PARALLELISM: Outlines

All items in formal outlines must be parallel in grammar and structure.

Parallelism: Outlines

NO:

Reducing Traffic Fatalities

I. Stricter lawsA. Top speed should be 55 mph on highways.

B. Higher fines

C. Requiring jail sentences for repeat offenders

II. The use of safety devices should be mandated by law.

Parallelism: Outlines

YES:

Reducing Traffic Fatalities

I. Passing stricter speed lawsA. Making 55 mph the top speed on highways

B. Raising fines for speeding

C. Requiring jail sentences for repeat offenders

II. Mandating by law the use of safety devices

Outlining a Research Paper

Laying out the relationships among ideas in a piece of writing

Outlining a Research Paper

Your research log comes in handy when you group your ideas, especially for a first draft of your paper--and as you make an informal outline for it.

An outline can serve as a guide as you plan and write your paper.

An outline can lead you to see how well your writing is organized.

Outlining a Research Paper

Try outlining at various steps of the writing process:

Before drafting, to arrange ideas While you draft, to keep track of your material While you revise, to check the logical flow of

thought or to reveal what information is missing, repeated, or off the topic

Formal Outline

A formal outline requires you to use the conventions that dictate how to display relationships among ideas.

You need to adhere strictly to the numbering and lettering conventions required.

A formal outline can be either a topic outline or a sentence outline.

You will format your outline as a topic outline: each entry is a word or phrase

Topic OutlineThesis statement: With the right training, women can “pump iron” to build strength.

I. Avoidance of massive muscle development

A. Role of women’s biology

1. Not much muscle-bulking hormone

2. Muscles get longer, not bulkier

B. Role of combining exercise types

1. Anaerobic (weight lifting)

2. Aerobic (swimming)

II. Safe use of weights

A. Free weights

1. Unsafe lifting techniques

2. Safe lifting techniques

a. Head alignment

b. Neck and back alignment

B. Weight machines

III. Individualized program based on physical condition

A. Role of resistance and reps

B. Characteristics for personalizing the program

1. Weight

2. Age

3. Physical condition

IV. Individualized weight training program

A. Upper body strength

B. Individualized objectives

1. Mine

2. Car crash victim’s

Physical therapist’s

Mrs. Austin’s Outline Requirements Sort your note cards according

to their related ideas.  Determine what main idea each grouping represents, and list those ideas.

Next, arrange your note cards into a sequence of main ideas that seem logical for the development of your paper. 

Describe the organization you have chosen (for example:  cause and effect, comparison/contrast, order of importance, chronological order, etc.). Why is this the logical method for your paper?

Consider other methods of organization.

Read each page of notes, and evaluate which ideas support other ideas. Some notes will be main headings, some will be subheadings, and some will be supporting details of your research paper. Block out the main ideas of your outline.

On your paper, write Roman Numerals and fill in sub-headings underneath them. Use your note cards to fill in the details. 

Review your completed outline. Make sure that you have at least two subheadings under each heading. 

Remember, you cannot have an "A" without a "B" or a "1" without a "2."

Mrs. Austin’s Outline Requirements Center the title "Outline."            Write the thesis above the

outline.            The outline should be in parallel

form.  Make sure that you have written all

elements as either sentences or phrases. 

Every heading written as a phrase should be the same type of phrase (noun phrase, gerund phrase, or infinitive phrase).

It is important for an outline to be consistent. Items of equal importance should be equated equally.

Mrs. Austin’s Outline Requirements Use Roman numerals for

main ideas. Use capital letters for

subheadings. Use Arabic numerals for

supporting details. Place a period after the

numerals and letters that introduce the points in the outline. Do not use parentheses!     

Begin every point in the outline with a capital letter.

Do not place periods after any of the points in the outline.

Indent each level of the outline. If there is an A, there must also

be a B. If there is a 1, there must also be a 2.

State each point as a word or a phrase, but NOT a complete sentence as this is a topical outline. 

Try to have at least five Roman numerals, at least A and B under each Roman numeral, and at least 1 and 2 under you A and B.