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• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-outline/

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Rationale Worksheet

Ra-tion-ale (noun) 1. Fundamental reasons; the basis 2. An exposition of principles or reasons

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. 2003.

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Using the Worksheet

The following worksheet can help you to understand better what is expected in a rationale essay. It will also help you to incorporate your personal and professional information in a meaningful way. When completed, the worksheet can serve as an outline for your rationale.

However, please be aware that this is a worksheet only; it cannot serve as a substitute for your rationale.

There are a couple of different ways you can use this worksheet:

• Write brief answers and then expand on these when you actually write your rationale.
• Use the worksheet as an outline and develop more extensive answers directly in a word processing program. These entries can then serve as a first draft of your rationale.

Do your best to carefully reflect on the questions posed in the worksheet and answer them as best as you can. If you do, you should have the foundation for a very good rationale.

I. Background Information about You and Your Goals

The essay discussion of goals is usually the first portion of the essay, so readers can get a sense of the context in which you're pursuing your degree. Use these questions to help you think and write about goals:

• What are your personal, professional, and educational goals?
• Why do you want to pursue your degree? Provide enough background so that readers can understand the reasons that led you to pursue a degree and the results you expect to achieve by pursuing your degree. How do you intend to use your degree?
• What knowledge, qualities, or characteristics do you hope to develop through your studies?
• What do you want to learn through this degree? How will you combine your previous learning with new learning to develop your academic area and become a more fully-educated person? Based on any self-assessments you have done, and any previous college coursework (at SUNY Empire or other colleges), do you need to strengthen certain academic skill areas or develop certain perspectives?
• What degree(s) are you seeking at Empire State College?
• Where would you like to be professionally in five or ten years?
• How will your degree help you to reach your professional goals?

II. Research

• Which Empire State College area of study guidelines are relevant to your concentration? Explain what you learned from reviewing them.
• Did you review catalogs or online degree program and/or course descriptions from other colleges and universities? Be specific. Name the institutions and the programs you consulted. What did you learn from these catalogs? What courses are common to each program you reviewed?
• Did you consult professionals or academics who are experienced in the area of your degree program concentration? Who were they? What did you learn? Did you incorporate their advice into your degree program by adding specific studies?
• Did you consult a graduate program advisor or a graduate catalog if you plan to continue your studies beyond the bachelor’s level? What institution? What did you learn? How did this knowledge affect your choice of studies?
• Did you review journal articles, books, or chapters of books? What did you read? What did you learn? How did this knowledge affect your choice of studies?
• Did you investigate employment or career opportunities? How? What did you learn? How did this knowledge affect your choice of studies?

III. Overall Degree Program Design

• What is the framework or organization of your degree?
• Why did you choose this framework or organization? How does it best meet your goals?
• What is your area of study? Why did you chose that area? How does it best meet your goals?

IV. Concentration

• What is your concentration? Are you using an established concentration with guidelines or have your developed your own? If you have developed your own concentration, how have you organized it?
• How does your concentration best meet your goals? How does it represent the learning that you have acquired?
• How does your concentration meet the area of study guidelines? If you have developed your own concentration, how have you designed it to meet the area of study guidelines?
• Are all the studies listed in the concentration column consistent with the concentration’s title? If so, can you explain why?
• How do your concentration studies work together to form a coherent degree program?
• How do they provide a foundation for advanced studies?
• How do they support a progression of your learning?
• How do they support an integration of your learning?
• How do they provide breadth so that your concentration isn’t too narrowly focused on one subject?
• How do they fulfill academic expectations uncovered during your research?
• How do they help your degree program meet expectations for advanced-level credits (bachelor’s only)?

V. General Learning

• How do they provide overall breadth to your degree program?
• Do any of them fulfill a SUNY General Education requirement? How?
• How do any of your general learning studies complement your concentration? How?

VI. Breadth, Progression and Integration

Note: You may have already explained breadth, progression and integration of your studies in earlier sections, especially in the sections on your concentration and general learning. If you want to make some additional points on how some of your learning especially provides your degree with breadth, progression and integration, you can elaborate more.

• How do your advanced standing and Empire State College studies provide breadth, progression and integration in your degree?

VII. SUNY and Empire State College Degree Requirements

Note: You may have already explained how your studies have met the SUNY and Empire State College requirements in earlier sections. You may, however, want to elaborate more if you have only mentioned the requirements and not explained how you have met them.

• How have you met the SUNY general education requirements? In what ways are they meeting these requirements? How have you infused the critical thinking and information management competencies into your degree?
• How does your degree program meet the requirements for liberal arts and science credits? How do you define “liberal arts and science” studies? How do your designated studies fit your definition?
• Does your bachelor’s degree program include sufficient advanced-level credits overall (45 are required)? Within your concentration (24 are required)? Advanced-level credits can be included in an associate degree, but they aren’t required. How do these studies support the progression of your degree?

VIII. Advanced Standing Studies

Note: You may have already explained why you are using some of your advanced standing studies in earlier sections. You may, however, want to elaborate more if you have only mentioned them and not explained why you have decided to use them in your degree.

Don’t list individual courses, but describe them in general or group them together in ways that you see that they are related and were of greatest interest or importance to you. Give the readers some sense of the learning the you bring to your degree.

• Why have you chosen to use the advanced standing studies that you have in your degree?
• How have the transcript or prior learning studies augmented your knowledge in your degree?
• How have they helped you meet your goals?
• How have they shaped what studies you decided to take at Empire State College?

IX. Empire State College Studies

Note: You may have already explained why you have chosen certain Empire State College studies in earlier sections. You may, however, want to elaborate more if you have only mentioned them and not explained why you have decided to use them in your degree.

• Why have you chosen the Empire State College studies that you have in your degree?
• How do your Empire State College studies build on your prior learning?
• How have the Empire State College studies helped you meet your goals?
• How have you shaped these studies to complete your knowledge for your degree?

X. Special Considerations

Note: You may have already explained any special considerations in earlier sections, but you may want to elaborate on some to make sure that the readers understand why you have made the decisions that you have.

• If there are any important points you want to make about your choices in your degree, you should take the time to explain them. Make sure that you have explained why you have made the choices that you have in the design of your degree.
• Explain why if you have deviated from any of the academic or professional expectations. If expected learning is missing or not readily apparent on the degree program itself, your rationale should explain its absence.
• If your concentration is unique or fairly nontraditional, explain why you chose the studies that make up your concentration and how they work together to form a sound college degree.
• If some of your learning may appear to have potential redundancy by their titles, explain the differences in your learning.
• If you plan to pursue a career in education or in accounting, you need to address that you recognize that your degree will not meet all of the state licensing requirements and sign a Teacher Certification Disclaimer or Accounting Certification Disclaimer.

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How to plan an essay: Essay Planning

• What's in this guide
• Essay Planning
• Additional resources

How to plan an essay

Essay planning is an important step in academic essay writing.

Proper planning helps you write your essay faster, and focus more on the exact question.  As you draft and write your essay, record any changes on the plan as well as in the essay itself, so they develop side by side.

One way to start planning an essay is with a ‘box plan’.

First, decide how many stages you want in your argument – how many important points do you want to make? Then, divide a box into an introduction + one paragraph for each stage + a conclusion.

Next, figure out how many words per paragraph you'll need.

Usually, the introduction and conclusion are each about 10% of the word count. This leaves about 80% of the word count for the body - for your real argument. Find how many words that is, and divide it by the number of body paragraphs you want. That tells you about how many words each paragraph can have.

Remember, each body paragraph discusses one main point, so make sure each paragraph's long enough to discuss the point properly (flexible, but usually at least 150 words).

For example, say the assignment is

Fill in the table as follows:

Next, record each paragraph's main argument, as either a heading or  topic sentence (a sentence to start that paragraph, to immediately make its point clear).

Finally, use dot points to list useful information or ideas from your research notes for each paragraph. Remember to include references so you can connect each point to your reading.

The other useful document for essay planning is the marking rubric .

This indicates what the lecturer is looking for, and helps you make sure all the necessary elements are there.

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

• << Previous: What's in this guide
• Next: Additional resources >>
• Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 1:23 PM
• URL: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning

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Fifth Grade Essay Writing Worksheets and Printables

Resources you can trust

Essay planning

An excellent, student-friendly guide for A-level students about the benefits of essay planning, and covering all the stages of planning. Includes detailed guidance on how to approach a KS5 essay question or title and how to identify the key or command words of the question. 

An extract from the lesson worksheet: 

The stages of essay planning

There are definite stages to planning an essay which are as important to follow for coursework essays as for essays written in exam conditions. 

• Read the question (several times).
• Identify the key words in the question and underline them.
• Explore these key words.
• Write a plan which addresses these key words and orders your ideas.
• Start writing your essay and refer regularly to your plan.

Considering the title

Essay titles are generally framed in the same kind of way.  You may be asked to discuss, consider or explore a text or a particular aspect of it.  You may be asked what you think about an aspect of a text or you may be invited to consider the validity of a particular statement about a text.  You could also be asked to compare and contrast two or more texts.

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Free Essay Plan Template for A-levels

Subject: History

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

21 December 2023

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Free Essay Plan Template suitable for A-level essay subjects.

• A-level History, Psychology, English, Politics and others.
• Use the introduction/conclusion box to list/bullet point key ideas; i.e. 4 key points.
• The other 4 boxes dedicated to paragraphs should include more detail in bullet points about each of the 4 key points.
• This template has been successfully used by high achieving A-level History students previously.
• can also be tailored to teach essay structure to lower secondary school - Year 7s and 11s.

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