The document discusses the use and creation of outlines to organize information when writing. It explains that outlines help map out ideas, show how they relate to each other, and ensure all key points are covered without excess detail. Guidelines are provided for creating effective reading and writing outlines using different levels of indentation and numbering to signal topic relevance and structure.

1. Prepared by:
JOEY F. VALDRIZ
The Writing Process

2. To use a topic and sentence
outline in selecting and
organizing information

3. “If I try to articulate every little detail
in a drawing, it would be like missing
the forest for the trees, so it’s just
about getting the outline of the
forest.”
~Jeff Koons

4. An outline is a summary that
gives the essential features of a
text. It shows how the parts of a
text are related to one another as
parts that are of equal
importance, or sections that are
subordinate to a main idea.

5. 1. Reading outline is used to get
the main ideas of a text that is
already written.
2. Writing outline is a skeletal
overview of your draft, which
contains your fundamental
points and the different ideas
that support them.

6. 1. Read the entire text first. Skim the text afterward.
2. Locate the main idea or thesis of the whole essay.
3. Look for key phrases in each paragraph of the
essay.
4. Locate the topic sentence of each paragraph.
5. Look at the topic sentences and group those with
related ideas together.
6. The contents of the reading are arranged according
to levels.
7. Evaluate the supporting details provided.
8. Go back to the text to check whether you have
followed its sequence closely and that you have not
missed any important information.

7. The outline came from a short text entitled “The Spanish
Legacy,” written by a local historian Bonifacio Sibayan.
The text talks briefly about how the Spanish influenced
Philippine languages and Philippine life in the old times.
Note that a sentence outline was used, so that each point
can be succinctly explained. Also note that a couple of the
main points contain up to four levels of supporting details.
See how each level decreases in topic relevance, and
how each level was properly numbered and indented to
signal this. Lastly, note that the writing purpose, the
reading audience, the tone, the point of view, and the
thesis statement were all identified before the line itself.

10. An outline works like a map; it shows
you where each of your ideas is placed
in your writing; how all of them fit
together; and how each leads to the
central idea of your writing. It also
determines the boundaries of your draft;
how much of your subject you will need
to cover without lacking or exceeding in
details.

11. I. MAIN IDEA
A. Subsidiary idea or supporting idea to I
B. Subsidiary idea or supporting idea to I
1. Subsidiary idea to B
2. Subsidiary idea to B
a) Subsidiary idea to 2
b) Subsidiary idea to 2.
II. MAIN IDEA
A. Subsidiary or supporting idea to II.
B. Subsidiary or supporting idea to II.

12. 1. Determine what your purpose is for writing the
thesis, who your reading audience is, and what
point of view and tone you would like to assume in
delivering your message.
2. Begin your outline with a thesis statement.
3. Review your notes.
4. Group together similar ideas and thoughts.
5. Label all the main topics with Roman numerals
(This will be your outline’s first level).
6. Identify subtopics and classify them under the
correct main topics. Label these subtopics with
uppercase letters (This will be your outline’s second
level).

13. 7. Identify supporting points, such as illustrations
and examples), and classify them under the correct
subtopics. Indent and label them with Arabic
numbers (This will be your outline’s third level).
8. Identify particular details, such as statistics,
quotes, and other secondary information) and
classify them under the correct supporting points.
Indent and label them with lowercase letters (This
will be your outline’s fourth level).
9. Check your outline for unsupported evidence.
Omit it, or add in new supporting details as
necessary.

14. 10. Re-examine all your main topics, subtopics,
supporting points, and particular details to see that
they all develop your thesis, and are logically
sequenced. Also check that all levels in the outline
have parallel wording and grammatical structure.
11. Show your proposed outline to a number of
people such as your teacher, your classmates, your
friends, or even your family. Get feedback from
them on what to improve in your outline.

15. 1. Scratch outlines are a simple list of ideas
that take the form of words and phrases.
They are good for their brevity.
2. Sentence outlines use sentences to
define the subject matter. They are good for
their use of specific detail.

16. Below is a list of topics that could serve as main
ideas. Provide each main idea with three possible
subtopics that relate to the main idea as
examples, stages or steps, or parts.
1. The process of photosynthesis
2. The events leading up to the Philippine
revolution against Spain
3. The parts of a basketball court
4. The people that became famous through
YouTube
5. The applications on a smartphone useful in
your studies.

17. Select a short reading assignment in any of your
other classes. Afterward, create a reading outline
of that assignment, applying the guidelines you
have learned from this lesson.

18. Rodriguez, Maxine Rafaella C. and Marella
Therese A. Tiongson. 2016. Reading and Writing
Skills. Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.