swimming, an Ideal Sport for Kids
Introduction
Start your argumentative essay outline by stating your point of view and/or present your persuasive argument.
Thesis: Competitive swimming is a great alternative to other youth sports.
Body Paragraph 1
Introduce your primary persuasive argument and provide supporting details in your argumentative essay outline.
Topic Sentence: Competitive swimming provides the same benefits as other sports.
- Detail Sentence 1: It is good exercise and builds muscular strength.
- Detail Sentence 2: It promotes cooperation among team members, especially in relays.
Body Paragraph 2
Introduce a secondary argument and provide supporting details.
Topic Sentence: Competitive swimming provides some unique additional benefits.
- Detail Sentence 1: Swimming is an important skill that can be used forever.
- Detail Sentence 2: Swimming poses a reduced risk of injury.
- Detail Sentence 3: Each swimmer can easily chart his or her own progress.
Conclude your essay writing with a summary of the thesis and persuasive arguments. Brainstorming details that support your point-of-view is a great way to start before creating your outline and first draft.
Concluding Sentence: There are many reasons why competitive swimming is a great alternative to other youth sports, including...
Sample Outline - Narrative Essay
How Losing a Swim Meet Made Me a Better Swimmer
Introduce the subject of your narrative essay using a thesis statement and a plan of development (POD).
Thesis: The first time I participated in a competitive swim meet, I finished in last place. With more focused training and coaching, I was able to finish 2nd in the State Championship meet.
Plan of development: I was very disappointed in my results from the first meet, so I improved my training and fitness. This helped me swim better and faster, which helped me to greatly improve my results.
Set the scene and provide supporting details. Again, start by brainstorming different ways to begin; then go ahead and craft an outline and a first draft.
Topic Sentence: I was embarrassed at finishing last in my first competitive swim meet, so I began working on ways to improve my performance.
- Detail Sentence 1: I spent extra time with my coach and the team captains learning how to improve my technique.
- Detail Sentence 2: I started running and lifting weights to increase my overall fitness level.
Provide additional supporting details, descriptions, and experiences to develop your general idea in your essay writing.
Topic Sentence: Over time, my results began to improve and I was able to qualify for the state championship meet.
- Detail Sentence 1: My technique and fitness level made me faster and able to swim longer distances.
- Detail Sentence 2: I steadily got better, and I began winning or placing in the top 3 at most of my meets.
- Detail Sentence 3: My results improved to the point that I was able to qualify for the state championship meet.
Body Paragraph 3
The next step in the writing process is to provide additional supporting details, descriptions, and experiences. You can then divide them up under different headings.
Topic Sentence: With my new confidence, techniques, and fitness level, I was able to finish 2nd at the state championship meet.
- Detail Sentence 1: I was able to swim well against a higher level of competition due to my training and technique.
- Detail Sentence 2: I was no longer embarrassed about my last-place finish, and was able to use it as motivation!
Conclude the narrative essay with a recap of the events described or a reflection on the lesson learned in the story. Briefly summarize the details you included under each heading.
Concluding Sentence: I used my last-place finish in my first competitive swim meet as motivation to improve my performance.
Sample Outline - Descriptive Essay
Visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame
Introduce the subject of your descriptive essay with a thesis statement covering the person, place, object, etc. you are writing about.
Thesis: The Hockey Hall of Fame is full of sights, sounds, and experiences that will delight hockey fans of all ages.
Set the scene and provide factual details.
Topic Sentence: The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Canada and features exhibits from amateur and professional hockey.
- Detail Sentence 1: The Hall is located in downtown Toronto and is visited by 1 million people every year.
- Detail Sentence 2: You can see exhibits ranging from the early beginnings of the sport to the modern NHL and Olympics.
Provide additional sensory details, descriptions, and experiences.
Topic Sentence: There are many types of exhibits and shows, including activities you can participate in.
- Detail Sentence 1: Player statues, plaques, and jerseys decorate the walls in every room of the Hall.
- Detail Sentence 2: Many of the exhibits have movies and multimedia activities that make you feel like you're part of the game.
- Detail Sentence 3: You can even practice shooting pucks on virtual versions of some of the game's greatest goalies!
Conclude the essay with a paragraph that restates the thesis and recaps the descriptive and sensory details.
Concluding Sentence: The Hockey Hall of Fame is an experience that combines the best sights, sounds and history of the game in Toronto.
Sample Outline - Expository Essay
Why The School Year Should be Shorter
Introduce the primary argument or main point of an expository essay, or other types of academic writing, using a thesis statement and context.
Thesis: The school year is too long, and should be shortened to benefit students and teachers, save districts money, and improve test scores and academic results. Other countries have shorter school years, and achieve better results.
Describe the primary argument and provide supporting details and evidence.
Topic Sentence: A shorter school year would benefit students and teachers by giving them more time off.
- Detail Sentence 1: Students and teachers would be able to spend more time with their families.
- Detail Sentence 2: Teachers would be refreshed and rejuvenated and able to teach more effectively.
Provide additional supporting details and evidence, as in this essay outline example.
Topic Sentence: A shorter school year would save school districts millions of dollars per year.
- Detail Sentence 1: Districts could save money on energy costs by keeping schools closed longer.
- Detail Sentence 2: A shorter school year means much lower supply and transportation costs.
- Detail Sentence 3: Well-rested and happy students would help improve test scores.
Provide additional or supplemental supporting details, evidence, and analysis, as in the essay outline example.
Topic Sentence: Shortening the school year would also provide many benefits for parents and caregivers.
- Detail Sentence 1: A shorter school year would mean less stress and running around for parents.
- Detail Sentence 2: Caregivers would have more balance in their lives with fewer days in the school year.
Conclude the essay with an overview of the main argument, and highlight the importance of your evidence and conclusion.
Concluding Sentence: Shortening the school year would be a great way to improve the quality of life for students, teachers, and parents while saving money for districts and improving academic results.
Sample Research Paper Outline
The Conquest of Mt. Everest
- Location of Mt. Everest
- Geography of the Surrounding Area
- Height of the mountain
- Jomolungma (Tibetan name)
- Sagarmatha (Nepalese name)
- The number of people who have climbed Everest to date
- First to reach the summit (1953)
- Led a team of experienced mountain climbers who worked together
- Norgay was an experienced climber and guide who accompanied Hillary
- Sherpas still used to guide expeditions
- Leader of the failed 1996 expedition
- Led group of (mainly) tourists with little mountain climbing experience
- Loss of trees due to high demand for wood for cooking and heating for tourists.
- Piles of trash left by climbing expeditions
- Expedition fees provide income for the country
- Expeditions provide work for the Sherpas, contributing to the local economy.
- Introduction of motor vehicles
- Introduction of electricity
The Everest essay outline template is based on a research paper submitted by Alexandra Ferber, grade 9.
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Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
Types of Outlines and Samples
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Alphanumeric Outlines
This is the most common type of outline and usually instantly recognizable to most people. The formatting follows these characters, in this order:
- Roman Numerals
- Capitalized Letters
- Arabic Numerals
- Lowercase Letters
If the outline needs to subdivide beyond these divisions, use Arabic numerals inside parentheses and then lowercase letters inside parentheses. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.
The sample PDF in the Media Box above is an example of an outline that a student might create before writing an essay. In order to organize her thoughts and make sure that she has not forgotten any key points that she wants to address, she creates the outline as a framework for her essay.
What is the assignment?
Your instructor asks the class to write an expository (explanatory) essay on the typical steps a high school student would follow in order to apply to college.
What is the purpose of this essay?
To explain the process for applying to college
Who is the intended audience for this essay?
High school students intending to apply to college and their parents
What is the essay's thesis statement?
When applying to college, a student follows a certain process which includes choosing the right schools and preparing the application materials.
Full Sentence Outlines
The full sentence outline format is essentially the same as the Alphanumeric outline. The main difference (as the title suggests) is that full sentences are required at each level of the outline. This outline is most often used when preparing a traditional essay. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.
Decimal Outlines
The decimal outline is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline. The added benefit is a system of decimal notation that clearly shows how every level of the outline relates to the larger whole. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.
Argumentative Essay – Outline, Form, and Examples
What is an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay requires the writer to investigate a specific topic by collecting and evaluating evidence to establish a position on the subject matter.
When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps:
Step 1: Select a topic.
Step 2: Identify a position.
Step 3: Locate appropriate resources.
Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position. ( NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)
When gathering evidence, use credible sources . To determine the credibility of the source, consider authority, currency, accuracy, and objectivity:
Who is the author ? Are they an expert in the field? Has a reputable publisher published the work?
How current is the information in the source? Does the currency of the source matter? Does the age of the source impact the content? Is there newer information that disproves the source’s information?
Can other sources verify the accuracy of the information? Does the information contradict that found in other commonly accepted sources?
Is there any evidence of bias, or is the source objective ? Is the research sponsored by an organization that may skew the information?
The following are typically recognized as providing appropriate, credible research material:
Peer-reviewed journals/research papers
Government agencies
Professional organizations
Library databases
Reference books
Writers should avoid using the following sources:
Social media posts
Out-of-date materials
Step 5: Utilize the research to determine a thesis statement that identifies the topic, position, and support(s).
Step 6: Use the evidence to construct an outline, detailing the main supports and relevant evidence.
Argumentative essay outline
After gathering all of the necessary research, the next step in composing an argumentative essay focuses on organizing the information through the use of an outline:
Introduction
Attention Grabber/Hook
Background Information: Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the reader needs to know to understand the argument.
Thesis: State the position in connection to the main topic and identify the supports that will help prove the argument.
Topic sentence
Identify evidence in support of the claim in the topic sentence
Explain how the evidence supports the argument
Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)
Support 2 (Continue as needed)
Restate thesis
Review main supports
Concluding statement
Invite the audience to take a specific action.
Identify the overall importance of the topic and position.
How to write an argumentative essay
Regardless of the writer’s topic or point of view, an argumentative essay should include an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, a conclusion, and works cited.
Background information
Body Paragraphs
Analysis of evidence
Rephrased thesis
Review of main ideas
Call to action
Works Cited
Argumentative essay introduction
The introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and introduces the argument. In general, the first paragraph(s) should attract the reader’s attention, provide relevant context, and conclude with a thesis statement.
To attract the reader's attention , start with an introductory device. There are several attention-grabbing techniques, the most common of which consist of the following:
The writer can emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or indicating that the subject is influential.
Pertinent statistics give the paper an air of authority.
There are many reasons for a stimulating statement to surprise a reader. Sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is shocking; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.
An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the subject and focus of what follows.
Provide the reader with relevant context and background information necessary to understand the topic.
Conclude with a thesis statement that identifies the overall purpose of the essay (topic and position). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.
Avoid the following when writing the introduction to argumentative writing:
Starting with dictionary definitions is too overdone and unappealing.
Do not make an announcement of the topic like “In this paper I will…” or “The purpose of this essay is to….”
Evidence supporting or developing the thesis should be in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.
Beginning the essay with general or absolute statements such as “throughout history...” or “as human beings we always...” or similar statements suggest the writer knows all of history or that all people behave or think in the same way.
Argumentative essay thesis
The thesis statement is the single, specific claim the writer sets out to prove and is typically positioned as the last sentence of the introduction . It is the controlling idea of the entire argument that identifies the topic, position, and reasoning.
When constructing a thesis for an argumentative paper, make sure it contains a side of the argument, not simply a topic. An argumentative thesis identifies the writer’s position on a given topic. If a position cannot be taken, then it is not argumentative thesis:
Topic: Capital punishment is practiced in many states.
Thesis: Capital punishment should be illegal.
While not always required, the thesis statement can include the supports the writer will use to prove the main claim. Therefore, a thesis statement can be structured as follows:
TOPIC + POSITION (+ SUPPORTS)
No Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION).
Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION) because they sacrifice their minds and bodies (SUPPORT 1), cannot hold
Argumentative essay body paragraphs
Body paragraphs can be of varying lengths, but they must present a coherent argument unified under a single topic. They are rarely ever longer than one page, double-spaced; usually they are much shorter.
Lengthy paragraphs indicate a lack of structure. Identify the main ideas of a lengthy paragraph to determine if they make more sense as separate topics in separate paragraphs.
Shorter paragraphs usually indicate a lack of substance; there is not enough evidence or analysis to prove the argument. Develop the ideas more or integrate the information into another paragraph.
The structure of an argumentative paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, and a transition.
The topic sentence is the thesis of the paragraph that identifies the arguable point in support of the main argument. The reader should know exactly what the writer is trying to prove within the paragraph by reading the first sentence.
The supporting evidence and analysis provide information to support the claim. There should be a balance between the evidence (facts, quotations, summary of events/plot, etc.) and analysis (interpretation of evidence). If the paragraph is evidence-heavy, there is not much of an argument; if it is analysis-heavy, there is not enough evidence in support of the claim.
The transition can be at the beginning or the end of a paragraph. However, it is much easier to combine the transition with the concluding observation to help the paragraphs flow into one another. Transitions in academic writing should tell the reader where you were, where you are going, and relate to the thesis.
Some essays may benefit from the inclusion of rebuttals to potential counterarguments of the writer’s position.
Argumentative essay conclusion
The conclusion should make readers glad they read the paper. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest readers but also enrich their understanding in some way. There are three aspects to follow when constructing the conclusion: rephrase the thesis, synthesize information, and call the reader to action.
Rephrased the thesis in the first sentence of the conclusion. It must be in different words; do not simply write it verbatim.
Synthesize the argument by showing how the paper's main points support the argument.
Propose a course of action or a solution to an issue. This can redirect the reader's thought process to apply the ideas to their life or to see the broader implications of the topic.
Avoid the following when constructing the conclusion:
Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as "in conclusion," "in summary," or "in closing;" although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as trite in writing
Introducing a new idea or subtopic in the conclusion
Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper
Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper
Argumentative essay examples
Examples of argumentative essays vary depending upon the type:
Academic essays differ based upon the topic and position. These essays follow a more traditional structure and are typically assigned in high school or college. Examples of academic argumentative essay topics include the following:
Advantages or disadvantages of social media
Animal testing
Art education
Benefit or detriment of homework
Capital punishment
Class warfare
Immigration
School uniforms
Universal healthcare
Violence in video games
Argumentative literary essays are typically more informal and do not follow the same structure as an academic essay. The following are popular examples of argumentative literary essays:
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell
“Thoughts for the Times on War and Death” by Sigmund Freud
“Does the Truth Matter? Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization” by Carl Sagan
“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Home ➔ How to Write an Outline for an Essay
How to Write an Outline for an Essay
Essays are used to express ideas or opinions about a particular subject matter. It’s among the first tasks introduced to students at the primary levels of education. It’s also one of the widely accepted forms of assessing students that cut across most academic disciplines, especially in college. Schools and even places of employment might also require an essay from an applicant before considering them.
The silver lining is that many students have a working knowledge of how to write an essay and its structure composition, which usually includes an introduction, body, and a concluding paragraph. Still, the average student spends more than the necessary number of hours on a single task because they run out of ideas or lose their train of thought. Even the overall content of the paper suffers. That can be avoided by penning down a detailed outline before writing the first draft. Did you know even seasoned bestsellers writers do this? So what’s an outline, how does it improve your essays, and how do you write it? We are answering all these questions in our guide.
Outline Format and Definition
An essay outline is a road map, a blueprint, or an essay diagram that helps writers organize their papers. Research papers and dissertations often have a table of contents — it’s something similar. On some level, most students create it without even realizing it, and that’s why it’s easy to learn how to write one. For instance, everyone researches and brainstorms for ideas before writing. Except that most students don’t put their thoughts in order before proceeding, and even if they do, it’s not enough to be an outline.
If writing an outline isn’t a task that you must submit for a grade, then it’s up to you how you format it. However, you should follow four main principles when creating a plan for your academic writing:
- Ranking — as you go from your main headings to subheadings, you move from general to more specific.
- Parallelism — every heading on the same hierarchy level should start with the same word type (verb, adjective, noun, etc.).
- Parity — all headings of the same hierarchy should be equally important and less important than the ones higher in rank.
- Fragmentation — each main heading should be divided into at least two subheadings.
The image below illustrates all four principles.
As for the format, the most common one is a standard alphanumeric outline template. Headlines are labeled in the following order (from the first to the most nested one):
- I. Roman numerals
- A. Capitalized letters
- 1. Arabic numerals
- a. Lowercase letters
- (1) Arabic numerals in round brackets
- (a) Lowercase letters in round brackets
For what you write in each point, you can either use brief phrases or full sentences that summarize the idea.
The decimal outline structure is another format you can apply, and it looks like this:
Why is Outlining Essential?
Reasons vary, but usually, we use it to order logically all the data you collected during the brainstorming and researching stages. For research papers, a good outline helps a lot as you can easily keep track of all the information. Even for oral presentations, it’s a great way to identify the strength and weaknesses of their speech and make it more effective. To sum up, an outline’s core functions are:
- Guiding you during the writing phrase
- Helping you organize your thoughts and ideas
- Presenting material in a logical order
- Showing how your ideas link to one another
- Serving as an abstract of your paper
Enhances thinking flow
Consider planning every next day before going to bed. You will realize that you undertake your daily activities without overthinking or second-guessing yourself because you know what to do every time. That is one of the proven life principles for most successful people. The same applies to paper writing. Your essays will feel like a walk in the park if you outline every point beforehand.
Time is a commodity that none of us have in abundance, especially considering the responsibilities students have to undertake daily. So why spend hours on essays when you have mounting academic work to deal with? You’d rather waste less time and still get good grades. That’s what essay outlines are for: to both save time and improve your performance. Once you’ve planned out your essay, it takes less time to develop each idea.
Improves grades
From the perspective of students, the whole point of sweating over an essay is to get the best grades, and an outline can help you do that. If you take time to brainstorm and jot down every point you can raise in your essay, you will make fewer errors. If you arrange your ideas in an order that makes sense, your tutor will notice it and evaluate the paper accordingly.
How to Outline an Essay
Building an outline is an excellent way to make sure that every paragraph in your essay has a purpose . While outlining, you can see if a paragraph is essential or can be dropped with no harm to your paper. It also serves to check how your argument or main idea is advancing, which will help you speed up the proofreading stage. Now that you learned how significant outlining is let’s see how you can create one.
Before writing an outline, you should:
- Define the goal of your essay
- Determine the target audience
- Create the thesis statement
The outlining process itself usually involves:
- Brainstorming the ideas you want to cover
- Separating those ideas into groups
- Arranging your data from general to specific
- Creating main headings and subheadings for paragraphs
Step 1: Research
The quality of your research determines the quality of your outline and your essay at large. That includes things like finding quotes from reputable sources or indicating the main supporting details to bolster your argument. Depending on your educational background, you might have to use different sources to expedite your research.
Any websites found on Google are not suitable as sources for papers written at a college or university level. Since there’s the Internet is full of unverified information, it’s vital to ascertain your source’s credibility before referring to it. Examples of trusted sites include Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic, Science.gov, Refseek, and Oxford Academic.
Step 2: Organize
After choosing a topic and researching, it’s time to write the outline, using all the gathered information. It should match the layout of the essay: an introduction, a body section, and a conclusion. Have you ever written down something but couldn’t read from your handwriting later on? This usually happens if you have bad handwriting or if the information is too clustered to read. You don’t want to rely on such an outline, especially when pressed for time. So, you must organize your plan to match the essay structure .
Introduction
Some ways to start your introduction paragraph are anecdotes, proverbs or idioms, definitions, statistics, quotes, or facts. You can begin your English essay outline by jotting down the main ideas for the introduction, which should also include a thesis statement. The point is to equip yourself with a road map, so short sentences should suffice.
Body paragraphs
Each body paragraph provides one idea that supports your thesis statement and is backed by facts, details, and examples. Depending on the volume of the essay, there will be more or fewer paragraphs here. But, when writing a standard essay, you would usually need three or four body sections, and each of them should be in your outline. Bear in mind that every paragraph must contain a topic sentence supported by two or three independent ideas with a link sentence at the end.
This paragraph is a sum-up every main point raised throughout the essay with some broader context. For a short paper, three to five sentences should do for the concluding section of your paper.
Below is a template of a standard five-paragraph essay outline structure template that you can download by clicking on the button under the image.
Once you’re done, remember to proofread and edit to ensure you haven’t missed something important.
Essay outline examples
Now that you know how to write an outline, analyze the samples below to get a better idea of how to apply this theory in practice. Each sample outline was hand-picked to make sure it corresponds to all key principles of creating one.
CLICK OR TAP ON THE IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD ITS PDF
Essay Writing Guide
Essay Outline
Last updated on: Feb 8, 2023
A Complete Essay Outline - Guidelines and Format
By: Nova A.
11 min read
Reviewed By: Melisa C.
Published on: Jan 15, 2019
To write an effective essay, you need to create a clear and well-organized essay outline. An essay outline will shape the essay’s entire content and determine how successful the essay will be.
In this blog post, we'll be going over the basics of essay outlines and provide a template for you to follow. We will also include a few examples so that you can get an idea about how these outlines look when they are put into practice.
Essay writing is not easy, but it becomes much easier with time, practice, and a detailed essay writing guide. Once you have developed your outline, everything else will come together more smoothly.
The key to success in any area is preparation - take the time now to develop a solid outline and then write your essays!
To know how to craft an essay outline quickly, give this article a thorough read.
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What is an Essay Outline?
An essay outline is your essay plan and a roadmap to essay writing. It is the structure of an essay you are about to write. It includes all the main points you have to discuss in each section along with the thesis statement.
Like every house has a map before it is constructed, the same is the importance of an essay outline. You can write an essay without crafting an outline, but you may miss essential information, and it is more time-consuming.
Once the outline is created, there is no chance of missing any important information. Also, it will help you to:
- Organize your thoughts and ideas.
- Understand the information flow.
- Never miss any crucial information or reference.
- Finish your work faster.
These are the reasons if someone asks you why an essay outline is needed. Now there are some points that must be kept in mind before proceeding to craft an essay outline.
Prewriting Process of Essay Outline
Your teacher may ask you to submit your essay outline before your essay. Therefore, you must know the preliminary guidelines that are necessary before writing an essay outline.
Here are the guidelines:
- You must go through your assignments’ guidelines carefully.
- Understand the purpose of your assignment.
- Know your audience.
- Mark the important point while researching your topic data.
- Select the structure of your essay outline; whether you are going to use a decimal point bullet or a simple one.
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Essay Outline Format
It is an easy way for you to write your thoughts in an organized manner. It may seem unnecessary and unimportant, but it is not.
It is one of the most crucial steps for essay writing as it shapes your entire essay and aids the writing process.
An essay outline consists of three main parts:
1. Introduction
The introduction body of your essay should be attention-grabbing. It should be written in such a manner that it attracts the reader’s interest. It should also provide background information about the topic for the readers.
You can use a dramatic tone to grab readers’ attention, but it should connect the audience to your thesis statement.
Here are some points without which your introduction paragraph is incomplete.
To attract the reader with the first few opening lines, we use a hook statement. It helps engage the reader and motivates them to read further. There are different types of hook sentences ranging from quotes, rhetorical questions to anecdotes and statistics, and much more.
To learn more about them, here is a detailed blog on hook examples .
A thesis statement is stated at the end of your introduction. It is the most important statement of your entire essay. It summarizes the purpose of the essay into one sentence.
The thesis statement tells the readers about the main theme of the essay, and it must be strong and clear. It holds the entire crux of your essay.
2. Body Paragraphs
The thesis statement is written in the introduction but justified in the body of an essay. Body paragraphs include all the important information about your essay. Also, explain the topic with supporting evidence and write full sentences.
If you are writing a persuasive essay, the content mentioned in your body paragraphs will persuade your audience. In the same way, if you are writing an argumentative essay, the body paragraphs of your essay will convince your audience towards your point of view.
Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and no more than one idea. A topic sentence is the crux of the contents of your paragraph. It is essential to keep your reader interested in the essay.
The topic sentence is followed by the supporting points and opinions, which are then justified with strong evidence.
3. Conclusion
Always end your essay with a strong conclusion. Your conclusion should be influential enough to give closure to your topic. The essay’s conclusion is as important as the introduction, and body paragraphs are. A clear flow of information from the introduction to the body and then to the conclusion paragraphs makes a coherent paper.
Summarize all the points of your essay discussed in the introduction and body paragraphs. The conclusion must be based on the facts discussed earlier in these paragraphs.
The conclusion should not be lengthy. It should restate the thesis statement of an essay and its supporting points. Keep the conclusion sentences short but powerful. It is always better to end the essay by suggesting some course of action.
5 Paragraph Essay Outline Structure
An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes:
- State the topic
- Thesis statement
- Introduction
- Explanation
- A conclusion that ties to the thesis
- Summary of the essay
- Restate the thesis statement
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Essay Outline Template
The outline of the essay is the skeleton that you will fill out with the content. Both outline and relevant content are important for a good essay. The content you will add to flesh out the outline should be credible, relevant, and interesting.
The outline structure for the essay is not complex or difficult. No matter which type of essay you write, you either use an alphanumeric structure or decimal structure for outline.
Below is an outline sample that you can easily follow for your essay.
Essay Outline Sample
Essay Outline Examples
An essay outline template should follow when you start writing the essay. Every writer should learn how to write an outline for every type of essay and research paper.
The essay outline is the same for all essays. However, it can differ according to the parameters set forth by your instructor.
Given below are essay outline examples for different types of essay writing.
Argumentative Essay Outline
An argumentative essay is a type of essay that shows both sides of the topic that you are exploring. The argument that presents the basis of the essay should be created by providing evidence and supporting details.
Take a look at this argumentative essay outline, get an idea, and write a perfect outline.
Persuasive Essay Outline
A persuasive essay is similar to an argumentative essay. Your job is to provide facts and details to create the argument. In a persuasive essay, you convince your readers of your point of view.
However, if you don’t know how to write a persuasive essay outline, take help from this sample.
Compare and Contrast Essay Outline
A compare and contrast essay explains the similarities and differences between two things. While comparing, you should focus on the differences between two seemingly similar objects. While contrasting, you should focus on the similarities between two different objects.
Here is a compare and contrast essay outline sample for your help.
Narrative Essay Outline
A narrative essay is written to share a story. Normally, a narrative essay is written from a personal point of view in an essay. The basic purpose of the narrative essay is to describe something creatively.
Therefore, create the outline for the narrative essay with the help of the below-mentioned sample.
Expository Essay Outline
An expository essay is a type of essay that explains, analyzes, and illustrates something for the readers. An expository essay should be unbiased and entirely based on facts. Be sure to use academic resources for your research and cite your sources.
For an expository essay outline, you can easily take help from the below-mentioned sample.
Analytical Essay Outline
An analytical essay is written to analyze the topic from a critical point of view. An analytical essay breaks down the content into different parts and explains the topic bit by bit.
Check this analytical essay outline sample and get help from them.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline
A rhetorical essay is written to examine the writer or artist’s work and develop a great essay. It also includes the discussion.
We collected a rhetorical analysis essay outline sample that you should follow for your essay.
Cause and Effect Essay Outline
A cause and effect essay describes why something happens and examines the consequences of an occurrence or phenomenon. It is also a type of expository essay.
For your help, we gathered a sample that will help you in writing the great outline.
Informative Essay Outline
An informative essay is written to inform the audience about different objects, concepts, people, issues, etc.
The main purpose is to respond to the question with a detailed explanation and inform the target audience about the topic.
Check this sample outline and write a perfect one for your informative essay.
Synthesis Essay Outline
A synthesis essay requires the writer to describe a certain unique viewpoint about the issue or topic. Create a claim about the topic and use different sources and information to prove it.
Here is an outline sample for your ease.
Literary Analysis Essay Outline
A literary analysis essay is written to analyze and examine a novel, book, play, or any other piece of literature. The writer analyzes the different devices such as the ideas, characters, plot, theme, tone, etc., to deliver his message.
Look at this sample and get an idea of the perfect essay outline.
Definition Essay Outline
A definition essay requires students to pick a particular concept, term, or idea and define it in their own words and according to their understanding.
Below is an outline sample that helps in your writing phase.
Descriptive Essay Outline
A descriptive essay is a type of essay written to describe a person, place, object, or event. The writer must describe the topic so that the reader can visualize it using their five senses.
Take help from the below-mentioned sample and write a great descriptive essay.
Evaluation Essay Outline
Evaluation essay is written to judge a specific topic according to the critiques provided. Here's an evaluation essay outline to craft a better essay.
Problem Solution Essay Outline
In a problem-solution essay, you are given a problem as a topic and you have to suggest multiple solutions on it.
Check out this problem solution essay outline example.
Scholarship Essay Outline
A scholarship essay is required at the time of admission when you are applying for a scholarship. Scholarship essays must be written in a way that should stand alone to help you get a scholarship.
Here's a scholarship essay outline for your consideration.
Reflective Essay Outline
A Reflective essay is written to express your own thoughts and point of view regarding a specific topic.
Below is a reflective essay outline to craft an amazing essay.
With this complete guide, now you understand how to create an outline for your essay successfully. However, if you still can’t write an effective essay, then the best option is to consult a professional academic writing service.
Essay writing is a dull and boring task for some people. So why not get some help instead of wasting your time and effort? 5StarEssays.com is here to help you. All your do my essay for me? requests are managed by professional essay writers.
Place your order now , and our team of expert academic writers will help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three types of outlines.
Here are the three types of essay outline;
- Working outline
- Speaking outline
- Full-sentence outline
All three types are different from each other and are used for different purposes.
What does a full-sentence outline look like?
A full sentence outline contains full sentences at each level of the essay’s outline. It is similar to an alphanumeric outline and it is a commonly used essay outline.
What is a traditional outline format?
A traditional essay outline begins with writing down all the important points in one place and listing them down and adding sub-topics to them. Besides, it will also include evidence and proof that you will use to back your arguments.
What is the benefit of using a traditional outline format and an informal outline format?
A traditional outline format helps the students in listing down all the important details in one palace while an informal outline will help you coming up with new ideas and highlighting important points
As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
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Exemplification Essay
Exemplification Essay: Step-by-Step Guide With Samples
Published on: Dec 21, 2021
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023
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Trying to prove your point is never easy, but if you use the exemplification essay, you’d surely do it. But before we get started on this, let's take a step back and talk about an exemplification essay. And how to write a perfect one for your assignment.
Are you in need of some help with your exemplification essay? This blog will serve as the ultimate guide for anyone who needs help with this type of essay, along with useful tips and samples. We hope this helps you complete your college essay assignment! Let’s get this started.
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Exemplification Essay Definition
An exemplification essay is a form of argumentative essay that complements the writer's argument by using reasons supported with relevant examples. When writing an exemplification essay, the writer relies on specific examples to prove their point.
The examples you provide will help your readers better define and understand the point of view presented. Examples include facts, statistics, or other related material from credible sources. It can be especially useful in the case when the audience might not fully agree with you.
It can seem daunting to come up with enough good points, but there will be plenty of ideas for some great topics once you start brainstorming.
Continue reading to learn about the entire exemplification essay academic writing procedure.
How to Start an Exemplification Essay?
An exemplification essay's writing process is built on a few pre-writing steps. By following these writing steps, you may create a great exemplification essay.
Choose a Topic
Choosing a suitable subject is critical to the overall effectiveness of the essay. Allow time, and select a topic that is distinct and particular. Your topic should not be too broad or too specific because finding appropriate instances for broad topics is tough.
Brainstorm Ideas
After you've decided on a topic for your exemplification essay, it's time to start brainstorming ideas. Consider the aspects and concepts that will best complement your topic. Consider how you want your topic to be described in the material. Make a list of all your ideas and thoughts.
You will settle on your principal viewpoint for your essay throughout this brainstorming phase. The principal perspective will serve as the thesis statement for your whole exemplification essay.
Choose Appropriate Examples
Now that you've jotted down some ideas for your essay's topic, perform some research to discover solid supporting evidence. Research the topic thoroughly to locate relevant material to support the essay's primary point.
The more time you devote to study, the more instances you will have to back up your claims. Use information from trustworthy sources such as journals, respected newspapers, novels, and so on.
Creating an Exemplification Essay Outline
It is preferable to begin writing an essay by establishing an exemplification essay outline. Before beginning the actual writing process, it is important to have a clear understanding of what you want to include in your document.
It helps in the organization of raw facts into comprehensible language. An outline is created by separating the material into parts.
Your essay should include the following components, according to the 5 paragraph format:
- The introductory paragraph
- The body paragraph #1
- The body paragraph #2
- The body paragraph #3
- The concluding paragraph
Here is an outline template of an exemplification essay to get an idea.
Exemplification Essay Outline Template
How to Write an Exemplification Essay?
Once you are done with making a rough outline, it is time to begin the writing process. Compile all of the material gleaned through research under the framework or structure you developed.
Here are some steps that you should follow when you start writing the exemplification essay.
The introductory paragraph is the first section of an exemplification essay. In this part, you have to write an introduction to your readers about what they will learn in the whole paper.
Start with a sentence known as a hook that grabs the reader’s attention. It can take any form, such as a quote, funny statement, or fact. The introduction section sets up your discussion on the topic. Also, show why you chose that particular topic to be discussed in detail later on in the content. The introductory paragraph comes to an end with a strong and arguable thesis statement. The evidence for this argument is clearly explained in the introductory paragraph, as well as throughout the entire body text.
The body of your argument is the part that contains evidence to support and back up what you are saying. According to the basic five-paragraph essay format, three paragraphs should be included in this section.
All body paragraphs should start with a topic sentence about particular points discussed throughout the essay. To make this section more interesting, you should include a few of your own opinions in each paragraph.
The wording of the essay should be clear and concise. As the introduction states a thesis statement, which shows the main essay purpose.
Each paragraph should be connected with transition words to preserve body harmony. These transition words ensure that the information flows smoothly.
This section provides insight into the overall debate held in the body paragraphs. The writer summarises the discussion in the final paragraphs by summarising the essay's focused themes.
In the conclusion of this essay, it is important to restate the thesis statement and remind readers what the whole discussion has been about. The final paragraph should leave a sense that all points have been covered in some way or another.
Exemplification Essay Examples
Before beginning the writing process, it is a good idea to go through several examples and get an idea of how to write. Don't be afraid to look at this sample from CollegeEssay.org experienced writers to help you simplify the writing process.
Exemplification Essay Sample
Exemplification Essay About Friendship
Exemplification Essay About Technology
Exemplification Essay About Education
Exemplification Essay About How to Cope With Stress
Exemplification Essay About Pandemic
Exemplification Essay About Globalization
Exemplification Essay Topics
Here is an exemplification essay topics list that will help you to get started:
- Domestic abuse
- Pollution's effects
- Should drugs be legalized?
- Should only Halal meat be offered in school cafeterias?
- Growing up as the child of a single parent
- Is it true that gender-segregated courses promote more efficient learning?
- Do politicians make misleading promises to increase their vote count?
- The influence of social media on children
- Are college degrees still valuable today?
- What effect does Amazon have on small businesses?
- Is it ethical to provide antidepressants to animals?
- Do payday loans have a beneficial influence on the local economy?
- Should the UK continue to supply arms to the KSA?
- How are plastic bottles harmful to our health?
- What effect does modern-day capitalism have on working-class wages?
Exemplification Essay Writing Tips
- Expert essay writers have compiled a list of effective tips that will make your essay stand out from the rest.
- Choose the topic of your essay with the audience's preferences in mind, and determine how your readers feel about the issue.
- When selecting examples for your essay, ensure that they are relevant and support your thesis statement.
- Make a list of all the examples you obtained for your essay. While creating the text, you will be able to choose the finest example.
- Aside from providing facts to back up your thesis statement, you may also use genuine tales and experiences. Make sure your readers follow the chain of your thoughts to illustrate your argument and help them comprehend you better.
Exemplification essays are all about ‘what's your point?’ and then back up with evidence. Why not take a break from the traditional college essay writing format and try something new?
It is often said that an exemplification paper writing is all about examples and brief details. You may not put your thoughts into words effectively, but a professional online can help you with this task. Also, they can help you with any type of essay, whether it is an illustration essay or you want to write a research paper. They are here for you at CollegeEssay.org .
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use the first person in an exemplification essay.
Yes, you can use the first person in the following scenarios to make your paper more effective and compelling.
- Defining your place in respect to others.
- When including a personal anecdote.
- To clarify passive structure sentences.
- To develop your credibility (ethos).
What are the characteristics of an exemplification essay?
Here are the main characteristics of an exemplification essay:
- Clear explanation
- Exemplary ideas
- Persuasive viewpoints
- Complex facts to support the thesis statement
- Relevant examples
How long is an exemplification essay?
An exemplification essay should be five paragraphs long according to the basic essay format. The first paragraph should be an introduction, three paragraphs for the main body, last paragraph for the conclusion.
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How to use ChatGPT to help you write essays
ChatGPT's advanced capabilities have created a huge demand , with the 'app' accumulating over 100 million users within two months of launching. One of the biggest standout features has been its ability to compose all sorts of text within seconds, including songs, poems, bedtime stories, and essays.
Also: What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here's everything you need to know
Contrary to popular opinion, ChatGPT can do a lot more than just write an essay for you (which could be called plagiarism). What is more useful is how it can help guide your writing process. If you are a looking for ways to use ChatGPT to support your writing, here are five different ways to explore.
How to improve your writing process with ChatGPT
1. use chatgpt to generate essay ideas.
Before you can even get started writing an essay, you need to flesh out the idea. When professors assign essays, they generally give students a prompt that gives them leeway for their own self-expression and analysis. As a result, students have the task of finding the angle to approach the essay on their own.
If you have written an essay recently, you know this step is often the trickiest part -- and this is where ChatGPT can help.
Also: I wish I had ChatGPT when I was in college. But not for the reason you might expect
All you need to do is input the assignment topic, include as much detail as you'd like -- such as what you're thinking about covering -- and let ChatGPT do the rest. For example, based on a paper prompt I had in college, I asked:
Can you help me come up with a topic idea for this assignment, "You will write a research paper or case study on a leadership topic of your choice." I would like it to include Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid and possibly a historical figure.
Within seconds, the chatbot produced a response that provided me with the title of the essay, options of historical figures I could focus my article on, and insight on what information I could include in my paper, with specific examples of a case study I could use.
2. Use the chatbot to create an outline
Once you have a solid topic, it's time to start brainstorming what you actually want to include in the essay. To facilitate the writing process, I always create an outline, including all the different points I want to touch upon in my essay. However, the outline writing process is usually tedious.
With ChatGPT, all you have to do is ask it to write it for you.
Also : ChatGPT productivity hacks: Five ways to use chatbots to make your life easier
Using the topic that ChatGPT helped me generate in step one, I asked the chatbot to write me an outline by saying:
Can you create an outline for a paper, "Examining the Leadership Style of Winston Churchill through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid"
After a couple of seconds, the chatbot outputted a holistic outline divided into seven different sections, with three different points under each section.
This outline is thorough and can be condensed for a shorter essay, or elaborated on for a longer paper. If you don't like something or want to tweak it further, you can do so either manually or with more instructions to ChatGPT.
3. Use ChatGPT to find sources
Now that you know exactly what you want to write, it's time to find reputable sources to get your information from. If you don't know where to start, like with all of the previous steps, you can just ask ChatGPT.
All you need to do is ask it to find sources for your essay topic. For example, I asked it the following:
Can you help me find sources for a paper, "Examining the Leadership Style of Winston Churchill through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."
Also : The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT and other interesting alternatives to try
The chatbot output seven sources, with a bullet point for each that explained what the source was and why it could be useful.
The one caveat you will want to be aware of when using ChatGPT for sources is that it does not have access to information before 2021, so it will not be able to suggest the freshest sources. However, it is a start.
4. Use ChatGPT to write a sample essay
It is worth noting that if you take the text directly from the chatbot and submit it, your work could be considered a form of plagiarism, since it is not your original work. As with any information taken from another source, text generated by any AI should be clearly identified and credited in your work.
In most educational institutions, the penalties for plagiarism are severe, ranging from a failing grade to expulsion from the school.
Also : ChatGPT is changing everything. But it still has its limits
If you want ChatGPT generate a sample piece of text, put in the topic, the desired length, and watch for what it generates. For example, I input the following text:
Can you write a five-paragraph essay on the topic, "Examining the Leadership Style of Winston Churchill through Blake and Mouton's Managerial Leadership Grid."
Within seconds, the chatbot output exactly what I asked for: A coherent, five-paragraph essay on the topic which can help you to guide you in your own writing.
At this point it's worth remembering how tools like ChatGPT work: They put words together in a form that they think is statistically valid but they don't know if what they are saying is true or accurate. That means you might find invented facts or details or other oddities. It won't be able to create original work because it is simply aggregating everything it has already absorbed. It might be a useful starting point for your own work, but don't expect it to be inspired or accurate.
5. Use ChatGPT to co-edit your essay
Once you've written your own essay, you can use ChatGPT's advanced writing capabilities to edit it for you.
You can simply tell the chatbot what you specifically want it to edit. For example, I asked it to edit for essay structure and grammar, but other options could have included flow, tone, and more.
Once you ask it to edit your essay, it will prompt you to paste your text into the chatbot. Once you do, it will output your essay with corrections made. This could be the most useful tool as it can edit your essay more thoroughly than a basic proofreading tool could, going beyond spelling.
You could also co-edit with the chatbot, asking it to take a look at a specific paragraph or sentence and asking it to rewrite or fix it for clarity.
For a better document collaboration experience, try these tips
How to use ChatGPT: Everything you need to know
The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT and other interesting alternatives to try
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Essay Service Examples Social Issues Violence in Video Games
Violence in Video Games: Essay Outline
- Topics: Violence in Video Games
- Words: 1736
- This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples.
Do video games cause violence?
Whenever a new form of entertainment rises in popularity, the mostly good remarks made are always mixed with a few disgruntled people worried about the potential harm a medium can inflict. This can be seen in television, cinema, YA novels, and even comic books in the early 20th century. The same can be said for video games. There is a long-standing stigma against video games, and it comes in many forms. They are said to damage the user`s eyesight, lead to behavioral issues and even lower the user`s IQ. However, the most notable one is without a doubt the idea that video games cause violence. This claim was given a more mainstream platform by the rise in school shootings around the world, particularly in the United States, where children and teenagers are committing mass murder.
Though not all video games have a violent theme, it is very prevalent in today`s enormous roster of available games. FPS (First Person Shooter) games have the player see through the eyes of a gun-wielding protagonist, allowing for brutal assassinations of enemies with enough blood to make even the most battle-hardened veteran squeamish. But the teenagers playing these games are completely unfazed. There are also 3rd person shooting games, which make for a less immersive experience but a wide-angle view of the havoc your character wreaks.
Violence in video games isn`t just limited to guns. Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom (2016) is a 3rd personal game based on the anime Attack on Titan (2013). With its source material being described as Very graphic and disturbing (IMDb, 2013), and featuring sword-wielding teenagers cutting off the limbs of huge giants, you can imagine that the game adaptation is not exactly child-friendly.
But why are we attracted to violent video games? Why is there enjoyment to be found in killing hordes of zombies or being thrown into a WW1 battlefield surrounded by enemies? As Gentile, D. (2005) states, primal instincts are to blame. If a bear were to come into a proto-humans camp, killing its friends and stealing their food, a rush of hormones like adrenaline, testosterone, and cortisol flood its bloodstream, creating a higher sense of awareness and allowing the proto-human to think more rationally about what to do. Obviously, being attacked by a bear isn`t your perfect idea of fun. But that mixture of hormones with the knowledge that you are completely safe is what creates the fun part of violent video games. It`s the same with horror films, where you know you can`t be stabbed by the killer but you still get a rush from seeing him stab someone else. The excitement created can be almost intoxicating, which explains why people all over the world have collectively played over 25 billion hours of Call of Duty (Uberfacts,2020).
As previously stated, violence doesn`t play an integral part in every single game. For instance, Pong is widely regarded as the first video game. It features two rectangles and a bouncing circle but no fighting or death. The bloodier side of gaming is said to have its origins in Wolfenstein 3D (1992) (GamesRadar,2017). While other first-person games existed before, Wolfenstein 3D had better character models, ran smoother, and had more realistic environments. It was the first game to properly tap into that primal instinct and, as noted by GamesRadar (2017) it took the gaming world by storm. It is now known as the spiritual ancestor of Doom (1993), one of the most influential games of all time, as well as Goldeneye (1997), Half-Life (1998), and of course the Call of Duty franchise.
Call of Duty Mobile (2019) was downloaded 28.5 million times in the United States of America (0.086 per capita), 12 million times in Brazil (0.056 per capita), and 17.5 million times in India (0.013 per capita) (Statista,2019). Call of Duty is the most well-known FPS franchise globally at the moment, so is an appropriate example for this purpose. The US had 7 murder cases per 100,000 people in 2020, much less than Brazil`s 24 per 100,000 people and more than India`s 2 per 100,000 people (Statista,2020). These statistics don`t show either side of this argument to be completely true and aren`t a very good way to demonstrate the issue due to the sheer number of variables at play (a murder could be caused by anything). This is an example of how difficult it is to come to a single conclusion with this argument, and why it is a debate that still goes on today.
One obvious argument that can be made against the claim that video games cause violence is the fact that the vast majority of murderers are between the ages of 25 and 44 (Statista,2020). The average consumer for video games such as Battlefield or Call of Duty is much younger than this, being closer to 18. Naturally, there is a counterargument to be made, being that a childhood of playing these games can have an effect on the player in later life, even if they stop playing. Specifically, the hormonal boost received from violent video games can become such a regular part of one`s life that one becomes addicted to it, craving more potent doses from other sources, leading to them killing or harming others in real life to receive such a boost. But using this logic, horror films should also be breeding grounds for future murderers and psychopaths, which is completely unheard of.
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The difference between horror films and gory games is that in an FPS you are the one doing the killing, and this is what makes parents and guardians worry about their child`s mental well-being after playing such games. I believe this is where the idea that video games cause violence has its origins (Parents thinking their children are playing violent games simply to kill without consequences).
Although gory video games do provide an adrenaline rush, that isn`t the only reason people play them. Logging on to a game with your friend to fight a common enemy is an underrated aspect of gaming. To be fighting off an advancing army and see your friend doing the same next to you creates a sense of comradery unlike what can be made from, for example, reading the same book. It takes a small sliver of the brotherhood formed in actual army battalions and brings it back to civilians.
Additionally, a large majority of the games that have come out in recent years feature violence of some kind, whether it be against aliens, animals, or Sith lords. In fact, 8 out of 10 of the best games to come out last year feature some form of violence, the two outliers being Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Tell me Why (Softonic,2020). This means that in order to play a next-gen game with up-to-date speed and graphics, it is almost impossible not to be exposed to violence no matter your intention.
It is very common to experience short bursts of anger (sometimes leading to violence) while playing video games. But this has nothing to do with getting hooked on adrenaline. In actual fact, the vast majority of real-life violence caused by video games is due to frustration (Gentile, D., 2005). This can be caused by failing a level right before a checkpoint, losing a game by just a few points, or the opposition scoring just before the buzzer. The reactions to these events have been known as raging. This can manifest itself in throwing a controller, smashing a keyboard, or swearing profusely, but rarely with violence directed at other people. It is similar to the emotions you feel when your favorite character dies in a book or film but heightened by the sense of connection you feel with a character you can control the actions of.
That is another reason why games, in general, are so fun and popular. When you not only observe the experiences of the protagonists but also experience them yourself, you become more attached and invested in their story, leading to louder cheers at their victories, longer cries at their deaths, and stronger anger at their losses. For example, Red Dead Redemption II`s (2018) protagonist Arthur Morgan is diagnosed with tuberculosis around halfway through the game`s story. After that point, his condition gradually worsens, with his face getting visibly more gaunt and sickly as the game goes on. As well as that, if you were to check on Arthur`s health in the character menu at any point, you would be met with a skull symbol, indicating his inevitable death. After this, players searched every store in the Read Dead world for some sort of tonic to save Arthur, but to no avail. When he eventually dies in Chapter 6 of the game, it can go one of two ways, depending on the choices the player made in-game. In one ending, Arthur slowly passes, watching the sunset. On the other, he has his face blown off with a revolver. The way that the player has a part to play in Arthur’s end only serves to make his demise even more gut-wrenching.
One aspect of this debate that isn`t arguable is that children can be exposed to vulgar language in games that they then choose to repeat in real life. Whether the source is a scripted cutscene or another real person in multiplayer, children hear these words in a game they love so think it is okay to say them. Multiplayer written chats do have banned words, usually resulting in a line of asterisks where the foul language was, but voice chats are harder to regulate. Verbal abuse can be considered violence, hence why I feel it is relevant.
To summarize what has been stated, there is no evidence that real-life violence is directly caused by the violence seen in video games. Almost all modern games feature an aspect of violence, so it is sometimes hard to weave around it. Games that do feature violence do not exclusively feature violence, but can also hold heartwarming stories and characters. A child isn`t a psychopath for enjoying killing people in-game but is rather being affected by instincts that once protected us from harm. However, there are negative issues that can arise from young children playing games meant for an older audience. Nevertheless, the origins of the idea that video games cause violence (concerned parents) lead me to believe that violence in its more extreme forms abuse, murder, and lashing out cannot be sourced back to violence in video games.
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Examples of an essay outline.
24/02/ · 6 Examples of Essay Outlines / Types of Essay Outlines 1. Informative Essay Outline Informative Essay Outline Format 2. Narrative Essay Outline There are different outlines of essays, but most analytical, interpretive, or persuasive writing follow the same outline. Use the outline below to create your own. Introduction Introduction – An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes: Introduction State the topic
Example essay outlines - Learn HQ
A well-structured essay outline is needed to write an exceptional essay as it helps to shape the entire content. It is considered to be a challenging and complicated task but not an impossible one. So don't worry. Learning how to create an essay outline won't take much time. It is an organizational tool mainly used in academic and professional writing. It is the foundation or a roadmap of your research paper that is produced by structuring major ideas. Though, it is not mandatory to draft an outline structure. However, it gives an impressive and professional outlook to the assignment, examples of an essay outline . Even professors and readers appreciate a well-detailed structure of contents. A writer can prepare headings in the outline for the future paragraphs of the essay.
If you want to spend less time on the writing process, you should first learn how to write an outline. There are different ways of writing an outline. However, the basic essay outline structure applies to all the essay types. Furthermore, a examples of an essay outline essay consists of five body paragraphs. Nevertheless, it may differ for longer essays. Here is the complete format guide to assist you in writing your college essays and academic papers. It should provide a general idea of the examples of an essay outline information about the topic. Avoid using lengthy and irrelevant details. It can further be spiced up with a thesis statement.
A writer can also use a dramatic tone and a hook sentence to grab the reader's attention. A hook sentence engages the writer and motivates them to read your content more. There are various forms of essay hooks that work for your introductory paragraphs. They include quotations, stories, jokes, phrases, facts, and historical dates. Pointless and boring essays can make readers lose their interest in the beginning. Therefore, revise your sentences until you get a desired catchy hook. Continue reading our blog to learn more about how to write an essay introduction. A thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the main idea of an essay. It is considered to be the most crucial sentence in your essay. The thesis statement is usually stated at the end of your introduction.
It often makes a claim that directly answers your research question. A writer has to be very specific while writing a strong and clear thesis statement. It summarizes the central theme of your essay in one sentence. Moreover, such an argument should present the hypothesis clearly that will be directly supported examples of an essay outline evidence. The body paragraphs are the linking paragraphs between the introduction and conclusion. It includes all the content of your essay. Each paragraph should contain a topic sentence and a single idea. Do not use opposing ideas as it will minimize the effectiveness of your essay.
Apart from this, examples of an essay outline , your body paragraphs should serve the actual purpose of your essay, examples of an essay outline . Examples of an essay outline example, while writing a persuasive essay, the content should be designed in a way to persuade the audience. Similarly, an argumentative essay should convince the audience towards your point of view. Also, use transition words to lead the reader from one idea to another. In between, for example, in addition, moreover, furthermore, nevertheless, etc. Always end your essay with a strong essay conclusion. It is the last section of your paper writing that summarizes the purpose along with the findings. Moreover, it should also restate the thesis statement and the supporting points.
Similarly, this section should be kept short and precise but powerful. The presented facts should be in the present tense with proper vocabulary. Therefore, your concluding statement should be influencing enough to leave an impact on the reader's mind. The most frequently used style is the alphanumeric outline structure. The subdivisions in this structure are described as:. The writers mainly prefer this structure as it may seem easier to display. It only consists of numerals. The outline for every section usually begins with 1. Similarly, more decimals will be used when we add new information. It will look like 3. A typical essay outline template is followed for all types of essays, examples of an essay outline . Have a look at the below examples of an essay outline to learn how to write an outline for a perfect essay.
An argumentative essay presents both sides of argument. However, your side of the argument should be proved by some strong evidence and supporting details. It is similar to the argumentative essay. But the only difference is that the author has to convince readers about his point of view. This type of essay identifies the similarities and differences between the two objects. A writer should focus on the difference while comparing. While contrasting, he should focus on the similarities. A narrative essay is a kind of story writing. The primary purpose is to describe an object creatively, examples of an essay outline . It is an essay style that describes an object and analyzes it. It should be unbiased and based entirely on the evidence, examples of an essay outline . It is a form of writing where the writer analyzes a topic in detail to prove a particular point of view.
It is one of the types of writing which appears in the AP English exam. A literary analysis essay examines a literary piece of work. This essay proves that you have examined and evaluated literature work from different aspects. In this essay type, the writer discusses the top reasons for poverty like bribes, corruption, injustice, lawlessness, etc. Writing a 5 paragraph essay outline is a challenging task for most of the students. The process examples of an essay outline above made it clear how to write a well-organized outline. However, in case if you still need any help, you can always rely on professional essay writers. net is a top academic writing service where you can hire a professional essay writer for your essay.
Furthermore, you will get your plagiarism-free writing assignments by any given deadline. If you need free essays or any kind of other academic paper from scratch, we can provide the necessary help. Feel free to contact our support team to place your order. An outline is a list of main points that your essay will talk about. Outlining helps you to figure out what your essay will be about and organize it. An outline aims to organize the most important ideas of an essay, book, or chapter in numbered form. The bigger and more important ideas are given Roman Numerals. In comparison, the smaller and less important ones are labeled with Arabic Numerals. Paper Due? That's Our Job! Learn More. Students often get worried when being assigned to draft an essay outline.
Keep on reading this blog to learn more about the complete format guide of an essay outline. Quick Links What is an Essay Outline? How to Write an Essay Outline? Essay Outline Example Essay Outline Structure Types Essay Outline Template. Similar Blogs. Modal content ×. This is offer is available to new customers, one time only. Your essay will be plagiarism-free, written by a seasoned writing professional. Essay limited to words two pages. Additional pages at standard rates.
Essay Writing Outline
How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples
There are different outlines of essays, but most analytical, interpretive, or persuasive writing follow the same outline. Use the outline below to create your own. Introduction Introduction – 2/06/ · Here is an outline example for a personal essay: Title: The Two Best Birthdays of my Life Introduction Introducing your feelings about birthdays and how you like to celebrate Essay Outline Example A typical outline consists of five paragraphs. The basic essay outline format is given below. (back to top) Essay Outline Structure Types The following are the two
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An Essay About Social Media: Definition, Outline and Examples
An essay about social media is a piece of writing that explores social media’s impact, influence, and consequences on various aspects of society, such as communication, relationships, politics, mental health, culture, and more.
The essay can take on different forms, such as an argumentative essay, a cause-and-effect essay, a critical analysis, or an exploratory essay.
A good essay about social media aims to provide a well-researched and thought-provoking examination of the topic and to help readers better understand the complex nature of social media and its role in our lives.
The essay may address questions such as:
- How has social media changed communication?
- What are the positive and negative effects of social media on mental health?
- How has social media impacted politics and public opinion?
- What is the future of social media, and how will it continue to shape our lives?
Why do college students write essays about social media
College students may write an essay about social media for several reasons:
- To fulfill an assignment: Many professors assign essays on social media as part of a communication, media studies course, or sociology. Writing an essay on social media helps students understand the topic more deeply and grasp its impact on society.
- To demonstrate critical thinking skills: Writing an essay about social media requires students to analyze the topic and form an informed opinion critically. It provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their critical thinking skills and shows that they can evaluate complex ideas and arguments.
- To develop research skills: Writing an essay about social media requires students to conduct thorough research and gather information from credible sources. This helps students develop important research skills and evaluate the reliability and relevance of different sources.
- To express personal views and opinions: Writing an essay about social media allows students to express their views and opinions on the topic. This can be a great opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and thoughtfulness and share their insights.
- To prepare for future careers: Social media is a rapidly growing field, and many careers in marketing, advertising, public relations, journalism, and other fields require a deep understanding of the role of social media in society. Writing an essay on social media can help students prepare for these careers by better understanding the topic and its impact on the world around them.
How to write an essay about social media
Step 1: Choose a Topic Before you start writing your essay, you must choose a topic you are interested in and clearly understand. This could be a specific aspect of social media, such as its impact on mental health, or a more general overview of the pros and cons of social media.
Step 2: Research Gather information and data on your topic from various sources such as books, articles, websites, and interviews. Make sure to take notes and organize your research to make it easier to reference later.
Step 3: Create an Outline An outline is a roadmap for your essay and will help you to organize your thoughts and ideas. A standard essay outline includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Step 4: Write the Introduction In the introduction, provide background information on social media and introduce your thesis statement. A thesis statement is a sentence that states your argument and sets the direction of your essay.
Step 5: Write the Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs are the main part of your essay, where you will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of social media, its impact on society, and other relevant topics. Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a conclusion.
Step 6: Write the Conclusion The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis. It should also provide a final thought or call to action, encouraging the reader to think critically about social media and its impact on society.
Step 7: Edit and Revise Once you have completed your first draft, take some time to revise and edit your essay. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, and ensure your ideas are well-organized and presented.
Step 8: Proofread Proofread your essay one last time to catch any mistakes you may have missed in the previous steps. This will help to ensure that your essay is well-written and error-free.
Essay about social media outline example
I. Introduction
Definition of social media A brief history of social media Importance of social media in today’s world II. Advantages of social media
Connectivity and communication Access to information Improved marketing and advertising Increased global exposure and reach Ability to participate in social movements and activism III. Disadvantages of social media
Cyberbullying and online harassment Addiction and decreased productivity Spread of misinformation and fake news Decreased privacy and security Impacts on mental health and self-esteem IV. Social media and its impact on society
Influence on politics and elections Changes in the way we interact and communicate Increase in consumerism and materialism Impact on journalism and news media Effects on personal relationships and communication skills V. Conclusion
Recap of the advantages and disadvantages of social media Final thoughts on the role and impact of social media in society Call to action for the responsible and mindful use of social media
Example essay about social media
Social media is a term that refers to the various platforms and websites that allow individuals to communicate, share information and content, and connect with others on the internet. With the rise of social media, the way people communicate, interact and consume information has dramatically changed. Overall, Social media has changed the way we communicate, access information, and interact with others, but its impact on society is both positive and negative, highlighting the need for responsible and mindful use.
One of the most significant advantages of social media is the ease of connectivity and communication. Social media has brought people from all over the world together, making it possible to form online communities and interact with others who share similar interests. This has been especially beneficial for individuals who live in isolated areas or have mobility issues, as social media provides a way to stay connected and engaged with others.
In addition, social media has provided unprecedented access to information. The internet has become a vast library of knowledge available to anyone with an internet connection. With the help of social media, people can access the latest news, events, and trends from around the world and learn about various topics and issues from diverse perspectives.
However, social media also has its negative aspects. One of the most significant drawbacks is the spread of misinformation and fake news. The ease of creating and sharing content online has led to an increase in misleading information, which can have far-reaching consequences, particularly in politics and public opinion. Additionally, social media can be addictive and can negatively impact productivity, as people spend hours browsing and scrolling through their feeds.
Social media has also had a significant impact on the way we interact with one another. The anonymity provided by the internet has led to an increase in online harassment and cyberbullying, which can be particularly damaging to young people’s mental health. Moreover, social media has decreased privacy and security, as personal information can be easily shared and spread online.
In conclusion, social media has been both a blessing and a curse for society. On the one hand, it has revolutionized how people communicate, providing a platform for global connectivity and access to information. On the other hand, it has also led to an increase in misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy concerns. As social media continues to evolve, it is important to find a balance between its benefits and drawbacks and to use it responsibly and mindfully.
Essay about social media topic ideas
- Why social media has changed the way we communicate
- A critical analysis of the impact of social media on mental health
- How social media has affected politics and public opinion
- Where social media has made the biggest impact on society
- An examination of the benefits and drawbacks of social media
- The role of social media in the spread of misinformation
- How social media has changed the advertising industry
- The impact of social media on privacy and security
- Why social media can be addictive and what can be done to mitigate its negative effects
- An exploration of the use of social media in education and learning.
- The influence of social media on relationships and personal connections
- How social media has impacted the job market and employment opportunities
- The role of social media in promoting cultural exchange and understanding
- An analysis of the influence of social media on popular culture
- The impact of social media on traditional forms of media, such as television and print
- The potential of social media for social activism and social change
- How social media has changed the way we consume and share information
- The impact of social media on the way we perceive and experience events
- The role of social media in shaping the future of technology and communication
- An examination of the ethical considerations surrounding social media and its use.
- The influence of social media on fashion and beauty trends
- How social media has impacted the way we perceive and experience travel
- An analysis of the impact of social media on professional sports and athletics
- The influence of social media on the music industry and artist promotions
- The role of social media in fostering online communities and relationships
- How social media has changed the way we access and consume news
- An examination of the impact of social media on the way we shop and make purchasing decisions
- The influence of social media on the way we view and engage with art and creativity
- The impact of social media on personal branding and self-promotion
- An exploration of the use of social media in crisis management and emergency response.
Essay about social media additional tips
- Start with a strong thesis statement that clearly states your argument.
- Use reputable sources for your research and reference them properly in your essay.
- Avoid using overly technical language or overly casual language.
- Use specific examples to support your argument and make your essay more relatable.
- Be mindful of the tone of your essay and aim for a balanced, neutral perspective.
- Avoid making broad generalizations and instead focus on specific, well-supported claims.
- Consider both social media’s positive and negative aspects and provide a nuanced perspective.
- Use clear, concise, and well-structured sentences and paragraphs to make your essay easy to read and understand.
- Use a variety of sentence structures and avoid repeating the same sentence structure repeatedly.
- End your essay with a strong conclusion summarizing your main points and providing a final thought or calls to action.
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How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps
An essay outline is essentially an essay’s skeleton. It’s a text representation of an essay’s thesis and key supporting points.
An essay outline serves multiple purposes, including helping its writer organize their thoughts before they start writing, giving readers a quick synopsis of the essay, and acting as a roadmap for the writer to follow as they work through their supporting paragraphs. Writing an essay outline is a fairly straightforward process, and in this blog post, we’ll walk you through it.
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What is an essay outline?
As we mentioned above, an essay outline is a visual representation of an essay. It boils the essay’s paragraphs down to key points, allowing readers to get a gist of your essay with a quick skim. But an essay outline isn’t just for your readers’ benefit—it also helps you visualize your finished essay before you begin writing it. This can make it easier for you to determine the most effective way to transition between paragraphs and the ideal order in which to present your supporting paragraphs.
Outlining is an important early stage in the writing process . It’s where you organize all the thoughts and insights you brainstormed into a neat roadmap to follow as you write. If you get stuck as you’re writing your essay, your outline is there to help you get back on track.
It’s not uncommon for professors to require their students to submit essay outlines before getting started on their essays. Usually, this is so the professor can make sure each student is on the right track in terms of choosing an essay topic that has a sufficient amount of sources to reference, that it fits the parameters of the assignment, and that the student understands the assignment.
Basic parts of an essay
Although every essay is unique, they all adhere to the same basic essay structure . Every essay starts with an introduction section, follows it with at least one body paragraph that supports the points made in the introduction, then wraps up with a conclusion section that reiterates the author’s thesis and summarizes the body paragraphs.
Introduction
The first section of your essay is called the introduction. As this name implies, this is where you introduce the topics you’ll be covering in your essay. It’s also where you state your thesis , the definitive sentence where you make your argument clear.
Your essay’s introduction should be concise and quickly hook the reader.
Body sections
Your essay might only need two supporting paragraphs, or it could need four or five (or more). Unless your professor assigned a specific number of body paragraphs for your essay, how many of these you write is your call.
If you’re supporting your thesis with multiple sources, a general rule to follow is one body paragraph per source cited. However, the type of essay you’re writing might require you to deviate from this. For example, in a compare-and-contrast essay, you’ll write one section (at least one paragraph long) for each comparison and contrast you make. In an analytical essay, you’ll write one body section for each point you make to support your thesis.
Once you reach your conclusion , you’re almost there! This is the part of your essay where you wrap it up and summarize the points you made in your body paragraphs. If you have any final thoughts or perspectives you want to impress on your reader before they finish reading your essay, this is where you make them.
4 steps for writing an essay outline
So you’re sitting at your desk, ready to write your outline. Great!
…how do you get started?
Just follow these four steps to craft an outline that makes the rest of the writing process simple.
Determine your objective
Think about your thesis statement. You might not have the exact wording at this point, but you should have a general idea of the point you’ll make and defend in your essay. Having a clear objective enables you to work through your brainstorming notes and craft an outline that hits all the necessary points you need to support that objective.
Filter out the fluff
When you brainstormed, you explored every possible avenue to go down in your writing and every potential piece of information to include.
Now it’s time to go through your brainstorming notes and pick out the points that will most effectively achieve your goal for your essay. For each piece of information you jotted down, ask yourself “how does this prove my point?” If you can answer that question with a clear, thoughtful response, add it to your list of points to make in your essay.
Identify the points you’ll make in each paragraph
Using the list of points you wrote down, identify the key arguments you’ll make in your essay. These will be your body sections. For example, in an argumentative essay about why your campus needs to install more water fountains, you might make points like:
- Providing water fountains helps students save money
- Fountains reduce plastic waste
- Readily available water can cut down heat exhaustion incidents
Jot down the facts, anecdotes, and statistics that support each of these arguments. For example, you might cite the number of disposable water bottles recovered from campus grounds last year in your section on how water fountains reduce plastic waste. These supporting points are part of your essay outline.
Write your outline using a standard template
With your key topics and supporting points clearly defined, it’s time to actually write your outline. Using a template for the type of essay you’re writing (more on that in the next section), format your key points into a clear, organized frame that you’ll flesh out with content when you write your first draft.
Essay outline examples
Although every outline follows the same general structure, there are a few key differences to keep in mind when you’re outlining different kinds of essays. Take a look at how these example outlines for various essay types are similar as well as where they differ:
Argumentative essays
Here is an example outline argumentative essay :
Title: Italian Ice is a Superior Dessert to Ice Cream
- Introduce the differences between Italian ice and ice cream, touch on how popular each is.
- Thesis: Italian ice is a healthier, more refreshing, more environmentally friendly dessert than ice cream.
- Cite the average amount of calories in a serving of Italian ice vs. ice cream
- Cite how Italian ice thus fits more easily into most consumers’ daily caloric allotment
- Discuss the benefits of consuming vegan vs. animal-sourced products
- Discuss how Italian ice is vegan, making it accessible to both vegans and non-vegans and a healthier, more environmentally conscious choice for all
- Because of the lack of dairy, Italian ice is a more refreshing treat than ice cream on a hot day
- Discuss anecdotes about dairy making consumers feel hotter and not refreshed
- Reiterate why Italian ice is a better dessert than ice cream and summarize supporting points.
Admissions essays
Take a look at this admissions essay outline:
Title: Arigato, Sato Sensei
- My Japanese teacher was the most influential teacher I had in high school because she taught me more than just a language—she taught me how language shapes perspective.
- Thesis: Choosing to study Japanese in high school changed my perspective on myself, my community, and my role in society
- Discuss how I struggled in Japanese class and wanted to give up
- State how Sato Sensei encouraged me to keep trying instead of changing to another language
- Learning Japanese was more than memorizing vocabulary and copying hiragana and katakana; it’s understanding Japanese cultural perspectives and concepts versus Western ones
- How Japanese language skills enabled me to succeed during my summer abroad
- How I understood cultural nuances through my understanding of the language
- With the perspective I developed as an American student who studied Japanese, I’m well-equipped to succeed as an international business major.
Persuasive essays
Here’s an example of a persuasive essay outline:
Title: We Need More Security Cameras in the Student Parking Deck
- Vehicle break-ins are far too common on campus
- Thesis: The current level of parking deck security is insufficient
- State car break-in statistics and any related stats, like the average cost of repairs to broken-into vehicles and value of goods stolen
- Discuss the intangible value of increased security with quotes and anecdotes
- Cite statistics on how other campuses reduced break-ins by installing more security cameras
- State the actual cost of installing sufficient security
- Summarize the points made and emphasize how community safety should be a top priority for campus administration. Then, reiterate how more security cameras in the parking deck would improve safety.
Personal essays
Here is an outline example for a personal essay :
Title: The Two Best Birthdays of my Life
- Introducing your feelings about birthdays and how you like to celebrate yours
- Thesis: The two best birthdays of my life were my 17th and 22nd
- I got my driver’s license and drove to my first concert with my best friends
- I still have the ticket stub and wristband from that night
- At first, I thought everybody had forgotten my birthday. I was devastated
- Then, my siblings surprised me by traveling six hours to pick me up and take me to the art exhibit I’d been wanting to see
- My 17th and 22nd birthdays were particularly meaningful because of the points cited above.
- Perhaps finish with a parting thought on looking forward to more great birthday celebrations
Outlining is just one step to great writing
Once you’re finished writing your outline, follow the rest of the writing process steps to complete your essay.
When it’s time to edit your work, Grammarly can help you polish your draft into a perfectly publishable piece of writing. Grammarly catches spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and gives you feedback on all the tones present in your writing to help you make any necessary adjustments to strike a clear, consistent tone that accurately communicates exactly what you need to say.
Guide on Perfect Compare and Contrast Essay with Tips
What is Compare and Contrast Essay: Definition and Purpose
Essay writing is a common task for students at all levels of education. Whether a short assignment for a class or a lengthy thesis for a degree, students must often produce well-written and researched essays. While some students find essay writing to be an enjoyable challenge, others struggle with the task and find it to be a daunting and overwhelming experience. Yet, regardless of one's writing abilities, essay writing is a valuable skill that can benefit students throughout their academic and professional careers.
If you've been assigned to write a college paper and wonder what is compare and contrast essay, then you've come to the right place. This kind of essay is a typical academic assignment that entails comparing and contrasting two or more concepts while assessing their similarities and contrasts. A compare and contrast essay aims to provide insight into the relationship between the subjects being compared and to explore their characteristics and features. This type of essay can be used to compare and contrast a wide range of topics, such as historical events, literary works, scientific theories, or even different types of food.
By examining the similarities and differences between the subjects, you can offer a deeper understanding of both topics and often discover unexpected connections. In the following paragraphs, we will delve deeper into the definition and purpose of this type of writing process and provide an example of compare and contrast essay outline along with much more!
How to Write Compare and Contrast Essay: Easy Steps
Learning how to write a compare and contrast essay might be tricky for many students. But anyone can learn how to create a good one with the proper approach and certain fundamental criteria. Middle, high, and college students are frequently given this type of writing to produce.
In the following paragraphs, we will explore some easy steps you can follow to effectively compare and contrast two or more subjects and create a well-organized, cohesive essay highlighting similarities and differences.
Brainstorm Some Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas
Brainstorming different ideas is an essential step in any creative process, whether you're working on compare and contrast essay topics, developing a new product, or solving a complex problem. By generating a wide range of ideas, you can explore different perspectives, uncover new insights, and discover unexpected solutions. Brainstorming can also help you break out any preconceived notions or limitations, allowing you to approach a problem or project with a fresh perspective.
There are several options for creating a comparison and contrast essay example. Start by generating thoughts that contrast and compare two or more objects, individuals, or concepts. Some ideas to consider might include comparing and contrasting different cultures, religions, historical events, literary works, movies, or even types of pets.
Another approach might be to compare and contrast various technological advancements, scientific theories, or social issues. By taking the time to brainstorm ideas, you'll be able to choose a topic that's interesting, engaging, and thought-provoking, setting you up for success in crafting a compelling compare and contrast essay.
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Identify Commonalities and Disparities Among Selected Compare and Contrast Essay Topics
When identifying commonalities and disparities among selected compare and contrast essay topics, focusing on the most relevant and significant differences and similarities is essential. Start by selecting two or more topics that have some connection or relationship to each other, such as two different cultures, two types of technology, or two historical events. Then, look for key themes, ideas, or features shared or differences between them. These may include common values, historical contexts, geographical locations, or even cultural practices. By identifying these commonalities and disparities, you'll be able to craft a compelling essay that not only highlights the similarities and differences but also explores their implications and significance.
Choosing topics that interest you and are familiar enough to research effectively is crucial. Make sure to focus on specific aspects and themes rather than trying to cover too much ground. It can be helpful to create a chart or diagram to visualize two subjects and all their similarities and differences. Additionally, be sure to develop a clear and concise thesis statement that reflects the main argument or purpose of the essay. Finally, make sure to organize the essay logically and coherently, using transitions and supporting evidence to effectively connect the similarities and differences.
Search for free compare and contrast essay examples online and review their structure to get even more clarification about contrast essay writing. Or you can just easily use the help of essay writers , who can do your paper perfectly.
Choose a Structure of a Compare and Contrast Essay
An important stage in the writing process is selecting the structure of a comparison and contrast essay. There are many alternative frameworks, each with advantages and disadvantages.
One popular method is subject-by-subject structure . The essay compares and contrasts one subject at a time in this structure. For example, comparing and contrasting two novels, the essay would first discuss all the similarities and differences of one novel and then move on to the other.
Another structure is the point-by-point method , which is the most commonly used in this type of essay. In this structure, the essay compares and contrasts each point of one subject with the corresponding point of the other subject. This method can be more effective when there are numerous similarities and differences to compare.
A third structure is the compare then contrast method . In this structure, the essay first focuses on the similarities between the subjects and then shifts to discussing the differences. This method can be useful when the similarities and differences are not immediately obvious and must be brought to light.
Ultimately, the structure choice will depend on the specific compare and contrast essay ideas, the amount of information to compare and contrast, and the writer's preferences. However, it's important to remember that whichever structure is chosen, the essay should have a clear and concise thesis statement summarizing the main points of comparison and contrast. Additionally, use clear transitions and evidence to support the comparisons and contrasts throughout the essay.
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Form a Compare and Contrast Essay Outline and Start Writing
Outlining is an essential part of the essay writing process. It entails organizing your essay before you start writing by developing a structure. Many techniques can complete this process, including mind mapping, formal outlines, and brainstorming. Regardless of the method, outlining is crucial for a compare and contrast essay writer.
Here is a sample of a compare and contrast essay outline on two different types of pets, dogs, and cats:
I. Introduction
A. Hook statement
B. Background information on dogs and cats
C. Thesis statement
II. Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraph A: Characteristics of dogs
- Physical appearance
- Personality traits
- Training and behavior
Body paragraph B: Characteristics of cats
III. Comparison of dogs and cats
- Similarities in physical appearance
- Differences in personality traits
- Comparison of training and behavior
IV. Conclusion
A. Restate thesis
B. Summarize main points
C. Final thoughts on which pet is better
Note that this is just a sample outline, and the actual content of the essay may differ. However, this outline provides a clear structure for organizing the essay and ensuring it covers all necessary points of comparison and contrast. Make sure not to talk solely about one subject and find the balance. If you need a professional writer to do your assignment, use the following words ' do my homework ' and consider it done.
Compare and Contrast Essay Topics
To examine the similarities and contrasts between two or more subjects in academic writing, compare and contrast essays constitute an accepted and effective format. These essays provide a unique opportunity for writers to analyze and synthesize information, helping to develop critical thinking and analytical skills. Choosing the right topic for writing compare and contrast essay examples is the first step in crafting a successful paper. With so many options available, there is sure to be a topic that interests and challenges you.
We gathered a list of 20 compare and contrast essay topics you can use to write your perfect paper:
- Harry Potter: Books or Movie
- The way people live in Asia compared to Europe
- Comparing the difficulty of Math and English classes
- Comparing the relative danger of hurricanes and tornadoes
- Which is more effective: Early morning workout vs. Late night
- Differences between Ph.D. and Master's Degree
- Comparing and contrasting similarities and differences between Economics and Management
- Comparing Video Conferencing and In-person Meetings
- Analyzing the Impact of Social Media: Positive or Negative?
- Comparing and Contrasting Osteopathic and Allopathic Medicine
- Urban vs. Rural Living: Differences and Similarities
- Comparing the Need for Mobile First Aid Stations in Cities with Local Hospitals
- Exploring the Existence of Aliens: Fact or Fiction
- The Pros and Cons of a Vegetarian vs. a Meat-Based Diet
- The Differences and Similarities between Public and Private Universities
- Comparing Online Tutoring and In-Person Home Tutoring
- Applying Theories in Physics to Everyday Life: A Comparative Analysis
- Comparing the Destructive Impact of Earthquakes and Tsunamis
- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Renting vs. Owning a Home
- The Similarities and Differences between Buddhism and Hinduism
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The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples
An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.
There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.
The essay writing process consists of three main stages:
- Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
- Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
- Revision: Check the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.
Table of contents
Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.
The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .
For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.
Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:
- Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
- Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
- Do your research: Read primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
- Come up with a thesis: The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
- Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.
Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.
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The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.
1. Hook your reader
The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.
Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.
2. Provide background on your topic
Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.
3. Present the thesis statement
Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:
As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.
4. Map the structure
In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.
The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.
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The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.
Length of the body text
The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.
Paragraph structure
To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.
That idea is introduced in a topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.
After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.
Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.
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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :
- Returns to your thesis
- Ties together your main points
- Shows why your argument matters
A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.
What not to include in a conclusion
To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:
- Including new arguments or evidence
- Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
- Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”
Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.
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Checklist: Essay
My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).
My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.
My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.
I use paragraphs to structure the essay.
I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.
Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.
I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.
My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.
I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.
I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.
I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.
My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .
My essay has an interesting and informative title.
I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).
Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.
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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.
In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.
Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.
The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.
The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.
Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:
- An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
- Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
- A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.
At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).
Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.
The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .
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Essay Outline: An Ultimate Guide
14 Aug 2021
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What is an outline, outline is....
Introduction
Outline structure types
Alphanumeric structure style, decimal structure style, outline samples, narrative essay, comparative essay, argumentative essay, 4 steps for writing an essay outline, expository essay outline example, mla outline example, apa outline example.
If you need to write an essay and don't know how to organize the outline. You can read this article with examples. But you can always ask PapersOwl to write a essay for me by professional writers from different academic areas.
An outline is an organizational tool used by authors in their academic and professional writing. It is a skeleton, a foundation of an entire writing piece, produced to structurize main ideas into a list of contents.
“If you failed to prepare, prepare to fail”. - H.K. Williams
Although writing an outline is not mandatory, for those who are willing to stand out, it is a must. Professors and readers will appreciate a well-detailed structure of contents and it would be easier for an author to work on the piece.
By the end of this article you will:
- understand what a paper outline is;
- learn how to prepare an outline;
- differentiate types of outlines;
- get outline samples for your future works.
Let’s get educated!
Most likely you have already realized that outline is a roadmap of your paper. You can write your main idea here, provide supportive arguments, prepare headings for your future paragraphs of the writing.
As I have already mentioned before, you can produce a piece without any maps or blueprints, however, it will make your life a lot harder. All of our authors work with outlines because it does help produce a better piece.
Here is how an outline can be helpful:
- We mean it when we say “blueprint”. When researching you receive tons of data and outlines helps you understand what goes where without losing any piece.
- You will get a better understanding of a subject and as a result, it will be easier to explain it to the audience.
- With an outline, you will know precisely where to find that piece of information you need when presenting your work.
Now, when you know how important an outline is I will tell you how to make one. There are two options: first is to ask PapersOwl for help . The second one and my personal favorite is to learn it yourself.
It won't ever harm you, doesn’t it?
“Education is not only a ladder of opportunity, but it is also an investment in our future”. - Ed Markey
It should not be way too long. Usually, 3-4 sentences where you describe your topic (spice it up with a hook), intentions to writing this particular piece, and main foundation block of any essay or research paper - thesis statement. Mention the topic and thesis in your outline.
- The first sentence should introduce a topic and grab readers' attention. Tell an anecdote or a shocking fact relative to the main idea of writing.
- The second subpoint sentence should all be about the topic, its history. Keep it short but let the reader know everything he has to know.
- The final subpoint goes for your thesis statement. Announce your argument which will sound in your readers' head all along with your writing.
This is the most information-rich part of your writing and you should provide your thoughts in all the details required. Use as many paragraphs as you need, don’t be greedy.
- Each paragraph has to have a topic or idea which somehow supports your thesis.
- Your argument should be reinforced by credible opinion, other research, fact, data, etc.
- Remember to include a transition sentence that will smoothly bring the reader to the next point.
This is the final paragraph of your paper where you should remind your reader what it was all about.
- Begin with your thesis statement. However, don’t repeat it word to word, restate the point and paraphrase the sentence itself.
- Finish with a concluding statement. Usually, it tells a reader how the thesis might be implemented, the importance of solutions described in the essay, or bring other aspects which may be influenced by the idea in the thesis statement.
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Here is a template for a basic essay outline:
NOTE: The more parts you add to each of the sections the more adequate information piece you will receive in the end.
While it is all up to you to decide how to organize an outline, there are some which are widely accepted. What are those types?
Let's find out!
The alphanumeric outline structure is the most frequent one. It is easy to find one. Every subdivision is described as roman numbers, then you go with capital letters, Arab numbers, and lowercase letters, accordingly.
- Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.) are used to identify major sections of the outline. Usually, you will have five of them, each for every paragraph of the paper.
- Capital letters (A, B, C, etc.) are used to show substantial points in the sections.
- Arabic numbers (1,2,3, etc.) are used for further important details.
- Lowercase letters (a,b,c, etc.) are used if even more details needed.
The decimal structure is similar to the alphanumeric structure but it has one difference. Here we use only numerals. Some people prefer this structure type because it might be easier to display the connection between each of the elements.
- Outline begins with 1.0 and continues with 2.0, 3.0, etc. determining the beginning of every new section.
- For every new information point, we change the number after the dot. For instance, when we add information to the paragraph with number 3.0, we name a new piece of information 3.1, 3.2, and so on.
- In case if further details are needed we simply add more decimals. In our case, it will look like 3.1.1, 3.2.1, etc.
NOTE: Decide on the length of sentences in your outline. Full sentences will be useful if you want to provide more thorough information while brief ones will help you keep your outline short and concise.
As promised, here you can find instances of outlines for different essay types.
First of all, we need to determine what essay type we are going to write. To do that we need to identify what it is we are trying to achieve with our writing. Are we try to persuade our audience, enlighten, entertain, are we willing to provide research, a review or else?
Let’s go through some of these.
A narrative essay is a type of an assignment one usually has to perform while in school. It is the least complicated kind of writing because you don't have to perform any sort of research. The most common topic for such an essay would “How I spent my summer vacation”. The narrative essay has to be engaging. To do so you have to:
- conduct a thrilling plot.
- include a conflict.
- make bright characters.
- exaggerate, but do not lie.
One of the best strategies to make your writing entertaining is to use your imagination. Let it fill your essay with details and language that will make your story come alive. Describe smells, emotions, feelings, and so on. However, keep in mind that, in most of the cases, narrative essays are real stories.
Here is how the outline should look like:
NOTE: Coordinate information in your outline accordingly. Each section title has to have equally important information to the information that is contained in other titles.
Probably one of the most common assignments a student has to perform. This is writing where you should highlight in which ways certain things are similar to and different from one another. This is an extremely important task to perform because it stimulates your critical thinking and forces you to conduct a compelling analysis.
I am not going to describe the whole process of writing a comparison essay in this article, however, I will provide you with certain tips:
- Use cue words (also, like, similar to, unlike, compared to, nevertheless, etc.)
- Include only valuable point (what’s informative, relevant, interesting, etc.)
- Be more specific in your thesis.
By the last point, I mean that you should write something like “BMW and Mercedes-Benz provide the same product, however, their marketing strategy differs” instead of “This essay will compare BMW and Mercedes-Benz”.
This is what your outline should look like:
This one is very similar to a comparative essay in terms of bringing arguments to support your opinion, however, in this case, you should provide arguments on both sides of the same medal. When writing such an essay remember to:
- Pick a topic you are interested in (the reader will always notice your disinterest).
- Provide good arguments (be concrete).
- Research as much as possible (surprise your reader with new facts).
When working on your argument collect valuable sources as scientific magazines, academic journals, documentaries, newspapers, and so on.
NOTE: If one of the major sections of your outline starts with a verb in one sense, the rest of your sections should start with a verb in the same tense. It is called a parallel structure.
Firstly, I would love to say thank you for staying with me for that long. Secondly, let's sum everything up, what have we learned (hopefully) from this piece:
- what a paper outline is;
- we learned how to compile one;
- we now know how to distinguish various types of outlines;
- you have received outline samples for your future works.
“Learn all you can learn. Never stop learning”. - Gza
I bet you don’t need it but I have decided to include this video developed by the writing center of North Carolina University where you can get slightly more information on the same topic and enrich your knowledge.
If you are wanting to know how to write an essay outline, follow the four steps below:
- Determine the aim of your essay outline
Consider the thesis statement. It might not have the right wording yet, but you will have a rough idea of what point you’re planning on making and defending in the paper. Having clear aims means you can work through all of the notes you made when brainstorming and craft your outline so that your essay mentions all of the key points that support your objective.
- Get rid of the fluff
When brainstorming, you’ll likely have covered all possible avenues and have lots of ideas and information.
Now that you’re writing your outline, you need to pick apart your notes and choose the points that are the most important in supporting your thesis statement.
For all pieces of information, you should consider how the point proves your argument. If it’s easy to link it with a thoughtful and clear response, you should use it.
- Choose the main point of each paragraph
From your chosen points, decide on what will form the body of your essay and look at how well they link and flow with one another. Also note down statistics, anecdotes, and facts that support each point. These will be part of the essay outline.
- Write an essay outline using a template
When you’ve decided on your key points for writing, you’re ready to write an outline. You should look for a structure to follow for the type of essay that you’re writing. This will mean you have an organized, clear frame to work with and flesh out during your first draft. Different essays require different outlines. Expository essays, for example, have a different essay outline template for APA papers.
When writing an expository essay, you shouldn't just use a basic essay outline. There is a specific college essay outline format to follow. With an expository essay, you’re investing a topic, evaluating evidence, and presenting the idea wholly to your reader. Here is an example of an expository essay outline to help you write yours:
Topic: why the length of the academic year should be reduced
Shortening the academic year would improve the quality of life for teachers, parents, and students while districts reap the benefits of lower costs and higher scores
Here is an example outline for an essay when writing an MLA paper:
Introductory sentence: Stonehenge is steeped in ancient history
Link sentence for thesis: At thirteen feet in height, SH is among the oldest structures in England.
II – Thesis
Paper description – this essay describes the purpose behind Stonehenge and details its construction.
First claim/argument – Stonehenge was constructed in 3001 BC.
Second claim/argument – Stonehenge is a place of religious worship.
Third claim/argument – similar structures exist throughout Europe.
III – Body 1st paragraph:
Ref: studies suggest Stonehenge’s circulation ditch was created in 3000 BC or thereabouts
Claim/explanation – Pagans came together as the stone age was ending and began the first part of the construction.
Linking sentence: This brings up beliefs at the time.
IV – Body 2nd Paragraph
Ref: Towards the end of Tudor times, people believed ancient Britons would place stones for religious reasons.
Claim/explanation – from the second millennium AD to now, Paganism is a common explanation for the construction of Stonehenge.
Linking sentence: More evidence about the structure
V – Body 3rd Paragraph
Ref: Stones similar to Stonehenge began emerging circa 1100BC
Claim/explanation – people believe migrants built the structure
VI – Conclusion
Summary – great interest in ancient stones with assumptions and scientific evidence
Concluding statement: There is no clear explanation on how the structure was built
VII – References
If you are writing an APA essay, here is an APA outline template to follow.
APA Title Page
Title: Cell phone use and its dangers
Introduction:
Introductory sentence – Of all the positives they bring, cell phones have a huge, negative impact on our lives.
Linking sentence: mobile technology use is out of control
Description: This paper describes the negative effect and dangers of cell phone use on humans and how they can be socially depriving as well as life-threatening
1st Point: there are negative consequences to health with high cell phone use
2nd Point: human interaction suffers from high cell phone use
3rd Point: using a phone to text when driving has worse consequences than driving under the influence of alcohol.
Body 1st paragraph: Cell phones and associated health risks
Ref/evidence – cell phones use radiofrequency, which if high enough, has a thermal effect and raises body temperature. [source 1]
Claim/explanation – The phone’s radiation is carcinogenic over the long term, but the long-term effects are unknown due to the newness of the technology.
Linking sentence: this brings us to how human interaction is being destroyed by cell phone use.
Body 2nd paragraph – human interaction is being destroyed by cell phones
Ref/Evidence – using cell phones in a social situation affects conversation quality. People are less honest and open. [source 2]
Claim/explanation – people interact with each other less when mobile phones are around. Empathy has lowered.
Linking sentence: social effects aside, driving when using a cell phone brings about greater risks.
Body 3rd Paragraph – cell phone use behind the wheel
Ref/Evidence – sending a text message is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol [source 3].
Claim/explanation – driving and using a cell phone is worse in terms of impact.
Linking sentence: people are addicted to cell phones to such an extent that their health, social life, and driving are at risk.
Conclusion:
Summary of paper – thesis restated
Concluding sentence – continuing to use cell phones to excess is a major threat to humankind.
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Essay Outline
Essay Outline – An Ultimate Format Guide & Example
Published on: Sep 16, 2019
Last updated on: Dec 29, 2022
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A well-structured essay outline is needed to write an exceptional essay as it helps to shape the entire content.
Students often get worried when being assigned to draft an essay outline.
It is considered to be a challenging and complicated task but not an impossible one. So don't worry. Learning how to create an essay outline won't take much time.
Keep on reading this blog to learn more about the complete format guide of an essay outline.
What is an Essay Outline?
It is an organizational tool mainly used in academic and professional writing. It is the foundation or a roadmap of your research paper that is produced by structuring major ideas.
Though, it is not mandatory to draft an outline structure. However, it gives an impressive and professional outlook to the assignment. Even professors and readers appreciate a well-detailed structure of contents. A writer can prepare headings in the outline for the future paragraphs of the essay.
It can be helpful in the following ways:
- When there is vast data, an outline can help you identify that piece of information you need
- You will get a better understanding of the subject
- It becomes easier to explain it to the audience
How to Write an Essay Outline?
If you want to spend less time on the writing process, you should first learn how to write an outline. There are different ways of writing an outline. However, the basic essay outline structure applies to all the essay types.
Furthermore, a short essay consists of five body paragraphs. Nevertheless, it may differ for longer essays.
Here is the complete format guide to assist you in writing your college essays and academic papers.
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1. Introduction
The introduction section should be compelling enough to attract the reader’s interest. It should provide a general idea of the background information about the topic. Avoid using lengthy and irrelevant details. It can further be spiced up with a thesis statement.
A writer can also use a dramatic tone and a hook sentence to grab the reader's attention. A hook sentence engages the writer and motivates them to read your content more.
There are various forms of essay hooks that work for your introductory paragraphs. They include quotations, stories, jokes, phrases, facts, and historical dates.
Pointless and boring essays can make readers lose their interest in the beginning. Therefore, revise your sentences until you get a desired catchy hook.
Continue reading our blog to learn more about how to write an essay introduction .
- Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the main idea of an essay. It is considered to be the most crucial sentence in your essay.
The thesis statement is usually stated at the end of your introduction. It often makes a claim that directly answers your research question.
A writer has to be very specific while writing a strong and clear thesis statement. It summarizes the central theme of your essay in one sentence. Moreover, such an argument should present the hypothesis clearly that will be directly supported by evidence.
2. Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs are the linking paragraphs between the introduction and conclusion. It includes all the content of your essay. Each paragraph should contain a topic sentence and a single idea. Do not use opposing ideas as it will minimize the effectiveness of your essay.
Apart from this, your body paragraphs should serve the actual purpose of your essay. For example, while writing a persuasive essay, the content should be designed in a way to persuade the audience. Similarly, an argumentative essay should convince the audience towards your point of view.
Also, use transition words to lead the reader from one idea to another. In between, for example, in addition, moreover, furthermore, nevertheless, etc., are examples of such transition words.
3. Conclusion
Always end your essay with a strong essay conclusion . It is the last section of your paper writing that summarizes the purpose along with the findings. Moreover, it should also restate the thesis statement and the supporting points.
Similarly, this section should be kept short and precise but powerful. The presented facts should be in the present tense with proper vocabulary.
Therefore, your concluding statement should be influencing enough to leave an impact on the reader's mind.
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Essay Outline Example
A typical outline consists of five paragraphs. The basic essay outline format is given below.
Essay Outline Structure Types
The following are the two types of essay outline structure.
Alphanumeric Structure Style
The most frequently used style is the alphanumeric outline structure. The subdivisions in this structure are described as:
- Roman numbers (I, II, III, etc.) - mainly used to identify the major section while writing your outlines.
- Capital letters (A, B, C, etc.) - used to show substantial points.
- Arabic numbers (1,2,3, etc.) - used to highlight the important details.
- Lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) - used for classifying general details.
Decimal Structure Style
The writers mainly prefer this structure as it may seem easier to display. It only consists of numerals. The outline for every section usually begins with 1.0 and continues with 2.0, 3.0, etc.
Similarly, more decimals will be used when we add new information. It will look like 3.1, 3.2, etc.
Apart from this, any further details will be presented in the form of 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3. etc.
Essay Outline Template
A typical essay outline template is followed for all types of essays. Have a look at the below samples to learn how to write an outline for a perfect essay.
Essay Outline Template (PDF)
Argumentative Essay Outline
An argumentative essay presents both sides of argument. However, your side of the argument should be proved by some strong evidence and supporting details.
Argumentative Essay Outline (PDF)
Persuasive Essay Outline
It is similar to the argumentative essay. But the only difference is that the author has to convince readers about his point of view.
Persuasive Essay Outline (PDF)
Compare and Contrast Essay Outline
This type of essay identifies the similarities and differences between the two objects. A writer should focus on the difference while comparing. While contrasting, he should focus on the similarities.
Compare and Contrast Essay Outline (PDF)
Narrative Essay Outline
A narrative essay is a kind of story writing. The primary purpose is to describe an object creatively.
Narrative Essay Outline (PDF)
Expository Essay Outline
It is an essay style that describes an object and analyzes it. It should be unbiased and based entirely on the evidence.
Expository Essay Outline (PDF)
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline
It is a form of writing where the writer analyzes a topic in detail to prove a particular point of view. It is one of the types of writing which appears in the AP English exam.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline (PDF)
Synthesis Essay Outline
A synthesis essay is about taking ideas from other sources and making them into one.
Synthesis Essay Outline (PDF)
Literary Analysis Essay Outline
A literary analysis essay examines a literary piece of work. This essay proves that you have examined and evaluated literature work from different aspects.
Literary Analysis Essay Outline (PDF)
Informative Essay Outline
The main aim of writing an informative essay is to educate your readers on a certain topic.
Informative Essay Outline (PDF)
Essay Outline on Poverty
In this essay type, the writer discusses the top reasons for poverty like bribes, corruption, injustice, lawlessness, etc.
Essay Outline on Poverty (PDF)
Writing a 5 paragraph essay outline is a challenging task for most of the students. It requires a lot of skill and effort to grab the reader’s attention.
The process mentioned above made it clear how to write a well-organized outline. However, in case if you still need any help, you can always rely on professional essay writers.
FreeEssayWriter.net is a top academic writing service where you can hire a professional essay writer for your essay.
We guarantee that our experienced writers will produce 100% original content. Furthermore, you will get your plagiarism-free writing assignments by any given deadline. If you need free essays or any kind of other academic paper from scratch, we can provide the necessary help.
Feel free to contact our support team to place your order .
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five parts of an essay.
Following are the five parts of an essay:
- 1 introduction paragraph
- 3 body paragraphs
- 1 conclusion paragraph
What does an outline consist of?
An outline is a list of main points that your essay will talk about. Outlining helps you to figure out what your essay will be about and organize it.
What are the three types of outlines?
Following are the three types of outlines:
1. working outline 2. full-sentence outline 3. speaking outline
What is the purpose of an essay outline?
An outline aims to organize the most important ideas of an essay, book, or chapter in numbered form. The bigger and more important ideas are given Roman Numerals. In comparison, the smaller and less important ones are labeled with Arabic Numerals.
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Short essay outline
Create an outline for a five-paragraph essay using this short essay outline template. This example of a short essay outline includes sections for introduction, three main points, and a conclusion. This is an accessible essay outline template for Word.
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An outline is a map of your essay. It shows what information each section or paragraph will contain, and in what order. Most outlines use numbers and/or bullet points to arrange information and convey points.
Why create an outline?
Outlining is a tool we use in the writing process to help organize our ideas, visualize our paper’s potential structure, and to further flesh out and develop points. It allows the writer to understand how he or she will connect information to support the thesis statement and the claims of the paper. An outline provides the writer with a space to consider ideas easily without needing to write complete paragraphs or sentences.
Creating your outline:
Before beginning an outline, it is useful to have a clear thesis statement or clear purpose or argument, as everything else in the outline is going to work to support the thesis. Note: the outline might help inform the thesis, and therefore your thesis might change or develop within the outlining process.
Organize your outline in whatever format fits into the structure needed for the type of paper you are writing. One common outline format uses Roman numerals, letters, and numbers. Other outlines can use bullet points or other symbols. You can use whatever organizational patterns work best for you and your paper, as long as you understand your own organizational tools. Outlines can be written using complete sentences or fragments or a mix of the two.
Remember! After creating your outline, you may decide to reorganize your ideas by putting them in a different order. Furthermore, as you are writing you might make some discoveries and can, of course, always adjust or deviate from the outline as needed.
Sample Outlines:
As you can see in the outline below, the writer chose to separate the outline by topics, but could have utilized a different structure, organizing the outline by separate paragraphs, indicating what each paragraph will do or say.
- Introduction A. Background information B. Thesis
- Reason 1 A. Use quotes from x B. Use evidence from y
- Reason 2 A. Counterargument 1. They might say… 2. But…
- Conclusion A. Connect back to thesis B. Answer the “so what” or “what now” question C. End on a memorable note
Note: The sample outline above illustrates the structure of an outline, but it is quite vague. Your outline should be as specific as possible.
Proposal Outline:
- Summary/ Synopsis of proposed project • Rationale • Specific aims and objectives • Experimental approaches to be used • The potential significance
- Specific Aims • X • Y • Z
- Background and Significance • Background • Significance to current project • Significance to long-term research objectives • Critical evaluations of existing knowledge • Forward progress
- Preliminary Data • Description of prelim data to justify the rationale • Demonstrate feasibility of the project
- Experimental Design and Methods • Details of design and procedures • Protocols • Means of data analysis and interpretation • New methodology and its advantages • Potential technical difficulties or limitations/ alternative approaches
- References • Citations
Note: Outlines can look quite different. You might use Roman numerals to indicate the main point or function of that section, and then letters to indicate separate sub-points, and then even bullet points or numbers to indicate specific information, like using certain quotes, sources, evidence, or examples.
Adapted From: Los Angeles Valley College Writing Center, “How to Make an Outline” 2/2/15
Northwestern University Collaborative Learning and Integrated Mentoring in the Biosciences, “A Basic Proposal Outline”
San Jose State University Writing Center, “Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose” Spring 2014
/9c445cdf-a3a2-405a-b05c-c78a2d189d3a_1.png "essay written outline summary Main Image")
Essay Written Outline Summary
How do you write a good essay written outline summary? This sample template is ready-made and easy to customize in a word processor, like MS Word.
How do you write a good essay writing outline summary?
- For some people, writing an essay is as easy as sitting in front of a computer and starting to type. But to successfully write an essay requires more planning. If you've never written a paper, are struggling with writing, and want to improve your skills, or you're tasked with writing a paper quickly, it's a good idea to follow a few key steps in the paper writing process.
- If you need to write a dissertation, first gather information from reputable sources, such as library books or online scholarly journals. Take detailed notes and keep track of which facts come from which sources.
- When taking notes, look for a central theme to write your essay. Then organize your notes into an outline to support and explain your thesis. Based on your outline, write an introduction and follow-up paragraphs to address each critical point.
- Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence that briefly describes the main point of the paragraph. Finally, end your work with a strong conclusion that summarizes the main points.
- Adding examples - If you want to make your essay stronger, look for places where you've used an example to make a point. In most cases, you can add more examples that will show your understanding of the topic while also increasing the word count. This will make your essay much more persuasive and impressive!
- Different viewpoints to address - If you're writing an essay with a page minimum instead of a word minimum, the following suggestions will help you reach your goal while still allowing for some flexibility. You can make slight adjustments to the font and font size.
- Confirming the statements - If you find that your writing is unclear or could be improved with some examples, then, by all means, add them in! This will help to clarify your original statements and make them more persuasive.
- Search for additional sources - If you want to make your essay stronger and increase your word count, look for additional sources that support the statements and conclusions you've made. The more sources you have, the better off your essay will be in most cases.
- Using quotations - If you want to add weight to your essay and make it more persuasive, using expert quotations can be a great way to do so. By finding supporting statements from respected sources in your field, you can give your argument more credibility and make it more likely to win over readers.
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How to Outline an Essay
The purpose of writing an essay.
- To inform – An essay provides information to the readers.
- To persuade – An essay makes the reader to take actions.
- To explain – An essay helps the readers to understand a process.
- To entertain – An essay also provides an emotional experience to the readers.
What Does It Mean to Outline an Essay?
Creating the outline of the essay.
- Introduction – Part 1: Write an attention-grabbing sentence.
- Introduction – Part 2: Give your thesis statement. The thesis statement is the main idea of your essay.
- Supporting evidence for the first idea.
- Additional supporting evidence for the first idea.
- Another supporting evidence for the first idea.
- Supporting evidence for the second idea.
- Additional supporting evidence for the second idea.
- Another supporting evidence for the second idea.
- Supporting evidence for the third idea.
- Additional supporting evidence for the third idea.
- Another supporting evidence for the third idea.
- Conclusion – Part 1: Repeat your thesis statement with a different approach.
- Conclusion – Part 2: Summarize your whole essay and provide an insightful message to close your essay.
The Guidelines for an Essay Outline
- Introduction – The first part of the essay.
- Body – The main context of an essay.
- Conclusion – The summary writing of overall ideas or topics.
- The body or the main part of the essay should have a heading and a subheading to highlight important ideas or topics.
- The main ideas or topics of the essay must have a supporting details or evidence to support the ideas or topics of the essay.
- The thesis statement must always be present in the introduction and must be repeated in the essay conclusion part.
Does an Essay Outline Needs a Conclusion?
More design, 23+ free outline examples, 10+ analysis essay examples, samples, 10+ essay writing examples, samples, what are the parts of an essay, how to start an essay, 7+ descriptive essay examples, samples, 21+ essay writing examples, how to give your essay contest entries a winning edge, related articles.
- 26+ Examples of Essay Outlines
- 34+ Outline Examples in Word
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How to Write an Outline
Last Updated: September 11, 2022 References
This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 3,906,215 times.
An outline is a great way to organize ideas and information for a speech, an essay, a novel, or a study guide based on your class notes. At first, writing an outline might seem complicated, but learning how to do it will give you an essential organizational skill! Start by planning your outline and choosing a structure for it. Then, you can organize your ideas into an easy to understand outline.
Quick Outline Slideshow
Sample outlines.
Planning Your Outline
- Some people process their ideas better when they write them down. Additionally, you can easily draw diagrams or examples, which might help you conceptualize the subject. However, it might take longer to write out your outline, and it won't be as neat.
- Typing your outline might be easier if your notes are already typed on the computer, as you can just copy and paste them into your outline. Copying and pasting also allows you to easily rearrange your sections, if necessary. Also, it will be easier to copy and paste information from your outline into your paper if you type your outline. On the other hand, it's harder to jot down notes in the margins or draw out organizational diagrams.
- If you’re working on a creative project, such as a novel, identify your concept, genre, or premise. Then, allow the outlining process to help you structure your work.
- It’s okay if your topic is somewhat broad when you first start, but you should have a direction. For example, your history paper topic could be French life during the German occupation of France in World War II. As you write your outline, you might narrow this down to the resistance fighters called maquisards .
- For a school assignment, review the assignment sheet or talk to your instructor. If the outline is for work, use an existing outline as a model for yours.
- If you are the only person who will see the outline, you can choose formatting that works for you. For example, you might write your outline in shorthand.
- Paraphrased ideas
- Historical facts
- Freewrite as ideas come to you.
- Create a mind map .
- Write your thoughts on index cards.
- For example, you may be writing a paper about policy change. Your thesis might read, “Policy makers should take an incremental approach when making policy changes to reduce conflict, allow adjustments, and foster compromise.” Each of the 3 reasons listed in your thesis will become its own main point in your outline.
Structuring Your Outline
- Roman Numerals - I, II, III, IV, V
- Capitalized Letters - A, B, C
- Arabic Numerals - 1, 2, 3
- Lowercase Letters - a, b, c
- Arabic Numerals in Parentheses - (1), (2), (3)
- 1.1.1 - Each side presents a case before the vote
- 1.1.2 - Citizens voice their opinion
- 1.2 - Neither side gets everything they want
- You might use short phrases to quickly organize your ideas, to outline a speech, or to create an outline that’s just for you.
- You might use full sentences to make it easier to write a final paper, to make a good study guide, or to fulfill the requirements of an assignment.
Organizing Your Ideas
- If you jotted down your ideas or made a mind map, use different colored highlighters to identify ideas that belong in the same group.
- Sort your index cards, if you used them to brainstorm. Put cards with related ideas together. For example, you can put them in stacks, or you can line your cards out in rows to make them easier to read.
- For example, your main point might be that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein champions emotion over reason. Your subpoints might be that Victor Frankenstein is restored by nature and that his scientific efforts create a monster. As supporting details, you might include quotes from the book.
- If you're writing a story or presenting a historical argument, a chronological order makes sense. For an essay or speech, pick the subtopic with the most supporting materials, and lead with this argument. From there, order your major subtopics so each one naturally flows into the next.
- Your broad ideas should connect back to your thesis or controlling idea. If they don’t, rewrite your thesis to reflect the main ideas you’re putting into your outline.
- Hook to grab the audience
- 1-2 general statements about your topic
- Phrase outline: II. Frankenstein champions emotion over reason
- Full sentence outline: II. In Frankenstein , Mary Shelley champions the use of emotion over reason.
- Depending on the purpose of your outline, you might have more subpoints. For example, a novel may have many subpoints. Similarly, a study guide will likely have several subpoints, as well.
- In an essay, this is often where you “prove” your argument.
- For a creative work, you might include essential details you must include in that scene, such as an internal conflict in your main character.
- Similar to subpoints, you may have more supporting details, depending on your purpose. A novel or study guide will likely have more supporting details.
- Roman Numeral
- Capital Letter
- Arabic Numeral
- Lowercase Letter
- Arabic Numeral in Parentheses
- Restate your thesis.
- 1-2 summarizing sentences.
- Write a concluding statement.
Finalizing Your Outline
- This also gives you a chance to look for missing parts or ideas that aren’t fully fleshed. If you see areas that leave questions unanswered, it’s best to fill in those gaps in information.
- If you are making an outline for yourself, you might not worry about this.
- It’s a good idea to have someone else check it for errors, as it’s often hard to recognize errors in your own work.
- While you edit your outline, refer back to your assignment sheet or rubric to make sure you've completely fulfilled the assignment. If not, go back and correct the areas that are lacking.
- You can use more layers if you want to include more information.
- You might also include additional layers for a long creative work or a detailed study guide.
Expert Q&A
- Be concise and straightforward in your outline. This doesn't have to be perfectly polished writing; it just has to get your point across. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
- Don't be afraid to eliminate irrelevant information as you conduct more research about your topic and narrow your focus. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- You can use outlines as a memorization tool . Choose concise words to trigger a concept. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Generally, you should avoid only having one point or sub-point on any outline level. If there is an A, either come up with a B or fold A's idea into the next level up. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
- Your outline should not be your essay in a different form. Only write down the major assertions, not every single detail. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
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- ↑ https://www.iup.edu/writingcenter/writing-resources/organization-and-structure/creating-an-outline.html
- ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/outlining
- ↑ https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~cinichol/271/OutlinesHowTo.htm
- ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/02/
- ↑ http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/7-steps-to-creating-a-flexible-outline-for-any-story
- ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/03/
- ↑ http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/outline.html
About This Article
The easiest way to write an outline is to gather all of your supporting materials, like quotes, statistics, or ideas, before getting started. Next, go over your materials and take notes, grouping similar ideas together. Then, organize your ideas into subtopics and use your materials to provide at least two supporting points per subtopic. Be sure to keep your outline concise and clear, since you’ll have to refer to it later! For more help on how to plan and organize your outline, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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How to Write an Essay Outline?
28 August, 2020
8 minutes read
Author: Tomas White
Now that the school year has begun, you will start to receive many essay assignments. One way to organize your thoughts before writing is to create an essay outline. What is an essay outline? It's a tool that helps you organize your ideas and write a better essay. In this article, we will discuss why writing an outline for your essay is helpful, how it will improve your writing, and how to go about creating one.
What is an Essay Outline?
An outline is a tool that you can use for organizing your ideas and structuring your essay in a proper manner. It should summarize your essay and help you organize your content in a logical order. An outline can guide you throughout the writing process and remind you of what you should be writing about. Most commonly, an essay is written following a 5-paragraph structure, addressing the key points that you have laid out in the outline. Below, you will find more about the proper structure of your essay outline and what these 5 paragraphs should include.
Why Do You Need It?
Sitting down to write an essay can be overwhelming. Writing an outline helps alleviate some of that frustration. Furthermore, it will help you organize thoughts, present ideas logically and with a natural flow, as well as clarify your thesis and conclusion.
Find out the basic essay information with this article: What is an Essay?
Overall, an outline will help you communicate your point in a clear and organized format. The structure of your essay will rely on the outline you compose.
Preparing Your Outline
Before you begin writing an outline for the essay, make sure you understand the assignment. Namely, what exactly is the instructor looking for? Our essay writer recommends you to follow these simple steps:
1. Develop a Topic
The first step in your outline is to identify your topic. Once you have a clear understanding of the instructor’s expectations, begin brainstorming topics that fit within the assignment. Make a list of ideas and pick the ones that are of your interest. If you are stuck between a few ideas, begin free writing. Give yourself 5 minutes for each idea and just write everything that first comes to mind without editing or stopping. The idea that inspires you the most may just be the perfect essay topic for this assignment. In fact, essays are easier to write and read if the author is passionate about what he/she is writing.
Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Compare&Contrast essay topics
2. Identify the purpose, audience, and argument/ideas
Once you have developed a topic, you will need to define the purpose (or the reason) for writing this essay as well as who you are writing for. By having a clear understanding of the purpose, the audience, and the necessary arguments/ideas that need to be addressed, you will be better prepared to write an influential essay.
Take a second to look back over the instructions for the assignment and ask yourself the following questions.
- What are the objectives of the assignment?
- Are there keywords that stand out in the instructions?
- Are you being asked to persuade, entertain, enlighten, or educate your audience?
- Who is your audience? Is it the teacher, the other students, or someone else?
- What arguments or counter ideas might the audience have for your topic/idea?
- What emotions might these ideas bring up and how can you counterbalance them with facts?
3. Develop a thesis statement
Now that you know your topic, purpose, audience and have developed your main arguments/ideas – it is time to write your thesis statement . A thesis is only one to two sentences long and highlights the question your essay will be answering. It does not state your opinion or list facts though, but rather identifies what you will be arguing for or against within the body of your essay. Keep in mind that thesis statements must be accurate, clear, and relevant to the topic.
Structuring Your Outline
Now that you have read the above information, the question is: how to write an essay outline?
First, decide on what structure to use. There are two main essay outline formats to choose from: alphanumeric and decimal .
The alphanumeric format uses Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, etc), capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.), Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), and lowercase letters (a, b, c, d, etc.). This one is more common than the other.
On the contrary, the decimal format only uses numbers. It begins with 1.0. Subsections add a decimal. The most important points under 1.0 would be 1.1, 1.2, etc. The subsections beneath 1.1 would be 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, etc. For a visual example of an essay outline scroll to the bottom of this article.
For the visual examples of the stated outline formats, scroll down to the bottom of this article.
Apply sub-section structure. The more detailed content of your essay will be found within the sub-sections, while the main sections are your fundamental ideas and arguments. Therefore, the sub-sections are the facts that support main sections. Think of the section title as the topic sentence for your paragraph and the sub-section as the tiny details that explain the idea of the topic. Notably, your sub-sections need to flow naturally from one to another.
Integrate paragraphs into your outline. Start fleshing out your section and subsection notes. Your introduction will need to include your topic and thesis statement. For a short essay, this only needs to be one paragraph long. Then, refer to your assignment instructions to clarify the length. Next is the body part – a ‘skeleton’ on which the entire essay is based. This section will consist of several paragraphs, each playing a supportive role in the filling of your thesis. The final section of your outline is the conclusion. This is a summary of everything you have stated in your essay. In this part, paraphrase your thesis statement and highlight the arguments made within the essay to support it. Remember that presenting new ideas and concepts in the concluding sentences is a big academic mistake. Rather, your final words should only emphasize the points you’ve indicated earlier and focus on the already-highlighted ideas.
Essay Outline Examples
Now, it’s time to showcase the most common essay outline types. For you to get the right idea of what an outline actually is, we have transformed the content of the article you are currently reading into an outline.
Alphanumeric format essay outline sample:
Decimal format essay outline sample:
Drawing the Line
Now that you know how to use an essay outline, you are well on your way to writing clear, persuasive essays. This tool will help you improve your writing and earn a higher grade for your essay. Now it’s time for you to get started and make use of this tool.
In case you have any questions, you are free to skim through our essay writing guide where you can find helpful information on how to plan, structure and write different types of essays.
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Example essay outlines
Below are two examples of essay outlines that were written in response to the essay question: ‘Explain the relationship between police culture and police accountability’.
Version 1 reflects the sort of plans that many students produce. While it works as a starting point, it needs to be further developed. It’s very descriptive, and requires a stronger argument and deeper analysis. Version 2, on the other hand, presents a clear argument. It states the contention in the introduction, followed by a series of supporting points that are based on evidence.
- Doesn’t answer the essay question in the introduction.
- The contention is stated in the conclusion, but needs to be stated in the introduction, and then developed throughout the entire essay.
- Paragraphs describe particular theories/ideas but don’t analyse them or say how they help to answer the essay question.
- States the contention in the introduction.
- Claims are presented in response to the essay question (in the topic sentences), and are supported by analysed evidence.
- Conclusion sums up the argument and reflects on implications.
Essay examples
The essay examples linked below can provide you with more context on how to write an essay in your discipline.
Art History and Theory essay
Art history essay, education annotated essay, history essay, literary studies essays, pharmacy and pharmaceutical science essay, sample business and economics essay, writing philosophy essays, quick study guide to writing essays.
Sample Outline and Essay
Below you will find a sample outline and the essay written from that outline.
Paragraph 1 (Introduction)
I. Leading sentence: "It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life."
II. Summary of main points: "I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit."
Paragraph 2 (First Supporting Point)
I. Transition sentence: "My mother's enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel."
II. Supporting point: Her mother's enthusiasm for learning.
III. Evidence: Learning through travel by using the example of a trip to Greece.
Paragraph 3 (Second Supporting Point)
I. Transition sentence: "While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house."
II. Supporting point: Her mother's dedication to the community.
III. Evidence: Her multiple volunteer activities such as helping at the local soup kitchen.
Paragraph 4 (Conclusion)
I. Transition sentence: "Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it."
II. Reiteration of main points: "She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity."
III. Taking it one step further: "Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my mother will always be by my side."
COMPLETED ESSAY
Note: The following essay was not edited by EssayEdge Editors. It appears as it was initially reviewed by admissions officers.
It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life. She's the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four children, and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of every major project to assist Washington's impoverished citizens. Growing up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.
My mother's enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was nine years old when my family visited Greece. Every night for three weeks before the trip, my older brother Peter and I sat with my mother on her bed reading Greek myths and taking notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old twins, we managed to be at each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly remember standing in an empty amphitheatre pretending to be an ancient tragedian, picking out my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum, and inserting our family into modified tales of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half a dozen passport stamps later I have come to value what I have learned on these journeys about global history, politics and culture, as well as my family and myself.
While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house. As a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to (name deleted), a local soup kitchen and children's center. While she attended meetings, I helped with the Summer Program by chasing children around the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected the "floating paintbrush" trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with the five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane Doe, an exceptionally strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At the end of the summer, I decided to continue my work at (name deleted) as Jane's tutor. Although the position is often difficult, the personal rewards are beyond articulation. In the seven years since I first walked through the doors of (name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of giving to others, but also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.
Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it. While the raw experiences I have had at home and abroad have been spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by watching my mother. She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to humanity. In her endless love of everything and everyone she is touched by, I have seen a hope and life that is truly exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my mother will always be by my side.
Continue to: Short Essay Strategies
- Sample Essays: Influential Person
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Introduce your primary persuasive argument and provide supporting details in your argumentative essay outline. Topic Sentence: Competitive swimming provides the same benefits as other sports. Detail Sentence 1: It is good exercise and builds muscular strength. Detail Sentence 2: It promotes cooperation among team members, especially in relays.
Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay. Argumentative essay outline This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet's impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.
The sample PDF in the Media Box above is an example of an outline that a student might create before writing an essay. In order to organize her thoughts and make sure that she has not forgotten any key points that she wants to address, she creates the outline as a framework for her essay. What is the assignment?
When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps: Step 1: Select a topic. Step 2: Identify a position. Step 3: Locate appropriate resources. Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position. ( NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)
Essay outline examples Now that you know how to write an outline, analyze the samples below to get a better idea of how to apply this theory in practice. Each sample outline was hand-picked to make sure it corresponds to all key principles of creating one. CLICK OR TAP ON THE IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD ITS PDF Bottom line
An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes: Introduction State the topic Thesis statement Body Paragraph 1 Introduction Examples Explanation A conclusion that ties to the thesis Body Paragraph 2 Introduction Examples Explanation
The introductory paragraph is the first section of an exemplification essay. In this part, you have to write an introduction to your readers about what they will learn in the whole paper. Start with a sentence known as a hook that grabs the reader's attention. It can take any form, such as a quote, funny statement, or fact.
1. Use ChatGPT to generate essay ideas. Before you can even get started writing an essay, you need to flesh out the idea. When professors assign essays, they generally give students a prompt that ...
This is an example of how difficult it is to come to a single conclusion with this argument, and why it is a debate that still goes on today. One obvious argument that can be made against the claim that video games cause violence is the fact that the vast majority of murderers are between the ages of 25 and 44 (Statista,2020).
Informative Essay Outline Informative Essay Outline Format 2. Narrative Essay Outline There are different outlines of essays, but most analytical, interpretive, or persuasive writing follow the same outline. Use the outline below to create your own. Introduction Introduction - An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the ...
Step 3: Create an Outline An outline is a roadmap for your essay and will help you to organize your thoughts and ideas. A standard essay outline includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Step 4: Write the Introduction In the introduction, provide background information on social media and introduce your thesis statement.
E. Outline example 1. example outline of this section As you can see, you use only the lines you need—not every paragraph needs markers for subtopics, and not every subtopic needs specific details. It's also worth noting that there is no official structure for outlining.
Here is an outline example for a personal essay: Title: The Two Best Birthdays of my Life Introduction Introducing your feelings about birthdays and how you like to celebrate yours Thesis: The two best birthdays of my life were my 17th and 22nd My 17th birthday I got my driver's license and drove to my first concert with my best friends
Here is a sample of a compare and contrast essay outline on two different types of pets, dogs, and cats: I. Introduction. A. Hook statement. B. Background information on dogs and cats. C. Thesis statement. II. Body Paragraphs. Body Paragraph A: Characteristics of dogs. Physical appearance; Personality traits; Training and behavior
Example of an essay introduction The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France.
Interview essay examples have outlines based on the information gathered during an interview. With other types of essay, how do you make an essay outline? Here are steps on creating an outline: Choose a topic you want to discuss in your essay. If this is an argument, choose where you stand on that.
How to Outline an Essay: Basic Essay Outline Template. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 3 min read. Essay outlines are excellent tools for organizing your writing. A strong outline can turn a meandering essay into a focused, persuasive piece of writing.
Expository Essay Outline Example. When writing an expository essay, you shouldn't just use a basic essay outline. There is a specific college essay outline format to follow. With an expository essay, you're investing a topic, evaluating evidence, and presenting the idea wholly to your reader. Here is an example of an expository essay outline ...
Essay Outline Example A typical outline consists of five paragraphs. The basic essay outline format is given below. (back to top) Essay Outline Structure Types The following are the two types of essay outline structure. Alphanumeric Structure Style The most frequently used style is the alphanumeric outline structure.
Create an outline for a five-paragraph essay using this short essay outline template. This example of a short essay outline includes sections for introduction, three main points, and a conclusion. This is an accessible essay outline template for Word. Word Download Share More templates like this
Outlining is a tool we use in the writing process to help organize our ideas, visualize our paper's potential structure, and to further flesh out and develop points. It allows the writer to understand how he or she will connect information to support the thesis statement and the claims of the paper. An outline provides the writer with a space ...
When taking notes, look for a central theme to write your essay. Then organize your notes into an outline to support and explain your thesis. Based on your outline, write an introduction and follow-up paragraphs to address each critical point. Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence that briefly describes the main point of the paragraph.
Use the outline below to create your own. Introduction Introduction - Part 1: Write an attention-grabbing sentence. Introduction - Part 2: Give your thesis statement. The thesis statement is the main idea of your essay. Body First main idea: The most important idea or topic of your essay Supporting evidence for the first idea.
Sort your index cards, if you used them to brainstorm. Put cards with related ideas together. For example, you can put them in stacks, or you can line your cards out in rows to make them easier to read. 2. Put each group in order from broad ideas to specific details.
Essay Outline Examples. Now, it's time to showcase the most common essay outline types. For you to get the right idea of what an outline actually is, we have transformed the content of the article you are currently reading into an outline. Alphanumeric format essay outline sample: Decimal format essay outline sample: Drawing the Line
Example essay outlines Example essay outlines Below are two examples of essay outlines that were written in response to the essay question: 'Explain the relationship between police culture and police accountability'. Version 1 reflects the sort of plans that many students produce.
Below you will find a sample outline and the essay written from that outline. OUTLINE. Paragraph 1 (Introduction) I. Leading sentence: "It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has been on my life." II. Summary of main points: "I not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something new, but I also came to understand the ...
Descriptive essay outline example - Intro. Adding details to your paper with the help of enriched English vocabulary and online dictionaries. It is a good idea to write a final sentence that relates to the main point of your paper. Importance of creating Descriptive Essay Outline Template To write great essays, descriptive essay outline ...