Developing an outline, such as the examples below, can be helpful because you can keep an overview of what you want to say, check whether you have covered everything, and find what is out of scope and should be excluded. The outline can grow during the writing process as new points come to mind.
Outline Example I
- Introduction and Thesis
- Brief description of issues that arise when reading “Hamlet” II. Issues of feminism uncovered through reading “Hamlet”
- What other scholars have discovered about feminism in “Hamlet”
- Which of these discoveries was most evident to me and how
- Ideas of feminism that I uncovered on my own III. How uncovering ideas of feminism in “Hamlet” has led me to better understand what Shakespeare thought of the role women played in society IV.
- Conclusion
A sample outline.
Outline example II
- Mixed marriages
- States this issue briefly, why I am interested in exploring this, and whether this issue exists in my culture II. Issues of mixed marriage within your culture.
- Is it acceptable to get married to a person who is a different religion?
- Is it acceptable to get married to a person who is a different race?
- What are the advantages or disadvantages of mixed marriages?
- Personal experiences
- An example from my own life or my family.
- An example from the news. IV.
- Conclusion
A sample outline.
