Outline for the Extended Essay

Due date: 1/11/16

1. Your outline should be treated as a work in progress. Change it as needed. Keep it

up-to-date so you can keep track of your organization. It may help prevent you from

feeling overwhelmed.

2. Use the following guidelines:

a. All outlines typed, Arial, 12 pt. font

b. All points—complete sentences, paragraph style

c. Works cited page that matches the citations used in your outline

3. Your outline is due 1/11/15. Please upload to Managebac. I am giving you a long time to

do this correctly. It is not a short outline and it will be your summative grade for the

quarter.

4. Remember—the outline serves several purposes. It will:

a. Tie your research question (your claim) to your arguments.

b. Serve as an argument check. Have you sufficiently developed arguments (your

reasons) that support your research question? Is your reasoning logical—that is,

grounded in researchable evidence? Your argument must move beyond personal

reasoning (opinion and logical reasoning are not the same thing).

c. Serve as an evidence/research check. Do you have sufficient evidence to support

your claims and reasoning? This is the hard part. All of your arguments must be

supported by evidence that you have gathered through research

d. Serve as a counter argument check. Are you able to lay out claims and evidence

that “argue” against your claim? You must think about how another person

others could think critically about, analyze and refute your argument.

e. Serve as a discovery tool to help determine whether you have done enough

research.

f. Serve as an organizational tool that guides the writing of your draft

5. Use these key point to help you think about your outline:

a. Research Question = Claim (your position on your topic)

b. Arguments = Reasons (why you believe your claim)

c. Researchable Evidence = Support (what the experts say)

d. Counter Arguments / Evidence = Reasons / Support that refutes your primary

claim (gives you the opportunity to say why your position is stronger, better or

should be taken seriously)

6. Although, the structure of your essays will vary, the following outline is generally

enough to work for all essays. Even literature essays can develop a counter argument.

The Formal Outline A formal outline is systematic and organized through the use of main headings marked by

Roman numerals, subdivided into major points marked by capital letters that are further

subdivided into related details marked by Arabic numerals and finally by lower case letters.

Warning: This format requires the use of 2 subdivisions for any point further divided into

details. You cannot divide any part into just one (1) subdivision.

Note: This outline should be written in complete sentences with paragraphs for each of your

points. You must have at least 3 fully developed arguments in support of your

research question. Clearly, this will not be a short outline. However, if you take your

time and make the effort, you will find that your draft will be much easier to write.

Example Format (Your outline obviously may vary in terms of subdivisions)

Research Question: (Your research question should be the first item on page 1)

I. Argument #1 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)

A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

B. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

C. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

D. Counter-argument

1. Interpretation, Analysis

2. Citations from credible sources

3. Your response to counter-argument

4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument

II. Argument #2 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)

A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

B. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

C. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

D. Counter-argument

1. Interpretation, Analysis

2. Citations from credible sources

3. Your response to counter-argument

4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument

III. Argument #3 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)

A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

B. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

C. Evidence

1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources

2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation

D. Counter-argument

1. Interpretation, Analysis

2. Citations from credible sources

3. Your response to counter-argument

4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument

IV. Conclusion (Based on arguments and evidence, what conclusions can you draw?)

E. Conclusion #1

1. Details

2. Analysis, Interpretation

F. Conclusion #2

1. Details

2. Analysis, Interpretation

G. Unresolved questions when appropriate to subject / topic.