Outlining

1. Outlining

2. A suggested outline (policy brief) • Title • Author • Summary • Statement of the issue or problem • Background • Existing policy situation • Policy options • Advantages and disadvantages of each option • Evidence based on your research • Your recommendations • References or further reading

3. Develop a structure, then put information into it • Make a short list of 7-8 categories your information falls into • Put the categories in a logical order • Sort your notes into these categories • Situation • Problem • Intervention • Results • Results • Analysis • Situation • Problem • Intervention • Examples • Analysis • Recommendations • Recommendations • Examples

4. Develop the structure from the information itself • Sort your information into categories: put similar types of information together • Give each category a title • Sort the categories into a logical order • Problem • Situation • Problem • Intervention • Results • Recommendations • Situation • Analysis • Examples • Analysis • Recommendations • Intervention • Examples • Results

5. Four ways to start writing • Write a summary sentence • Write some possible leads • Write an ending • Write without notes

6. Overcoming writer’s block 1 • Brainstorm • Get ideas from a group • Use cards to sort ideas • Make a mind map • Write down thoughts on the topic in a mind map diagram • Get someone to interview you • Tell him/her about your topic • He/she takes notes and ask questions

7. Overcoming writer’s block 2 • Write down ideas in any order • Don’t worry about the words or sentence flow • Reorder ideas • Find the right words, then rewrite • Begin in the middle • Leave the intro till later, when you have a clearer idea of what the paper is about • Make a recording • Imagine your audience in front of you • Transcribe the recording

8. Overcoming writer’s block 3 • Change the audience • Pretend you're writing to a child, a friend, someone new to the subject • Explain the topic slowly and clearly • Play a role • Pretend you are someone else writing • Eg, head of an NGO, company lobbyist

9. Brainstorming 1 • Needs several people • Take 5 minutes to think of ideas • Write ideas on cards – one per card • Each person gives one idea in turn • Go around group until ideas are exhausted

10. Brainstorming 2 • Put cards on table or floor • Sort cards into categories • Develop outline from categories • Categories become major headings • Individual cards become subheadings or points

11. Brainstorming rules • Postpone and withhold your judgment of ideas • Encourage wild and exaggerated ideas • Quantity counts at this stage, not quality • Build on the ideas put forward by others • Every person and every idea has equal worth

12. Subject Main ideas Details Mind mapping 1

13. Mind mapping rules • Write the subject in the centre of page • Draw a circle around it • For main subheadings, draw lines out from circle • Label lines with subheadings • Draw new lines to each subheading for each new idea. Add labels • For individual facts, draw lines from appropriate heading. Label them • Convert the mind map into an outline • Main ideas become main headings • Details become subheadings or individual points

14. Kinna mkt Transport Conflict Volume Situation Problem Quality Results Intervention Income Coop growth Coop Buyer Mind mapping Livestock marketing

15. Outlining in Microsoft Word 1 Use Headings Styles • Heading 1 • Heading 2 • Heading 3 • Body text body text body text body text body text body text body text body text body text

16. Outlining in Microsoft Word 2 Use Outline View to see various levels in outline

17. Outlining in Microsoft Word 3 • Place cursor on heading • Select Level to change level of heading

18. Outlining in Microsoft Word 4 • Double-click on + to expand or contract text • Move up or down to change order of sections

19. Resources • www.brainstorming.co.uk • www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm • owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_block.html