That’s okay. I can’t blame you—writing an expository essay can be frustrating. It doesn’t have to be that difficult, though. All you need is a gentle push in the right direction. That’s what I’m here for.

In this post, I’ll show you how to write an expository essay outline. I’ve even included a downloadable outline template you can use to create your own outline.

But Wait … What’s an Expository Essay?

That’s a great question. Sadly, the answer is probably a bit more vague than you want it to be. An expository essay is a catch-all category that describes any essay where you thoroughly expose the inner workings of a topic and teach the reader something new.

In fact, this blog post could be considered an informal expository essay.

Usually, your teacher will ask you to write an expository essay to prove that you have done your research on a subject. Your goal is to effectively explain what a reader needs to know about the topic and answer relevant and interesting questions.

For the purpose of this blog post, let’s say we’re writing an expository essay on the effects of social media on daily life. (I grabbed this idea straight from Crystal’s blog post about expository writing—if you haven’t read it yet, you should hop over there now. I’ll wait).

My goal in this expository essay is to expose interesting information about the topic through the revelation of factual evidence.

To avoid the daunting stare of the blank page and to ensure your information is organized, always start with an outline.

Expository Essay Outline Structure

There is more than one way to pattern an expository essay, including sequential, cause and effect, compare and contrast, spatial, topical, and many other patterns.

Since we’re writing about the effects of social media, we’ll use a cause and effect pattern for this example. (Remember, just because you’re using a cause and effect pattern, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need to focus on both causes and effects. Check your assignment guidelines to see what your teacher requires.)

Here’s how the general structure will look for this sample outline:

1. INTRODUCTION

A. Hook
B. Background
C. Thesis

2. FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH

A. Main idea 1
B. Evidence to support main idea 1
C. Evidence to support main idea 1
D. Analysis

3. BODY PARAGRAPH 2

A. Main idea 2
B. Evidence to support main idea 2
C. Evidence to support main idea 2
D. Analysis

4. BODY PARAGRAPH 3

A. Main idea 3
B. Evidence to support main idea 3
C. Evidence to support main idea 3
D. Analysis

5. CONCLUSION

A. Restate or summarize your thesis or focus
B. Discuss the larger significance/implications of topic or reveal unanswered questions

Here’s a graphic in case you’d like a visual reminder to follow along with:

Now, keep reading to see what a sample outline might look like with the details filled in.

Expository Essay Outline: Introductory Paragraph

Hook

Start with a hook sentence to get your readers’ attention. Remember, your hook should be both interesting and directly related to your topic.

My hook might look something like this:

Is social media ruining people’s lives?

By posing such a salient question right off the bat, I’m encouraging readers to continue reading.

(What if it is ruining lives?!)

Background

Provide background and context for the topic. Don’t assume your readers know anything about social media or its effects (as one of my English professors once taught me, to assume makes an ass out of u and me).

For example, I might include the following as background:

Social media allows people to connect online, keep in touch with family and friends, market themselves, or connect with customers. With the abundance of social media platforms—such as Twitter, SnapChat, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook (to name a few)—people can spend countless hours in virtual connectivity.

Thesis statement

Write a clear, focused thesis statement. The thesis statement is like a roadmap to your paper. It’s where you get to the point of your essay.

My thesis statement might be something like this:

Even though social media can be a great tool to connect with others, most people don’t realize how much social media interferes with their daily lives.

(If your expository essay takes an argumentative stance, you might want to check out these examples of argumentative thesis statements with a more serious tone.)

What exactly your thesis statement might look like depends a lot on what your prof requires, obviously. But it also depends on the exact type of expository essay you’re writing and the scope of your topic. Make sure you get the structure right by considering any thesis statement myths it might be okay to ignore for your specific essay.

Expository Essay Outline: Body Paragraphs

Now that you’ve caught your readers’ attention, brought them up to speed on the basics, and laid out your thesis statement, your body paragraphs are set up to offer a deeper investigation into the topic of your essay.

The exact number of body paragraphs you incorporate will depend entirely on the parameters of your assignment and/or topic. My example includes three body paragraphs.

Each body paragraph should include the following elements:

• A topic sentence that gives the main idea of your paragraph.

• Factual evidence that answers your question or supports your thesis. In my example, I’ve incorporated two pieces of factual evidence for each topic, but your essay may use more or fewer.

• Your analysis of said evidence. This is where you dig in with your commentary on the importance of the evidence. (Remember to check with your teacher about point of view. Even though this is your analysis, you will likely need to write in third person point of view.)

• A good transition sentence to weave your essay together and seamlessly connect ideas. (Without the use of transitions, your essay can seem choppy and like a random set of vaguely related points.)

Because this example will include the effects of social media on daily life, each paragraph will focus on one key effect. (Remember, separate your main ideas into individual paragraphs. Don’t try to cram everything into one ginormous paragraph.)

Body paragraph 1

Main idea 1: Because it’s so accessible and distracting, social media is an easy way to procrastinate, which causes people to miss deadlines and fail to meet other obligations.

• Evidence: Students who don’t feel like writing an essay can easily spend hours on social media in order to avoid working on their papers. Because students wasted time, they don’t have enough time to work on their papers and end up with a lousy grade (or worse yet, failing the course).

• Evidence: People who aren’t engaged at their jobs could use every free moment to check social media to procrastinate and avoid their real work, such as someone who should be clearing tables. Procrastinating too much means that too many tables in the restaurant are dirty, customers don’t have any place to sit, and the person is soon fired for spending too much time on Twitter—#Unemployed.

Analysis: Some people who use social media as a way to procrastinate (or avoid other tasks completely) may experience minimal consequences, but extreme procrastination due to excessive time on social media can lead to life-changing negative effects.

Body paragraph 2

Main idea 2: Too much time on social media can make someone anti-social.

• Evidence: Before social media, a self-proclaimed cat lady who preferred to spend time with her cats would still need to hang out with people once in awhile to maintain social connections. After spending more and more time on social media, she withdraws from the real world and spends all her time with her cats and online with people who adore their cats as much as she does.

• Evidence: Before social media, college students might go to the movies with friends or to someone’s house to binge-watch their favorite zombie series. With heavy use of social media, those same college students might become more and more like zombies themselves, staring at the TV and chatting only with online friends through seven seasons of Zombie Apocalypse.

Analysis: Moderate use of social media can be an awesome way to connect with friends. Too much time spent on social media, however, makes it easy for people to become isolated, living only in the virtual world.

Body paragraph 3

Main idea 3: Social media can make people feel inadequate or that they’re living a boring life.

• Evidence: After a perfectly normal day of going to the grocery store, doing laundry, and catching up on homework, a woman checks Instagram, and she sees her best friend at the Super Bowl. Doing laundry hardly compares to attending the game, so she feels like her life isn’t as good as her friend’s.

• Evidence: A person scrolls through Pinterest and sees a friend’s version of the newest trending craft: an amazing bottle cap wall art masterpiece worthy of a spot in MoMA. When she compares her own attempt to her friend’s, she feels that her creation is only worthy of the garbage can.

Analysis: Even though people may be talented and lead perfectly normal lives, comparing their lives to their friends’ on social media can lead people to feel that they can’t compete and simply aren’t as good as others.

Expository Essay Outline: Concluding Paragraph

Finally, it’s time to write your concluding paragraph. In this paragraph, you can do any of the following:

Summarize your question or thesis

To focus on something that summarizes my thesis, I might write the following:

Though social media is an excellent tool to connect people, it’s important to use it wisely as it can do more harm than good.

Discuss the larger significance of the topic

A conclusion focused on the larger significance of my topic might include a statement like this:

Social media is a powerful tool that can end up creating an isolated society full of procrastinating, distracted people with feelings of inadequacy.

Reveal unanswered questions

A conclusion focused on unanswered questions about my topic might include this statement:

Even though social media can be used to connect people, wouldn’t it just be better to speak with people in person?

If you find you need more help with outlining and shaping the concluding paragraph, read these posts:

• 20 Essay Conclusion Examples to Help You Finish Strong
• Loose Ends: How to End an Essay With Authority
• Wrap It Up: 15 (Better) Concluding Transitions

Expository Essay Outline Download

If you’re in the position where you need to write an expository essay but aren’t sure where to begin, feel free to get started with this expository essay outline template (Word .doc download).

Check out these example expository essays if you need writing inspiration to get started.

If you have a draft and are looking for even more help with the finishing touches of your paper, you might find these posts helpful:

• How to Title an Essay When You’re Absolutely Stumped
• 33 Commonly Misused Words (and How to Get Them Right)
• 5 Punctuation Rules You Need to Know
• Why Eliminating Wordiness Is So Important for Your Essay

Once you’ve shaped your outline into a completed essay, get a Kibin editor to review your paper before you turn it in. We’ve edited tens of thousands of papers, and we can help you with yours too.

Good luck!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on August 11, 2014, but has been updated for freshness and relevance.

Stuck on Your Expository Essay?

Check out these example expository essays.

Yes! Show Me Examples.

I’ve said it time and time again—there’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page. Putting together an argumentative essay outline is the perfect way to turn your blank document into a ready-to-use template. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you how to create an argumentative essay outline. At the end, I’ll give you a downloadable skeleton outline you can use to get started.

Argumentative Essay Outline Structure

If you distill your argumentative essay outline down to its basics, you’ll find that it’s made of four main sections:

1. Introduction
2. Key arguments
3. Counterargument and rebuttal
4. Conclusion

That’s not so bad, is it? There’s really nothing to be afraid of.

Here’s how your argumentative essay outline would look if you turned it into a pretty picture:

Let’s break down the four elements and take a look at what needs to be incorporated into each.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 1: Introduction

The introduction is where you lay the foundation for your impenetrable argument. It’s made up of a hook, background information, and a thesis statement.

Hook sentence

Your first sentence is comprised of a hook that grabs readers’ attention just like a good Jackie Chan movie grabs the attention of a martial arts fan. It’s a sentence that will intrigue your readers and make them want to learn more.

For instance, let’s say you’re writing an argumentative essay about why Americans should start eating insects.

The hook could be something like this:

For those interested in improving their diets and the environment, say goodbye to eating chicken, fish, and beef and hello to eating silkworms, crickets, and caterpillars.

This hook sentence grabs the attention of the audience. It also makes them want to learn more about how eating insects can improve not only their health but also the environment.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a good hook, I recommend reading these posts:

• How to Write Good Hook Sentences
• What Is a Hook Sentence? (Infographic)
• How to Write Attention Grabbers that Work

Background information

The next part of your intro is dedicated to offering some detailed background information on the topic. This will help readers understand the topic and set the stage for the focus of your paper.

Not sure what to include as background information?

Try answering the following questions:

• What is the issue at hand?
• Who cares?
• Where is this issue prevalent?
• Why is it important?
• Who does it affect?
• How long has the issue been a concern?

You might write something like this as your background information if you’re trying to convince readers that they should eat insects:

Insects are abundant, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable. Currently, people in the United States shun the idea of eating insects as part of their diets, favoring instead less nutritious and environmentally destructive food options, such as beef and pork. The UN has even issued a statement calling for more world citizens to embrace the many benefits of eating insects.

In just a few sentences, you’ve given readers a better understanding of your topic. You’ve explained that most people shun insects in favor of more traditional American meats, such as beef and pork (even though consuming these meats causes more harm to the environment).

You’ve also started to establish yourself as an authoritative and credible writer by referencing the UN, an organization that also supports the idea of including insects in a healthy diet.

Thesis statement

A thesis statement typically makes up the last sentence of your introduction paragraph and provides a roadmap to your paper. In an argumentative essay, the thesis statement should clearly state your position on the topic and give a reason for your stance.

In our essay about eating insects, the thesis statement might look like this:

A diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change; therefore, US citizens should learn to rely on a variety of insects over chicken, beef, and fish as their main source of protein and nutrition.

Notice the word “should” in the thesis statement? Using this word makes it clear you’re taking a stance on the argument.

You’ll also notice that this thesis statement sets up three claims to expand on later: a diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change.

Looking for additional help crafting the perfect thesis statement for your essay? Read these posts:

• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Turn a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One

If you need a few examples before you start writing your own thesis, take a look at these example argumentative thesis statements.

Once your introduction is in place, you can move on to the next section and develop the key arguments that will support your thesis statement.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 2: Key Arguments

In the sample outline above, there are three claims, each backed by three points of evidence. Offering three claims is just a suggestion. You may find that you have more claims to make.

(Keep in mind that your assignment may already dictate how many claims are required for your specific paper, so make sure to read the assignment guidelines again carefully before starting.)

Developing a claim

A claim is a statement you make to support your argument. It’s generally one of the key arguments of your paper and often the topic sentence of a paragraph. (If you write a three-part thesis statement, it’s also usually one of the three points listed.)

So if you want to make a claim about eating insects, you might write something like this:

Bugs are highly nutritious, and eating them can fix the problem of hunger and malnutrition in the United States.

This claim suggests that, because bugs are nutritious, eating them can help solve hunger problems. This is a great claim, but who’s going to believe it? This is where evidence comes into play.

Supporting a claim with evidence

An argumentative essay is generally research-based, so you’ll need to include factual information from reliable sources to support your claim. The evidence you include should not be based only on personal knowledge or your own opinion.

Here’s an example you might use to support your paper about eating insects:

Research has found that “edible insects are found in a wide variety of species and are an important food item, which has a high nutritive value suitable for human nutrition. Insects are a suitable alternative food source, which can aid in the management of nutrient deficiency and overall food security if used on a wide scale” (Kinyuru et al. 18).

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you’re using any type of evidence from sources to support claims, you must cite any information you’ve gathered from sources in an appropriate style, such as APA or MLA. (Without appropriate citation, your paper is plagiarized.)

Once you have gathered your evidence to support your claims, it’s time to add the next important elements of your argumentative essay outline: counterarguments and rebuttal.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 3: Counterarguments and Rebuttal

When writing an argument essay, you’re writing in support of one side of an argument. This, of course, means there’s another side, and readers might disagree with your point of view.

In order to strengthen your own argument and demonstrate that you’ve looked at all aspects of the topic, you need to address the opposing view. To do so, you need to include counterarguments and the rebuttal.

Counterarguments

In this final section of the body of your essay, you’ll first acknowledge the opposing viewpoint.

When arguing that more people in the US should start eating insects, you might address the opposing view (or counterargument) by writing something like this:

Opponents of insect eating say that, even though insects have some nutritional value, they simply don’t taste good and therefore should not be considered a food source.

This statement addresses the opposing view by acknowledging that some people don’t want to eat bugs for the simple fact that they don’t taste good. But hold up—it’s not enough to simply acknowledge the opposing view.

Rebuttal

The next step is to include the rebuttal. This is where you’ll essentially explain to your audience why your argument is valid. (You’re basically continuing to argue why you’re right.)

If you want to offer a rebuttal to the counterargument that no one wants to eat bugs because they taste awful, you might write something like this:

Even though some may cringe at the thought of eating what they feel might be disgusting bugs, insects are eaten in many parts of the world and prized for their varied tastes. Put simply, insects are “lighter than meat and heavier than seafood, [and] they’re delicious. Each one of these plant-loving insects absorbs the taste of your chosen seasoning and adds a satisfyingly crunchy texture” (Payne).

Including evidence from a credible source helps prove the opposing view is not as strong as your own argument.

Once you have refuted your opponents’ viewpoints, it’s time to sail to the finish line with your conclusion.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 4: Conclusion

Your conclusion will accomplish two important tasks:

1. It restates the importance of your issue.
2. It paints a picture of the world if your argument is (or is not) implemented.

Restate the importance of your issue

Similar to what you did in your introduction, you want to state why this topic is critical. You can do this by restating some of the key ideas presented in your paper or by restating the ideas presented in your thesis. (Don’t use the same wording in your conclusion as you did in your introduction. Restate the ideas, not the same words.)

In the insect example, you might write something like this:

Simply by incorporating insects into their diets, US citizens can improve the sustainability and nutrition of the American diet.

Paint a picture of the world if your argument is (or is not) implemented

In the final part of the conclusion, make your audience think about the ramifications of your argument. Leave them with a powerful statement to get them thinking about your ideas.

In this example, you might want them to think about what would happen if people started eating insects as a staple of their diets. So you might write something like:

The world would be a better place if more people ate insects as a part of their diets. Fewer people would go hungry, more people would get the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients they need to live healthy lifestyles, and the planet would be relieved of the burden of an unsustainable food system.

Closing with a clear picture of the world as you would like it to be can leave your reader convinced that your argument is valid.

Download the Argumentative Essay Outline Template

Once you break it down, writing an argumentative essay outline isn’t that daunting.

Download this skeleton outline for an argumentative essay to get started.

Before you go off into the sunset and use this outline template, make sure that you’re following the guidelines specific to your course. If you don’t have to submit a formal outline for your class or if outlines aren’t your thing, you might also try using a graphic organizer to get your ideas on paper.

If you’re interested in learning more about argumentative essays, take a look at these posts:

• The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay
• Writing an Argumentative Essay Made Easy (Infographic)
• 2 Argumentative Essay Examples With a Fighting Chance

If you’re not quite ready to write an outline and are still looking for the perfect topic for your paper, check out 70 Argumentative Essay Topics That Will Put Up a Good Fight and 30 Argumentative Essay Ideas That Will Pick a Good Fight.

Need a little more inspiration and want to see what a completed argumentative essay looks like? Check out these argumentative essay examples.

When you have your argumentative essay and outline ready to go, you can always have one of our awesome editors give it a second look.

By the way, if all this talk of eating insects has made you hungry, here are 20 bug recipes you might want to try.

Good luck with your essay, and happy dining!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 7, 2014, but has been updated with fresh information and advice.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

That’s awesome! But I’m going to ask you for a favor: pump your brakes for a second, so you can ask yourself this question:

Have I ever written a synthesis essay before?

If the answer is no, then you’ll want to check out How to Write a Surprisingly Good Synthesis Essay so that you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Toe in the Water

Okay—now that you know what’s what, let’s get down to business.

By now, your teacher should have given you a synthesis essay topic and the sources. Sometimes you’re given a specific prompt or stance on a topic; sometimes your teacher will expect you to come up with your own stance to argue in the essay.

Whatever the case, the outline process will be the same. There are just a couple of steps you should take before you start on the outline that will ensure your success on this paper.

Read the material

Make sure you read through all of the sources and take notes on common themes or arguments being made. This will help you draw connections between the sources and give you material to quote when it’s time to defend your stance.

Brainstorm a bit

Going into an essay blind is like getting lost in the wilderness. Going into an outline without brainstorming is like having a poorly drawn map and forgetting your compass.

Brainstorming is a solid exercise that helps you figure out which direction your writing needs to take to reach a successful outcome. It also lowers the risk that you’ll get stuck mid-paper and want to start over.

Here are some other great prewriting strategies that can be super helpful to you before you dive into your essay.

The Layout of a Synthesis Essay Outline

The above is the basic layout of your synthesis essay outline. It should look pretty familiar if you’ve written an argument essay. If not, don’t worry—we’re going to break it down, piece by piece.

The best thing we can do is practice with a low-stakes assignment that will help you get started on your own outline.

The Topic at Hand

If you can’t tell where this is going, know that I’m a huge nerd (as if the above image wasn’t a dead giveaway), and we’re about to tackle a very controversial topic:

Are the Star Wars prequels good movies?

For the sake of this exercise (and because I like a challenge), we’ll be arguing the position that, yes, the Star Wars prequels are indeed cinematic achievements. We will also pretend we have been given several sources that help us make this argument:

“Pew Pew: The Not-So-Quiet Triumph of the Star Wars Prequels,” a 2016 article by J.J. Binks published in ARTOO Magazine.

“Studies in Sci-Fi Cinema,” a 2015 essay by Bob A. Fett published in Lando: A Journal of Swagger.

“Good Enough for Roger Ebert,” a 2018 blog post by Mo N. Mothma published on Some Like It Hoth.

Synthesis essays require that you argue a stance using your sources as evidence, so there’s a good chance you’ll also be required to find sound counterarguments within your sources. And then your goal will be to refute them … but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Also keep in mind that not all topics will be so cut-and-dry like this. Often, teachers will give you sources that are more complicated, and it’s up to you to find the arguments within, both those that agree and disagree with your position.

The Outline

Let’s take a look at how we can craft a synthesis essay outline using the above sources, step by step.

Intro

The essay introduction is where you first draw your reader in with a strong hook sentence.

Next, you provide context (background information) on the history and importance of the issue.

You should finish this paragraph with your thesis.

Hook

The intro starts with your hook—a sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. Here’s what you might write as a hook for our Star Wars stance:

If fans fail to love the Star Wars prequels, then they are simply not true Star Wars fans.

Learn more about writing effective hooks.

Context

You’ll be discussing the issue at length in your body paragraphs, but your reader needs an introduction to the key elements of the issue. This is a good spot to briefly answer the following questions:

• What is the history of the issue?
• Why is it important now?
• Who does the issue affect and why?

Thesis

The thesis is the main claim/argument that you’re making in the essay. It’s the official stance that you will support throughout the rest of the paper. It should be one to two sentences and should make a specific claim that introduces the topics of the other supporting claims you’ll write in the body paragraphs.

Ours might look something like this:

Despite the ongoing arguments over this trilogy, on the merits of cinematography, artistry, imagination, technological feats, and canonization, the Star Wars prequels are nevertheless great films.

Body: Defense of your thesis

Depending on the required length of your paper, this section should be about three to six paragraphs long.

That’s one to two paragraphs per claim.

Claims

A claim is a statement you make that supports your thesis. This is a great place to apply logos and pathos to your synthesis. Here’s an example of a claim for our paper:

Between practical set design and digital effects, The Phantom Menace is visually groundbreaking for a film made in 1999 when CGI was still in its infancy.

You should have at least three supporting claims in your synthesis essay outline. Devote one to two paragraphs to each claim in your essay.

Support

A claim is nothing without support, and there are two things you need to do here in order to successfully support your claims.

1. Use evidence from your sources

This is how you’ll support your claim while also showing your teacher how well you can draw connections between the sources and your stance on the issue.

Make use of direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summary, but make sure most of the paper is in your own words!

You should use your sources only to support what you’ve already said—your teacher wants to see what you have to say about the subject, not others.

Here’s an example of paraphrased evidence-based support for the above claim.

The special effects were extremely complex for the time—as much a marvel then as when the effects of the original trilogy were a cinematic marvel to behold (Binks, 2016).

2. Back up the significance of your evidence with logic

It’s not enough to just show your evidence. You also need to explain how the evidence from your sources supports your claim and supports your thesis. Here’s what this might look like to reinforce the evidence above:

This approach to special effects requires a significant amount of hard work and artistic vision that cannot be duplicated to the same degree that George Lucas applies to this film. Each Star Wars film takes place in a galaxy far, far away, and with new technology and a larger budget available, Lucas is able to deliver this completely alien universe’s aesthetic the way it was always meant to be seen. This alone is a special achievement for any filmmakers who try to revisit their work and finish a story they longed to tell.

Body: Counterargument and rebuttal

A good argument is never one-sided, so as you’re working to synthesize your sources, showing your teacher that you’ve considered one or two other stances is especially important.

That said, you still need to demonstrate why the opposing viewpoint, while valid, is not as strong as yours. This is called the rebuttal or refutation.

Here’s how it’s done:

The question remains, are the Star Wars prequels perfect? The answer is no. “As films, they have many flaws, some forgivable, some less so” (Fett, 2015). No film is perfect, but each film should set out to accomplish certain goals. In this regard, the prequels excel at providing an entertaining science-fiction adventure experience that appeals to a wide audience.

Conclusion

The conclusion is where you wrap up your synthesis essay by doing two things.

First, restate the importance of your issue, guiding your reader back to your thesis.

Then, tell the reader what would happen if your argument is (or is not) accepted.

This section is a perfect opportunity to make your last stand and emphasize the importance of your issue and viewpoint.

What happens if the reader chooses to ignore your sound evidence? How do you put up a final defense against this? Check it out:

While film critics and audience members are entitled to their opinions about the films they watch and enjoy, the success of the Star Wars prequels cannot be ignored. These films succeeded at the box office and paved the way for new Star Wars stories to be told. They allowed audiences to revisit their favorite sci-fi universe and see it for the first time in the grand spectacle that Lucas had always wanted to portray. Without these films, Star Wars may have only existed as a classic trilogy, cherished and admired but ultimately lost to time. The success of the prequels ensures Star Wars’ continued and everlasting presence in cinema.

The Final Product

Below is how the outline for this topic would look when put together. Keep in mind that this is a guide—you’ll have to input your notes for each of these sections and build your paper from this framework.

1. Intro
a. Hook
b. Context
c. Thesis
2. Body: Defense of your thesis
a. Claim 1
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
b. Claim 2
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
c. Claim 3
i. Evidence from source(s)
ii. Support (show how evidence supports claim)
3. Body: Counterargument and Rebuttal
a. Counterargument 1
i. Evidence from source
ii. Refutation of argument and evidence
b. Counterargument 2
i. Evidence from source
ii. Refutation of argument and evidence
4. Conclusion
a. Restate the importance of your issue and thesis
b. Tell the reader what would happen if your argument is (or isn’t) accepted.

And that’s it in a nutshell!

I’ve even created a skeleton Synthesis Outline Template you can download to get started.

Kibin editors can also help you edit your outline or your finished essay, so don’t hesitate to send us your work!

Okay, that’s probably an exaggeration. Writing an outline can’t be that painful, can it? Trust me, it’s not.

Outlining can actually save you time and plenty of frustration and pain. So let’s create a position paper outline to help you get started.

The Position Paper: A Micro Definition

The goal of a position paper is to convince your audience that your argument is valid.

Don’t confuse the position paper with an opinion essay. The opinion essay is a little bit like a position paper because it takes a stance on a subject, but an opinion essay is just that: your opinion.

A position essay, on the other hand, is not simply your opinion. It supports an argument and uses evidence from sources to validate your position.

A position paper isn’t just your opinion. It supports an argument and uses evidence to back it up.
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Okay, with those quick points in mind, let’s get to work.

How to Write a Position Paper Outline

Like most standard essays, the position paper needs a strong introduction, well-formed body paragraphs, and a good conclusion.

That means we need to get those basic components into an outline. For my sample outline, I’m going to use the topic of textbooks and tablets. First I need to take my stance:

My position is tablets should replace traditional textbooks in the classroom.

Ready to dive into the outline?

Introduction

In a position paper, the introduction has two primary goals:

• To identify the issue. (This is the focus of your paper.)
• To state your assertion. (This is the thesis statement of your paper.)

Start your introduction with a clever hook—you know, something that’s going to grab a reader’s attention. These first few lines of your essay will not only identify the subject of your paper, but they’ll also make your readers want to learn more.

Your introduction should end with a solid thesis statement that expresses your position on the topic.

Keep in mind that you’re writing a research-based position. That means you’ll likely be writing in third-person. (You’re not writing your opinion, which will usually be written in first-person.)

Here’s what a brief introduction to a position paper might look like:

“Students who used an interactive, digital version of an Algebra 1 textbook for Apple’s iPad in California’s Riverside Unified School District in 2012 scored 20 percent higher on standardized tests versus students who learned with print textbooks” (mobiledia.com). With the ever-increasing pressures of standardized testing, and with the need for students to compete in a global economy, students need every edge they can get. Using tablets instead of textbooks can give students the advantage they need. Yet this small increase in test scores is not the only advantage of replacing textbooks with tablets. Tablets are also less expensive than textbooks and are a lighter option for students.

This introduction opens with a quote to grab the reader’s attention (the hook), introduces the topic, and ends with a thesis statement that states the position (that tablets should replace textbooks in the classroom).

Body paragraphs

The body section forms the core of your essay and will consist of at least three body paragraphs. Each paragraph will contain a main argument that will help clarify and support your position. In these paragraphs, you’ll include evidence, such as quotes, statistics, and interviews that support each argument.

If you’re looking for help with finding evidence, read 5 Best Resources to Help with Writing a Research Paper.

The body section of the paper is also where you’ll address the opposition. Examining the opposing viewpoint will strengthen your argument because you will be able to not only illustrate the counterargument, but also refute the claim and explain why your point of view is valid.

Here’s a sample outline for the body of my position paper: Tablets should replace textbooks in the classroom

Argument 1: Tablets increase standardized test scores

Evidence from sources:

1. “A research study, conducted in Auburn, Maine showed that kindergarten students using iPads scored much higher on literacy tests than students that didn’t use the device” (8 Studies Show iPads in the Classroom Improve Education).
2. “Among the main findings were that fractions knowledge increased an average of 15%, and participants gained confidence in their fractions ability and reported liking fractions more after playing the game [on an iPad]” (gamedesk.org/project/motion-math-in-class).

Argument 2: Tablets cost 50%-60% less than textbooks

Evidence from sources:

1. “Discovery’s lessons – branded ‘Techbooks’ that run on laptops, desktops, iPads or other tablets – run between $38 and $55 per student for a six-year subscription. The average traditional textbook is $70 per student” (Schools shift from textbooks to tablets).
2. “According to the FCC, the U.S. spends about $7 billion per year on textbooks, but many of them are seven to ten years out of date. Advocates believe using tablets instead will save money and improve learning” (The Future of Education: Tablets vs. Textbooks).

Argument 3: Tablets are lighter than textbooks

Evidence from sources:

1. “Benefits of students using tablets instead of textbooks are that they’re lighter than print textbooks, can hold hundreds of books in one place, have the ability to expand memory to hold even more information, and are cheaper than textbooks” (As More Schools Embrace Tablets, Do Textbooks Have a Fighting Chance?).
2. “Between studying, homework and extracurricular activities, going back to school may make kids feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. And sometimes, they literally do. After you pile a lunch, school supplies, binders and textbooks—which typically weigh 3.5 lbs each—into your child’s backpack, the load he or she is lugging around could be huge … and potentially dangerous. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 14,000 children are treated for backpack-related injuries every year” (The Dangers Of Heavy Backpacks — And How Kids Can Wear Them Safely).

Counterargument: Tablets cause too many distractions in the classroom

 Evidence from source:

1. “…a consistent finding across several studies was that the iPad could potentially be a distraction as it is associated more with entertainment then [sic] education. The ability to connect to the Internet is another big potential source of temptation away from the learning job in hand. Multitasking is highly prevalent with screen technology, and evidence is clear that multitasking during study or learning hinders academic performance” (Five Reasons iPads Should NOT Be In Classrooms).

Evidence from source(s) to refute opposing view:

1. There’s a reason that students are so often distracted by their digital devices: they’re interesting. But who’s to say learning outside the device can’t be just as compelling? Engage students with projects that challenge them and give them creative autonomy” (7 Ways to Deal With Digital Distractions in Class).

THE TAKEAWAY: Before you start drafting your position paper, you should have the following:

• At least three solid arguments to support your position, with at least two pieces of evidence to support each of these arguments.
• At least one counterargument, with at least one piece of evidence to support the opposing view.
• At least one piece of evidence to refute the counterargument.

Conclusion

The concluding paragraph(s) will re-emphasize the key arguments of the paper. You don’t want to simply repeat the key ideas, and you don’t want to reword the introduction. Instead, you want to stress the importance of your ideas. You may even want to suggest possible solutions.

Here’s a sample conclusion:

Ultimately, using tablets over textbooks is a smart strategy for schools. Even though tablets can become a distraction, they also have the potential to increase standardized tests scores, save schools money, and relieve students of the burdens of heavy backpacks. With so many advantages, tablets should replace textbooks in the classroom.

This conclusion provides a brief overview of the paper’s key points and a statement to again emphasize the position.

Okay, so it’s not quite the end of this post. It’s just the end of the flushed-out example. Ready to tackle your own? Here’s the outline structure I used above in bare bones form. Use this as a guide for your own position paper outline:

1. Introduction
   1. Hook
   2. Identify the issue
   3. State your position
2. Body Paragraphs
   1. Argument #1
      1. First piece of evidence
      2. Second piece of evidence
   2. Argument #2
      1. First piece of evidence
      2. Second piece of evidence
   3. Argument #3
      1. First piece of evidence
      2. Second piece of evidence
   4. Counterargument
      1. Evidence from source(s)
      2. Evidence from source(s) to refute opposing view
3. Conclusion
   1. Overview of the paper’s key points
   2. Statement to emphasize the position

If you need to add extra levels to your position paper outline (for whatever reason), make sure to follow these simple rules for outlining.

More Help? Yes, Please.

Before I turn you loose and send you off to write your position paper outline, check out these additional resources:

• How to Write a Position Paper That Takes a Strong Stance
• 2 Position Paper Examples That Stand for Something (with annotations)
• 16 Position Paper Topics That Pick a Side

Kibin editors are also amazing resources, so let us help by providing feedback on your outline or your final paper.

So don’t try these at home.

What you definitely should try at home (or in your dorm room, in the library, or anywhere else you study) is writing a reverse outline of your paper.

A reverse outline? Is that like starting at the end and outlining your conclusion first?

Not exactly.

So what is a reverse outline, and why should you use one? Let me explain.

What Is a Reverse Outline?

I’m sure you’ve had to write outlines many times in your academic career. And I’m sure you know that an outline is a form of prewriting that helps you organize ideas before you begin drafting your essay.

A reverse outline is a lot like a standard outline. The difference is that you’ll write a reverse outline after you write your paper.

To do this, simply review a completed draft of your paper and outline the key parts, such as the thesis statement, main arguments (or topic sentences), and evidence used to support each of your arguments.

Why Should You Use a Reverse Outline?

The quick answer is that a reverse outline can help you write a better paper. (And a better paper means a better grade, so it’s a win-win, right?)

Reverse outline = a better paper = a better grade. It’s a win-win.
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More specifically, using a reverse outline can help you:

• Decide if your paper meets assignment guidelines. If you’re supposed to write a compare and contrast essay, completing a reverse outline can help you see if you’ve included both comparisons and contrasts, or if you’ve only included comparisons and have forgotten all about contrasting ideas.

• Determine whether your main arguments follow your thesis. For example, If your thesis statement informs readers that you’re evaluating the themes of The Scorch Trials but you’re outline reveals you’re analyzing symbolism, you’ll either need to rewrite your paper or rewrite your thesis.

• Identify sections of your paper that may need further evidence, analysis, or development. A topic sentence might explain that the goal of the paragraph is to explain why raising the speed limit won’t cause any more accidents, but a reverse outline might also reveal that you only have your own opinion in the paragraph. If you’re supposed to write a research-based essay, this is a clear indication that this paragraph needs some major revision.

• Identify information in your paper that needs to be deleted (or perhaps moved to another section). Let’s say you have two paragraphs that discuss cities with wonderful cycling paths, but one of those paragraphs is on page two and the other on page four. A reverse outline can help you see that you should move those paragraphs next to each other, combine the paragraphs into one, or perhaps delete one of the paragraphs if it’s redundant.

• Decide if the paragraph contains too many ideas. If one of your body paragraphs discusses point of view, symbolism, and tone in To Kill a Mockingbird, the paragraph contains too many ideas. Reverse outlining can help you see where to split ideas into individual paragraphs.

• Decide if all information in your paper is appropriate. If you’re assigned to write a research paper in third person, a reverse outline can help you realize that a paragraph about your own personal experience or opinion isn’t appropriate for this assignment.

How Do You Write a Reverse Outline?

Step #1 Draft your paper

If you don’t yet have a draft (or even a partial draft), you cannot exactly move on to step 2, so if you don’t have your paper written yet, what are you waiting for? Get writing!

Step #2 Identify the thesis statement of your paper

Look for the thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph(s). If you can’t find the thesis statement, you’ll definitely need to revise.

Once you’ve identified the thesis statement, check to make sure that it’s appropriate for your paper and assignment.

Let’s say you’re supposed to write a research-based argument essay about bike lanes in your city, and your thesis statement looks like this:

• Bike paths are essential to commuters, and the city needs to invest more money into developing additional paths throughout the metro area.

When you first look at this thesis, it looks fine. It explains the focus of the paper (the need for more bike paths) and explains the key argument (the city needs to invest more money in paths).

Let’s continue our reverse outline to see if our thesis and essay arguments match.

Step #3 Outline key ideas

To outline the key ideas of your paper, start by examining the structure of each body paragraph. Look for the topic sentence and the evidence you’ve used to support that topic sentence.

An outline of a body paragraph from our imagined argument essay about bike paths looks like this:

Topic Sentence:

• The metro area is lacking a sufficient number of bike paths.

Evidence to Support Argument:

• The city offers one major loop through downtown, meaning that cyclists cannot get to the west side of the city on paths.
• The west side of the city also doesn’t provide enough bike racks for cyclists.

The topic sentence is basic, but it gets the job done.

The evidence, on the other hand, is clearly lacking. One personal opinion about the number of bike paths isn’t enough to support a research-based essay.

The other clear problem is that the paragraph also discusses bike racks. The focus of the paper is bike paths rather than bike racks. Thus, this information isn’t necessarily suited for this paper.

Let’s take a look at another paragraph.

Topic Sentence:

• Current bike paths are dangerous to both cyclists and motor vehicle drivers.

Evidence to Support Argument:

1. In 2014, five bicycle accidents were reported at the intersection of 4th/Cooper. (Cited from source A.)
2. One cyclist fatality was reported in the metro area in 2015. (Cited from source B.)
3. An interview with regular metro cyclists reveals that 72% have had a near accident in the past six months. (Cited from personal interview.)

At first glance, this paragraph looks like it’s in fine shape. It has a clear topic sentence and ample evidence from sources.

But look again. What is it missing?

The topic sentence states that the paragraph will discuss dangers to cyclists and motor vehicle drivers. This paragraph only discusses the dangers to cyclists. It makes no mention of motor vehicle drivers.

This is exactly why a reverse outline is so helpful! It makes it easy to see where your paper might need more information.

Finally, let’s revisit our original thesis to see if it matches the content of our essay.  

• Bike paths are essential to commuters, and the city needs to invest more money into developing additional paths throughout the metro area.

Hmmm … this thesis statement focuses on the need for the city to invest more in bike paths, but our paragraphs don’t discuss this at all. Big problem!

A more appropriate thesis statement for this essay might look like this:

• The current number of bike lanes in the metro area is inadequate and a danger to cyclists.

See how a reverse outline can help you evaluate these things? Genius, isn’t it?

For more help with reverse outlines, check out this short video or try one of these worksheets:

• Reverse Outlining Worksheet #1
• Reverse Outlining Worksheet #2

And if you’re tackling your reverse outlining and making revisions on actual physical paper—ya know, by hand with a pen—here’s a good process.

The Final Revisions

Notice that the previous heading says “final revisions”—plural.

This means that, even though you revise after completing your reverse outline, you’ll still need to review your paper once again to make sure everything is ready to submit to your instructor.

Check out these resources to help make your paper a literary masterpiece:

• How to Make an Essay Longer Without Writing Useless Fluff
• 15 Ways to Improve Your Academic Writing
• Essay Formatting Survival Guide (Infographic)

Kibin editors can help also with revisions. Don’t forget to send your paper our way for some helpful feedback.

Happy outlining!

By now, you’ve probably made plans in one form or another. You’ve marked quizzes and paper due dates on a calendar. Maybe you’ve put together a surprise birthday party for your friend. Thinking about setting a wedding date with your significant other? Now you’re really talking about planning.

But why do we plan? What makes us set a schedule for a series of events ahead of time? In this post, I’ll answer these questions and focus on why outlining your papers is a vital part of the writing process.

Then you’ll get the chance to access some awesome essay outline templates to help you start writing a well-planned and strongly organized paper that wows your professor.

Planning Saves Lives … or Grades

Okay, so your freshman analysis paper on gender roles in 50 Shades of Grey may not win a Pulitzer or change anybody’s life. But if you don’t outline your paper, you’re probably heading for a crash.

If you don’t outline your paper, you’re probably heading for a crash.
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Speaking of crashes, think about something you probably do on a daily basis, driving—or riding in—a car. A lot of planning went into that machine to make it work and get you safely from point A to point B.

If the engineers hadn’t carefully blueprinted all the working parts and how they fit together, then that car wouldn’t run at all. Essays are similar. An unplanned essay that isn’t outlined usually won’t pass your professor’s inspection and just gets you nowhere.

An essay outline denotes how you’ll structure your paper. You can (and should!) make changes along the way. But you want to get everything written down so that you can refer to the outline while you’re writing your rough draft.

If you start out with a good idea of how your paper will function and transition between ideas and paragraphs, then you’ll stay on track and avoid writing yourself into a corner.

Beware the corners—this is what happens when you get to a point in your paper and feel like you have run out of ideas or have no place else to go. Don’t let this happen to you—plan ahead!

Got It–But How Do I Start?

Good time management skills definitely don’t hurt. But just like your paper won’t write itself, your essay is going nowhere if you don’t sit down and start working on that outline.

But maybe it’s been awhile since you’ve composed an outline, and some forms are better than others. No worries—instead of starting from scratch, we’ve got you covered with these templates. You just have to fill in the blanks and keep moving forward!

That said, it’s a good idea to think about the process behind writing a paper before moving forward with your outline. Most papers—like most cars—have the same basic working parts.

Most papers—like most cars—have the same basic working parts.
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You usually need a thesis statement in your introductory paragraph, body paragraphs that follow a logical order and support that thesis, and a conclusion that wraps it all up.

And though most essay have those same working parts, there are different types of essays. Each one requires a different approach to outlining. So without further ado …

7 Super-Awesome Essay Outline Templates

1. Analytical essay outline

Download the template!

This outline template can help you pick apart a topic and support your thesis so well that your professor’s jaw will drop. An analytical essay isn’t a summary—it requires you to concentrate on how a book or poem was written, why a song was composed, what themes are prevalent in a movie, and why that matters.

You come up with an answer and then explain why you’re right. This template covers the basics and narrows the focus, so you can write a killer thesis statement and use strong evidence to support your claim.

2. Argumentative essay outline

Download the template!

Nearly all college students will write an argumentative essay, so steel yourself and get ready to create a powerful outline. In this type of essay, you’ll try to persuade your readers that your thoughts on a given topic are the right ones.

But unlike a persuasive essay, you’ll have to do some solid research and back up your ideas with hard facts. This is a great template to guide you through writing your intro, developing your argument, refuting your opponent’s arguments, and bringing your essay over the finish line with the conclusion.

In an argument essay, you must consider the opposing side(s). This handy template will also show you how to tackle the best of them.

3. Compare and contrast essay outline

Download the template!

A compare and contrast essay takes two subjects and focuses on their similarities and differences. Sounds easy, right? Wait—there’s more!

Like all good essays, this one also serves a larger purpose—maybe you’re trying to state something unknown, clear up a misunderstanding, or show that one topic is better than another.

This template can help you reach these goals using the point-by-point comparison method. Check it out.

4. Expository essay outline

Download the template!

Do you like helpful advice? Me too. That’s what you get with this awesome expository essay template. An expository essay is kind of like a book report. Your teacher makes you write one of these to show that you’ve aptly researched a topic.

Though there are many ways to organize this type of essay, start with this outline, and you’ll be in good shape. It will help you explain your topic using facts, evidence, and analysis—all of which will help you showcase the larger significance at hand.

5. Persuasive essay outline

Download the template!

Prove it to me. A persuasive essay’s goal is to convince your readers that your viewpoint is the right one. It’s kind of like an argument essay, except that you don’t have to use well-researched facts in order to support your thesis. You can focus on emotional anecdotes and stories to convince your reader that you’re 100% correct.

This is a great outline template that really delivers from intro to conclusion. Need to define your audience and lay down your best hook? Look no further than this stellar template.

6. Reflective essay outline

Download the template!

In a reflective essay, you get to recall an event, object, or person that helped you become who you are today. This is a fun essay to write because all the material for it exists in your own head. You don’t have to research or argue. You simply offer the reader a meaningful glimpse into your life.

These essays don’t have to be serious—just ask David Sedaris—but there are good and bad ways to write them. Never fear—this template is here to guide you in setting up your hook, descriptive body paragraphs, and an impactful conclusion.

7. Research essay outline

Download the template!

Research essays are beastly—they’re longer than most papers to start. They also typically require more effort because you’re gathering sources and revealing what experts are saying about your topic. But this type of essay is cool because it helps you sharpen both your writing skills and knowledge about a topic.

So learn something, and slay that research essay beast by starting with the best weapon. This template will help you put a framework to your ideas—covering the thesis, context, and history behind your topic, the existing arguments, and why the topic/research matters.

From Outline to Essay

Outlining your essay before you begin writing it has so many advantages. It’s easier to change and reorganize a few points on a page than doing the same for large paragraphs in a rough draft.

Outlines save you time and provide peace of mind when it comes to writing papers. Even when you’re putting words to the page, you can always refer back to an outline to keep you on the right track and avoid getting stuck in one of those scary corners we talked about.

Want to win the essay-writing race? Then make a habit of outlining your essays from now on.

Some Inspiration

Sometimes it just helps to see how others have tackled essays in the past. Check out some of these great example essays from the Kibin database to inspire your next trip down essay-writing lane.

• Analytical essay examples
• Argumentative essay examples
• Compare and contrast essay examples
• Expository essay examples
• Persuasive essay examples
• Research essay examples
• Reflective essay examples

Now you’re ready to rev your outline-writing engine. Kick your typing into gear, and drive that paper from point A to point B with a well-organized structure that’ll show your professor you know what’s what.

And don’t forget—your Kibin pit crew is standing by to proofread that next paper to make sure it runs like a dream when you’re ready to turn it in.

One of the most interesting differences I’ve noticed has been the various ways in which travelers prepare for a trip. Interestingly, it mirrors the different prewriting strategies writers use to prepare for an essay.

On one end of the spectrum, there is what I call “The Hippie.” This traveler doesn’t plan anything. He shows up at the bus station and asks for the next bus out, regardless of where it is heading.

There are many people who do the same thing when writing an essay, jumping in without any plan.

Jumping into an essay without a plan is like jumping on a bus with no planned destination.
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On the other end of the spectrum, there is what I affectionately call “My Mom.” Now, when “My Mom” travels, everything is planned downed to the minute. This traveler knows where she will eat, sleep, and pee before the wheels have even begun rolling in the direction of her destination.

Similarly, there are writers who plan every dotted “i” and crossed “t,” to use an old expression, before actually sitting down to write their essays.

Obviously, these travelers/writers are quite different in regards to their planning habits. Just as there are many ways to prepare for a trip, there are many strategies for preparing for your next essay that fall somewhere between the above extremes.

Let’s take a look at 6 prewriting strategies to get your essay rolling.

What Is Prewriting and Why Do I Need to Do It?

First, what is prewriting exactly? In this handout from Duke, prewriting is defined as “a blanket term for a wide range of techniques to start thinking about your paper before you begin the formal process of writing a draft.”

Pretty standard, self-explanatory stuff there. Prewriting is all the work you do on your essay before actually writing it. Essentially, the prewriting process begins the moment you read your assignment.

All of the thought and work you put into your subject–including your research, your outlining, and your notes on napkins–are part of the prewriting process. This process takes time, but it is worthwhile.

Although traveling like “The Hippie” can be exciting and freeing, any veteran traveler will tell you it isn’t the best way to travel. If you travel without any plan whatsoever, you will end up looking back at the end of your trip and realizing you missed out on something exciting that was nearby, because you didn’t even know it was there.

Similarly, writing like “The Hippie” is less than ideal. Without any prewriting, there’s a good chance you will look back at your finished draft and realize you missed something important. Think of it like traveling without a map. You might get to your destination eventually, but you’re probably going to take an unconventional and inefficient path.

Just jumping right in can be overwhelming, too. The idea with prewriting is to get your essay rolling in the right direction in a manageable way. If done correctly, it can give you the chance to get your ideas straight and think about what style, strategy, and form your essay will follow. This takes a lot of stress off of you when it comes time to actually sit down to write.

Now, I’m not arguing for writing like “My Mom” either,  but a small amount of structured prewriting time can go a long way towards making your essay more well-rounded and complete.

Our goal will be to identify some healthy and productive prewriting strategies that can help to get your essay rolling in the right direction, toward a finished product that you can be proud of.

Note that just as there are varied types of travelers, all writers are different too. The prewriting strategy that works best for you might not work so well for another writer. Identifying the best prewriting strategy for your learning and writing styles takes time and practice.

Below is a list of some of the most common approaches.

Prewriting Strategy 1: Brainstorming or Listing

There is a good chance that your brain is swimming with thoughts, ideas, questions, and answers related to your topic. Brainstorming gives you the chance to extract as many of these ideas as possible.

Take a few blank pieces of paper. At the top of one, write down your focus. This could be the writing prompt, a sentence, an idea, or simply a word related to your essay.

Once you have this in front of you, start jotting down all of the words and phrases that pop into your head. Don’t write in complete sentences. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. Keep going for ten minutes.

When you are finished, take a look at your list and see which ideas stand out to you. Which ones grab your attention? Which ones are worth focusing and expanding upon?

The KU Writing Center suggests that you group your items in a way that makes sense to you and then label each group. This gives you points of interest to focus on in your paper. Keep these points of interest handy, because we can use them with the next strategy.

Prewriting Strategy 2: Freewriting

Freewriting takes the general idea behind brainstorming a step further. Instead of just writing words or phrases, with freewriting, you will write full sentences.

Again, take a blank piece of paper and set a timer for 10 minutes. Start by writing down a sentence related to your paper, and then DON’T STOP. Whatever comes to mind related to your subject, write it down, disregarding anything related to grammar.

The idea is to keep your pen moving, writing sentences nonstop to see what comes out. If you get stuck, you can rewrite the previous sentence. Just keep writing. The point isn’t to draft writing that will be turned in to your professor. Instead, you’re hoping to find a few sentences buried in your freewriting that can help focus your ideas.

Now, remember those points of interest that you came up with while brainstorming? You can use each one as the first sentence in separate freewriting activities, giving yourself a chance to expand them into sentences.

Prewriting Strategy 3: Mapping or Clustering

Are you a visual learner? Can you better understand a subject when you can see it? Then, why not draw a picture of your essay?

“Mapping” or “Clustering” has long been one of the best prewriting strategies for making a paper more manageable. And, now that you have lots of keywords and phrases from the last two strategies, you are ready to give it a try.

The idea is to take the most important word or phrase from you essay and write it in the middle of your paper with a circle around it. Then, think of the key points related to that subject. Write each of these in circles that surround the central topic and connect to it by lines.

Check out this clustering example from Santa Barbara City College to see what I mean.

As you can see, the more you think about each connected point, the more your map will grow. Eventually, you will run out of related ideas. You can then take a step back and look at your web of ideas.

Check out this online mind mapping tool, if you prefer to work from your computer. Oh, and here is another cool free online mind mapping tool. Mind mapping, in general, can be a great tool for finding the main ideas of your paper, which can then be developed in the next strategy.

Prewriting Strategy 4: Journalist’s Questions

You now have a better grasp of the main ideas in your paper. However, you need to make sure that you haven’t missed something along the way.

Journalists ask certain questions every time they write a story:

• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• When?
• Why?
• How?

You can ask yourself these same questions in relation to your essay topic in order to make sure you have covered all bases and also to help you focus your topic.

Depending on the topic of your essay, you might have a lot to say about Who? and very little to say about What? However, in your next essay, it may very well be the opposite. Don’t worry. Let the topic guide your answers to the questions, which will help you to hone in on the most important aspects you will need to cover.

Prewriting Strategy 5: Outlining

Once, you feel like you have a strong grasp on the aspects of your essay that you will focus on, and you’ve used some great prewriting strategies to explore them, you can move on to forming the skeleton of your essay, known as an outline.

The outline will help you to organize your information in a structure that will work for your paper. This is the moment in the process when you start thinking about your thesis statement, so you can organize an introduction, body, and conclusion to your essay that works best for your main idea.

We’ve already created several great resources related to outlines on this blog, including posts on 5-paragraph essay outlines, argumentative essay outlines, and expository essay outlines.

Even if your essay doesn’t fall neatly into one of these categories, the information provided will help you to get your essay outline started.

Prewriting Strategy 6: Critical Reading

The last prewriting strategy I want to talk about is critical reading. Once a preliminary thesis has been developed in your outline, it is important to keep critical reading in mind when researching your subject.

Don’t mindlessly read and take notes–highlighting everything in your source is going to make things more difficult later in the writing process.

Instead, focus on your thesis and the areas of your sources that relate to it. York University describes critical reading as talking directly to the author in your mind. Let that author guide your thoughts and notes while reading about your subject.

Final Thoughts on Prewriting Strategies

While taking a look at the above list of prewriting strategies, did any particular one jump out at you? If so, give it a try. If it doesn’t work out the way you hoped, amend it to fit your needs or try another strategy. Eventually you will find a prewriting routine that fits your needs and leads to a beautifully well-rounded essay.

An interesting way to help with this process is to understand your personality type, as it can affect your writing. Check out this link from Villanova. You can take a personality test and then see specific writing characteristics related to your personality, as well as tips to keep in mind when writing. This information can help when formulating the best prewriting strategy for you.

However, remember to be flexible. What works for one essay might not work for another. Keep experimenting with strategies. And, don’t forget to do some “postwriting” as well. And by that I mean, make sure you have your essay edited!

Reflective essays are about you, so you go home and take a good long look in the mirror.

Before you start writing about what you see on the surface, keep in mind that a reflective essay involves more than just a cursory glance. It requires taking a deeper look at yourself, stepping through the looking glass, so to speak, to discover and show important parts of yourself to your readers.

Below, I’ll show you how to create a killer reflective essay outline, and I’ll even give you a downloadable template you can use to make your own outline.

What Is a Reflective Essay and How Is It Different from Other Essays?

So you may be asking yourself what a reflective essay is exactly. You’ve written many other types of essays for many different classes, so how is this any different?

First things first… a reflective essay is one in which you reflect on your personality, places you’ve been, people you’ve met, or experiences that have influenced you. This type of essay lets you tell the reader who you are and what/who has made you that way.

Unlike most other types of essays you may have written, reflective essays typically don’t deal with researching facts and figures. They are much more personal in nature and can be more fluid in structure and style.

It can be tempting to just jump right into writing, but hold on! A good reflective essay can be a great reflective essay with the proper planning.

Using a Reflective Essay Outline to Organize Your Thoughts

The goal of any essay is to write clearly and concisely about whatever topic you choose or are assigned. Unfortunately, with reflective essays, some people tend to get a little disorganized and start sounding like the Walrus, talking about anything and everything in no particular order.

Don’t be like the Walrus!

Using a reflective essay outline can help your writing in a few ways

• An outline can help lay out exactly what details you want to use before you start writing. This is tremendously helpful because you won’t end up on your last paragraph and suddenly realize that you forgot to include a crucial element or two.
• An outline gives you a clear roadmap instead of curvy paths and dead ends. You don’t have to wonder what’s supposed to come next because it’ll all be in the outline. In other words, you won’t have to spend time “in Wonderland.”
• Because you can look at your reflective essay outline and follow it as you’re writing, ultimately you’ll save some time in your writing. Second-guessing what comes next, in what order the supporting details should go, or going back for big revisions because you forgot something important are all wastes of time.

Are you convinced yet that creating a reflective essay outline is the best option?

Good! Now let’s get to actually making that outline!

How to Craft a Good Reflective Essay Outline

Because the subject of reflective essays is different from that of, say, an argumentative essay, the structure and organization can also be quite different. However, some rules still apply. To start organizing, your reflective essay outline should include sections for the introduction, body and conclusion.

For the purposes of giving examples, let’s say Alice just got back from her adventures in Wonderland and is working on a reflective essay outline to tell about her experience there.

Introduction

As with any essay, your reflective essay should begin with an introduction. The parts of your introduction to include in your outline are:

• The hook: you want to grab your reader’s attention from the very start. If you’re telling about an experience, give a quick preview of the most exciting part of that story.
• The thesis statement: In a reflective essay, the thesis statement will usually include a brief statement of what your essay is about as well as how the specific person, place, or experience has influenced you. You will expand on this later, so don’t give away too much in the beginning.

Alice’s introduction might go something like this:

I don’t know how I had gotten myself into such a mess, but I found myself running down a seemingly endless path with the Red Queen’s entire court shouting, “Off with her head!” I had long yearned for adventure and excitement, but my time in Wonderland made me realize that adventure comes with some serious risks.

Body

The next part of your outline is perhaps the most important. Without your reflective essay outline, the body can get muddled and confusing. I can’t tell you exactly how to organize the body of your essay because every essay is going to be different. However, I do have a couple of tips.

• If you are writing about an experience or an event, use a chronology that makes sense. It doesn’t have to be completely linear, but if you jump around in the timeline too much, it can confuse both you and the reader. Laying out the important parts in the outline will help you figure out in what order to put everything.
• No matter what you’re writing your reflective essay about–an experience, person or place–you should include the impact it has made and what, if anything, you learned. This should be at least as long of a section as the description of the event, person or place. It’s what shows off who you are and it’s what the reader will be most interested in.

The body paragraphs of Alice’s reflective outline may look something like this:

1. Following the white rabbit down the rabbit hole
   1. Description of what happened
   2. Learning to look before I leap
2. Meeting the Caterpillar
   1. Description of what happened
   2. I learned how to control my size
   3. I started to realize just how strange the people were in Wonderland
3. Mad Tea Party
   1. Description of what happened
   2. Although a lot of fun, the tea party was very stressful
   3. The people I met were progressively crazier
4. Croquet with the Red Queen
   1. Description of what happened
   2. It’s very hard to play croquet when the other person is cheating and threatening to behead you
   3. It was at this point when I realized that Wonderland had no rules, and that a world without rules is insane

As you can see, Alice’s timeline includes different events within the entire experience and with a moment of reflection on each. The final lesson learned is the epiphany–the aha! moment.

Your outline does not have to look just like this. It could be a summary of the entire experience, followed by what you learned from it. Like I said, every essay is different.

Conclusion

The conclusion of your reflective essay should be the finishing touch that brings the whole piece of writing together nicely. Include a brief summary of your main points (as stated in the body paragraphs), as well as the overall takeaway from your reflection.

For example, Alice’s conclusion would be similar to this:

The White Rabbit, Caterpillar, Mad Hatter, and the Red Queen are certainly faces that I’ll never forget. They each contributed to the sheer madness of Wonderland. But those people–that madness–made me thankful for the peace and security of my own home and family and its rules.

More Resources to Help with Your Reflective Essay Outline

I hope you have a better understanding of why and how to draft a good outline. To give you a bit of extra help, here’s a downloadable reflective essay outline template.

Reflective Essay Outline Template.

This outline template follows a 5-paragraph format, but you can add paragraphs and rearrange the body paragraphs to fit your needs. Just fill in the blanks with your own information, and you’ll be one step closer to a stellar essay.

Need more inspiration? Check out these reflective essay examples.

If you’re looking for topic ideas, check out 15 Reflective Essay Topics to Inspire Your Next Paper.

Good luck!

You’ve never written 15 pages of anything in your whole life. Sure, you have all semester to do it, but some of that time is going to be spent trying to figure out how to write that large of a paper.

Research papers can be pretty scary at first, but there is a secret weapon that can help you overcome some of that fear–The Outline.

A research paper outline will keep your thoughts on track, enabling you to write that mammoth paper with relative ease. It still won’t be the easiest thing you’ve ever done, but imagine the sense of accomplishment you’ll have when you hand in that 15-pager (that’s about 3650 words)!

Research Paper vs. Essay: How Are They Different?

Length: A research paper is considerably longer than an essay. Some are a bit shorter, around 8-10 pages, but they can sometimes be up to 30 pages or more. While many essays can be given as in-class assignments or homework for the week, the length of a research paper requires more time to write it.

Effort: By the same token, research papers also require more effort. The name says it all–research paper. You’ll have to do much more research on a topic than you would for a standard essay assignment in order to do well.

Point of View: While essays are typically about expressing your point of view on a topic, research papers take other scholars’ viewpoints into consideration. From your research, you’ll see what other (credible) sources have to say about your topic and use your own thoughts to either expand or refute those claims.

The Point of It All: A lot of students probably want to know what the point of any writing assignment is. Essays are about improving your skills as a writer and communicator in general. Research papers, on the other hand, are assigned both to improve your writing skills and to improve your knowledge about a subject. With all that research, you’re bound to come out of it with a lot more information about your topic than when you started.

Why You Need a Research Paper Outline

It may be tempting to think that, for the sake of time, you should just jump right into your research paper, skipping the outline completely. But an outline, especially for lengthier papers, will end up saving you some time in the end.

It all boils down to organization. Sure, you could just start writing, but even if you reach the word or page requirement, your paper would probably lack any sort of logical flow. A research paper outline allows you to get your main ideas down and organize them before you get too deep into the actual writing.

Having a good research paper outline also ensures that you don’t leave anything out. While you’re writing, you can just look at the outline and know which section comes next, as well as what to include in that section.

To make this a little easier, I’m going to give you an example of how to put together a sweet research paper outline on the topic of ice cream.

Check out these example research Fpapers.

How to Put Your Research Paper Outline Together

Like most essays, your research paper is going to have three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. However, what goes into each of these sections–especially the body–is going to be a little different and a lot more in depth.

The sections below give an example of each section of a research paper outline, followed by an explanation of each section.

1. Hook
   1. In 1920, the United States passed Prohibition, nearly crushing the business of breweries like Anheuser-Busch. To stay in business, the breweries turned bars into soda fountains and went into the business of ice cream.
2. Research Question
   1. What effect did Prohibition have on the popularity of ice cream?
3. Thesis Statement
   1. Because of Prohibition, ice cream became nearly as popular as alcohol itself.

Hook: First impressions are everything. Just like an essay, your research paper needs a hook. The hook for a research paper is typically a bit longer, and may consist of an anecdote to create some sort of tension. You don’t need to write the whole anecdote in your outline, but you should write down an idea of how you want to start out.

Research Question: By now, you should have a pretty clear idea of your research question. State it concisely in your outline.

Thesis Statement: Every great research paper has a great thesis statement. This is going be the answer to your research question and the basis for your argument.

1. Context
   1. Brief history of ice cream
   2. How breweries became soda shops
2. Existing Arguments
   1. Why the consumption of ice cream was on the rise
      1. How the ice cream trade served as cover-up for alcohol runners
3. Your Argument
   1. More than just a cover-up
      1. Former bars could be easily converted to soda fountains and ice cream parlors
      2. Ice cream parlors provided the same sort of social setting as going out to a bar

Context: You have to assume that your reader doesn’t know the history behind your topic. Giving background, or context, is critical. Again, this doesn’t have to be fully fleshed out in your research paper outline, but you should include your main points.

Existing Arguments: What do other people have to say about your topic? How do they prove their arguments? How convincing are the arguments they are making?

These are some questions you should think about while you’re researching. Include the answers in your outline.

Your Argument: This is the big one. Your argument should be in relation to the existing arguments. You will either agree or expand on what other scholars have to say.

To do this, you need to look at primary sources–sources such as photographs, charts, statistics, music lyrics, letters, newspaper articles, and other documents produced about your topic at the time it took place. You can also use other secondary literature to supplement this material.

For your research paper outline, include the main points of your argument and how you are going to support these points.

1. Summary of Main Points
   1. Prohibition increased sales of ice cream
   2. Many scholars point to the need to cover up illegal alcohol smuggling
   3. Ice cream parlors were also easy to build and provided a good social scene for people who were used to bars.
2. Why It Matters
   1. Dramatic changes in laws can have unforeseen consequences. In this case, it was an increase in ice cream consumption, but it may not always be something so sweet.

Summary of Main Points: Briefly go over existing arguments and the main points of your argument. In the research paper outline, these can be short bullet points.

Why It Matters: You did a lot of research, and this topic has become very important to you. Now explain why it should matter to anyone else.

Download the research paper outline template.

Best Practices for Your Research Paper Outline

Include bibliographic information in your outline. When you use specific information or quotes in your outline, be sure to mark exactly where it came from. This will help with your citations later.

Make sure you have enough detail. Research papers are not like essays. Their higher word count requires a lengthier outline. If you only put general information under the introduction, body, and conclusion sections, when it comes time to write the paper, you won’t have enough information to turn to.

Not including enough detail in your outline is almost as bad as not having a research paper outline at all.

After your research paper outline is done, it’s time to start writing. But that blank screen will be easier to tackle if you keep referencing your outline.

If you’re still having some trouble after you’re finished with your paper, let the Kibin editors help straighten out any kinks.

Now… time to start tackling those 15 pages!

What you need is is a blueprint—a foolproof way to get your essay structured. Then all you have to do is fill in the blanks.

What an Analytical Essay Is—And What It Isn’t

Helpful, right? Um, not so much.

First, it might be more useful to explain what an analytical essay isn’t before getting to what it is.

An analytical essay isn’t a summary. Though this may seem obvious in theory, it’s more difficult in practice. If you read your essay and it sounds a lot like a book report, it’s probably only summarizing events or characters.

One way to figure out if you’re summarizing instead of analyzing is to look at your support. Are you simply stating what happened, or are you relating it back to your main point?

Okay, so what is an analytical essay, exactly?

Usually, it’s writing that has a more narrowed focus than a summary. Analytical essays usually concentrate on how the book or poem was written—for example, how certain themes present themselves in the story, or how the use of metaphor brings a certain meaning to a poem.

In short, this type of essay requires you to look at the smaller parts of the work to help shed light on the larger picture.

An example of a prompt—and the example I’m going to use for the rest of this post—could be something like: Analyze the theme of sacrifice in the Harry Potter series. (Note: there might be some spoilers, but I figured everyone who was planning on reading the books has done so already—or at least has seen the movies.)

One Way To Form Your Analytical Essay Outline

There are quite a few ways to organize your analytical essay, but no matter how you choose to write it, your essay should always have three main parts:

1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion

I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of this soon, but for all you visual learners, here is a nice representation of all the components that make a great analytical essay outline.

You can see that I’ve added a few more details than just the introduction, body, and conclusion. But hold your horses—we’re getting to those parts right now.

Introduction of Your Analytical Essay Outline

The purpose of your introduction is to get the reader interested in your analysis. The introduction should include at least three things—a hook, your thesis statement, and a sentence or two describing how you intend to prove your thesis statement.

1. You gotta hook ‘em from the start. The first part of your introduction should draw the reader in. This is called the hook.

The hook should be interesting or surprising. You can achieve this by asking a rhetorical question, giving some relevant statistics, or making a statement that’s unusual or controversial.

For my Harry Potter example, I might say, “Since the publication of the first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, some Christian groups have attacked the books for promoting witchcraft. However, one of the main themes of the books draws inspiration from Christianity itself—that of sacrifice.”

Okay, so that’s two sentences. But it’s got a little bit of controversy and relates to what the rest of the essay will discuss.

2. Get to the good stuff—write a killer thesis statement. Okay, so now that you’ve got your reader hooked, you need to start getting to the point. This is where the thesis statement comes in.

My thesis might be, “The theme of sacrifice is prevalent throughout the series and is embodied as sacrifice for the greater good, sacrifice for an ultimate gain, and sacrifice to keep a promise.”

3. It’s time to back up your thesis. Let the reader know how you’re going to prove your claim.

For my example, I would let the reader know that I intend to analyze the instances of Harry’s “death,” Voldemort’s sacrifice of his soul in exchange for immortality, and how Snape sacrifices in order to honor a promise made to Lily Potter.

These points will be the building blocks of the body paragraphs.

Body of Your Analytical Essay Outline

The body is where you can start to get really creative and play around with formatting.

In the flowchart, there are three body paragraphs. But that’s because I was trained in the 5-paragraph outline. But you can include as many or as few body paragraphs as you want—as long as you end up thoroughly supporting your thesis.

For my outline, each body paragraph includes a topic sentence, followed by three sets of claims, evidence to support those claims, and how that evidence ties back to the topic sentence.

Again, three is not necessarily a magic number here. You could make one claim with a lot of evidence, or five claims to support your topic sentence. But let’s get into it, shall we?

1. Develop a strong topic sentence. Each topic sentence in each body paragraph of your analytical essay outline should tell the reader exactly what that section is going to be about.

My first body paragraph might start with, “Harry Potter is willing to fulfill prophecy and make the ultimate sacrifice—that of his life—in order to save the rest of the wizarding world.”

2. Make your claim. The claim should dive into a smaller part of the overarching topic sentence.

The topic sentence I gave can be broken down into several smaller claims—that Harry knew that he was fulfilling prophecy, that he was actually willing to die, and that his death would be of profound significance.

3. Provide evidence from the text to back your claim. You can’t just go around making claims without any support. You can use quotes or paraphrase parts of the text to add evidence.

For evidence that Harry knew that he was fulfilling prophecy, you could cite the instance in the hall of prophecies with the quote, “and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.”

4. Tie that evidence to the topic sentence. You have to make it absolutely clear why you included the evidence. If you don’t, your analytical essay runs the risk of being a summary.

For example, with the citing of the prophecy, I would tell the reader that Harry and his friends found said prophecy and figured out that it had to be about him (although there are objections that it could’ve been referring to Neville, but we’ll leave that out of this example). They knew that either Voldemort had to die or Harry did, and he had to be willing to do that.

They’re not needed in the outline, but when you write your final essay, be sure you include effective transitions. This will help your essay flow.

Conclusion of Your Analytical Essay Outline

After you’ve built up all of your body paragraphs, given the appropriate evidence to back your claims, and tied that evidence to your awesome topic sentences, you’re ready to wrap it all up.

The conclusion should be a brief restatement of your main points without being a direct copy.

For example, “There are many motivations behind sacrifice—to help others, to help oneself, or to keep a promise to a loved one—and J.K. Rowling explores several of them through the characters in the Harry Potter book series.”

This, of course, does not suffice as a full conclusion. To fill it out and give the reader a sense of closure, you can relate the theme to the real world or end with a final quote from the text or the author.

Use This Downloadable Analytical Essay Outline as a Guide

Easy, right? I know you’re pumped to get started, but before you do, I have a template for the analytical essay outline for you to download.

Download the Analytical Essay Outline Template PDF

Download the Analytical Essay Outline Template (.doc)

Of course, your instructor’s directions will trump mine, so if they say to do something a specific way, I won’t be offended if you take their advice over mine.

Need more help? Check out these analytical essay examples.

And don’t forget about the Kibin editors. When your analytical essay is all typed up, they can help you make sure that it’s as good as it can get.

Now… get to it!

Stuck on Your Analytical Essay?

Check Out These Example Analytical Essays

Yes! Show me examples.