Understanding the Working Outline

1. Understanding
the Working
Outline
ENGL 111
Module12

2. Organize your ideas
Outlines can help with any type of writing
project, but they are most useful for longer
compositions using sources and developing a
logical argument.
Turn this  into this! 

3. Parts of a working outline
 Title
 Working Thesis Statement
 Introductory rationale
 Main supporting claims
 Supporting evidence
 Counterarguments and rebuttals
 Concluding rationale

4. Title
 Title should suggest your topic and position
and reflect your unique voice.
 Avoid generic titles (“Argument Paper”).
 Avoid titles that only name a topic without
suggesting a position(“Gun Control”).
 Avoid overly clever titles that could apply to
anything (“Wake Up, America!”).
 Good titles are very personal and take some
thought!

5. Some good titles from
previous student papers
 Suspect Cyberbullying? Parents, Tread
Lightly
 Panhandling: The Help that Hurts
 Pornography Is Ruining Your Sex Life
 Social Media: Education’s Best New Tool
 The Root Causes of Homelessness Unveiled

6. Working Thesis Statement
 To create your working thesis statement, draw on
your research and your previous work.
 Reflect on your final draft of Writing Project 3.
What position do you want to take on your issue
now?
 Review the PowerPoint in Module 11 (“The
Argument Essay: Be an Attorney”) for examples of
thesis statements for argument essays.
 Reflect on the thesis statements you created for
your Module 11 discussion board post.

7. Working Thesis Statement
 Remember: This is a “working” thesis statement.
 Your working thesis statement can evolve as your
thinking changes.
 You can continue to change or refine it
 as you work on your outline this session;
 as you prepare your first draft in Module 13;
 as you prepare your final draft in Module 15.

8. Introductory rationale
 An introductory rationale is about one
paragraph long.
 An introductory rationale explains why your
issue is controversial and who you are writing
for. Think of this as the “rhetorical context” for
your paper.
 An introductory rationale is NOT the same as
the introduction paragraph to your first draft or
final draft. You will write that later!

9. Main supporting claims
 Main supporting claims support and develop your
thesis.
 Think of your main supporting claims as your main
reasons for your position.
 These are the “columns” and “arches” that support your
argument structure.
 A strong paper will have several main supporting
claims (2, 3, 4, 5, or even more!).
 Write your main supporting claims in full sentences and
arrange them in a logical order.

10. Supporting evidence
 Under each main supporting claim, note the evidence you
will use to support that claim.
 Will you use facts, statistics, anecdotes, interviews,
surveys, or other types of evidence?
 Consider the quality and relevance of your evidence.
 Combine hard evidence (facts and statistics) with soft
evidence (anecdotes and examples).
 Provide short quotes, statistics, or other
reminders from your research as applicable.
 Indicate the author or title of the source in your outline
notes so you can construct your citations for your draft
later.

11. Counterarguments and rebuttals
 Be sure to include 1 or more of the most significant
counterarguments to your position that you have
discovered in your research.
 Present the opposing view(s) fairly, but respond to it
(“rebut” it) with reasons and evidence that show the
weakness of the opposing position.
 Rebutting counterarguments shows you have
considered all sides and have good reasons for your
position.
 Counterarguments may be included under your main
claims OR they may appear in a separate section of
your draft.

12. Concluding rationale
 A concluding rationale is about one paragraph
long.
 Describe the main takeaway you want your
readers to get from your argument.
 Do you want them to take some kind of action
or change in some way?
 A concluding rationale is NOT the same as
the conclusion paragraph to your first draft or
final draft. You will write that later!

13. Label each part
 Label each part of your working outline and
arrange parts in order, starting with the title.
 See sample working outlines (links provided
in Module 12) for examples.
 When you have completed your outline, you
will have a roadmap for your first draft!

14. Closing thoughts…
 Yes, your working outline is a roadmap…
 …but as you write your draft next session, you
may find yourself taking a detour, making a slight
change in direction, exploring a new
neighborhood, or spending extra time in one place
and less time in another. That’s normal and okay.
 Whether you follow your outline strictly or make a
few changes as your ideas develop, you will get to
your destination: a well-organized composition.
 Happy travels!