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Creating Effective Outlines

I. General Overview
II. Getting Started
    A. Brainstorm
    B. Mind Map
    C. Thesis Statement

III. Establishing a Pattern
    A. Types
    B. Sample Activity

IV. The Formal Outline Structure
A. Activity
B. Answers

V. Conclusion

Why create an outline?

To show the logical structure of your paper or presentation.
To help you organize your ideas.
To help you separate main ideas from supporting ideas

Also:

Outlines can be fun and flexible.
They can be casual or formal.
They continue to change as your ideas for your paper change.

Getting Started: Brainstorming
Make lists of everything you can think of related to your subject. Keep building on your lists by inserting sub-points and examples under the main points.

Getting Started: Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is a visual aid that unlocks your imagination. It is a technique that helps you remember things, make clearer and better notes, generate ideas, solve problems, and stay on task.
To begin mind mapping simply place your main idea in the middle of your paper in a bubble. Connect related ideas by drawing lines to other idea filled bubbles. Soon you will have a paper full of idea filled bubbles.

Getting Started: The Thesis
After brainstorming and mind mapping you should have a good idea of your main idea. This is your thesis, write down the thesis and begin building a rough outline of ideas around the thesis. Use the same ideas that you generated in the mind mapping exercise.

Arrange the ideas in your outline into a logical pattern.
For example: chronologically, general to specific, least to most important, or problem-to-solution.
Use your outline to guide your writing or presentation!
Fill your outline with examples and more information about the points you want to make.

The Formal Outline Structure

I. Roman numerals are flush with the left margin of the page and denote the major divisions of a text.
      A. Upper-case letters are the first indentation and denote the secondary ideas that will support a major division in a text            or presentation.
           1. Arabic numerals are indented under upper-case letters.
           2. Arabic numerals denote significant examples that support the writer's ideas and general thesis.
               a. Lower-case letters are indented under Arabic numbers.
               b. Lower-case letters denote specific details or an explanation of an example's main points.
      B. Except for single examples of specific points, individual divisions generally have two or more sub-points.

II. Formal outlines contain more than one major division.
      A. Each outline must have at least two roman numerals (I, II).
      B. If there is an “A”, then there must be a “B” included as well.

Practice Outlining: Arrange the below information in a formal outline
Curious George
Videos
Multi Media
Winnie the Pooh
People Magaazine
E.T.
Washington Post
Michael Jackson: Thriller
Music Waterboy
Print Media
Good Housekeeping
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Harry Potter
New York Times
The Titanic
Wall Street Journal
Books
Sports Illustrated
Grateful Dead: Mars Hotel

Note: The categories should fit the division, but it does not matter how the information is organized within the division.

Possible Solution:
I. Print Media
    A. Books
        1. Curious George
        2. Winnie the Pooh
        3. Harry Potter
     B. Magazines
         1. Good Housekeeping
         2. People Magazine
         3. Sports Illustrated
     C. Newspapers
         1. New York Times
         2. Wall Street Journal
         3. Washington Post

    II. Multi Media
     A.Videos
         1. Titanic
         2. Waterboy
         3. E.T.
    B. Music
         1. Michael Jackson: Thriller
         2. Pink Floyd: The Wall
         3. Grateful Dead: Mars Hotel

Have Fun Creating Outlines!