Outline Template: What Is It?

An Outline is a structured plan that lists the main topics the author, speaker, or project manager wants to cover in their future work. Whether you are writing fiction, applying your skills to resolve a scientific problem, addressing the audience to persuade them your ideas or course of action is correct, or attempting to accomplish your goals as the head of a business project, making an Outline is one of the first steps in the process. By creating a strategic and detailed plan that explains why you and the concepts you are developing are right, you will increase your chances to succeed, prevent obstacles and delays that can derail your creative process or business initiative, and save yourself time and money revealing potential issues and weaknesses in your writing or management skills. Check out our library below to find a full list of Outline templates .

How to Write an Outline?

Here are some tips that will help you to customize an Outline template or create one from scratch: Prepare a solid structure even for a simple Outline - there should be an introduction, main points that prove the statements you make, minor points that belong to larger categories and allow you to further elaborate on the propositions and notions specified in writing, and a conclusion that gives you and the reader or listener an opportunity to brush up the key arguments and see how everything ties together. If the point of your work is to appeal to a certain audience, make sure you adjust the upcoming project to make it appropriate for the reader or listener . For instance, a thesis you have spent months on should elaborate on every tiny detail and it is recommended to avoid generalities that will be well-known already while your research devoted to a topic new both to you and your peers can be simplified so that every person gets a chance to acquire new knowledge. The Outline format matters too - consult with your teacher or mentor in case there are requirements related to the work in question; otherwise, you may opt for an alphanumeric outline using Roman and Arabic numerals along with letters. Do not use the passive voice and complete sentences in the bullet points and peak the interest of the reader by teasing the contents of the paragraph or section of the work in headers and sub-headers. Be open-minded and ready to rewrite the summary of your work not only when you are writing an Outline but also when the project is almost finished . It is likely you will stumble upon new data or discover imperfections in your draft - while it may be challenging to revise the Outline once it was approved as the fundament of your work, you naturally become more confident learning more about the topic which is why fleshing out new ideas and clarifying your points will only enrich your writing.

Free Outline Templates - Customize, Download & Print PDF

Free Outline Templates

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