If you have a big research paper coming up, then it is likely that your professor may ask you to write up an outline first (especially if it’s worth a large portion of your grade). It may seem like a waste of your time, but you should understand the true value of writing an outline. Having an outline helps a lot when it comes to making sure that your final paper is properly structured. With this in mind, here are some helpful tips on how to write an outline for a research paper.
Topic Outlines vs. Sentence Outlines
When preparing to write an outline for your research paper, you need to decide which type works best for you. The two main types of outline that you can choose from are a topic outline or a sentence outline. A topic outline is great when your research covers various areas. Usually in a topic outline all of the headings and subheadings are noted in short phrases and even single words.
However, if your research has a single focus, or focuses on a complex topic, then a sentence outline is probably a better option. In this type of outline more detail is given under each heading in complete sentences or short paragraphs. It is important to decide from the outset which form suits your paper best. Your professors may have their own preferences or they suggest a combination of the two with short headers and longer explanations of points you wish to cover.
Be Clear About Your Research Goal
One of the most important things when you consider how to write an outline for a research paper is to clearly identify what the research goal you are addressing. A clear idea of the research problem will help to guide you through the creation of both your outline and the paper itself in the following ways:
- You will derive your thesis statement from your research problem. This should be a single sentence which is able to sum up your entire research paper.
- You will use this thesis statement as the introduction section of your outline.
- Closely examining your research goals will help you to decide on a title for the research paper.
Determine the Main Points That You Will Cover
Once you have your thesis statement nailed down, think about the points you need to cover in order to support your argument. These clauses need to be listed in the introduction section of your research paper outline as well as being the headings for the paper body. Keep in mind that this is only an outline, so you can be quite general when describing your points. They need to support and/or address your thesis, but you don’t need to go into details too much until you are ready to write your paper.
You will want to play around with the order in which you use these points to find one that not only makes most sense, but which will help the final paper to flow well. If your topic relates to the research of some history, then it will be reasonable to present your points in chronological order. However, for other topics without these chronological elements, it can be better to group together points that relate to a particular school of thought before moving on to another. It is perfectly fine if you need to move some sections around when it comes to actually writing a research paper. Your outline is intended as a guide, you need not stick to every detail religiously.
Crafting Your Introduction
One of the most important elements of a research paper outline is the introduction, so you need to know what to include in this section. At a minimum you will need to include your thesis statement. However, as mentioned earlier, offer a brief list of the main points you are going to cover. You can simply head this section “Introduction” and list the other points as subheadings.
The Body of Your Outline
While the introduction is important in that it describes the purpose of your research paper, most of the work is devoted to the body of your outline. All of the most significant detail will be within this section. Your main headings should match the subheadings listed in your introduction. However, you can go into a little more detail by describing what point you will make, and referring to any research or evidence that relates to it. You may find that you need to create subheadings within these sections if you have supporting points.
Concluding Your Outline
In terms of how to write an outline for a research paper, the conclusion is going to have very limited content. You will restate your thesis, perhaps phrase it differently. The conclusion must never offer any new information as this should be in the body of your essay. You are simply summarizing everything you have already covered.