What is the format of an outline?

Answer 1

First, there should be top level topics followed by 2 or more sub-topics. The sub-topics should be fairly balanced, not 10 sub-topics under one header and none under another. Second, you need to go from most important to least important. Arrange your information first, putting one idea on separate index cards. Go through and organize them by main topic and sub-topics. Third, decide whether you will use Capital Letters and small letters, or Capital Roman Numerals and lowercase Roman Numerals. Below is a Letter format. If you choose to use Roman Numeral format, remember to use lowercase on sub-topics, e.g. i, ii, iii, iv, etc.

Outline

A. Recycling benefits people, animals, land, and seas

A. Landfills can contaminate surrounding forests with runoff

B. Many oceans are full of garbage

B. Landfills are overflowing with waste

a. Give a statistic for how much waste ends up in landfills

b. Give a statistic for how many landfills are in your city or State

. Waste includes items that could be recycled

a. Plastic accounts for __% of waste

b. Paper and cardboard accounts for __% of waste

C: Public policy helps people recycle

a. Free pickup encourages people to recycle.

b. American manufactures should use more recycled materials in packaging.

Note that you can use phrases, incomplete sententences, or complete sentences in your outline. However, whichever one you pick you should use throughout. For example, notice that my C-b entry looks more like a complete sentence, so I should make all the entries the same way.

Note that the main entries are flush left, meaning against the left margin. All sub-topics are indented under their main entry.

Some teachers have preferences for how students write the outline, so ask your teacher for guidelines.

Outlining can help organize every writing project, so it's a good habit to practice.