Outlines are like scaffolding, where they help provide structure to something that hasn’t been built yet. Outlines are tools that writers and authors use as a framework for their writing.
An outline is a structuring tool writers use in writing. The outline will act as the foundation for the text, book, or manuscript. Not only does an outline reduce the chances of writer’s block, but it will also allow the author to easily visualize the content of their writing.
A research paper is a document or text that is created as a manuscript to be published in a scientific journal. A well-made research paper will need to have an outline of all the contents it will contain that follow the scientific method. If you want more references or templates you may refer to the various basic outline formats, outline format rules, and scientific paper outline formats.
Begin by defining the subject of the paper or the text you are going to write about. The subject will dictate all the different topics that will comprise the outline of the research paper. Note, most research papers require the subject to be very specific and will determine whether the research is quantitative or qualitative.
After you have defined the subject of your paper you must list out and describe the concepts and ideas that are adjacent to the chosen topic. This will help create a foundation for the need of your subject and will also check for any previous research done on the topic you have chosen.
You must arrange the different topics and subtopics you have researched and listed in your outline. These will act as guides for the content you will write under a specific chapter, topic, or subtopic in your research paper. You can also add links and various literature to this part of the outline for quick access to your references for those pesky APA in-text citations.
You will need to research and describe all the topics and subtopics you have researched in your outline. This will help decide and develop all the content you will write out per topic or subtopic.
Structured writing, as opposed to free-form writing, is the act of creating a body of text using a predetermined flow and structure. This structure is determined by an outline or a beat sheet made by the author or the client requesting the author. Structured writing can minimize the risk of writer’s block while allowing the writer to create the text easily. This is under the caveat that the quality of the outline is good which will require the writer to research the topics beforehand. Another thing to note is that structured writing is more rigid than free-form writing due to the structure provided by the outline. The best way to write is to both have a structure and have space to adapt to new ideas that may suddenly arrive.
The content of the outline does not have to be very long and can just be comprised of bullet points or short phrases. But the content does not have to be limited to this specific length and may come in the form of short sentences that will succinctly explain the topic of the outline. The easiest way to know or gauge the length of the content is to think about the topic’s overall breadth and reach. The longer or bigger the topic will proportionally increase the length of the content. The opposite, in this case, is also true.
The outline is a written or typed-out structure that the author or writer uses as the overall structure or flow of the text they are writing. The best time for an author or writer to create and use an outline is when the overall topic of the document or the type of text is long and complex. If the topic is short or quite simple, then you may instead opt to have either a short outline or do free-form writing instead. If the writer has a client, then the writer or the client can provide the outline and use it to help ground the expectations of both the writer and the client. Just note, you can use an outline on a short and simple text without any issues, but this may increase the time of writing.
An outline is a structure that writers, authors, and clients use as a visual aid for the flow of their text. Proper usage and creation of an outline ensure that the writer can immediately work on writing without any hangups or problems. In conclusion, an outline is an important tool that authors use to easily write specific bodies of texts.
