what's a road map for an essay

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Introductions, thesis statements, and roadmaps - graduate writing center.

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The first paragraph or two of any paper should be constructed with care, creating a path for both the writer and reader to follow. However, it is very common to adjust the introduction more than once over the course of drafting and revising your document. In fact, it is normal (and often very useful, or even essential!) to heavily revise your introduction after you've finished composing the paper, since that is most likely when you have the best grasp on what you've been aiming to say.

The introduction is your opportunity to efficiently establish for your reader the topic and significance of your discussion, the focused argument or claim you’ll make contained in your thesis statement, and a sense of how your presentation of information will proceed.

There are a few things to avoid in crafting good introductions. Steer clear of unnecessary length: you should be able to effectively introduce the critical elements of any project a page or less. Another pitfall to watch out for is providing excessive history or context before clearly stating your own purpose. Finally, don’t lose time stalling because you can't think of a good first line. A funny or dramatic opener for your paper (also known as “a hook”) can be a nice touch, but it is by no means a required element in a good academic paper.

Introductions, Thesis Statements, and Roadmaps Links

• Short video (5:47): " Writing an Introduction to a Paper ," GWC
• Handout (printable):  " Introductions ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• Handout (printable): " Thesis Statements ," University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Writing Center
• NPS-specific one-page (printable)  S ample Thesis Chapter Introduction with Roadmap , from "Venezuela: A Revolution on Standby," Luis Calvo
• Short video (3:39):  " Writing Ninjas: How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement "
• Video (5:06): " Thesis Statements ," Purdue OWL

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Making Connections between Sections of your Argument: Road Maps and Signposts

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Making Connections between Sections of your Argument

You are driving from a small town outside Boston to San Francisco. It's a long, somewhat complicated trip, especially because you'd like to visit your friend in New York and stop at a few tourist attractions throughout the country. You want to make good time--a smooth, error-free trip.

You need  a road map  of the US so you don't get lost. You'll probably want to highlight your route on the map so that you can get a "big picture" of your whole trip,  all the twists and turns .

But, it is still fairly easy to get lost--you're on a busy freeway, people are driving quickly, and you miss your turn because your exit was poorly marked. It is great to have a big picture of your trip, but if there are no  signposts (road signs) along the way, you'll encounter quite a bit of difficulty navigating the roads,  the individual twists and turns, even the major freeway exchanges .

Fine, but how does all this relate to writing? Put your reader in the driver's seat.

It is  your  job to help the reader get  "the big picture" of your argument --how it will develop or unfold, what different sections your argument will have (one section per major point), all its twists and turns. To achieve this big picture, you will need to provide a  road map of your overall argument , usually toward the beginning of the paper right after you announce what the main point is that you will argue in the paper or report (thesis/hypothesis). Some writers refer to this set of sentences as the "plan of attack," but I prefer to equate skillful writing with skillful driving, not an act of war...

Now, it would be cruel to send your reader off with this map and not post any road signs throughout your paper. How can you be sure your reader will anticipate curves and turns? You don't want your reader cruising along and then come screeching to a halt in the middle of the road because your argument is shifting lanes to the right and the reader's in the left lane driving right past the exit which takes him to your next point. The reader expects and thus needs  signposts . You need to include  headings or transitional sentences between major sections of your paper or report  to cue your reader that you have finished one section and are moving on to another. And, to help the reader keep a constant speed throughout your paper, with no screeching halts, you'll want to include smaller signs within sections-- transitional words, phrases, or sentences between paragraphs  to show how the next paragraph builds on the previous one.

When reading over your draft, ask yourself, "where have I given my reader a map to my essay, and where have I helped my reader to follow that map?"

See samples below and drive, I mean write, smoothly.

A sample plan of attack

This paper summarizes the issues involved in implementing alternative assessment. The authors list issues that arise in three major educational settings, categorize them, and address each from the perspective of teachers, learners, and administrators. The paper ends with potential plans of action based on the analysis of alternative assessment use in different teaching contexts.

A sample between-sections transition

The Illusion: Luck and the Lottery

The state focuses nearly all its publicity effort on merchandising a get-rich-quick fantasy, one that will come true for only a handful of people, while encouraging millions of others to think of success as a product of luck, not honest work.

-----Several paragraphs of evidence and analysis of this position-----

The following header and sentence set up a contrasting view for the next section of the paper:

Lottery Loot: Inner City Schools and Infrastructure

While the shortcomings of the state lottery system are numerous, there are sound arguments for allowing state lotteries to continue and spread....

A sample between-paragraphs transition

. . . as seen in such puns as "mint," "Angell," and "plate" (Taylor 390). These puns express not only Taylor's desire to get to Heaven ("let me Thy Angell bee"), but also his sense of the great value of being remade or reborn--of being re"minted" by God. He wants to be the heavenly equivalent of earthly money, heaven's wealth and riches.  We see then in these examples from "Meditation 6" and "Meditation 8" that Taylor's metaphors often take earthly, material values that the Puritans eschew and turn these "profane" values to a "sacred" purpose.

Not only do Taylor's metaphors turn conventional Puritan values upside down, but so do his puns. Taylor uses puns to . . .

At the end of a paragraph about Taylor's use of metaphors, the writing does not end with the final examples, but summarize and synthesizes the point of the paragraph. The next paragraph repeats the point and then states a new topic sentence.

Student Learning Center, University of California, Berkeley

©2000 UC Regents

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

The requested URL was rejected.

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Answered By: Ning Zou Last Updated: Mar 11, 2022     Views: 12

Although not all academic papers have a road map, many do. Following the thesis, a road map is a narrative table of contents that summarizes the flow of the rest of the paper. These often outline how the author will make the argument, the bodies of literature the author will review, and/or key points from the study design and procedure. For an example, see our resource on paper structure .

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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!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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• Write a College Essay
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• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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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 September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-outline/

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Writing Center

Strategic enrollment management and student success, creating a research roadmap, ... so your paper doesn't crash.

It’s easy to get daunted by the idea of starting a research project. Although “finding information” sounds pretty simple, many of us get overwhelmed when we starting thinking of all the things that go into finding what we need for a research project: figuring out where to look, understanding and determining what is important, deciding how to organize — not to mention incorporating all of this into the actual writing of your paper. Whew!

However, even though research can seem like an overwhelming task, if you are able to break “research” down into manageable chunks, you’ll find that it doesn’t have to be so bad. Research isn’t only finding information or facts; you will also find others’ viewpoints and interpretations of that information. And finally, you will add your interpretation to the mix so that your paper is not a report but a critical look at a topic.

Doing all of this, of course, takes some time and planning, so it can be helpful to think of doing research much like going on a road trip. You just don’t hop in the car and go; you also pack snacks, get directions, check your tire pressure, and find places to stop along the way. Research is the same way. Making a checklist and timeline of all the things you have to do will help you effectively reach your destination. Keep reading to find out how you can create a personal research roadmap that will help you reach your destination safely and without panic.

1)   Creating a plan: Where you need to go

The first thing you need to do is make sure you   understand the assignment . You don’t want to waste time doing work that won’t fit your project. If you’re not sure what you are supposed to be doing, consult classmates, your professor, or the Writing Center.

If you have the option to   choose your topic   for research, do this next. Keep in mind the parameters of the assignment, including date due, page length, and project objectives, so you don’t pick a topic that is too broad or narrow for the assignment.

Do some   preliminary research   on your topic. Consult general sources, such as class notes, textbooks, reference books, and the Internet. You won’t use this material in your final paper but it will give you general information to help you focus your topic choice.

Based on your preliminary research,   figure out what types of material you will need   to find for your paper. Remember that information consists of both facts and other peoples’ interpretations of those facts. Knowing what you need will make your research more focused, which will save you time.

Create a timeline   for completing research. You should do Phase 1 very soon after receiving your assignment. Phase 2 and 3 will take the longest, so don't put them off to the last minute.

2)   Doing the research: How to get there

Find keywords   that get you into the topic. This may take some experimenting and the task can be frustrating, so use your preliminary research to help you figure out what terms are most relevant for your search.

You’ll probably be using mostly scholarly sources for your paper, so   consult library books and electronic databases   through the library’s website. (Google searches are not a good use of your time. Promise.) You can consult the help desk in the library or the Writing Center for help on searching.

Once you’ve done research,   prioritize your sources . Start with more introductory material to learn the basic facts and then go for more evaluation and interpretation. Don’t feel you have to read every single word of every single source—scan for relevant material and then read more carefully in more important sections.

Take notes as you read   your sources. Write down important ideas, quotations, and your own analysis. Writing as you read (instead of waiting ‘til the end) will save you lots of time and energy. Look for the central ideas of sources and think about how they could be organized. Allow ideas to emerge through your research.

3)   Incorporating research: What to do while there

Revisit your notes   and key quotations from your sources. Identify key concepts, ideas, and points of debate within your subject.

Think about how you can   organize your sources around major points   of interpretation instead of general topics. Revisit your assignment sheet to make sure you’re still on the right track.

Write a first draft   so you can get your ideas out on paper. Divide your paper into smaller chunks so you can work on one chunk at a time. You don’t need to worry about getting everything perfect, but you do want to push your thinking to be analytical and critical. Skip writing the introduction for now. You’ll have a better idea of what to say after you write a draft.

Read your draft and determine if you need to   fill holes in your research . Sometimes you won’t realize you need certain things until you start writing, so it helps to set aside some time to go back and do a bit more focused research.

Write a second draft . The value of a second draft can’t be emphasized enough. A second draft is a lot more than just a proofread first draft — it is a refining of your ideas. As you write, you’ll discover your ideas in the first draft; in the second, you’ll make them understandable to outside readers. (Psst—it’s easier to focus your ideas if you start with a blank document instead of trying to directly change your first draft.)

Use the timeline below to divide your research into 3 phases. The length of each phase will be determined by your deadline.

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Commitment • high standards • excellence • ethics • results • leadership • focus, college essay step #2: the importance of creating a roadmap.

“Many students mistakenly think that a great essay must be about some topic or event that would be fascinating or compelling to any reader. However, at Duke we look at style just as much as content. In their search for exciting content, applicants often overlook the fact that a well-written essay about a rather “everyday” subject can be far more compelling than a poorly-written essay about a fascinating subject.”

— Admissions Officer, Duke University

After taking the time and effort to brainstorm and generate ideas, it is equally important for you to spend time creating a roadmap for your college essay. It offers the opportunity for you to provide invaluable information that grades, extracurricular involvements, and standardized test scores cannot show. Your personal essay communicates to the admissions committee why YOU are unique when compared to the other applicants.

We all know how challenging it is to write about yourself. Without feeling as though you are inflating your ego, telling your story in a personal statement is daunting. However, by creating an outline for your essay, it enables you to organize your ideas into a narrative story while including all the specific details that will bring your story to life. Break down the essay into four to five segments: an introduction paragraph, two, three, or four body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Make sure you know what point you really want the reader to walk away with in each of these paragraphs. This helps to compartmentalize your ideas and thoughts before you begin the actual writing of the essay.

First, create an outline that helps you to focus your ideas from each paragraph into a cohesive whole. Without a clearly constructed outline, it could result in unfocused and rambling paragraphs that do not clearly answer the prompt.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you being to outline your essay roadmap:

Introduction: For the most part, admissions officers spend only 1-2 minutes reading each essay. Therefore, your introduction must seize their interest right from the beginning. Do not summarize in your introduction; rather, take it as an opportunity to build up to your subject matter so that it encourages them to continue reading the rest of your essay. Describing the image can be a great way to starting your essay.

• Body Paragraphs: Your body paragraphs must correlate and relate to your introduction paragraph. Make sure each body paragraph has a targeted point you want to convey so that you don’t lose the reader’s attention and understanding. Each paragraph should then add value to the next paragraph.
• Conclusion: Your conclusion is the last opportunity for you to impress your readers and to persuade them as to why you are qualified, more so than another candidate, for a seat at their college. Avoid summarizing because your word count is limited. Use the remaining word count to leave the reader with a long lasting impression.

As students work towards gaining entrance into a college or university, they must also consider the fact that it is increasingly competitive because a large number of students are applying for a limited number of seats. The college essay may be limited to only 500 words, or at times, limited to only 100-250 words depending on the application. Yet, the essay component of the college application can make the distinction between acceptance or rejection. Not only should your essay capture the reader’s attention, you must persuade him/her, through your writing, that you are an exceptional individual who is unique!

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How To Create A Roadmap In An Essay

Creating a roadmap for an essay can save you lots of time in the long run. You’ll be easily able to keep track of your train of thoughts. And find all the “what”, “why” and “who” within it. Besides, a simple outline helps to stay organized and focused on the main topic. In this article, we’ll explain the tips and tricks that will help you in writing your own amazing roadmap. Let’s dive right into it!

How To Create A Roadmap?

A table of contents is the basic guideline of your paper. You should have the key headings as well as subheadings in your table of contents. A standard paper in any field would have an introduction, methods, results and discussion. But, an apa table of content is not necessary within this style of formatting. You should make sure your instructor has given you the correct formatting guidelines before you begin writing. Additionally, you can include an appendix to the final paper.

Keep reading and find out how to create a roadmap for your essay next!

1. Choose Your Topic

Start by choosing the main topic of your paper to create a roadmap. Next, you should explore as many subtopics and topics as you can. Once you have a basic idea of what your paper will cover, you can start writing your abstract. The outline will be easier to modify later. So you can begin to outline your paper early.

2. Branch Out

Developing a basic roadmap for your paper can save you time in the long run. You can begin the process by breaking it into smaller chunks. This will help you make your writing more understandable. By separating the paper into its parts, you will be able to identify content areas and organization problems. You can also use say/do analysis tools to see where you might need to make changes.

Once you have defined the main subject for your paper, start branching into subtopics. Use this basic roadmap as a starting point for your paper. You will be able to see what your audience expects from your work. This will allow you to predict how the audience will respond to your topic. After creating a basic roadmap, you can focus on writing the abstract.

3. Create An Abstract

Your abstract is the key to establishing a clear roadmap for your paper. An abstract is a brief summary of the purpose and perspectives of your paper. You should limit the abstract to one paragraph. It should also be two-spaced. An abstract is required if you are planning to create a research paper. If your research paper involves a large group of people working on it, you should include the name of each author. Readers will find it much easier to find your paper if you include this information.

4. Outline Everything

An outline of all main points for the paper is a basis map. You can also include page numbers or table numbers taken from a book, journal or magazine. A running header is a shorter version of the title for the paper and must not exceed 50 words. The body should include an abstract. A summary that is too long may be better written in two to three paragraphs. In any case, make sure you include a reference to the source.

You can use an outline to help focus and organize your thoughts. Following the outline can help simplify your writing. By following the guidelines, grammar and style errors can be avoided. The manual lists several fonts to suit different purposes. To create an organized paper, it is best to use the most common fonts and style guidelines. If necessary, you should include a media folder.

5. Double-Check Your Details and Formatting

The outline should be completed before you can start to write your paper. The title of your paper should be the first line of the paper. Your introduction must be in the second paragraph if your paper contains one. An author must mention his/her name as well as their affiliation. The title and date of your paper should be included in the heading. You should include the main subject in your abstract. Your paper body must contain results and information about the experiments.

It should contain the aim of the experiment, and its objectives. This paragraph must also summarize the overall project results. You can use transitional words to demonstrate how the next paragraph complements the last one. Your paper should be well-organized and coherent. It is much more easy to use and understand than other papers. It will also be much easier to move on to the next section. It will make your bibliography more organized and informative.

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What is a writing roadmap? (and why you need one)

by Cathy Mazak | Apr 19, 2017 | academic brand , academic writing , mindset , publishing , time management

Does any of this sound familiar?

• You feel overwhelmed because you are being pulled in a thousand directions.
• You have this nagging feeling that you should be writing, but you can’t figure out how to fit it in.
• You have about three articles almost done, two others half drafted, and three new projects percolating in the back of your mind. But nothing under review.
• When you finally do sit down with time to write, you’re not sure where to start.
• Tenure is looming, tenure is looming, tenure is looming….

We learn a lot of things from graduate school, but time management isn’t one of them. Though our PhD programs prepare us to be outstanding researchers, and maybe even great teachers, we rarely get instruction about how to balance research, teaching, and service. And forget about learning how to integrate our job as academics with our home and family life.

I’ve been thinking about this question for a long time, and I finally came up with this idea of a writing roadmap as a way to talk about this dilemma that we find ourselves in as professors: we need to write more, but how?

There is no one “trick” or “hack” to finding time to write. And truth be told, it is not only about time. There are plenty of people who have gone on sabbatical and, suddenly faced with huge spans of time just for writing , still have not completed their projects. That’s because it’s not actually about time, but more about a whole series of other behaviors and decisions that add up to more writing. Enter the writing roadmap.

A writing roadmap is basically a heuristic to guide you through adopting the necessary behaviors and making the appropriate decisions that will lead to you writing (and publishing) more. Think of it as a series of adjustments or alignments that, put together, will lead to more publication.

Here’s the high-level Writing Roadmap:

• Map your mission
• Align your activities
• Manage your time
• Develop your writing system
• Set “write” goals
• Master your mindset
• Propel your project management skills
• Power up your publication pipeline
• Map out your year
• Create a five-year framework for your big goals

There’s a lot here to unpack! That’s why, in our 12-week Navigate: Your Writing Roadmap® program, we teach you how to do each step, from writing an academic mission statement to creating (and managing) a publication pipeline to mapping out the next academic year (or five). And to make this program even more impactful, we’re offering high-touch coaching and community to help you get a paper out in 12 short weeks. Because let’s face it: you’re busy!

Sounds interesting? Check out the Navigate program details and get on the waitlist here to get that backlog of papers where it belongs-out there in the world!

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Roadmap and Transitions

Good essay writers guide their readers. In the first or second paragraph they give the reader a roadmap for the essay.  The old saw,"Tell them what you will say, say it, and tell them what you said" is good advice.  Along the way good essay writers provide signposts or transitions that direct the reader. 

Here is a link to the final version of a sample student moral philosophy paper: http://www.williams.edu/philosophy/fourth_layer/faculty_pages/jcruz/moraltutor/5thFinal.html

Go through it to locate the roadmap and transitional phrase/sentences that make it an effective essay.

Jim Pryor has excellent advice about writing philosophy papers at http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html   Note the section entitled:  "Make the structure of your paper obvious."

To learn more about transitions in general, to to this helpful handout on transitions:   http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.html

Here is a link to the excellent complete Cruz moral philosophy paper writing tutor:   Writing papers for introductory moral philosophy courses . 

• Relationships

A Roadmap For Writing An Essay

A road map is required if you want to produce an excellent essay. You must have a thesis statement, often known as a topic sentence, and it must be strong and specific. It should also provide an answer to the inquiry. This section of your essay should provide your reader with a sense of what to expect from the remainder of the essay.

A good thesis statement is like a GPS

If you’re writing an essay about a specific topic, a good thesis statement will help you stay on track. An excellent thesis statement in an argumentative essay, for example, might demonstrate that you are aware of opposing viewpoints and have taken the time to analyze a subject. A thesis statement that focuses on the issue is more powerful when creating a persuasive essay. A strong thesis statement should also provide the reader with a good notion of what to expect from your article. A thesis statement, whether basic or complex, should offer the reader an indication of what to expect from the rest of the article.

It should be clear

Making an outline is a critical first step in the writing process. It helps you avoid getting off track by organizing your thoughts into a clear path. Many teachers will need an outline of your work to verify you’re on track and understand what you’re writing about.

An essay should have a basic format that includes an introduction that summarizes the main points of your argument and a conclusion that brings everything together. Writing the opening is easier once you know what you’re going to say. Next, decide how many paragraphs you’ll need and how sophisticated your argument will be. Academic paragraphs are typically longer than you might imagine.

The opening should have three paragraphs and a thesis statement. The thesis statement, which should be at least one or two sentences lengthy, is research proposal writing help and the fundamental idea of the essay. It should be specific and arguable and should offer the reader a clear picture of what the essay will discuss. Details that support the thesis statement should be included in the body of the essay.

It should answer the question

A road map for writing an essay should provide a solution to a query. It should be a short paragraph with a quick thesis statement and an answer to the reader’s question. The thesis statement should not supply fresh knowledge to the reader, but rather answer a question about which they can argue.

The topic sentence informs the reader about the topic of the essay and helps them focus their attention. A thesis statement should have three basic components: a focused topic, a specific opinion, and a set of reasons. It must also meet the instructor’s specifications. The thesis statement serves as the introduction to the body of the essay.

It should be specific

To produce an effective essay, you must have a clear plan to follow. This route map should be specific to the topic of your writing. A road map for an argumentative essay, for example, should have a clear thesis statement. This statement’s objective is to help your readers comprehend what you’re going to say and why they should read your essay.

The main step is to choose a theme. A broad topic announcement may be ineffective because it may divert readers’ attention away from the core aim of your essay. A specialized topic announcement should address the reader’s interest in the topic. It is better to pick a topic that you are interested in and then focus it on down to a few key elements.

It should be concise

Making a succinct essay is essential for making it flow properly. This means that the reader will not be overwhelmed as they follow the writer’s thoughts. Break up parts into tiny chunks that can act as topic sentences to do this. These topic phrases might direct the reader to the sections of the essay that pique their interest.

• Getting Started with Roadmaps

Strategic planning is an essential part of managing projects or activities of any kind, and it's especially important in implementing your business vision. A simple visual like a roadmap provides a clear overview of your strategic tasks and milestones and helps you define a long-term plan for reaching your goals .

We've put together some resources to make it easier for you to create and manage your project or product roadmap. Here, you'll find all you need to know, from what a roadmap is to useful examples, friendly tools and free roadmap templates  so you don't have to build them yourself. Let's get started!

What Is a Roadmap in Project Management?

Simply put, a roadmap is a strategic planning technique that places a project's goals and major deliverables (tasks, milestones) on a timeline , all grouped in a single visual representation or graphic. You should always remember that a roadmap planner differs from a regular project plan in that it doesn't contain all the details of a project; instead, it's a high-level, easy-to-understand, strategic tool.

• Characteristics of a Roadmap

Defining an overall goal along with the major steps needed to reach it, a roadmap helps articulate the why behind the desired outcome and the plan for getting there within all kinds of strategic initiatives.

To better understand the role of a roadmap, let us review what this strategic tool is and is not.

What a roadmap is

A high-level plan that states an overarching objective and captures the major steps to achieve it – a valid roadmap makes a persuasive case for undertaking any specific action towards the main objective and paints a clear picture of how these underlying activities interconnect to bring the desired outcome.

A communication tool that conveys a product’s/project’s strategy – when using a concise and convincing rationale for taking a certain step/including a specific feature, a roadmap proves essential to the effective coordination of cross-functional teams around a common goal, and for gaining the approval from company leadership, partners, and customers.

What a roadmap is not

Difference between a roadmap and a backlog – a backlog is a to-do list consisting of all the tasks required to carry out a strategic initiative, usually arranged based on their priority; meanwhile, a roadmap translates a collection of backlog tasks and ideas into a high-level strategic vision.

Difference between a roadmap and a project management tracker – a project management tracker is a compilation of all the tasks and associated details (the individual assignments, the staff responsible for each task, planned meetings to discuss major milestones, deadlines for each critical phase, etc.) that are related to the completion of an initiative; in contrast, a roadmap summarizes the main efforts that need to be undertaken in order to achieve the planned results.

Difference between a roadmap and a list of features – when it comes to product development and management, many managers mistakenly confuse a list of features with a roadmap, but a list of features doesn’t articulate the strategic thinking that supports building a product in a specific way, whereas a roadmap shows how all those features come together and yield a product that meets specific company goals.

• Why Do You Need a Roadmap?

Creating a well-thought-out roadmap helps businesses and project/product managers judiciously decide to what they choose to commit. Aligning each work item to the overall objective, roadmaps ensure that time and efforts are invested wisely and provide a strong foundation in terms of:

Clarity – by answering the question “what are you working towards and why?”, a roadmap clarifies strategic goals and how the involved work is linked to the overall strategy.

Communication – sharing the strategy of an initiative, a roadmap shows direction, visualizes timing, and helps drive conversations with key parties around challenges in a transparent manner.

Coordination – in large or complex projects, a roadmap enhances collaboration between multiple participants within an organization as it can help track dependencies and identify bottlenecks.

Accountability – sharing what needs to be delivered and when, a roadmap makes it easier for everyone to follow through on the plan.

Alignment – clearly stating the vision and the objectives of a project, a roadmap aligns teams, portfolios, or areas of the same business.

Impact – highlighting how each area of investment ties to a high-level goal, roadmaps easily illustrate the impact of a team’s progress.

Prioritization – focusing on what is most important, roadmaps help project/product managers make tradeoff decisions and prioritize the work that brings the greatest benefits more easily.

Showing the why behind a planned initiative, a roadmap benefits any type of business because:

It clarifies business strategy .

It communicates company-wide initiatives to internal teams.

It links department goals to those of the business.

It shares general plans with external audiences such as partners and advisory boards.

It tracks organizational performance .

Serving as the reference point for everything a team will focus on, a visual roadmap is extremely useful for product/project managers in high-level meetings with clients and executives because it helps you:

Illustrate how business strategy ties to company goals.

Translate product goals and initiatives into features and requirements.

Communicate with leadership, cross-functional teammates, and customers.

Prioritize new functionalities and enhancements.

Report progress and status as the project is moving along.

• Roadmap Examples

The structure of a roadmap may vary from one project to another, but there are some key elements you should include in all your roadmaps. These are:

Goals and initiatives – defining the value that your product or project brings and how it delivers on business objectives.

Releases and milestones – stating when work will start and be delivered.

Features – showing the efforts that are prioritized based on their overall value.

Dependencies – highlighting interrelated work that might impact delivery.

To briefly recap, no matter the type of initiative it illustrates, a roadmap needs to tie together your strategy (the “why”), the actions that you need to take to achieve your goals (the “what”), and a timeline for completion (the “when”).

Take a look at the sample roadmap visual below to explore these key elements.

Roadmaps have a flexible format for presenting strategic information, so there's no industry standard we should follow. Each strategic initiative - from Marketing to HR, Operations, or IT - can adopt a different approach, but over time we've seen that most professionals use a roadmap creator to build one of the popular types of roadmaps below.

To help you save time, you can download these examples for free (we've built them using PowerPoint and the Office Timeline  add-in) so you can get started right away.

E-commerce program roadmap

High-level roadmap with an overview of project, teams, and activities for an e-commerce program.

Clinical trial roadmap

Simple roadmap showing the trial phases and key milestones in a drug approval process.

Product development roadmap

A colorful roadmap with key milestones and sprint schedule for better planning a SaaS product.

Platform roadmap

Roadmap slide with swimlanes and project details for effective management of a platform development process.

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DOWNLOAD SLIDE

There are many ways you can use these roadmap examples to make better decisions around your strategic initiatives. Explore the roadmap templates  page to discover which one fits you best, then download and customize them as you like.

• How to Create a Roadmap

Here are the main five steps to building an effective roadmap:

Define your strategy – this step requires you to outline the overall vision, goals, and initiatives. In-depth research into buying personas, product positioning and competitive analysis helps create critical context and the foundation for your strategy.

Review and assess potential features – use a scoring mechanism to weigh potential features and decide which of them bring the most value to your initiative.

Prioritize and determine requirements – break down the activities that best support your strategy into smaller units of work.

Organize work into phases – group your ranked list of features or major efforts into major releases or stages and define their duration.

Choose your roadmap view – decide the level of detail and manner in which you want to illustrate all of the above over a specific time frame. For example, you might want to highlight specific features or cross-functional dependencies that influence the course of your plan.

Once you have covered all the steps above, you can then proceed to actually building your visual either by using a roadmap template or a dedicated roadmap tool .

For comprehensive demonstrations on how to make a roadmap using various office tools, check out our collection of step-by-step tutorials.

Roadmap Templates

• What Is a Roadmap Template?

A roadmap template is a pre-built roadmap sample that can be easily updated with custom data to fit your needs. It provides an already-done framework to specific cases, helping you save time and effort in creating such a visual.

• Why Use a Roadmap Template?

Using a roadmap template makes it easier for you to capture and communicate your product/project plans as it offers a pre-made structure to your own data . Available in a professionally designed format, roadmap templates help you to quickly build a timeline on which you concisely illustrate your goals and initiatives, the efforts that support your strategy and the due dates for work completion. Moreover, you can easily update them as often as necessary and even re-use them for future initiatives without having to start from scratch all over again.

Start building your first roadmap with our free downloadable roadmap templates  that you can easily tailor to your requirements. While some of them allow you to share high-level business goals, others are more suitable for conveying a more detailed view of your initiatives. You can also find examples designed for certain types of industries or organizations.

Simply download your preferred model, input your project/product data, and enjoy a presentation-ready roadmap.

Ready-Made Roadmap Templates

A variety of professional, stand-alone templates that you can instantly customize into your own beautiful roadmap.

EXPLORE TEMPLATES

Roadmap Tools

Whether you are starting a business, launching a new product, or coordinating a cross-functional project, a roadmap will enable you to visualize your strategic plan and turn it into reality . It represents the output of your planning process and will serve as the main tool to communicate your initiative to stakeholders in a compelling manner.

This is why it is crucial to use purpose-built roadmap software that will allow you to easily develop and customize high-level visuals that you can effortlessly share with important audiences (executives, team members, other groups in your organization, and clients).

One such dedicated roadmap maker is the PowerPoint add-in called Office Timeline . This intuitive tool helps you automatically generate clear, stylish roadmaps as PowerPoint slides that you can quickly update as often as necessary and share or present in meetings.

CREATE YOUR OWN ROADMAP

• How to Choose a Roadmap Tool

With so much at stake when it comes to creating your roadmap, it's no wonder that deciding which roadmap tool to use proves to be such a challenging task. To make it easier for you to choose a roadmap software, here are the top 5 things to consider when you review the many roadmap tools available on the market today:

Time-saving . Does the roadmap app make it easy for you to create and update your project visual? You may have very little time to prepare your presentation for an important meeting with a client or a manager. That's why you need an agile roadmap maker that helps you automate your work with just a few clicks.

Customization . Each project is different, so is it a good idea to use the same colors and shapes for all of them? Certainly not. Go with an agile roadmap software that allows you to customize every detail: colors, shapes, fonts, date formats, etc. and lets you style your roadmap to make it unique and distinctive.

User-friendly . Most work is collaborative nowadays and you're always in close contact with a client or team. Therefore, you'll need a roadmap tool that works the way your clients and colleagues do, and the resulting roadmaps are easy to view, edit, download, or share by anyone, with their usual office tools.

Integrations . If you use popular project tools like MS Project or Wrike, you'll want to choose a roadmap creator that integrates smoothly with your usual project management software so you can build roadmaps straight from your data. A Refresh function that helps you update your roadmap every time there are changes in your documentation may be very useful, too.

Visuals . We can't stress this enough: you need simple, clear visuals that your audience can understand. So, choose a software that makes roadmaps that have the right blend of professionalism and beauty to help you stand out and impress your clients or managers.

Need more guidance in choosing a roadmap tool? Check out our dedicated section on roadmap tools .

Best Practices for Roadmaps

To serve the purpose for which it was created, a roadmap needs to be:

actionable,

up-to-date,

relevant and easy-to-understand for the intended audience,

and visually compelling.

So here are a series of guidelines on how to effectively update, share and present impactful roadmaps that convey relevant information in a quick and clear manner.

• Tips on How to Share or Present a Roadmap

For product/project managers to efficiently present and share their roadmap, they need to consider their audience – who they are, what they need to know and why. This way, they can adjust the structure and level of detail of their visual so that the right information be conveyed to the right people in a visually appealing way.

Here are the elements that make for an impactful roadmap presentation :

Audience-awareness – customize your roadmap according to your intended public and outcome. Depending on the audience, you will establish what to highlight during your presentation. For example, when you present to executive or advisory boards, your roadmap should focus on timelines of major bodies of work, whereas an engineering or IT team audience will be interested on details about features, requirements, and release dates. A customer-facing roadmap presentation, on the other hand, might show only a general description of features and approximate release dates.

Agenda – once you determine to whom you will present your roadmap, set an appropriate agenda of what core aspects you will capture and discuss. This gives your audience the right expectation for what they will see along the way.

Purpose – a good roadmap presentation needs a goal. To build an informative and well-received presentation from a goal-first approach, answer the questions “why is this information shared with this particular audience?”, “what should be the intended takeway?”, “what feedback would be useful?”

Vision – include information about the product’s business model, goals, personas, and competitors to place your strategic plans in the context of the broader product strategy and direction.

Feedback – presenting a roadmap creates the perfect opportunity for a product/project manager to get valuable insight from both internal and external audiences. Make sure to allot time for questions, answers, and comments.

Shareability – the value of your roadmap goes beyond its presentation as it may act as a reference point for any decisions going forward. As such, it is important to allow the appropriate access permissions and expectations for how frequently it would be updated.

• Tips on How to Use or Update a Roadmap

As a high-level plan that describes the work required to achieve a goal along with a corresponding schedule, your roadmap should include a series of visual elements to be successfully used:

Timeframe – include a timeline to highlight the upcoming work within a relevant time period. If your initiative is planned to happen over a three-month interval, it doesn’t make sense to use a year-long timeframe. For easier comprehension, this timeline is usually presented at the top of the roadmap.

Hierarchy – when working with complex initiatives, take the time to logically organize and break down the work into smaller units that you can then display according to start and end dates, status, priority or that you can group by categories.

Progress – indicate the status of different work items and the overall progress towards goals by using shaded bars, colors, checkmarks or % percent complete indicators.

Colors – assign different colors to different work components (by team or owner, for instance) to better differentiate stages of your initiative and communicate them visually.

Symbols – subtly convey extra details with shapes, arrows, and other custom elements. For example, you can use a diamond to indicate important milestones or an arrow/line/connector to highlight task dependencies. Whatever symbols you choose, make sure they are consistent so that your audience can decode them.

Since plans change and new opportunities or challenges may arise along the way, you will want to create a flexible and dynamic roadmap that you can effortlessly update when such instances occur, not only quarterly or according to release status. To this end, choose an interactive dedicated tool that will allow you to:

quickly reflect ongoing transformations and evolution on your roadmap visuals;

swiftly integrate with other systems used in your organization;

easily share it at a company-wide level;

customize and style relevant details into unique visuals.

Frequently Asked Questions about Roadmaps

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked question about roadmaps.

What is a roadmap?

A roadmap is the high-level, visual representation of the lifecycle of a business initiative , complete with the end goal, steps to take and milestones to reach along the way. The roadmap is primarily used for the strategic planning of projects and the development of new products.

What is a project roadmap?

A project roadmap is a strategic overview of a company-wide operation . It can define the scope, deliverables, high-level scheduling, milestones, challenges, and risk factors. Project roadmaps are slightly less detail-oriented than project timelines. The primary concern is respecting the original deadlines and adjusting deliverables to meet them, when required.

What does a roadmap include?

A typical project roadmap should cover the following elements:

Long- and short-term objectives;

Tasks, milestones, and dependencies;

Resources required and their allocation strategy;

Timeline of the project’s lifecycle;

Risk factors and challenges.

Why is a roadmap important?

Roadmaps allow all involved parties to evaluate the competitiveness of a strategy, raise issues and reveal gaps, correctly prioritize resource allocation, and set realistic targets based on market data. They provide the framework for interdepartmental collaboration . Without roadmaps, every venture is a journey into the unknown and the risk of project failure grows higher.

How do you create a roadmap?

Starting off with a specialized roadmap maker application like Office Timeline can save you hours of work, allowing you to focus on the project specifics rather than graphic design. Here are the basic steps for creating a roadmap:

Define the timeline and project phases.

List the tasks, milestones, and dependencies.

Break down the workstream using logical containers like swimlanes.

Keep updating the roadmap with new developments.

• FAQs about Roadmaps

Roadmaps made easy

Office Timeline helps you quickly turn complex project data into clear PowerPoint roadmaps that are easy to follow, but hard to forget.

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Watch CBS News

California's Bridge Fire destroys 33 homes after exploding overnight

By Julie Sharp

Updated on: September 11, 2024 / 1:21 PM PDT / KCAL News

The Bridge Fire in the San Gabriel Canyon continued to grow overnight, spreading from Los Angeles to San Bernardino County, destroying 33 homes in the Wrightwood and Mt.Baldy areas. 

This comes following an evening of life-safety efforts in Wrightwood, where crews focused on rescuing people who could not escape the flames. 

The fire grew to 49,000 acres Wednesday and is 0% contained, according to Cal Fire, or the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It is the largest active fire in the state of California and fire officials are calling the conditions still very dangerous despite the drop in temperatures. 

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a Wednesday news conference that the Bridge Fire has destroyed 20 homes in the Mt. Badly area, 13 homes in the Wrightwood area, and six cabins in the wilderness were also wiped out. He said It is currently threatening 2,500 structures with no reported deaths or significant injuries. 

"We have 480 personnel assigned to the fire, and the Southern California region has two other large fires burning at this time. The Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Airport Fire in Orange County. As a region, we are currently at a drawdown for fire personnel and resources," Marrone said.

The blaze was first reported around 3 p.m. Sunday near East Fork Road and Glendora Mountain Road in the San Gabriel Canyon area in Los Angeles County. It continued to chew through the Angeles National Forest, nearly growing tenfold within a few hours on Tuesday. In the afternoon, Cal Fire mapped the fire at about 4,000 acres. Within a few hours, they updated the size to 34,247 acres before growing to 48,000 acres late Wednesday morning.  

"We still have an established fire with very dry fuel, with the littlest of breeze -- we can see the ember cast right now, and those embers land here in the community. It still presents a very real threat despite the ease in temperatures," Eric Sherwin with San Bernardino County Fire said. 

Sherwin explained how the fire shifted and grew Tuesday afternoon, exploding into the Wrightwood community. 

"Once it approached Highway 2, the canyon winds took a section of it and literally exploded it into the community of Wrightwood. That threat stayed with us through the overnight hours with very high winds," he said. 

Sherwin said the flames took over Wrightwood so quickly, that life-saving efforts were the only priority. Ski lifts at the Mountain High Ski resort went up in flames, but the resort itself appears to be mostly unharmed by fire as staff at the resort turned the snow-making machines on to keep vegetation wet.   

"We had deputies and firefighters going house to house finding people that were unable to evacuate, loading them up into ambulances, putting them into patrol cars, and doing whatever we could to get them out of the area," Sherwin said. 

He said crews will eventually assess fire damage within the Wrightwood community, plus all the other communities that exist within the Bridge Fire footprint, but as of Wednesday morning, the fight to control the fire remains a priority.

"A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until noon today. However there is still the potential for large fire growth and new fire starts throughout the county," Marrone said.

LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath signed a proclamation declaring a local emergency as the fire continued northeast toward Pinon Hills.   

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department issued a mandatory evacuation order for the East Fork communities of Camp Williams and River Community on Sunday evening. On Monday, an evacuation order was issued for all residents north of San Antonio Dam up to the Mount Baldy Resort.

Evacuation orders were also in place for the following communities:

• Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 18 and Beekley Road west to L.A. County
• Lone Pine Canyon from the community of Wrightwood to Highway 138/Lone Pine Canyon Road south to the forest
• Entire community of Wrightwood
• East Fork communities of Camp Williams Resort and River Community (near the resort)

Evacuation warnings were issued Tuesday night for northern Claremont

• as a precaution, San Antonio Heights and Upland from the foothills south to the I-210, and Pinon Hills from Wrightwood north to Highway 138 and Lebec Road west to L.A. County. The southeast portion of the Bridge Fire continues to burn in northern Claremont, the city of Claremont announced. An evacuation center was established at the Jesse Turner Center, 15556 Summit Ave., in Fontana, and the Hacienda Heights Community Center, 1234 Valencia Ave.

Other evacuation centers 

• -- San Bernardino County Fairgrounds: 14800 Seventh St., Victorville
• -- Pomona Fairplex: 601 W McKinley Ave., Pomona (Enter Gate 3, corner of McKinley and White) 

Road Closures

• San Gabriel Canyon and East Fork of the San Gabriel River
• East Fork Road
• Glendora Ridge Road
• Glendora Mountain Road
• Mt. Baldy Road at Shinn Road intersection 

Julie Sharp is a digital producer at CBS Los Angeles. She is a South Bay native and majored in print journalism at Cal State University Long Beach.

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