LESSON 5

Outlining
Reading Texts in
Various
Disciplines
 OBJECTIVES:
After possessing the knowledge, skills, and value in text structures, summarizing
techniques and thesis statement; there is still another skill and strategy that you need to
master for you to effectively comprehend and analyze various academic texts – it is
OUTLINING.
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Define outline and its uses.
2. Classify outlines according to content and format
3. Explain the outlining process and identify the components of an effective outline.
4. Create an outline on a particular topic.
Identifying the Thesis statement. Put a check mark (✓) if it is a good
characteristic of a thesis statement and cross ( ) if it is not.

_____ 1. A thesis statement should not be too broad.

_____ 2. A thesis statement should be too wordy.
_____ 3. A thesis statement should not be too general.
_____ 4. A thesis statement should be a title.
_____ 5. A thesis statement should not be a fact.
Identify what concept is being described in each item. Choose the best answer from the
pool of choices inside the box. Write your answer on a sheet of paper.

OUTLIN
1. It is a tool used to organize written ideas about a topic or thesis
E into a logical order. It arranges major topics, subtopics, and
supporting details.
TOPIC
2. This type of outline is useful for outlining relatively simple subjects.
OUTLINE
SENTENCE 3. An outline which uses a complete sentence for each item.
OUTLINE
PARAGRAPH 4. This outline is fitting for long papers whose individual
OUTLINE
sections can be summarized in whole paragraphs
ALPHANUMERIC
5. This is the most common type of outlining format which uses
OUTLINE
alphabets and numeral combinations.
DECIMAL
OUTLINE 6. An outlining format which utilizes only Arabic numerals to list
main points.
BRAINSTOR 7. Listing all the ideas that you want to include in
M your paper.
ORGANIZ8. Grouping related ideas together.
E
ORDER 9. Arranging material in subsections from general
to specific or from abstract to concrete.
LABEL
10. Creating main and sub-headings.
Outlining Reading Texts in Various
Disciplines
Writing any academic paper and output requires a demanding
effort. Aside from reading a lot of references and related literature -
summarizing them, locating the thesis statement of each, and restating
them in other words; meticulous planning is required so that we can
come up with a well-organized paper.
After stating your thesis, the next stage involved in the pre-
writing process is to create an outline before you write your first draft.
 Outline
• An outline is a design to follow when writing a structure, a discourse, or an
article. It arranges a material in a logical way into main ideas, supporting
ideas, and supporting details.
• The main idea or topic is the main topic of the outline. All main topics are
indicated by Roman Numeral. Subtopics are noted by letters and supporting
details are indicated by Arabic Numerals.
• An outline can be a sentence outline or topic outline. A sentence outline is
written in full sentence while a topic outline is in words or phrases.
Outline

An outline is a map of your essay. It shows what information

each section or paragraph will contain, and in what order. Most
outlines use numbers and/or bullet points to arrange information
and convey points. (George Mason University Writing Center,
2016)
 Outline
An outline of an essay can be very helpful for two reasons:
(1) an outline will help make your essay more organized. A careful plan will
help your body paragraphs stay focused on the ideas in your thesis
statement; and
(2) An outline saves time for writers. Preparing an outline can take time, but
when you are finished, you will be able to write the rough draft of your
essay
more quickly than if you didn’t have an outline.
Guidelines in Writing an Outline:

1. Place the title at the center above the outline.

2. Every level of the outline must have at least two
items (I and II, A and B, 1 and 2).
3. Put a period after each numeral and letter.
4. Indent each new level of the outline.
Guidelines in Writing an Outline:

5. All items of one kind (roman numerals, capital letters,

Arabic numerals) should line up with each other.
6. Capitalize the first letter of each item.
7. The terms Introduction, Body, and Conclusion do not have
to be included in the outline. They are not topics; they are
merely organizational units in the writer’s mind.
Example

Benjamin Franklin – Scientist and Inventor

I. Experiments with Electricity
A. Studied nature of Electricity
B. Discovered Lightning Equals Electricity
C. Invented Lightning Rod
II. Other Scientific Work
A. Inventions
1. Bifocal Glasses
2. Franklin Stove
3. Daylight Saving Time
B. Scientific Studies
1. Charted Gulf Stream
2. Worked on Soil Improvement
III. Importance as a Scientist
A. Scientific Honors
B. Writing Translated into Other Languages
C. Experts’ Comments
Two Main Types of Outlines

1. Topic Outline
This is brief. It reveals the logic you will follow in your
paper. It provides a quick overview of topics to be included in
an essay.
Example:
a syllabus from courses with topics listed for each unit.
Example:
Thesis: The abuse of alcohol and drugs can affect a person economically,
psychologically and physically
I. Economical effects (Main idea)
A. Alcohol (Sub-idea)
1. Cost of alcohol purchases (Detail of A)
2. Cost of DUIs (Detail of A)
B. Drugs (Sub-point)
1. Cost of drug purchases (Detail of B)
2. Cost of drug arrest (Detail of B)
II. Psychological effects
A. Alcohol
1. Mental impairment
2. Mental addiction
B. Drugs
1. Mental impairment
2. Mental addiction
III. Physical effects
A. Alcohol
1. Liver disease
2. Alcohol poisoning
B. Drugs
1. Brain damage
2. Drug overdose
Two Main Types of Outlines

2. Sentence Outline
A. The thesis and topic sentence of each supporting
paragraph are fully written out.
B. It forces part of the essay to be written out in sentences
before the first draft.
C. It helps you make sure you become sufficiently specific
about your subject, rather than simply generalizing.
Example:
Thesis: The abuse of alcohol and drugs can affect a person economically, psychologically, and
physically.
I. Alcohol and drug abuse can affect one economically.
A. The cost of alcohol abuse is high and getting higher.
1. The costs of DUIs can be enormous.
2. Alcohol costs are always rising because of rising production costs as well as
state and local taxes.
B. The cost of drug abuse can be high.
1. Even the arrest for the possession of a minute amount of drugs can result in
high bail and court cost.
2. The cost of drugs fluctuates drastically according to the type of drug, its
availability, and the amount.
II. Alcohol and drug abuse can have severe psychological effects.
A. Alcohol abuse can damage a person psychologically.
1. Alcohol is a depressant and can alter the personality of anyone.
2. The abuse of alcohol can lead to the psychological addiction to
alcohol.
B. Drug abuse can be detrimental to one psychologically.
1. Drugs impair one's ability to function normally because of the
hallucinations or numbness of "getting high."
2. Drugs can become a psychological addiction.
III. Alcohol and drug abuse can affect one physically.
A. Alcohol and drug abuse can cause physical problems.
1. The most common disease among alcoholics is cirrhosis of the
liver.
2. The massive consumption of alcohol can lead to alcohol
poisoning and death.
B. Drug abuse has many physical implications.
1. Drug abuse has been linked to the damage of brain tissue.
2. The unpredictability of drugs can lead to an overdose and death.