46 Chapter 3 The Writing Process: Stage Two

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OUTLI NI NG
Outlining is the tool that most people think of in connection with organizing.
Because it is exible and widely used, it will receive the most emphasis in this
stage of the writing process. Outlining does basically the same thing that listing
and clustering do. Outlining divides the controlling idea into sections of support
material, divides those sections further, and establishes sequence.
An outline is a framework that can be used in two ways: (1) It can indicate
the plan for a paragraph or an essay you intend to write, and (2) it can show the
organization of a passage you are reading. The outline of a reading passage
and the outline as a plan for writing are identical in form. If you intend to write
a summar y of a reading selection, then a single outline might be used for both
purposes.
The two main outline forms are the sentence outline (each entry is a complete
sentence) and the topic outline (each entry is a key word or phrase). The topic
outline is more common in writing paragraphs and essays.
In the following topic outline, notice rst how the parts are arranged on the
page: the indentations, the number and letter sequences, the punctuation, and
the placement of words. Then read Jacksons outline and see how the ideas in it
relate to one another.
Main Idea (will usually be the topic sentence for a paragraph or the thesis for an
essay)
I. Major support
A. Minor support
1. Explanation, detail, example
2. Explanation, detail, example
B. Minor support
1. Explanation, detail, example
2. Explanation, detail, example
tailgating
no signals
speeding
D. U. I.
passing in
emergency lanes
not buckling up
unsafe lane
changing
too slow in
fast lanes
freeways
and surface
streets
surface
streets only
left turn
on red
rolling stops
not yielding to
pedestrians
Violations
freeways
only
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Organizing Support
II. Major support
A. Minor support
1. Explanation, detail, example
2. Explanation, detail, example
B. Minor support
1. Explanation, detail, example
2. Explanation, detail, example
Here is Betsy Jacksons outline:
If I were a trafc cop, I would crack down on certain types of bad drivers.
I. Drunks
II. Unsafe lane changers
A. Attitude
1. Rude
2. Bullying
B. Results
1. Accidents
2. People irritated
III. Left-turners on red
A. Attitude
1. Self-centered
2. Putting self above law
B. Results
1. Bad collisions
2. Mass anger
IV. Tailgaters
A. Motives
1. Hostility
2. Rushed
3. Impatient
B. Effects
1. Accidents
2. Road ghts
The foundation of an effective outline, and, hence, of an effective paragraph or
essay, is a strong controlling idea. Always begin by writing a sound topic sentence
or thesis, one with a specic subject and a well-dened treatment. Then divide
the focus into parts. The nature of the parts will depend on what you are trying to
do in the focus. Just consider the thought process involved. What kinds of mate-
rial would best support or explain that topic sentence or thesis? How should you
organize that material? Should you present a series of examples? a description of
a process? a story of human struggle? a combination of methods?
Among the most common forms of dividing and organizing ideas are the following:
Narration: division of time or incident to tell a story
subject focus
48 Chapter 3 The Writing Process: Stage Two
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I. Situation
II. Conict
III. Struggle
IV. Outcome
V. Meaning
Exemplication: division into several examples
I. First example
II. Second example
III. Third example
Analysis by division: division into steps telling how something is done
I. Preparation
II. Steps
A. Step 1
B. Step 2
C. Step 3
Process analysis: division of a unit into parts (for example, a pencil has an
eraser, a wooden barrel, and a lead)
I. First part
II. Second part
III. Third part
Causes and effects: division into causes or effects
I. Cause (or effect) one
II. Cause (or effect) two
III. Cause (or effect) three
These patterns and others are the subjects of individual chapters in this book.
EXERCI SE 6 Compl et i ng Out l i nes
Fill in the missing parts of the following outlines. It may be helpful to consider,
in each case, whether you are dealing with time, examples, causes, effects,
parts, or steps. The answers will vary, depending on your individual experiences
and views.
1. Borrowing is the mother of trouble.
I. Received ve credit cards in mail
II. Saw numerous commercials on television
A. One about
B. Another about
III. Made purchases with the credit card
IV. Two months later
subject focus
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Organizing Support
2. A successful job interview depends on several factors.
I. Good appearance
A.
B.
II. Behaving properly
III. Being qualied
A. Education
B.
IV. Knowing something about the employer
3. Joes drug addiction had signicant effects on his life.
I. Developed mental health problems
A.
B.
II. Developed
III. Lost his job
IV. Lost
4. A college education is important for several reasons.
I. Offers personal enrichment
II. Fullls curiosity
III. Provides contacts that may be satisfying later
IV.
5. An ordinary person can be an environmentalist every day.
I. Limit use of internal combustion engines
II. Avoid using and dumping poisonous chemicals
III.
IV.
A. Save newspapers
B. Save
C.
subject focus
subject focus
subject focus
subject focus
50 Chapter 3 The Writing Process: Stage Two
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6. Cooking spaghetti is not difcult.
I. Get pan, water, and pasta
II. Boil water in pan
III.
IV. Cook pasta until
V. Remove pasta from pan and rinse the pasta in cold water
7. An excellent doctor must have three qualities.
I.
II.
III.
8. Some drivers break trafc laws selectively.
I. Make rolling stops
II.
III.
EXERCI SE 7 Wr i t i ng Your Out l i ne
Using the subject you converted into a topic sentence or thesis (Exercise 5),
compose a topic outline.
subject focus
subject focus
subject focus