WRITING OUTLINE

Outlining is an important intermediate stage between research and writing. Your outline will
provide the basis for organizing your paper. It will help you divide your information into
paragraphs, support your thesis statement, and arrange the information in your project.

The following examples will help you to translate your notes to a formal outline.

THESIS STATEMENT

I. Major Heading

a. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

b. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

II. Major Heading

a. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

b. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

III. Major Heading

a. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

b. Category
i. Subtopic
ii. Subtopic

Here is what a formal outline might look like when you have finished:
Topic: Farming Products of Hawaii

I. Sugar

a. Effect on economy
i. Biggest money making industry
ii. Largest employer in the islands

b. Description
i. Sugar cane
1. Grass
2. Thick tough stalks
3. Set on fire to burn leaves

ii. Milking process for refined sugar

1. Squeeze juice from cane
2. Clarify liquid
3. Place into waters

II. Pineapple

a. Effect on economy
i. Provides 70% of worlds supply
ii. Worlds largest cannery
iii. Pineapple Institute
1. Research center
2. Improve care and production
3. Provide jobs

b. Uses
i. Food (fruit)
ii. Livestock feed (trimmings)

Assignment: Create your own outline modeled after the one above. You need to begin to
organize your notes into an order that is logical and helps to support your thesis. If you
need to adjust the number to subtopics, details, etc. you may do so.

Thesis: Nelson Mandela and the civil rights movement

I. Nelson Mandela
 a. Nelson Mandela President
i. Mandela become PRES
1. His first goal was stop apartheid.
2. He was the first president of the post-apartheid era.
ii. civil war
1. At 72 years old Mandela started a civil war.
2. Mandela saved tons of lives by ending the civil war.
iii. Mandela vs. Apartheid
1. When Mandela get out of prison he fought the apartheid.
2. Mandelas role as an anti-apartheid activist.

b. Biography
i. Before president
1. In 1994 he published an autobiography called, Long Walk to
Freedom.
2. In 1993 Mandela and PRES Klerk won the Nobel Prize.

ii. Mandela life

1. Mandela get married three times in his life.
2. Mandela got selected to the Student Representative Council.
iii. Prison
1. He and another 150 black men got arrested because of political
advocacy.
2. A civil war started when Mandela finished apartheid in south
Africa.

II. Civil Rights Movement

a. History
i. American people
1. Native American people resisted conquest and absorption.
2. In 1964 of the majors civil rights legislation was victorious for the
movement.
ii. African American people
1. In 20th century Black people doesnt have the same rights as the
white people
2. Free Blacks endured racial discrimination and enforced
segregation.
iii. Martin Luther king Jr
1. Speech I have a dream
2. He ended the black discrimination.

b. Description
 i. American civil rights movement
1. Is protest against racial segregation.
2. Discrimination in southern United States.
ii. Civil rights
1. The right of a citizen to political or social freedom and equality.
2. Help people to have a family and to not be slave.
iii. discrimination
1. The unjust treatment of different categories of people or things.
2. The black people had suffer of discrimination.