Guidelines for Preparing an Outline
Support your thesis.
Does every part of the outline relate directly to the thesis by presenting your case,
explaining the idea, or filling in necessary background?
Do all entries add up to a convincing argument for the claim you make in your thesis?
Is the thesis broad enough to encompass all the important issues in your topic?
Clarify the order and relationship of the major points.
Are the statements the most logical or effective order?
Does one statement lead to the next?
Does the argument maintain a consistent direction—or does it backtrack or even
contradict itself?
Establish the relationship of major and minor statements.
Does each group of subheadings adequately develop the major heading?
Does each piece of specific evidence have a clear relationship to any larger claim you are
making?
Establish your task in the introduction.
Does the introduction show your awareness of the prior writing on the subject?
Is the review of the literature necessary—to fill in the reader on background?
Does the introduction raise the major issue you will discuss in the paper?
Does it reveal how you will pursue the issue?
Does the introduction indicate the importance and interest of your topic?
Frame an effective conclusion.
Does the conclusion grow out of the major ideas you have discussed in the paper?
Does the conclusion reinforce your main thoughts?
Do you indicate how your findings relate to the findings of previous writers?
Do you suggest possible ways of pursuing the issue in future writing?
Does the conclusion show awareness that your own writing is part of a continuing
conversation on the subject?
Check for coherence.
Does the outline reveal a paper that holds together?
Will the final paper make the impact you desire?
Support your thesis.
Does every part of the outline relate directly to the thesis by presenting your case,
explaining the idea, or filling in necessary background?
Do all entries add up to a convincing argument for the claim you make in your thesis?
Is the thesis broad enough to encompass all the important issues in your topic?
Clarify the order and relationship of the major points.
Are the statements the most logical or effective order?
Does one statement lead to the next?
Does the argument maintain a consistent direction—or does it backtrack or even
contradict itself?
Establish the relationship of major and minor statements.
Does each group of subheadings adequately develop the major heading?
Does each piece of specific evidence have a clear relationship to any larger claim you are
making?
Establish your task in the introduction.
Does the introduction show your awareness of the prior writing on the subject?
Is the review of the literature necessary—to fill in the reader on background?
Does the introduction raise the major issue you will discuss in the paper?
Does it reveal how you will pursue the issue?
Does the introduction indicate the importance and interest of your topic?
Frame an effective conclusion.
Does the conclusion grow out of the major ideas you have discussed in the paper?
Does the conclusion reinforce your main thoughts?
Do you indicate how your findings relate to the findings of previous writers?
Do you suggest possible ways of pursuing the issue in future writing?
Does the conclusion show awareness that your own writing is part of a continuing
conversation on the subject?
Check for coherence.
Does the outline reveal a paper that holds together?
Will the final paper make the impact you desire?
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