Outlining is Part of the Plan

1. Outlining is Part of the Plan Everything is planned. I spend a long time outlining. It's the only way I know to get all the ducks in a row. . . . The research is the easiest. The outline is the most fun because you can do anything. The first draft is the hardest, because every word of the outline has to be fleshed out. The rewrite is very satisfying, because I feel that everything I do is making the book a little better.--Ken Follett

2. A Quick Explanation A simple outline with no supporting points will look like this: Introduction: Main idea Main idea Main idea Main idea Conclusion: --Sometimes that’s all you need. The introduction is left blank because it is built around your thesis statement. Your thesis statement is not usually clear until your ideas are completely fleshed out. Sometimes just outlining will help you to write your thesis, and other times your rough draft will be nearly complete before you will know what your thesis should be. The conclusion is left blank because it is a re-wording of your introduction. It is like adding the ribbon and tying the bow on your package. Since your conclusion restates the introduction, your conclusion needs to be written last

3. A More Complex Outline • Introduction: Leave this part blank for now– it’s just a placeholder. • First main idea. • Many times you will know exactly what you want to say for your main idea, especially if that main idea is just a paragraph. • If you already know how you are going to support your main idea, you can skip this step. • If your paper is longer, and each main idea is supported in several paragraphs, it might be helpful to add these supporting points. • In longer papers, you can add sub-supporting points like this. • Sub-supporting point • Or even sub-sub-supporting points for really long papers, like a master’s thesis • or other culminating projects • Next main idea • Shorter papers can often require a very simple outline with main ideas • And possibly supporting points • You can get as detailed as you want • Or you can outline just the main ideas, leaving the details for the next step • (The next step is drafting.) • The main idea following the previous main idea. • Supporting point. • Supporting point • Supporting point • You get the idea. • And more supporting points • Or not. • Conclusion: Leave this part blank too– it’s just another placeholder.

4. Thesis statement: The diathesis-stress model is an effective explanation for why some individuals suffer from a mental illness as it considers both the individual’s biological predisposition and the life stressors that exacerbate the genetic vulnerability. The diathesis-stress model explains psychopathology accounting for both an individual’s nature and nurture. The diathesis is an individual’s biology or genetic vulnerability to developing a mental illness. Stressors are the life events or daily occurrences that contribute to the development of a mental illness in an individual. The diathesis-stress model has implications for practicing clinicians. The model can be used to understand and consequently treat a variety of disorders. 1. Mood Disorders Depression Anxiety Disorders Schizophrenia Sentence Driven Outline See how the outline includes full sentences !

5. Diathesis-stress model Explains psychopathology accounting for both nature and nurture Definition of diathesis Definition of stress Implications for practicing clinicians Understand and treat Mood Disorders Depression Anxiety Disorders Schizophrenia Only includes a few words, driven by topics leaving room for explanation and annotation. Topic Driven Outline

6. Quote Driven Outline Notice how the outline is driven by quotations. These quotations can be from a book, research articles, a dissertation, or even a useful, pertinent website! “Life is a collection of a million, billion moments, tiny little moments and choices, like a handful of luminous, glowing pearl.” Shauna Niequist, in her book Cold Tangerines, doesn’t believe we should spend our lives waiting rather , embracing each little moment. “I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don't want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes.” Shauna calls us all to realize our lives should sizzle and pop and be more than the mundane of everyday.

7. Outlining is Organization Organization is the first step in drafting

8. Just One More Thing… Try beginning your essay with this really lame phrase: “this essay is about…” You’ve mind-mapped and outlined, but you STILL don’t know how to get started!

9. Yes, really. • Take the mind-mapping essay for example: • Begin with: “This essay is about mind-mapping.” • Then follow with what naturally comes next, such as: • “Mind mapping is a great way to add structure to your inspiration. It can be used as a way to take notes, or a way to depict your thoughts as they relate to a central idea…” • So your draft will look like this: • “This essay is about mind-mapping. Mind mapping is a great way to add structure to your inspiration. It can be used as a way to take notes, or a way to depict your thoughts as they relate to a central idea…” • Then remove the part that says “this essay is about…” (because it is a huge pet-peeve of teachers!) • Your draft will then begin like this: • “Mind mapping is a great way to add structure to your inspiration. It can be used as a way to take notes, or a way to depict your thoughts as they relate to a central idea…” • Wow, not so lame now, huh? • Notice that I put this part into outline format? • A. Mission accomplished.

10. Be prepared to revise! • Even the greatest of writers, poets laureate, and Pulitzer prize winners don’t produce perfect documents from start to finish in just one try. "There is no such thing as writer's block for writers whose standards are low enough.“ -- American poet William Stafford