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Research Outlines Working Outlines Draft Outlines Formal Outlines

Research Outlines
most useful theory. Her working outline isn't very
is based on your draft. It describes each paragraph in
formal, but it fulfills the functions of a good outline:
your draft so that you can critique your organization. It
While you are researching a topic, you can make a
• It supports the thesis.
helps you answer these questions: Does my draft flow
tentative outline—a plan for your paper based on what
• It establishes the order and relationship of the main
logically from point to point? Have I discussed similar
you are learning from your research. This kind of outline
points.
ideas in the same section or do I jump around?
helps you answer two questions: What do I already
• It clarifies the relationship of the major and minor
know? What do I need to research more?
points.
This is a draft outline the student mentioned above
made after writing the first draft of her paper. She
Here is an example of a tentative outline a student used
* Introduction
summarized the draft, paragraph by paragraph, and
to begin doing research for an essay comparing three
- theories are simpler than real life
then took a look at what the outline revealed.
different political theories: neo-Marxism, pluralism
- theories are tools
and elitism. The writer already knew about two of the
* Three Political Theories
¶1 General introduction to political
theories, but needed more information about the third.
- Neo-Marxism
theories
- power to minority
Thesis: neo-Marxism most useful
- importance of economic control
Neo-Marxism
¶2 Description of neo-Marxism
- Pluralism
- power to minority
¶3 Description of pluralism
- power to interest groups
- emphasizes economics
¶4 Coalitions of interest groups
- interest groups form coalitions
Pluralism
¶5 Description of elitism
- Elitism
- power to interest groups
¶6 Pluralist analysis of U.S.
- power to elite
- shifting coalitions of groups
¶7 Neo-Marxist analysis of U.S.
- how elite is defined
Elitism
¶8 Strengths of neo-Marxist analysis
* Compare analysis of United States
- definition
Weaknesses of neo-Marxism
- Neo-Marxist
- description
¶9 Weaknesses of elitism
- Pluralist
Analysis: United States
¶10 Conclusion
- Elitist
- neo-Marxist
- pluralist
She noticed that the descriptions of neo-Marxism and
Your job as a writer is to think through the relationships
- elitist
elitism were each in a single paragraph, but the
between your ideas. For example, is one idea similar to
description of pluralism took two paragraphs. She
Working Outlines
or different from another? Is one a cause of another? An
decided to be consistent by combining ¶3 and ¶4. She
effect? An example? Is one idea the solution to another?
also noticed that the second half of the paper seemed to
Do two points represent different categories of a larger
During pre-writing, you can make a working outline—an
jump around from theory to theory, presenting each
idea? In other words, do your ideas fall into one of the
outline that guides you in your drafting. It helps you
theory's analysis and then each theory's weaknesses.
conventional approaches to thinking about an issue:
answer the question: How am I going to present my
She decided to put the pluralist analysis of the U.S. and
cause-effect, problem-solution, comparison-contrast,
information given my thesis, my assignment and my
the weaknesses of the analysis together in ¶6, the
definition, classification? You can use these standard
audience?
elitist analysis and its weaknesses into a paragraph
approaches to help you think through your ideas and
together, and then devote two paragraphs to the neo-
come up with a logical plan. This plan then becomes
The student who wrote the tentative outline above also
Marxist analysis and its strengths and weaknesses.
your outline.
wrote the one below before beginning her essay. She
wanted to describe the three political theories and then
Formal Outlines
Draft Outlines
compare them by using each to analyze the government
of a particular country, arguing that neo-Marxism is the
Finally, you may be required to write a formal
After you have written a first draft of your paper, you
outline—an outline that serves as a guide to your paper
can make a draft or descriptive outline--an outline that
for your reader. If you haven't already been making
formal outlines, this outline will be a formal version of
C. Elitism
your previous notes; it lays out your main points and
1. Definition
subpoints for your reader. Generally, this kind of outline
2. Description
uses conventions of formal outlining: Roman numerals,
III. Comparative analysis of U.S.
Using
letters and indentations. Sometimes this type of outline
government
can be produced after you have written your essay.
A. Pluralism
Outlines
1. Analysis
2. Weaknesses
Formal outlines can be written in two ways. In topic
B. Elitism
outlines, the ideas are expressed in parallel phrases
1. Analysis
(that is, in the same grammatical form--noun phrases,
2. Weaknesses
verb phrases, etc.). Topic outlines have the advantage
C. Neo-Marxism
of being brief. In sentence outlines, on the other hand,
1. Analysis
the ideas are expressed in complete, though not
2. Critique
Many writers use outlines to help them think through
necessarily parallel, sentences. Sentence outlines give
a. Strengths
the various stages of the writing process. An outline is a
the reader a clearer idea of what you will argue than
b. Weaknesses
kind of graphic scheme of the organization of your
topic outlines.
IV. Conclusion
paper. It indicates the main arguments for your thesis as
well as the subtopics under each main point. Outlines
Regardless of the kind of formal outline you choose,
Notice that in a formal outline, whenever a point is
range from the informal, using indenting and graphics
convention states that you begin with a statement of
subdivided, there are at least two subpoints. Logic and
(such as --, *, •), to the formal, which often uses Roman
your thesis and indicate increasing levels of support in
convention state that when you divide a point, you can
numerals and letters. Regardless of the degree of
this order: I., A., 1., a., (1), (a). In scientific papers,
divide it into no fewer than two subpoints.
formality, however, the function of most outlines is to
however, a decimal system is also commonly used. A
help you consider the most effective way to say what
topic outline follows.
Remember, depending on how your research or writing is
you want to say.
going, you may need to make use of any or all of the
outlines described in this pamphlet.
Thesis: Among the pluralist, elitist
Outlines usually grow out of working plans for papers.
and neo-Marxist political theories,
For shorter, less complex papers, a few informal notes
neo-Marxism provides the most powerful
jotted down may be enough. But longer papers are too big
analysis of the current political
to organize mentally; you generally need a written plan
scene.
For help at any stage of the writing process:
to help you organize the various parts of the paper.
Preparing an outline will enable you to think over your
I. Functions of political theories
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notes, consider them from several perspectives, and
A. Tools to help understand
Ballantine Hall 206
governments
devise an organizational plan appropriate to your topic,
Indiana University
1. Categorization
audience and assignment. An outline that accompanies
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2. Comparison
the final draft of a paper can also function as a table of
B. Limitation: Over-simplification
www.indiana.edu/~wts/
contents for the reader.
II. Three political theories
A. Neo-Marxism
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When you think of outlines, you probably think of an
1. Definition
organizational plan to help you draft a paper, but you
2. Description
can outline at any stage of the writing process. At each
B. Pluralism
stage, the outline serves a different function and helps
1. Definition
Revised 7/8/04
you answer different writing questions.
2. Description