This document provides instruction on how to write an outline for an essay. It begins by explaining what an outline is and its purpose in both writing and reading. Key points covered include organizing ideas in a logical order with headings and subheadings, using parallel structure, avoiding overlap between headings, and leaving space to add details. Examples of outlines on various topics like Shakespeare's works and books enjoyed are included to illustrate best practices. The document concludes with guidance on writing topic sentences for each heading and subheading in an outline.

1. ENG 101
Lesson -35

2. Lesson 35 (Writing an Outline)
Because an essay is longer and more complex
than a paragraph, it is even more important to
organize your thoughts and plan your essay
before your begin to write. The best way to do
this by making an outline. In this lesson we will
first consider what an outline is, and then
consider how it can be used for writing an essay
and last have some practice in writing outlines.
Outlining is a useful skill to learn because it can
be used in both your reading and your writing.

3. An outline is basically an organization of
related ideas. It is a method of grouping
together ideas that are similar in some selected
way, then presenting them in a simplified
manner that clearly shows the relationship
within each paragraph and among all the
paragraphs.
Preparing an outline is essentially a problem of
classifying and organizing. As said earlier, an
outline is useful in both reading and writing.
Because writing is language that is meant to be

4. read, you can think of reading and writing as
different ends of the same communication. All
writers use an outline to help make their writing
clear. If writers use an outline to organize their
writing clearly, their readers should be able to
analyze that organization of writing. An outline
is like a skeleton which helps the writer to put
flesh around it. It is the reader who removes the
flesh to see the skeleton underneath.
Suppose you are asked to write about the traffic
problems of your city. As you think about the
topic you decide that there are 3 main causes.

5. Jot down the ideas:
Traffic is a problem because:
- great variety of vehicles on the road
- narrow roads
- drivers don’t obey traffic rules
Later you develop these three points and write
the following paragraph.

6. Traffic is becoming a serious problem in my city…
(Name of the city) There are three basic reasons.
First, there is a great variety of vehicles moving on
the road. There are fast moving, mechanical
vehicles like cars, buses, vans, motor cycles, motor
rickshaws, and there are slow moving vehicles,
like horse-drawn coaches for public transport
called ‘tonga’- oxen and horse-driven carts for
carrying goods and merchandise. This mixture of
fast and slow moving vehicles is the greatest of
traffic problems. Moreover, the number of these
vehicles has risen considerably in the recent years.

7. Another reason is that roads are old and narrow.
As cars are parked along the side of these roads
it makes the roads more narrow, leaving little
room for the main traffic to move smoothly.
Third, as many drivers in my city do not obey
traffic rules, the result is that traffic jams result
from cars going one way and buses going the
opposite way on the same road. Thus, there is
chaos on the roads of my city.

8. Now a reader who reads the above paragraph, can
easily make out the outline of its organization
which would be something like this:
Traffic problems: 3 causes
1. Great variety of vehicles
- fast moving
- slow moving
2. Narrow sheets = cars parked on
sides
3. Drivers don’t obey traffic rules

9. From this example, you can see that an outline
has two purposes: (i) in writing its purpose is to
organize and present ideas effectively (ii) in
reading its purpose is to analyze the
organization and relationship of ideas.
How an outline is written:
The writing of an outline which will depend on
the purpose and the subject of the essay. The
important point is that there is no one way that
suits everyone and is superior on all occasions.

10. Look at the first example of an outline. Suppose
you were asked to write on the works of
Shakespeare. Now that is a vast topic. The
easiest way would be to make a list of all that
Shakespeare wrote. He wrote plays, and poetry.
So you have already classified his work. Plays
and poetry. You can further classify or divide
his plays into three categories- tragedies,
comedies and histories. In the same way you
can divide his poetry into categories: long
poems and sonnets.

11. The Works of Shakespeare
1.Macbeth
2.Merchant of Venice
3.King Lear
4.As You Like It
5.Romeo and Juliet
6.Midsummer Night’s
Dream
7. Richard III
8. Othello
9. Henry V
10. Henry IV, Parts I II
11. Venus and Adores
12. A Lover’s Complaint
13. The Sonnets (154)

12. The Works of Shakespeare
I. Comedies
- Merchant of Venice
- As you like it
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Tempest
II. Tragedies
- Hamlet
- Macbeth
- King Lear
- Othello
III. Histories
- Richard III
- Henry IV, Part I
- Henry IV, Part II
- Henry V
IV. Poems
- Venus and Adonis
- A Lover’s Complaint
V. Sonnets (154)

13. You noticed the names are the same in the first
and the second list, but the second list is clearer.
Why? Because there is organization. The names
are listed in a meaningful way. The titles are
grouped according to similar characteristics
under 5 main headings; comedies, tragedies,
histories, poems and sonnets. This kind of
organization helps in making the differences
clear and in focusing on one particular
difference or category at a time.

14. You noticed the names are the same in the first
and the second list, but the second list is clearer.
Why? Because there is organization. The names
are listed in a meaningful way. The titles are
grouped according to similar characteristics
under 5 main headings; comedies, tragedies,
histories, poems and sonnets. This kind of
organization helps in making the differences
clear and in focusing on one particular
difference or category at a time. Here are two
more examples of topic outlines. Notice the
difference between the two.

15. A B
Books I enjoy Reading Books I enjoy Reading
I. Fiction I. Fiction
A. Spy thrillers A. Love Stories
B. Historical Novels B. Historical Romance
C. Spy Thrillers
II. Love Stories
III. Non – Fiction II. Non - Fiction
A. Inventors A. Biographies
B. Biographies - Statesmen, Kings/
IV. Military Heroes freedom fighters
V.Science / Space Exploration - Inventors
- Military: conquerors
generals
- Sportsman
- Movie stars
B. Science /Medical
Science /

16. Example (A) is a poor topic outline as it is
confused; the main topics are not of equal
importance outline. Example (B) is a good topic
outline.
In the two examples of topic outlines – Works of
Shakespeare and Books I Enjoy Reading, the
topics are arranged in a logical order. You have
noticed, that only topics are given and each
topic begins with a capital letter. Because they
are topics and not full sentences a full
stop/period has not been used at the end of each
topic.

17. Each topic of the same rank is expressed in the
same grammatical form. Also, notice the
indentation and the same system of numbers or
letters that are used. The method of outlining is
presented in brief for you.

18. 1.Jot down ideas as they occur to you.
2.Arrange these ideas in a satisfactory natural or
logical order with headings and sub-headings.
You may find that some of the ideas which
you have jotted down are not included
because they do not fit in with the purpose.
3. Label your headings and sub-headings carefully:
Main headings: I, II, III…………
Sub-headings: A, B, C……………….
Further sub-divisions: 1, 2, 3,
4. Indent: i.e. set down the outline as follows

19. :
I………………………………………
A………………………..
B………………………..
II……………………………………….
A………………………….
1…………………………….
2…………………………….
B………………………………….
C………………………………….
III………………………………………

20. Subject: Travel
Ideas: Means of travel (bus, train, aero-plane,
car, etc… )
A particular journey – Peshawar?
“To travel hopefully is better than to arrive.”
(R.L. Stevenson)
Bacon’s ‘Essay on Travel’, Other travel books
Educational value, Holidays , People you meet
People you meet, Countries I should like to visit,
What to see, Language problem, Haj
Customs of the people , Preparation

21. Outline: Guiding purpose: Personal: Why I
should like to travel.
I. Value of Travel
‘ Travel in the younger sort is part of
education; in the elder, a part of experience’--
Bacon
A. Knowledge from books e.g. ‘From
Oxus to Jumna
B. Knowledge from experience – visiting
Iran, Afghanistan

22. II. Pleasures of Travel
A. Seeing new place
1. Cities, buildings
2. Countryside
3. Historical sites
B. Meeting new people
1. Customs
2. Languages
III. Methods of Travel
A. car, bus, train – see the country, meet
the people (takes longer)
B. Aero-plane (get there quicker).

23. IV. Desire to Travel
A. Why I want to travel
B. Where I want to go
V. Preparations for Travel – passport, visa,
buy ticket etc.

24. Note 1: Each heading is expressed in
phrase/word
2. Parallel points have parallel wording.
I. II, III, IV, V are all Noun Phrases
II A: seeing II. B. meeting
IV. A: why IV B. where
3. Do not allow headings to overlap.
4. Do not coordinate any heading which
should be subordinated & vice versa.
5.Do not make a single heading or sub heading
anywhere in the outline. e.g. where you have I
you must have II & similarly if you put A, there

25. 6. The outline provides for a prompt beginning
(in this case a quotation) and ending (the
buying of a ticket) but information is given
about these, and they are not labeled
Introduction and Conclusion.

26. Practice to illustrate the above points 1 & 2
On the left hand side are a series of ideas on the
subject of ‘Flower Arrangement.’ On the right is
a framework for an outline. Using the material
on the left, complete this outline.

27. Flower arrangement
Guiding purpose: to present this as an art
roses, chrysanthemums etc
peach blossom dahlias
greenery
a single rose
pleasure
vases – size
Japanese style
lots of flowers
effect on rooms
parties, weddings
good arrangement
bad arrangement
time of year
I. The Art of Flower Arrangement
e.g. …(Japanese style….
II. The choice of Flowers
A. December … (chrysanthemums)….
B. ……………...(roses)…
C. February- … (peach blossoms)….
III. The…(arrangement)…... of Flowers
A. The ….(wrong)… way
B. The …(right)…...way
1. flowers
2. …(vases)…a. big
b. small
IV. …(The local style ).. of Arrangement
V. The Pleasure from Flower Arr.
A. On special occasions
1. …(wedding)…
2… (parties)……..
B. …(Effect on room)……………

28. Flower arrangement
Guiding purpose: to present this as an art
roses, chrysanthemums etc
peach blossom
greenery
a single rose
pleasure
vases – size
Japanese style
lots of flowers
effect on rooms
parties, weddings
good arrangement
bad arrangement
time of year
I. The Art of Flower Arrangement
e.g. ………………………….….
II. The choice of Flowers
A. March ……………………….
B. …………… - chrysanthemums
C. February- …………………….
III. The…………………….. of Flowers
A. The wrong way
B. The …………. Way
1. flowers
2. …………a. big
b. small
IV. ………………. of Arrangement
V. The Pleasure from Flower Arr.
A. On special occasions
1. ……………………
2……………………..
B. ………………………………

29. In the following the main headings overlap. Write two
corrected versions of the outline:
History of the Punjab 1) History of the Punjab
I.Period before 1500 I.…(Hindu period )…
II.Moghuls II.After Ghaznavid
invasions.
III.Sikhs III…(Moghuls)…
IV.Period after 1947 IV…(Sikh)……………
2) I Moghuls
II…(Sikh)…………….
III…(British)……………

30. In the following the main headings overlap. Write two
corrected versions of the outline:
History of the Punjab 1) History of the Punjab
I.Period before 1500 I.………………………
II.Moghuls II………………………
III.Sikhs III………………………
IV.Period after 1947 IV………………………
2) I Moghuls
II……………………….
III………………………
IV………………………

31. 4) Write a corrected version of the outline.
There is also a single sub-heading to be
corrected.

32. The Uses of Atomic Energy The Uses of Atomic Energy
I.The Background of Atomic I ..(The background of A.R)..
Research
A. for military purposes
II. The Atomic Bomb II…(Importance of A.Power).
III. Other weapons A…(Atomic Bomb)…
IV For peaceful purposes B…(other weapons)..
A. industry III..(Importance of
A.Research)...
V. Medicine A…(Medicine)……….
VI.Importance of Atomic Power B…(Industry)……….

33. The Uses of Atomic Energy The Uses of Atomic Energy
I.The Background of Atomic I……………………………
Research
A. for military purposes
II. The Atomic Bomb II…………………………..
III. Other weapons A……………………
IV For peaceful purposes B……………………
A. industry III………………………….
V. Medicine A…………………….
VI.Importance of Atomic Power B…………………….
IV………………………….

34. Write Essay Outline and Practice.
ALLAH Hafiz.