DRAFT OUTLINE
This outline can help you to see how your paper is currently organized and developing. Once you identify how your paper is organized, you can
• Move paragraphs around to make the argument stronger or more effective.
• Sharpen you topic sentences by clearly identifying the central argument and goal of each paragraph.
• Identify relationships between paragraphs so that you can create more effective “bridges” between paragraphs.
Note: The first sentence of each paragraph should always show the connection between that paragraph and the preceding one. The development of each paragraph should feel “natural” to the reader.
I. Introduction
a. Thesis __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
II. Paragraph
a. Primary Focus of Paragraph (summarize briefly)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Topic Sentence/Argument Sentence (the first sentence of the paragraph. Make sure to tie this sentence back to the thesis.)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
III. Paragraph
a. Primary Focus of Paragraph (summarize briefly)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Topic Sentence/Argument Sentence (the first sentence of the paragraph. Make sure to tie this sentence back to the thesis and to paragraph II.)
IV. Paragraph
a. Primary Focus of Paragraph (summarize briefly)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Topic Sentence/Argument Sentence (the first sentence of the paragraph. Make sure to tie this sentence back to the thesis and to paragraph III.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
V. Paragraph
a. Primary Focus of Paragraph (summarize briefly)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Topic Sentence/Argument Sentence (the first sentence of the paragraph. Make sure to tie this sentence back to the thesis and to paragraph IV.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VI. Paragraph
a. Primary Focus of Paragraph (summarize briefly)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Topic Sentence/Argument Sentence (the first sentence of the paragraph. Make sure to tie this sentence back to the thesis and to paragraph V.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________