Argument essay outline series#

A decimal outline begins with “1.0” and other sections will begin with different numbers (2, 3, 4, etc.).X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source Some people prefer this structure because it shows how each section contributes to the essay as a whole.

Argument essay outline series#

A decimal outline is similar in structure to an alphanumeric outline, but it only uses a series of numbers to identify each subsection. For example, if you're talking about how a book uses different colors to symbolize a connection between the protagonist and the villain, you might write something like 'In Author's book Booktitle, the author uses motifs of red, yellow, and blue to indicate the shifting dynamics between Betsy and Joe.' This way, you could make a paragraph per color exploring the use of it as a motif and what it means to the story overall.Ĭhoose a decimal outline structure to show how your ideas are related.

If you're writing a three-paragraph essay, consider using a short list of examples that correspond to ideas you could make paragraphs about.

In other words, avoid simply saying that something is 'good' or 'effective' and say what specifically makes it 'good' or 'effective.' X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source Make sure your thesis provides enough detail.X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source Likewise, 'Die Hard is a great movie,' would not work because it expresses a matter of taste. For example, something like 'George Washington was the first president of the United States,' would not be a good thesis because it states a fact. A thesis should not be more than one sentence in length. Effective thesis statements express the main focus of a paper and state an arguable claim. Once you have developed your ideas and considered your purpose and audience, you should be ready to write a thesis statement. This exercise will help develop your ideas and identify areas of your topic that you need to learn more about. Respond to each questions in as much detail as you can. On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart so that you can write your answers on these lines.

Continue developing your cluster until you feel that you have explored as many connections as you can. Then draw three or more lines from each of those new ideas, and write ideas that corresponds to those ideas. At the end of each of the lines you have drawn, write down a new idea that corresponds to your main idea. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. Write your subject down on the center of a piece of paper and circle it.

You can repeat this exercise multiple times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. Repeat the freewriting exercise using this information as a starting point. When you are done, review what you have written and highlight or underline the most useful information. Write whatever comes to mind and don’t edit yourself. Expand those lists by adding onto the list or by using another prewriting activity. List all the ideas that come to mind (good or bad) and then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together.X Research source There are many useful prewriting strategies that can help you to generate ideas for your paper. Although outlining a paper can help you to develop and organize your ideas, you may need to do some other prewriting exercises to get started.