short essay with outline example

• Try for free

How to Write an Essay Outline + Essay Outline Examples

Download for free, how to write an essay outline + essay outline examples .

Writing an essay can seem like a daunting task, but one of the best ways to tackle this challenge is to organize your ideas into a well-structured essay outline. This guide will walk you through the process of creating an essay outline, complete with essay outline examples, to ensure your next essay is a masterpiece.

We’ve compiled a variety of essay outline examples to help you understand how to structure your own essay. We'll cover persuasive essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, expository essays, and even provide a sample research paper outline. Each example will provide you with an idea of how to lay out the structure and details for each type of essay.

Looking for a printable list of essay outline examples? Our printable PDF features essay outline examples and templates that your students can use as examples when writing research papers, or as a supplement for an essay-writing unit

Why write an essay outline? 

An outline serves as the skeleton of your essay, giving you a clear and organized path to articulate your thoughts. Not only does it make writing an essay significantly easier, but it also allows you to present your arguments coherently and effectively.

An essay outline will help you organize your main ideas and determine the order in which you are going to write about them.

Types of essay outlines

Several types of essay outlines can be used when writing an essay. The two most common types are the alphanumeric outline and the decimal outline.

An alphanumeric outline typically uses Roman numerals, capital letters, Arabic numerals, and lowercase letters, in that order. Each level provides a different level of specificity. This structure is a very effective way to think through how you will organize and present the information in your essay. It also helps you develop a strong argumentative essay.

Alternatively, a decimal outline uses only numbers, and each subsection is a decimal subdivision of the main section. This type of outline is often used in scientific papers.

Persuasive essay outline example 

In the following section, we'll explore a persuasive essay outline example on competitive swimming. The purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince the reader of a particular point of view or idea, using compelling arguments and evidence.

In this case, the argument is that competitive swimming is an ideal sport for kids. The essay will present a series of arguments to support this view, demonstrating the various benefits of competitive swimming for children.

Competitive Swimming, an Ideal Sport for Kids

Introduction

Start your argumentative essay outline by stating your point of view and/or presenting your persuasive argument.

Thesis: Competitive swimming is a great alternative to other youth sports.

Body Paragraph 1

Introduce your primary persuasive argument and provide supporting details in your argumentative essay outline.

Topic Sentence:   Competitive swimming provides the same benefits as other sports.

• Detail Sentence 1:   It is good exercise and builds muscular strength.
• Detail Sentence 2:   It promotes cooperation among team members, especially in relays.

Body Paragraph 2

Introduce a secondary argument and provide supporting details.

Topic Sentence:   Competitive swimming provides some unique additional benefits.

• Detail Sentence 1:   Swimming is an important skill that can be used forever.
• Detail Sentence 2:  Swimming poses a reduced risk of injury.
• Detail Sentence 3:   Each swimmer can easily chart his or her own progress.

Conclude your essay writing with a summary of the thesis and persuasive arguments. Brainstorming details that support your point-of-view is a great way to start before creating your outline and first draft.

Concluding Sentence:   There are many reasons why competitive swimming is a great alternative to other youth sports, including...

Narrative essay outline example

In the following section, we will examine a narrative essay outline example titled "How Losing a Swim Meet Made Me a Better Swimmer." Narrative essays aim to tell a story, often about a personal experience, to engage the reader and convey a particular point or lesson.

In this case, the narrative revolves around the author's personal journey of improvement and self-discovery through swimming. The essay will illustrate how an initial setback served as a catalyst for significant improvement and personal growth.

How Losing a Swim Meet Made Me a Better Swimmer

Introduce the subject of your narrative essay using a thesis statement and a plan of development (POD).

Thesis: The first time I participated in a competitive swim meet, I finished in last place. With more focused training and coaching, I was able to finish 2nd in the State Championship meet.

Plan of development:   I was very disappointed in my results from the first meet, so I improved my training and fitness. This helped me swim better and faster, which helped me to greatly improve my results.

Set the scene and provide supporting details. Again, start by brainstorming different ways to begin; then go ahead and craft an outline and a first draft.

Topic Sentence:   I was embarrassed at finishing last in my first competitive swim meet, so I began working on ways to improve my performance.

• Detail Sentence 1:   I spent extra time with my coach and the team captains learning how to improve my technique.
• Detail Sentence 2:   I started running and lifting weights to increase my overall fitness level.

Provide additional supporting details, descriptions, and experiences to develop your general idea in your essay writing.

Topic Sentence:   Over time, my results began to improve and I was able to qualify for the state championship meet.

• Detail Sentence 1:   My technique and fitness level made me faster and able to swim longer distances.
• Detail Sentence 2:  I steadily got better, and I began winning or placing in the top 3 at most of my meets.
• Detail Sentence 3:  My results improved to the point that I was able to qualify for the state championship meet.

Body Paragraph 3

The next step in the writing process is to provide additional supporting details, descriptions, and experiences. You can then divide them up under different headings.

Topic Sentence:   With my new confidence, techniques, and fitness level, I was able to finish 2nd at the state championship meet.

• Detail Sentence 1:   I was able to swim well against a higher level of competition due to my training and technique.
• Detail Sentence 2:  I was no longer embarrassed about my last-place finish, and was able to use it as motivation!

Conclude the narrative essay with a recap of the events described or a reflection on the lesson learned in the story. Briefly summarize the details you included under each heading.

Concluding Sentence:   I used my last-place finish in my first competitive swim meet as motivation to improve my performance.

Descriptive essay outline example

We will now delve into a descriptive essay outline example. Descriptive essays aim to create a vivid and detailed description of a person, place, object, or event to paint a picture for the reader. The intention is to immerse the reader in the subject matter fully.

In this case, the essay provides an in-depth description of a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The essay will use sensory and descriptive details to create a vivid and memorable experience for the reader.

Visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame

Introduce the subject of your descriptive essay with a thesis statement covering the person, place, object, etc. you are writing about.

Thesis: The Hockey Hall of Fame is full of sights, sounds, and experiences that will delight hockey fans of all ages.

Set the scene and provide factual details.

Topic Sentence:   The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Canada and features exhibits from amateur and professional hockey.

• Detail Sentence 1:   The Hall is located in downtown Toronto and is visited by 1 million people every year.
• Detail Sentence 2:   You can see exhibits ranging from the early beginnings of the sport to the modern NHL and Olympics.

Provide additional sensory details, descriptions, and experiences.

Topic Sentence:   There are many types of exhibits and shows, including activities you can participate in.

• Detail Sentence 1:  Player statues, plaques, and jerseys decorate the walls in every room of the Hall.
• Detail Sentence 2:  Many of the exhibits have movies and multimedia activities that make you feel like you're part of the game.
• Detail Sentence 3:  You can even practice shooting pucks on virtual versions of some of the game's greatest goalies!

Conclude the essay with a paragraph that restates the thesis and recaps the descriptive and sensory details.

Concluding Sentence:   The Hockey Hall of Fame is an experience that combines the best sights, sounds and history of the game in Toronto.

Expository essay outline example

In the following section, we will explore an example of an expository essay. An expository essay aims to explain or describe a topic using logic. It presents a balanced analysis of a topic based on facts—with no references to the writer’s opinions or emotions.

For this example, the topic is "Why The School Year Should be Shorter". This essay will use logic and reason to demonstrate that a shorter school year could provide various benefits for students, teachers, and school districts.

Why The School Year Should be Shorter

Introduce the primary argument or main point of an expository essay, or other types of academic writing, using a thesis statement and context.

Thesis: The school year is too long, and should be shortened to benefit students and teachers, save districts money, and improve test scores and academic results. Other countries have shorter school years, and achieve better results.

Describe the primary argument and provide supporting details and evidence.

Topic Sentence:   A shorter school year would benefit students and teachers by giving them more time off.

• Detail Sentence 1:   Students and teachers would be able to spend more time with their families.
• Detail Sentence 2:  Teachers would be refreshed and rejuvenated and able to teach more effectively.

Provide additional supporting details and evidence, as in this essay outline example.

Topic Sentence:  A shorter school year would save school districts millions of dollars per year.

• Detail Sentence 1:   Districts could save money on energy costs by keeping schools closed longer.
• Detail Sentence 2:  A shorter school year means much lower supply and transportation costs.
• Detail Sentence 3:  Well-rested and happy students would help improve test scores.

Provide additional or supplemental supporting details, evidence, and analysis, as in the essay outline example.

Topic Sentence:   Shortening the school year would also provide many benefits for parents and caregivers.

• Detail Sentence 1:   A shorter school year would mean less stress and running around for parents.
• Detail Sentence 2:  Caregivers would have more balance in their lives with fewer days in the school year.

Conclude the essay with an overview of the main argument, and highlight the importance of your evidence and conclusion.

Concluding Sentence:   Shortening the school year would be a great way to improve the quality of life for students, teachers, and parents while saving money for districts and improving academic results.

Sample research paper outline

Now let’s dive into a research paper outline. Unlike a typical essay, a research paper presents a thorough and detailed study on a specific topic. However, it shares the same foundation with an essay in terms of structuring the ideas logically and coherently. The outline for a research paper includes an introduction, a series of topic points that cover various aspects of the main topic, and a conclusion.

This research paper will explore the background of Mt. Everest, the major explorers who attempted its summit, and the impact of these expeditions on Mt. Everest and the local community.

The Conquest of Mt. Everest

• Location of Mt. Everest
• Geography of the Surrounding Area
• Height of the mountain
• Jomolungma (Tibetan name)
• Sagarmatha (Nepalese name)
• The number of people who have climbed Everest to date
• First to reach the summit (1953)
• Led a team of experienced mountain climbers who worked together
• Norgay was an experienced climber and guide who accompanied Hillary
• Sherpas still used to guide expeditions
• Leader of the failed 1996 expedition
• Led group of (mainly) tourists with little mountain climbing experience
• Loss of trees due to high demand for wood for cooking and heating for tourists.
• Piles of trash left by climbing expeditions
• Expedition fees provide income for the country
• Expeditions provide work for the Sherpas, contributing to the local economy.
• Introduction of motor vehicles
• Introduction of electricity

The Everest essay outline template is based on a research paper submitted by Alexandra Ferber, 9th grade.

Happy writing!

Writing an essay outline is a crucial step in crafting a well-structured and coherent essay. Regardless of the type of essay - be it persuasive, narrative, descriptive, expository, or a research paper - an outline serves as a roadmap that organizes your thoughts and guides your writing process. The various essay outline examples provided above serve as a guide to help you structure your own essay. Remember, the key to a great essay lies not just in the content but in its organization and flow. Happy writing!

Featured High School Resources

Related Resources

Essay Writing Guide

Essay Outline

Last updated on: Jun 10, 2023

A Complete Essay Outline - Guidelines and Format

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Jan 15, 2019

To write an effective essay, you need to create a clear and well-organized essay outline. An essay outline will shape the essay’s entire content and determine how successful the essay will be.

In this blog post, we'll be going over the basics of essay outlines and provide a template for you to follow. We will also include a few examples so that you can get an idea about how these outlines look when they are put into practice.

Essay writing is not easy, but it becomes much easier with time, practice, and a detailed essay writing guide. Once you have developed your outline, everything else will come together more smoothly.

The key to success in any area is preparation - take the time now to develop a solid outline and then write your essays!

So, let’s get started!

On this Page

What is an Essay Outline?

An essay outline is your essay plan and a roadmap to essay writing. It is the structure of an essay you are about to write. It includes all the main points you have to discuss in each section along with the thesis statement.

Like every house has a map before it is constructed, the same is the importance of an essay outline. You can write an essay without crafting an outline, but you may miss essential information, and it is more time-consuming.

Once the outline is created, there is no chance of missing any important information. Also, it will help you to:

• Organize your thoughts and ideas.
• Understand the information flow.
• Never miss any crucial information or reference.
• Finish your work faster.

These are the reasons if someone asks you why an essay outline is needed. Now there are some points that must be kept in mind before proceeding to craft an essay outline.

Easily Outline Your Essays In Seconds!

Prewriting Process of Essay Outline

Your teacher may ask you to submit your essay outline before your essay. Therefore, you must know the preliminary guidelines that are necessary before writing an essay outline.

Here are the guidelines:

• You must go through your assignments’ guidelines carefully.
• Understand the purpose of your assignment.
• Know your audience.
• Mark the important point while researching your topic data.
• Select the structure of your essay outline; whether you are going to use a decimal point bullet or a simple one.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps

Creating an essay outline is a crucial step in crafting a well-structured and organized piece of writing. Follow these four simple steps to create an effective outline:

Step 1: Understand the Topic

To begin, thoroughly grasp the essence of your essay topic. 

Break it down into its key components and identify the main ideas you want to convey. This step ensures you have a clear direction and focus for your essay.

Step 2: Brainstorm and Gather Ideas

Let your creativity flow and brainstorm ideas related to your topic. 

Jot down key pieces of information, arguments, and supporting evidence that will strengthen your essay's overall message. Consider different perspectives and potential counterarguments to make your essay well-rounded.

Step 3: Organize Your Thoughts

Now it's time to give structure to your ideas. 

Arrange your main points in a logical order, starting with an attention-grabbing introduction, followed by body paragraphs that present your arguments. 

Finally, tie everything together with a compelling conclusion. Remember to use transitional phrases to create smooth transitions between sections.

Step 4: Add Depth with Subpoints

To add depth and clarity to your essay, incorporate subpoints under each main point. 

These subpoints provide more specific details, evidence, or examples that support your main ideas. They help to further strengthen your arguments and make your essay more convincing.

By following these four steps - you'll be well on your way to creating a clear and compelling essay outline.

Essay Outline Format

It is an easy way for you to write your thoughts in an organized manner. It may seem unnecessary and unimportant, but it is not.

It is one of the most crucial steps for essay writing as it shapes your entire essay and aids the writing process.

An essay outline consists of three main parts:

1. Introduction

The introduction body of your essay should be attention-grabbing. It should be written in such a manner that it attracts the reader’s interest. It should also provide background information about the topic for the readers.

You can use a dramatic tone to grab readers’ attention, but it should connect the audience to your thesis statement.

Here are some points without which your introduction paragraph is incomplete.

To attract the reader with the first few opening lines, we use a hook statement. It helps engage the reader and motivates them to read further. There are different types of hook sentences ranging from quotes, rhetorical questions to anecdotes and statistics, and much more.

Are you struggling to come up with an interesting hook? View these hook examples to get inspired!

A thesis statement is stated at the end of your introduction. It is the most important statement of your entire essay. It summarizes the purpose of the essay in one sentence.

The thesis statement tells the readers about the main theme of the essay, and it must be strong and clear. It holds the entire crux of your essay.

Need help creating a strong thesis statement? Check out this guide on thesis statements and learn to write a statement that perfectly captures your main argument!

2. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an essay are where all the details and evidence come into play. This is where you dive deep into the argument, providing explanations and supporting your ideas with solid evidence. 

If you're writing a persuasive essay, these paragraphs will be the powerhouse that convinces your readers. Similarly, in an argumentative essay, your body paragraphs will work their magic to sway your audience to your side.

Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and no more than one idea. A topic sentence is the crux of the contents of your paragraph. It is essential to keep your reader interested in the essay.

The topic sentence is followed by the supporting points and opinions, which are then justified with strong evidence.

3. Conclusion

When it comes to wrapping up your essay, never underestimate the power of a strong conclusion. Just like the introduction and body paragraphs, the conclusion plays a vital role in providing a sense of closure to your topic. 

To craft an impactful conclusion, it's crucial to summarize the key points discussed in the introduction and body paragraphs. You want to remind your readers of the important information you shared earlier. But keep it concise and to the point. Short, powerful sentences will leave a lasting impression.

Remember, your conclusion shouldn't drag on. Instead, restate your thesis statement and the supporting points you mentioned earlier. And here's a pro tip: go the extra mile and suggest a course of action. It leaves your readers with something to ponder or reflect on.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Structure

An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes:

• State the topic
• Thesis statement
• Introduction
• Explanation
• A conclusion that ties to the thesis
• Summary of the essay
• Restate the thesis statement

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Essay Outline Template

The outline of the essay is the skeleton that you will fill out with the content. Both outline and relevant content are important for a good essay. The content you will add to flesh out the outline should be credible, relevant, and interesting.

The outline structure for the essay is not complex or difficult. No matter which type of essay you write, you either use an alphanumeric structure or a decimal structure for the outline.

Below is an outline sample that you can easily follow for your essay.

Essay Outline Sample

Essay Outline Examples

An essay outline template should follow when you start writing the essay. Every writer should learn how to write an outline for every type of essay and research paper.

Essay outline 4th grade

Essay outline 5th grade

Essay outline high school

Essay outline college

Given below are essay outline examples for different types of essay writing.

Argumentative Essay Outline

An  argumentative essay  is a type of essay that shows both sides of the topic that you are exploring. The argument that presents the basis of the essay should be created by providing evidence and supporting details.

Persuasive Essay Outline

A  persuasive essay  is similar to an argumentative essay. Your job is to provide facts and details to create the argument. In a persuasive essay, you convince your readers of your point of view.

Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

A  compare and contrast essay  explains the similarities and differences between two things. While comparing, you should focus on the differences between two seemingly similar objects. While contrasting, you should focus on the similarities between two different objects.

Narrative Essay Outline

A narrative essay is written to share a story. Normally, a narrative essay is written from a personal point of view in an essay. The basic purpose of the narrative essay is to describe something creatively.

Expository Essay Outline

An  expository essay  is a type of essay that explains, analyzes, and illustrates something for the readers. An expository essay should be unbiased and entirely based on facts. Be sure to use academic resources for your research and cite your sources.

Analytical Essay Outline

An  analytical essay  is written to analyze the topic from a critical point of view. An analytical essay breaks down the content into different parts and explains the topic bit by bit.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

A rhetorical essay is written to examine the writer or artist’s work and develop a great essay. It also includes the discussion.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

A  cause and effect essay  describes why something happens and examines the consequences of an occurrence or phenomenon. It is also a type of expository essay.

Informative Essay Outline

An  informative essay  is written to inform the audience about different objects, concepts, people, issues, etc.

The main purpose is to respond to the question with a detailed explanation and inform the target audience about the topic.

Synthesis Essay Outline

A  synthesis essay  requires the writer to describe a certain unique viewpoint about the issue or topic. Create a claim about the topic and use different sources and information to prove it.

Literary Analysis Essay Outline

A  literary analysis essay  is written to analyze and examine a novel, book, play, or any other piece of literature. The writer analyzes the different devices such as the ideas, characters, plot, theme, tone, etc., to deliver his message.

Definition Essay Outline

A  definition essay  requires students to pick a particular concept, term, or idea and define it in their own words and according to their understanding.

Descriptive Essay Outline

A  descriptive essay  is a type of essay written to describe a person, place, object, or event. The writer must describe the topic so that the reader can visualize it using their five senses.

Evaluation Essay Outline

Problem Solution Essay Outline

In a problem-solution essay, you are given a problem as a topic and you have to suggest multiple solutions on it.

Scholarship Essay Outline

A  scholarship essay  is required at the time of admission when you are applying for a scholarship. Scholarship essays must be written in a way that should stand alone to help you get a scholarship.

Reflective Essay Outline

A reflective essay  is written to express your own thoughts and point of view regarding a specific topic.

Getting started on your essay? Give this comprehensive essay writing guide a read to make sure you write an effective essay!

With this complete guide, now you understand how to create an outline for your essay successfully. However, if you still can’t write an effective essay, then the best option is to consult a professional academic writing service.

Essay writing is a dull and boring task for some people. So why not get some help instead of wasting your time and effort?  5StarEssays.com is here to help you. All your  do my essay for me  requests are managed by professional essay writers.

Place your order now, and our team of expert academic writers will help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the three types of outlines.

Here are the three types of essay outline;

• Working outline
• Speaking outline
• Full-sentence outline

All three types are different from each other and are used for different purposes.

What does a full-sentence outline look like?

A full sentence outline contains full sentences at each level of the essay’s outline. It is similar to an alphanumeric outline and it is a commonly used essay outline.

What is a traditional outline format?

A traditional essay outline begins with writing down all the important points in one place and listing them down and adding sub-topics to them. Besides, it will also include evidence and proof that you will use to back your arguments.

What is the benefit of using a traditional outline format and an informal outline format?

A traditional outline format helps the students in listing down all the important details in one palace while an informal outline will help you coming up with new ideas and highlighting important points

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

• How to Write an Essay - A Complete Guide with Examples

• The Art of Effective Writing: Thesis Statements Examples and Tips

• Writing a 500 Word Essay - Easy Guide

• What is a Topic Sentence - An Easy Guide with Writing Steps & Examples

• 220 Best Transition Words for Essays

• Essay Format: Detailed Writing Tips & Examples

• How to Write a Conclusion - Examples & Tips

• Essay Topics: 100+ Best Essay Topics for your Guidance

• How to Title an Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide for Effective Titles

• How to Write a Perfect 1000 Word Essay

• How To Make An Essay Longer - Easy Guide For Beginners

• Learn How to Start an Essay Effectively with Easy Guidelines

• Types of Sentences With Examples

• Hook Examples: How to Start Your Essay Effectively

• Essay Writing Tips - Essential Do’s and Don’ts to Craft Better Essays

• How To Write A Thesis Statement - A Step by Step Guide

• Art Topics - 200+ Brilliant Ideas to Begin With

• Writing Conventions and Tips for College Students

People Also Read

• how to write a press release
• compare and contrast essay topics
• writing narrative essay
• good persuasive essay topics
• how to write an editorial

Burdened With Assignments?

Advertisement

• Homework Services: Essay Topics Generator

© 2024 - All rights reserved

How to Write an Essay Outline with MLA and APA Styles

Got a great essay idea, but feel like sorting out your thoughts is as tough as untying knotted headphones from your backpack? No worries! We've all felt that way.

Whether you're staring down a blank page or drowning in a sea of scattered thoughts, we've got your back. In this article, we're going to break down the writing process of an essay outline into simple, easy-to-follow steps. Plus, we'll cover specific formatting guidelines for both MLA and APA styles, making sure your essay looks polished and professional.

What Is an Outline?

Let's start from the basics. An essay outline helps you arrange your thoughts and plan your essay before you begin writing. It can be your strategy guide to beat writer's block. Instead of wandering around in your paragraphs, hoping everything falls into place, an outline gives your essay format a clear path.

Here's how it works: You write down your main ideas, arguments, and supporting details in a logical order. This keeps you focused and ensures your essay flows smoothly from start to finish. It also makes writing much easier.

Now, you might wonder, 'Why do I need essay outlines? Can't I just write and see where it goes?' Well, you could, but it's risky. Without a format plan, you might stray off-topic, get lost in unrelated ideas, or end up with a confusing mess that confuses your readers.

So, whether you're writing a persuasive essay, a personal story, or an APA or MLA research paper, a good outline is essential. It saves time and frustration and helps you create a well-organized and clear essay that gets your message across.

Wanting a Perfectly Polished Essay?

Let’s breeze through your writing assignments with ease!

How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Simple Steps

Now, before you start outlining, let our coursework writing service give you some extra help to begin. Just follow these four steps to create an outline format that makes the rest of your writing easy. These steps break down the process into simple parts, making it easier for you to understand and follow along.

Set Your Goal Clearly

When setting your goal, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with this essay? Is it to convince the reader of a certain viewpoint, educate them on a topic, or perhaps entertain them with a captivating story? Clarifying your goal helps you stay focused throughout the writing process and ensures that every part of your essay works towards achieving that goal.

It's also important to consider your audience and what you aim for them to grasp from reading your essay. For example, if you're working on the Divine Comedy summary , think about whether your audience is familiar with the text or if they're approaching it for the first time. Consider their interests—are they more interested in literary analysis, historical context, or thematic exploration? Additionally, be mindful of any potential biases they might have based on their background or prior knowledge.

Remove Unnecessary Details

In this step, it's time to prioritize and trim down your ideas. Take a close look at all the points you've brainstormed and ask yourself: Which ones are absolutely crucial for supporting my main argument or thesis statement? Anything that doesn't directly contribute to your goal should be cut. This streamlines your essay, keeping it focused and concise. Remember, clarity is key. Readers shouldn't have to sift through irrelevant information to understand your main points. So, be ruthless in eliminating anything that doesn't serve your purpose.

List the Main Ideas for Each Paragraph

Here, you're breaking down your essay format into manageable chunks. For each paragraph, identify the main idea or point you want to convey. These main ideas serve as the backbone of your essay, guiding the flow of your argument and ensuring that each paragraph contributes meaningfully to the overall narrative.

Consider how each point relates to your thesis statement and supports your overall goal. By clearly listing the main points of each paragraph in your essay outline, you'll create a roadmap for your writing that makes it easier for both you and your readers to follow along.

Organize Your Outline with a Simple Template

Now that you have identified your main ideas, it's time to put everything together in a structured format. Use a simple template by our business essay writing services to organize your outline in a way that flows logically from start to finish.

Begin with an introduction to set the stage and grab the reader's attention. Then, outline your body paragraphs to present your arguments or ideas in a clear and organized manner. Each paragraph should focus on one main point, supported by evidence or examples. Finally, conclude your format with a summary that wraps everything up neatly and reinforces your main thesis.

By organizing your format in this way, you'll create a roadmap for your essay that makes it easier to write and ensures that your ideas are presented cohesively.

MLA Outline Format

The MLA format essay outline serves as the skeleton upon which your ideas will flesh out into a cohesive narrative. Here's a breakdown of the key components and formatting rules to keep in mind:

• Paper Specifications : Your MLA paper should be standard letter size (8.5x11 inches), with one-inch margins around the entire page. The running head, if included, should be within the margin. This ensures uniformity and readability across different platforms.
• Indentation and Spacing : Start each sentence with an indentation that's half an inch from the left margin. Maintaining double spacing throughout your MLA outline enhances readability and leaves ample space for annotations and revisions. The recommended font size is 12-point, though 11-point or 11.5-point is acceptable. Consistency is key here.
• Securing Your Outline : While it might seem trivial, ensuring your MLA outline is securely fastened in the upper left corner—be it with a stapler, paper clip, or binder clip—helps maintain professionalism and organization.
• Title and Thesis Statement : Center the title of your MLA paper at the top of the outline. Directly below, write your thesis statement, setting it apart by capitalizing the first letter of each word and ending with a colon. This establishes the overarching argument or main point of your essay.
• Headings and Subheadings : Use a hierarchical system for headings and subheadings to denote the structure of your MLA essay. Major sections are indicated with Roman numerals (I, II, III), while subcategories are marked with uppercase letters (A, B, C). Further subdivisions follow a pattern of Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3) and lowercase letters (a, b, c), each ending with a period for clarity.

APA Outline Format

Understanding the structure of the APA outline format is key to organizing your ideas effectively. Here's a closer look at the various formats:

Basic APA Format :

• Roman numerals denote main headings.
• Capital letters signify first-level subheadings.
• Arabic numerals (1-9) are used within those subheadings.
• Lowercase letters are utilized beneath Arabic numeral subheadings.
• Arabic numerals within parentheses further delineate sub-points.

The full sentence outline mirrors this structure, replacing sentence fragments with complete sentences at each level.

APA Decimal Outline :

• This APA format is simpler, breaking headings into paragraphs and numbering them with Arabic numerals.
• Each heading is numbered sequentially, starting with 1.0.
• Paragraphs within headings are indicated by a decimal followed by a sequential number (e.g., 1.1, 1.2).
• Points or sentences within paragraphs are further delineated by additional decimals (e.g., 1.1.1, 1.1.2).

For instance, under the first heading, the first paragraph's first sentence would be numbered 1.1.1, with subsequent sentences following suit.

Outline Examples

Below are the sample outlines for both formatting styles. You'll notice that the MLA outline has a more narrative style, while the APA outline follows a structured format with distinct headings and subheadings.

In MLA, main sections are marked with Roman numerals and subsections with capital letters, whereas APA uses numbers and letters for different heading levels. Additionally, APA includes sections for methods and results, which are typical in scientific research papers, while MLA format typically omits these sections.

Meanwhile, if you're tempted to pay someone to write my paper , remember we're here to whip up stellar samples in any format you desire!

MLA Outline Example

Apa outline example, final recap.

That's all there is to it! We hope you now have a solid grasp of APA and MLA format outlines. Despite their apparent similarities, there are some notable differences between the two. Now that you're armed with this knowledge, go ahead and tackle your outline assignments like a pro!

Struggling to Wrangle Your Thoughts into a Coherent Essay?

Let us do the heavy lifting for you! 

Related Articles

• Essay Guides
• Basics of Essay Writing
• Essay Outline: How to Write It & Templates for Different Types
• Speech Topics
• Essay Topics
• Other Essays
• Main Academic Essays
• Research Paper Topics
• Basics of Research Paper Writing
• Miscellaneous
• Chicago/ Turabian
• Data & Statistics
• Methodology
• Admission Writing Tips
• Admission Advice
• Other Guides
• Student Life
• Studying Tips
• Understanding Plagiarism
• Academic Writing Tips
• Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing

• Research Paper Guides
• Formatting Guides
• Basics of Research Process
• Admission Guides
• Dissertation & Thesis Guides

Essay Outline: How to Write It & Templates for Different Types

Table of contents

Use our free Readability checker

An essay outline is a plan  that helps you organize your thoughts and ideas before you begin writing your essay. A well-constructed outline can help you ensure that your essay is structured logically and includes all of the necessary information.

Today, we will learn everything about essay outlines. Academic writing is challenging enough. So we would really want to ease the overall process and ensure that you’re prepared to write the best essay possible. Are you confused about how to structure your paper? Do you not understand the difference between different types of articles? The answers to all of those questions and even more points will be covered here. So stick around and get all the information you can possibly need!

What Is an Outline for an Essay?

What is an essay outline? It is a good question, and we are excited to answer it. In simple terms, it is how your essay will be structured and what things it might feature. You can include the following items in your structure:

• Your general topic
• Thesis statement
• A number of paragraphs
• Topic and concluding sentences for each paragraph
• Resources or evidence used in your body paragraphs.

Trust us, following this list and ideas will save you a lot of time and help you in crafting a very good article.

Why Do You Need an Outline of an Essay?

Outline for an essay is crucial for several reasons. So here’s a quick list of why you’re writing and why research requires a good  essay structure example . It helps you:  

• Develop a logical and well-thought-out piece.
• Convince your readers that you’re making a valid point.
• Save some time.
• Don’t get lost in all the evidence and ideas you have for your paper.
• Consider purchasing a college essay for sale in case this is too difficult.

Basic Outline for an Essay: Template

For starters, we wanted to give you an essay outline template. It is an effective way to make sure you have all the required points of a good article. By keeping everything organized, you will get our highest mark and develop a believable  argument . But, of course, here is the template and enumeration of all the sections you need:  

• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary or so-called synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

How to Write an Essay Outline

How to write an outline for an essay? That's a $1 million question that we will answer today. You should understand from the very beginning that writing or mapping out your structure will take some time. But don't let this fact discourage you because it will be worth it in the end. However, we have also prepared several tips for you in order to ease the process even more:

• Research a topic before you actually start writing.
• Consider a type of article you're writing and pick an appropriate structure.
• Start outlining from the very beginning.
• Write down your thesis and make sure it is bulletproof.
• Provide some evidence you will use to support your argument.

Essay Outline Template

Our outline for the essay template will differ depending on the type of essay you will be writing. Interestingly enough, there are many types of academic essays you can consider. You can write an argumentative, persuasive one or a common narrative, or even an expository essay. As a result, choosing a relevant outline and structure will help you to distinguish our mentioned types and nail the one you’ve picked. Professional essay writers at StudyCrumb might help you with that.  

Persuasive Essay Outline

We will start with how to write a  persuasive essay outline  and the similar one is an  argumentative essay outline . You can find the structure itself down below. But we wanted to remind you of several things. Students often forget to cite their sources. So it is rather a good idea to include not only the evidence but citations and sources when outlining.  

• Catchy hook to engage your reader
• Background information  on your topic
• Thesis statement (mention all points that will be discussed in body paragraphs)
• Paragraph 1 with supporting evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Paragraph 2 with evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Paragraph 3 with evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Rephrase a thesis statement
• Conclude all points leaving a final impression

Narrative Essay Outline

We also know how to write a narrative essay outline . This type of article tries to tell a story, and that is why it is called narrative. Our best stories will have a rising action, climax, and a falling action. But to time everything perfectly and make sure your readers are at the address of the receipt, outlining is your best friend. Besides, not to forget the information you wanted to include, our structure below will help you write a very good narrative article.

• Scene setting
• Mentioning your purpose of writing
• Rising action
• Climax (some epic event)
• Falling action (conflict resolution)
• Moral of your story or possible lessons

Expository Essay Outline

An expository essay outline is very close to our previous options. It includes the same points. So you also start with an introduction, follow with three body paragraphs and finalize everything with a conclusion. Trust us: the process of writing will be much easier with such structure. Hence, our key for a good essay is right here:  

• Topic background
• Topic sentence
• Supporting explanation
• Supporting example that backs up your topic sentence and explanation
• Summarizing or concluding statement
• Rephrase your thesis
• Summarize and connect your key points
• Leave a final impression with recommendations

Informative Essay Outline

Outline for an informative essay follows an already well-known structure. Don’t forget that your body paragraphs should have lots of details and relevant information. Each claim must be supported. Therefore, every article has a specific order that cannot be broken. If you don’t follow the structure, your argument may not be as strong as the ones following the given order.

• Topic background (general information)
• Supporting pieces of evidence
• Transition and concluding statement
• Leave a final impression with recommendations or future developments

Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

Compare and contrast essay outline  will definitely be useful. A lot of colleges and schools like this type of essay because this is a good practice of analytical skills. It is natural because you have a lot of information and evidence. Besides, you're comparing different items, and tracking them might be a challenge for everyone. Out of all essays, this one, above all, needs a good structure. So make sure you understand the difference between your subjects, include evidence, and focus on your thesis statement:  

• Topic sentence 1
• Subject 1: Detail 1
• Subject 2: Detail 1

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

Your rhetorical analysis essay outline is our last one, so we hope you’re happy. Just like you always do, include evidence to support your argument and do research before the actual writing. In our rhetorical analysis, you have to highlight the strategies and approaches the author used in their text. Therefore, the good idea is to use quotations from the text.

• General information
• Used rhetorical strategies
• How well the strategy works in this example? Provide quotes from the text
• Reasons behind picking these approaches and not any other

Outline Example for Essay

So far, we have told you about the stages you should follow to make up a plan for your future essay. It is more convenient to have an outline essay example in front. This will help to create an effective plan and then compile a really good writing piece based on it. The main thing is to include as much information as possible into your plan; our outline template for essay will help you with this task. Don't forget to  buy essay now if you're still not sure whether you'll be doing this task. 

Final Thoughts on Writing an Essay Outline

Awesome job because now you know  how to quickly write an essay outline. A quick reminder before we wrap this up. You create an outline or write down the structure to keep track of all the information. Don’t forget that different types of academic papers and articles require their respective structures. So save this guide in order not to lose them.  

You can always rely on our essay writing service. Backed by unrivalled experience, our writer will be happy to provide you with the fantastic result in a timely manner.  

FAQ About Outline for Essay

1. what is the topic outline.

An essay topic outline is a process of arranging your ideas. This structure can show you the higher key or gradation of your main points. Therefore, you have your main point or argument and several sub-points. It is up to you to arrange them in order of importance and highlight the most crucial ones.

2. How long is an outline for an essay?

An outline for the essay doesn’t really have a fixed length. In many cases, you’ll be the only one who sees the structure. But if your research paper is around 15 or 20 pages, then your structure should be no longer than several pages. Normally, one or two pages are quite enough to include everything you need.

3. What are the disadvantages of outlining methods?

Outlining method for essays definitely has some disadvantages. So here’s a quick list for you to remember:

• It takes time to write down and organize your structure.
• It requires more thought and accuracy than common outlining.
• It is challenging to find a format that will show all your details, including the relationships between your variables and points.

4. How do you capitalize an outline?

An essay outline also has its own format. In case you’re using a topic outline, you should capitalize only the first letter of the word that opens your heading. Of course, proper nouns are also capitalized. Finally, we don’t use complete sentences, so end punctuation is unnecessary.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

You may also like

Essay Outline

11 December 2023

last updated

An essay outline is what makes papers more clear in comparison to poorly written works. Firstly, writers indicate the main points that can be used in academic works. Basically, scholars need to have a clear map of what they want to write and discuss. Then, students can use topic and sentence outlines with alphanumeric or decimal styles. In this case, the choice of outline forms depends on the length of assignments. Moreover, students have more chances to get A+ grades by using the main points because written essays will be well-organized. Therefore, essay outlines are the organized set of main points that can be used in academic papers.

Definition of an Essay Outline

In fact, essays and outlines are linked directly because papers cannot be written without organized points. Because essays have specific structures that cover important points, an outline format helps students in organizing writings correctly. For example, if scholars understand the key features of an essay structure , final works will meet the requirements of high-quality academic works. In particular, an essay outline is a roadmap of an academic paper in which writers include key points, evidence, facts, or other important aspects, making writing easier. On the other hand, essay outlines do mean final papers because of the lack of explanations or other writing elements. Therefore, outlines cover key aspects of essay topics when students write essay papers.

Types of Outlines

Although outlines can be different in a format, there are short and extended outlines in alphanumeric or decimal styles. In this case, students should define styles that they want to use. Firstly, short essay outlines mean a situation when writers use a form of topics to organize academic papers. For example, it can be from one to three words that cover key aspects in topic forms. Moreover, extended outlines differ from the short one in a word count. Because topic outlines consist of a few words, extended structures may include short or long sentences. In this case, such an outline is more clear in comparison to topic structures because of expanded information. Hence, students use topic and sentence outlines when organizing essay works or other writing assignments properly.

Sample of an Alphanumeric Outline for Essays

An alphanumeric outline style uses symbols to indicate a hierarchy of discussed points. For instance, using alphanumeric forms allows writers to consider dividing essay sections into short and logical parts. In this case, a 5-level style looks like:

Sample of a Decimal Essay Outline

A decimal outline is another style where writers implement numbers to indicate a hierarchy of discussed points. For example, decimal forms of representing headings and subheadings serve as hierarchical representations of discussed points. Hence, a 5-level style is presented below:

Example of a Short or Topic Essay Outline

Short or topic outlines are useful in organizing short essays from 1 to 5 pages for about 250-1500 words. Since final papers must not be long or complex, topic outlines can help to start writing or defining points of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Moreover, during writing essays, unnecessary points may be replaced by others, depending on the researched information. As a result, an example of this outline type looks like:

Example of an Extended or Sentence Essay Outline

Extended sentence outlines are useful in writing essays with a detailed structure or papers from 5 pages. Basically, long papers require a detailed analysis and a lot of information with evidence. In this case, during the analysis and organizing essays or other types of papers , students use sentence structures, not missing the gained information. Thus, an example of a short or topic outline is:

Important Points to Consider

Specifically, the success of any paper on any essay topics for college depends not only on writing skills, research, sources, grammar, and knowledge of academic standards but also on the organization of essay outlines. For instance, if students do not how to write an outline when starting academic papers, written works will not meet academic standards. In this case, good strategies on writing help writers to organize clear structures of what they want to talk about in further papers. Therefore, writing an excellent paper starts with organizing an essay outline. In turn, students may use essay writing service to organize academic works.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

Chicago style citation, movie reviews.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

How to Write a Perfect Essay Outline

You can’t write an essay without outlining. Fine, you can do that if a low grade is okay for you to get. But those willing to craft a paper that’s worth A+ will need to create an essay outline and organize their research in one place before writing. So in this article we will look at outline examples and top tips to improve your essay.

This guide is here to help you:

• understand what is a paper outline,
• learn how to write an essay outline,
• get outline examples and templates to use when crafting yours.

So, let’s a research essay outline journey begin!

Table of Contents:

• What is an essay outline?
• Key parts of an essay
• Outline format
• Persuasive essay outline example
• Narrative essay outline example
• Expository essay outline example
• Research essay outline example
• What to do before outlining
• Choose an essay outline structure
• Organize your outline
• It’s a wrap!

What is an Essay Outline?

As you’ve already guessed it, an essay outline is a short plan of your research paper. Here you write down the main idea of your essay and structurize all arguments into paragraphs to make sure you won’t miss anything while writing.

Sure enough, you can write an essay without outlining it. But it will be challenging to do. Outlining is an essential part of the writing process, and all authors do it for their works to impress readers.

Here’s why you need an essay outline :

• It will help you organize thoughts: when you research the data for your essay, you get tons of information that’s hard to remember.
• You’ll understand the information flow and will be able to structurize it accordingly.
• It will help you not to miss anything while writing your essay because you’ll have a ready manuscript of your paper.

That said, an outline will help you write academic works better and faster. And while our writers are always here to help to write my essay , it can’t hurt to learn how to write an outline for an essay by your own, right?

How to Write an Essay Outline

While college essay types are many, the common structure for most of them is five-paragraph. Each essay needs Introduction , Body (paragraphs with arguments), and Conclusion; so, a general format of your essay outline will include all these components.

Outlining your essay, keep write my term paper in mind so you wouldn’t miss any arguments, evidence, and examples while writing.

So, let’s do this!

Key Parts of an Essay

Put them all into your writing outline:

• Introduction. Here you’ll mention the topic of your essay and its thesis. As you know, essays can’t live without a thesis; so, a thesis statement in your outline will help you support it in each paragraph of your essay body.
• Body paragraphs. There will be a minimum three paragraphs in your essay’s body, so make sure to include each one in the outline. For each paragraph, write down a topic sentence with an argument relating to your thesis and mention all the support: data, facts, examples, and other evidence you’ll use to prove the topic sentence of this paragraph.
• Conclusion. Wrap up your essay here. Restate your thesis and summarize the goal of your paper.

In general, your essay template will look like this:

Essay Outline: General

I. Introduction

a) Introduce a topic b) State a thesis

II. Body. Paragraph-1

a) Write a topic sentence (the argument for your thesis) b) Support this argument: data, facts, examples c) Explain how they relate to your thesis

III. Body. Paragraph-2

a) Write a topic sentence (another argument for your thesis) b) Support this argument: data, facts, examples c) Explain how they relate to your thesis

IV. Body. Paragraph-3

a) Write a topic sentence (another argument for your thesis, or a counterargument) b) Support this argument, or explain why the counterargument doesn’t work: data, facts, examples c) Explain how they relate to your thesis

V. Conclusion

a) Summarize all main points b) Restate your thesis c) Add a call to action: what you want readers to do after reading your essay

Outline Format

As a rule, students use the linear style when formatting their writing outline. It means they rank arguments in order of their importance – from major to minor ones.

Remember: your research essay outline doesn’t have to include the complete sentences. It’s only an outline, so feel free to format arguments and evidence the way it seems most comfortable and understandable for you. Just make sure it’s visually clear and allows you to see if some sections are repetitive or redundant. It will help to avoid duplications in your essay maker .

Another point to consider:

While you are familiar with a given essay topic, it doesn’t mean your readers are. So format your outline accordingly: assume that some people know nothing about it when preparing arguments and arranging them in a logical order.

Essay Outline Template

Templates can help you get a better idea of essay outlining. It’s a great way to organize thoughts and determine the order in which you’ll represent them to readers. So, make a list of the sections in your paper and fill in the corresponding example, depending on your essay type.

Persuasive Essay Outline Example

To create an outline for such an essay, consider the following example:

Taken from: TeacherVision.com

Narrative Essay Outline Example

For narrative essays, outlines like this one will work well:

Expository Essay Outline Example

What about this example for your essay outline?

Research Essay Outline Example

Taken from: Austincc.edu

How to Make an Outline: the Process

As a rule, the only detail bothering those asking how to make an outline for an essay is the process itself. Students understand that an essay outline needs to specify all the main points and arguments of their future paper, but they still find it challenging to create.

More than that, professors may ask you to submit an essay outline for their review. That’s why the skills of planning your papers will come in handy anyway. To learn the secrets of effective outline writing, you’ll need to know what to do before outlining, what essay outline structure to choose for your work, and how to organize your outline so it would be as informative as possible.

Here’s how to outline an essay:

What to Do Before Outlining

First and foremost, read your writing assignment carefully. Make sure you understand what essay type you need to write, how many arguments to use (except as noted), and how long your essay needs to be.

Answer the question , “What’s the purpose of your essay?” Do you want to inform readers, persuade, or just entertain them? Depending on the goal, you’ll know what thesis to consider, what writing techniques to use, and how to visualize research in your paper.

Identify the audience. Yes, it’s a teacher who reads and evaluates your work; but whom do you want to read your essay ? Do you write for classmates? Strangers? What do they know about your topic? Would they agree with your thesis? How might they react to your information?

Depending on that, you’ll understand what arguments might work for your essay. It will also help you decide on resources to use for research and evidence to choose for your arguments. Consider credible sources such as Google Scholar or Oxford Academic to find references for your essay; take notes of them to use in your outline.

State your thesis so you could see what topic sentences to outline for your essay. A thesis needs to be arguable and provide enough details to hook readers so they would get them emotionally involved in your writing.

Once a thesis is ready, start structuring your essay outline.

Choose an Essay Outline Structure

From the above templates and examples, you’ve got a general idea of the basic structure for your essay outline. We used a standard alphanumeric structure there, but you can also use a decimal one for your outline to show how your ideas are related. Just compare:

Alphanumeric format:

Decimal format:

An alphanumeric outline is the most common one, but you are welcome to use a decimal outline structure if it seems clearer and more comfortable for you. Also, feel free to use complete sentences or just brief phrases for each section of your essay outline.

However, if you need to submit it to a professor for a review, use sentences. It will help him understand the arguments and evidence you are going to use in your essay.

Organize Your Outline

Now it’s time to fill in each section of your essay outline. For those lazy to read, here goes a short video:

For all others, start with outlining your introduction . Write a sentence about your topic and introduce your thesis. You can also mention an essay hook here – a sentence you’ll use to make the audience interested in reading your work.

Outline your essay body : write down a topic sentence for each paragraph, provide supporting evidence you’ll use when writing, and mention how they’ll relate to the topic and your thesis. The more details you outline, the easier it will be to organize all the thoughts while writing.

Also, you can write a transition sentence for each paragraph so it would be faster to structure and band all arguments.

Finally, outline your essay conclusion . Restate your thesis and write a concluding statement, aka a sentence addressing the importance of your thesis and proposing solutions to the problem you addressed in the essay.

It’s a Wrap!

Essays are many, and you need to write all of them in school and college. Persuasive, expository, narrative – their basic structure is the same but with tiny differences identifying their specifications and your knowledge of academic writing. Understanding those differences and outlining your writings accordingly is your chance to craft perfect works that get high grades.

An essay outline is what you need to organize the information and not miss anything while writing. When you know how to write an essay outline, you create papers better and faster. You keep in mind all essay components. You develop critical thinking. And you become a better writer.

Related posts

• What Is the Difference between Primary and Secondary Sources
• Common Types of Plagiarism with Examples
• Exemplification Essay – Ideas and Tips

Our Writing Guides

+61 481607654

Short Essay Structure: Ideal Outline to Follow

Table Of Contents

A brief into short essay writing for beginners, how to write a short essay | one-in-all guide.

• Where Can I Get Help with Short Essay

Are you a student assigned to write a short essay? Are you not sure about the right short essay structure ? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you are on the right page.

In this blog, the experts of Assignment Prime have explained everything a student needs to know about writing, how to write a short essay, and other related queries like structure, format, outline, and examples. So, let’s get started!

As the name says, this is only a short essay of one or two pages. When students are often assigned to draft this essay, they feel delighted that it would be easy to complete and wouldn't take as long as the otherwise lengthy essay does. But instead, these are tougher because the essays need to be short and informative here. Want to know more about these? Then let's take a look at the characteristics of this essay:

Characteristics of a Short Essay

Short essay writing can be differentiated from other types because of these important characteristics:

• Clarity - Even though the essay is short, there should be clarity of thought and topic.
• Curate - How the essay is curated is the key point in a short essay.
• Conciseness - Since the scope is short, the content should be concise.
• Chronology - A proper order of steps should be followed to state ideas.
• Correctness - As the length is short, the content shared should be correct.

Elements of a Short Essay

There are certain elements in an easy essay that make it different from other types, and they are:

• Thesis - This is a short statement on the main theme of the whole essay
• Outline - This is the raw blueprint of this short essay type
• Introduction - This is the basic idea of the topic covered in the essay
• Body - This is the section where the main topic is addressed in detail
• Conclusion - This is the final summary of the whole essay.

Guidelines for a Short Essay

A few basic guidelines or pointers that represent the best way to write an essay of this type include:

• Words: It should be around 500 words
• Size: Its font size should be 12 points
• Pages: It can be one page or two only
• Style: Its font style should be Times New Roman
• Spacing: It can have single or double-spaced margins

These three main details of an academic essay structure make it clear that it's a short essay type. Now, let's look into the prerequisites for drafting an impressive essay.

Whenever a student is asked to draft something, he immediately starts working on it without considering what needs to be prepared or planned or how to proceed; this often leads them to trouble. To understand this, let's take an example of a short essay- 

A Step-by-Step Guide to Short Essay Writing

Step 1: choose a topic.

If the professor didn't specify a topic, then you have wide scope to pick one of your choices. So, before you finalize the body paragraph structure essay, decide on an interesting topic. This will set a clear path for you to follow.

Step 2: Know Your Requirements

Once the topic is all clear to you, focus on the requirements. This includes your approach to the essay, university guidelines, the professor's special instructions, and so on. These are the core of the essay; thus, do not miss out on any.

Step 3: Do Proper Research

Now that the topic and requirements are clear, it's time to do some research. Again, spend time in this stage and collect as much information as possible on the chosen topic. This will not just give you knowledge on the subject but also boost your confidence in yourself.

Step 4: Prepare an Outline

The next step to follow is to have a clear short essay format. This helps in giving a writer the blueprint of the whole essay and an idea of what information to include in which section of the essay so everything is in a flow. 

Step 5: Draft the Document

Since the path is clear, and so does the destination, get started. Focus on the essay introduction and conclusion as they play a crucial role in the document. Also, add the main informative part to the body only. 

Step 6: Edit and Proofread

Though this is a routine step, it is equally important as a short essay structure. Every document should be neatly edited and proofread so that there are no typos, errors or mistakes which not just break the flow of content but also disrupt the document's meaning.

Professional Tips for Drafting an Impressive Essay

Research more to write better.

A short essay is where you have to give your best in a limited space. So, writing something amazing within restrained boundaries is only possible if you have good knowledge of the topic; research is the key.

Present only right arguments

It is crucial to figure out the right arguments to include and exact points to mention because the scope is less and only the important information needs to be included. This is a crucial tip because arguments decide the fate of the essay.

Write more in fewer words

The one important point about short essays is that the writer has only limited words to express most of the information they collected in the research process. Therefore, this tip is crucial because students must learn concise and precise forms for short essay writing.

Cut down anything vague

Another helpful tip for students regarding this type of essay writing is nothing vague should be included. Yes, even though it is written after tedious research, it should be cut down if it doesn't justify the short essay format. 

Revise multiple times

This is one of the hardest but crucial tips for any student to be working on this essay type. And it is to revise the essay as many times as possible. The more you edit, the better you get with the essay. 

Now that the essay writing process is clear and tips are known let's move to the next section and look into some short essay examples.

Examples of Short Essay You Should Not Miss (Source: sfs.gsu.edu )

Here, we looked into an essay paragraph structure example, so let's move to the next section and know more about what to do if this is not your cup of tea.

Where Can I Get Help with Short Essay?

Are you also willing to write a short essay but do not have the time or necessary skills? Are you looking for assistance to develop an impressive essay and score high grades? If yes, seek professional essay help  from the experts at Assignment Prime and get desired grades. If you are not sure about us, then you can also check out our other essay writing services and get better clarity on our writers' quality and work: 

Types of Essays

• Descriptive Essay
• Exploratory Essay
• Discussion Essay
• Reflective Essay
• Persuasive Essay
• Discursive Essay
• Comparative Essay
• Process Essay
• Narrative Essay
• Argumentative Essay
• Synthesis Essay
• Personal Essay
• Satire Essay  

Essays for Courses

• SAT  Essay
• IELTS Essay

Essays on Subjects

• Economics Essay
• English Essay

If you want to check out more such examples, go to our samples section and check for the quality, writing, and format. And if you want professional assistance, you can reach out to our experts and get the best help on short essay writing. All the best!

To Make Your Work Original

Check your work against paraphrasing & get a free Plagiarism report!

Check your work against plagiarism & get a free Plagiarism report!

Get citations & references in your document in the desired style!

Make your content free of errors in just a few clicks for free!

Generate plagiarism-free essays as per your topic’s requirement!

FREE Features

• Topic Creation USD 4.04 FREE
• Outline USD 9.75 FREE
• Unlimited Revisions USD 21.6 FREE
• Editing/Proofreading USD 29.26 FREE
• Formatting USD 8.36 FREE
• Bibliography USD 7.66 FREE

Get all these features for

USD 84.3 FREE

Thesis Statement Writing: How Crucial is it? How to Write? & More

How to Write a Letter of Reference with Templates?

Experts' Guidance on How to Conduct Nike’s SWOT Analysis

Apple SWOT Analysis: Everything That You Need to Know

Avail the Best Assignment Writing Services in Just One Tap!

Add "5% extra off on app"

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Know more

Please rotate your device

We don't support landscape mode yet. Please go back to portrait mode for the best experience

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Types of Outlines and Samples

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Alphanumeric Outlines

This is the most common type of outline and usually instantly recognizable to most people. The formatting follows these characters, in this order:

• Roman Numerals
• Capitalized Letters
• Arabic Numerals
• Lowercase Letters

If the outline needs to subdivide beyond these divisions, use Arabic numerals inside parentheses and then lowercase letters inside parentheses. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.

The sample PDF in the Media Box above is an example of an outline that a student might create before writing an essay. In order to organize her thoughts and make sure that she has not forgotten any key points that she wants to address, she creates the outline as a framework for her essay.

What is the assignment?

Your instructor asks the class to write an expository (explanatory) essay on the typical steps a high school student would follow in order to apply to college.

What is the purpose of this essay?

To explain the process for applying to college

Who is the intended audience for this essay?

High school students intending to apply to college and their parents

What is the essay's thesis statement?

When applying to college, a student follows a certain process which includes choosing the right schools and preparing the application materials.

Full Sentence Outlines

The full sentence outline format is essentially the same as the Alphanumeric outline. The main difference (as the title suggests) is that full sentences are required at each level of the outline. This outline is most often used when preparing a traditional essay. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.

Decimal Outlines

The decimal outline is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline. The added benefit is a system of decimal notation that clearly shows how every level of the outline relates to the larger whole. Select the "Sample Outlines" PDF in the Media Box above to download the sample of this outline.

Gun Control Speech Outline

This essay about creating a gun control speech outlines a structured approach to discussing this divisive issue effectively. The speech begins with an attention-grabbing introduction using statistics or stories to highlight the urgency of addressing gun violence. It progresses by comparing gun violence statistics in the U.S. with countries that have stricter gun laws, using this data to argue for the necessity of reform. The essay also addresses common misconceptions about the Second Amendment and discusses how sensible gun control measures can coexist with constitutional rights. Additionally, it proposes specific gun control measures, such as universal background checks and bans on assault weapons, discussing their potential impact on reducing violence. The conclusion reiterates the importance of legislative change and calls for audience action to support gun control efforts, aiming to inspire and mobilize support for policy changes.

How it works

Crafting a persuasive discourse on firearm regulation necessitates a meticulously structured argumentation, navigating the intricacies and emotive resonance of the subject matter. An intricately organized framework is indispensable in articulating a cogent stance amidst the complexity of the discourse. Herein, we delve into an exhaustive methodology for formulating a discourse outline on firearm regulation that harmonizes empirical evidence, moral quandaries, and the emotive resonance of the theme.

Commence the discourse by ensnaring the audience’s attention with a compelling datum or a poignant anecdote that underscores the ramifications of firearm-related violence.

This may entail a recent occurrence or historical data emblematic of the exigency of the subject matter. Enunciate your thesis statement with precision and succinctness, articulating your standpoint on firearm regulation. For instance, you might posit that stringent firearm regulation statutes would markedly mitigate firearm-related violence in the United States.

Initiate with a lucid exposition of the factual substratum pertaining to firearm-related violence. Employ recent statistical data to expound upon the pervasiveness of firearm-related occurrences across disparate regions of the nation. This may encompass statistics pertaining to homicides, suicides, inadvertent discharges, and mass shootings. Illuminate how these figures juxtapose against those of nations with more stringent firearm regulation statutes, erecting a foundational rationale for the imperative of reform.

Elucidate your discourse by juxtaposing firearm-related violence statistics in the United States against those of nations such as the United Kingdom or Australia, where stringent firearm statutes are in force. Deliberate upon the measures implemented by these nations, encompassing comprehensive background checks, constraints on firearm categories, and mandatory firearm proficiency training. Assess the efficacy of these measures in abating firearm-related occurrences, furnishing a paradigm for prospective legislative action in the U.S.

Confront common contentions against firearm regulation, particularly expounding upon the interpretation of the Second Amendment. Dispel misconceptions regarding the guarantees conferred by the amendment and scrutinize Supreme Court adjudications that have construed these entitlements, such as the District of Columbia v. Heller ruling. Advocate that judicious firearm regulation statutes can coalesce with the Second Amendment and accentuate the import of reconciling liberties with communal well-being.

Delimitate specific firearm regulation statutes you espouse and explicate how they could attenuate violence. These may encompass universal background checks, a proscription on assault weaponry, curbs on high-capacity magazines, and a mechanism for identifying individuals evincing indicia of potentially violent proclivities. Deliberate upon the plausible ramifications of these statutes in curtailing quotidian violence as well as mass shootings.

Conclude your discourse by underscoring the significance of grappling with firearm-related violence through more stringent regulatory mechanisms. Recapitulate your salient arguments and issue a resounding summons to action, imploring your audience to endorse legislative reforms that could safeguard lives and fortify communal security. Your denouement ought not only to recapitulate the adduced evidence but also to galvanize and incite your audience to champion efficacious firearm regulation policies.

Cite this page

Gun Control Speech Outline. (2024, Apr 29). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/

"Gun Control Speech Outline." PapersOwl.com , 29 Apr 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Gun Control Speech Outline . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/ [Accessed: 30 Apr. 2024]

"Gun Control Speech Outline." PapersOwl.com, Apr 29, 2024. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/

"Gun Control Speech Outline," PapersOwl.com , 29-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/. [Accessed: 30-Apr-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Gun Control Speech Outline . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/gun-control-speech-outline/ [Accessed: 30-Apr-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers