English

Template / Outline 

3

Week 3 Research Notebook

Outlining Activity

Each week you will have an opportunity to practice different aspects of the research and writing process in a research notebook. It consists of a template you will fill out and submit in Canvas. In addition to introducing and practicing targeted components of the research and writing process, these notebooks will help you develop and practice the skills you will demonstrate on your other assignments.

This week, the research notebook focuses on how to outline.

Review the following resources first:

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Outlining

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Making Your Writing Flow

Your assignment this week, the Outlining the Research Analysis Essay, provides you with a template for building an outline for your final paper in this class. But the process of outlining for written communication can be more complex.

An outline is a tool used to organize your written ideas about a topic into a logical order. It is meant to help you establish a structure for a paper you are going to write. It is a way for you to demonstrate the main argument (thesis), main points (topic sentences), and main pieces of evidence you are going to present in a paper before actually writing the paper.

STEP ONE: Experience Outlining

Outlining is basically establishing a plan for your paper. It allows you to think through your paper before you actually start writing, and see if there are any holes in your argument or gaps in your research. Also, it is a great way to see if your paper flows and makes logical sense before you start writing.

Reflect on your experience with outlining. Have you used outlines for your writing in the past? Have you found them to be helpful? Are there any aspects of outlining that are challenges for you?

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There are many different types of outline structures that you may be familiar with. Most people have experience with the traditional alphanumeric form of outlines—with roman numerals. But, the form of the outline isn’t as important as what it can provide you: a road map for building a paper.

STEP TWO: Building the Outline

For this class, the outline you submit will follow a template that we provide to you. In other situations, throughout your academic and professional lives, this might not be the case. In fact, you may be called upon to use a variety of different forms. However, the underlying purpose of the outline remains the same.

Though outlines don’t usually ask you to write complete paragraphs, or to provide finished writing, it can be useful to get as much down on paper as you can. Think about the topic you will develop on the Outlining the Research Analysis Essay.

Apart from the thesis, what information will you include in the introduction? It’s okay to just type words or ideas in this step.

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Your Week 2 Written Assignment gave you the opportunity to write about one of your main source articles. Think about one of the other source articles you will use to support your thesis. Use this space to write some of the main ideas from the article.

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These main ideas will help to develop your outline and will guide you when you write your essay.

STEP THREE: Pulling It Together

The outline helps you to set a structure for your paper. It helps you to put your ideas in order, and to ensure that your thesis is supported. But an outline is, by its very nature, choppy. It presents the ideas, but none of the context. An outline is a plan for a paper, but it is not the paper itself.

It can be difficult to go from an outline to a finished paper. Good academic writing should flow, which means it should be easy to read with ideas logically connected to one another. Adding flow to your writing will reduce the likelihood of confusion.

Consider the three strategies covered in the “Making Your Writing Flow” resource. Which of the three do you feel as if you have the most experience with? Which of the three do you think might present you with challenges as you write?

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Applying these strategies will assist you as you take the ideas in your outline and develop the full essay in Week 5.

ENG122 Week 3 Research Notebook

ENG 122 WEEK 3 – FINAL PAPER OUTLINE

Use this outline template to organize your ideas in preparation for your final paper in Week 5

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Delete the instructive text in each section and replace it with your own writing. You do not need to write the full paragraph for each section. You are just developing the main ideas in an outline. However, the more detail you include in your outline the more feedback you will receive at this stage, which you can then apply to the Week 5 paper.

Thesis:
State your thesis. Your thesis should state the issue you are exploring in your paper and express why this issue is relevant in your field. If you’re having trouble with developing your thesis, try using the UAGC Writing Center’s tool. When you write your final paper, you’ll want to include your thesis in your introductory paragraph.

Introduction:
Identify your selected issue and provide background context for the reader. Briefly summarize the issue and the main ideas in the articles that you plan to discuss in the body paragraphs. View the resource for help.

Body Paragraph 1:
Include the title and author of your first article. Provide a brief summary of the main points and the findings presented in the article as well as the author’s perspective on the problem. Next, analyze the article as a member of the profession or field of study. Describe why the article is useful and should be read. Explain what is important about the problem as discussed in the article and how it affects the profession or discipline. Summarize your professional response to the ideas presented. View the resource for help with improving the flow of your writing and to show the relationship between your ideas. Cite the ideas from your article using APA guidelines.

Body Paragraph 2:
Include the title and author of your second article. Provide a brief summary of the main points and the findings presented in the article as well as the author’s perspective on the problem. Next, analyze the article as a member of the profession or field of study. Describe why the article is useful and should be read. Explain what is important about the problem as discussed in the article and how it affects the profession or discipline. Summarize your professional response to the ideas presented.

Body Paragraph 3:
Include the title and author of your third article. Provide a brief summary of the main points and the findings presented in the article as well as the author’s perspective on the problem. Next, analyze the article as a member of the profession or field of study. Describe why the article is useful and should be read. Explain what is important about the problem as discussed in the article and how it affects the profession or discipline. Summarize your professional response to the ideas presented.

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Conclusion:
Briefly summarize the ideas expressed in your essay that support the thesis. Describe the significance of these ideas within the professional field.

References:
List your three scholarly, peer-reviewed, or other credible sources here. View the reference entry templates below and the guide for further help with formatting these sources

Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Title, Volume #(Issue #),

page range.

https://doi.org/xx.xxxxxxxxxx

Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Title, Volume #(Issue #),

page range.

https://URL

Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Journal Title, Volume #(Issue #),

page range.

Author’s Last Name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article title. Journal Title, Volume #(Issue #),
page range.
https://URL

For more help, view the

Writing an Academic Paper

resource in the UAGC Writing Center.

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