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Writing
Using Your Outline as a Note and Research Trap
Once you have constructed a preliminary outline, it is time to start adding to it and filling it with your own words, opinions, notes, and research. Where does your own writing go and where does the research go? Each paragraph should include your own words, plus solid evidence in the middle. Knowing this will help you determine the placement of information in certain areas in your outline. Before you know it, you’ll be writing a full paper! Click on the tips below to see how to use your outline as a note and research trap:
- Determine Topic Sentences
- Conduct Strategic Research
- Copy and Paste Gathered Research
- Articulate Main Ideas in Own Voice
- Eliminate Some Research
- Abandon the Need for Perfection
Write topic sentences for every paragraph first. These topic sentences should support the thesis statement and will be your own writing. Once you have determined the topic of every paragraph, it will make gathering specific research and ideas for each much easier.
Now that you know what topic is covered in each paragraph, conduct strategic research and reading for each paragraph. Be selective about what you will use to support each paragraph’s main idea. The information should add new support and evidence.
Copy and paste two pieces of evidence into your outline for each paragraph. Underneath, you will paraphrase or summarize. Be sure to keep your own writing and the evidence separate by documenting page numbers, years of publication, authors, and bibliographic information attached to each piece of evidence, whether it is a quote, paraphrase, or summary.
As you add your own voice and notes to each paragraph, be sure the notes are after the topic sentence or after the evidence in the middle. The beginning and end of every paragraph is where you really want to include your own voice. Articulate main ideas in your own words.
Keep in mind that not all evidence will make the cut for your final essay. Two-to-three sentences of each paragraph should be outside support. Use verbatim quotes sparingly.
Remember that this outline is the home for all thoughts, notes, and research collected. It does not have to be perfect. Use different colored fonts to help you separate ideas and organize.
Write topic sentences for every paragraph first. These topic sentences should support the thesis statement and will be your own writing. Once you have determined the topic of every paragraph, it will make gathering specific research and ideas for each much easier.
Now that you know what topic is covered in each paragraph, conduct strategic research and reading for each paragraph. Be selective about what you will use to support each paragraph’s main idea. The information should add new support and evidence.
Copy and paste two pieces of evidence into your outline for each paragraph. Underneath, you will paraphrase or summarize. Be sure to keep your own writing and the evidence separate by documenting page numbers, years of publication, authors, and bibliographic information attached to each piece of evidence, whether it is a quote, paraphrase, or summary.
As you add your own voice and notes to each paragraph, be sure the notes are after the topic sentence or after the evidence in the middle. The beginning and end of every paragraph is where you really want to include your own voice. Articulate main ideas in your own words.
Keep in mind that not all evidence will make the cut for your final essay. Two-to-three sentences of each paragraph should be outside support. Use verbatim quotes sparingly.
Remember that this outline is the home for all thoughts, notes, and research collected. It does not have to be perfect. Use different colored fonts to help you separate ideas and organize.
Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing
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How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace Writing? -
What Is College Writing? -
Why So Much Emphasis on Writing?
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Doing Exploratory Research -
Getting from Notes to Your Draft -
Introduction -
Prewriting -
Prewriting - Techniques to Get Started - Mining Your Intuition -
Prewriting: Targeting Your Audience -
Prewriting: Techniques to Get Started -
Prewriting: Understanding Your Assignment -
Rewriting -
Rewriting: Being Your Own Critic -
Rewriting: Creating a Revision Strategy -
Rewriting: Getting Feedback -
Rewriting: The Final Draft -
Techniques to Get Started - Outlining -
Techniques to Get Started - Using Systematic Techniques -
Thesis Statement and Controlling Idea -
Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Freewriting -
Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Summarizing Your Ideas -
Writing: Outlining What You Will Write
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A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone -
A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone: Style Through Vocabulary and Diction -
Critical Strategies and Writing -
Critical Strategies and Writing: Analysis -
Critical Strategies and Writing: Evaluation -
Critical Strategies and Writing: Persuasion -
Critical Strategies and Writing: Synthesis -
Developing a Paper Using Strategies -
Introduction -
Kinds of Assignments You Will Write -
Patterns for Presenting Information -
Patterns for Presenting Information: Critiques -
Patterns for Presenting Information: Discussing Raw Data -
Patterns for Presenting Information: General-to-Specific Pattern -
Patterns for Presenting Information: Problem-Cause-Solution Pattern -
Patterns for Presenting Information: Specific-to-General Pattern -
Patterns for Presenting Information: Summaries and Abstracts -
Supporting with Research and Examples -
Writing Essay Examinations -
Writing Essay Examinations: Make Your Answer Relevant and Complete -
Writing Essay Examinations: Organize Thinking Before Writing -
Writing Essay Examinations: Read and Understand the Question
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Introduction -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Ask a Research Question -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Cite Sources -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Collect Evidence -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Decide Your Point of View, or Role, for Your Research -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Draw Conclusions -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Manage Your Resources -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Outline -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Survey the Literature -
Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Work Your Sources into Your Research Writing -
Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Human Resources -
Research Resources: What Are Research Resources? -
Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? -
Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Electronic Resources -
Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Print Resources -
Structuring the Research Paper: Formal Research Structure -
Structuring the Research Paper: Informal Research Structure -
The Nature of Research -
The Research Assignment: How Should Research Sources Be Evaluated? -
The Research Assignment: When Is Research Needed? -
The Research Assignment: Why Perform Research?
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Academic Integrity -
Giving Credit to Sources -
Giving Credit to Sources: Copyright Laws -
Giving Credit to Sources: Documentation -
Giving Credit to Sources: Style Guides -
Integrating Sources -
Practicing Academic Integrity -
Practicing Academic Integrity: Keeping Accurate Records -
Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material -
Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Paraphrasing Your Source -
Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Quoting Your Source -
Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Summarizing Your Sources -
Types of Documentation -
Types of Documentation: Bibliographies and Source Lists -
Types of Documentation: Citing World Wide Web Sources -
Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations -
Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - APA Style -
Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - CSE/CBE Style -
Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - Chicago Style -
Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - MLA Style -
Types of Documentation: Note Citations
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Introduction -
Reviews and Reaction Papers: Article and Book Reviews -
Reviews and Reaction Papers: Reaction Papers -
Writing Arguments -
Writing Arguments: Adapting the Argument Structure -
Writing Arguments: Purposes of Argument -
Writing Arguments: References to Consult for Writing Arguments -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Anticipate Active Opposition -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Determine Your Organization -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Develop Your Argument -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Introduce Your Argument -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - State Your Thesis or Proposition -
Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Write Your Conclusion -
Writing Arguments: Types of Argument
Appendix A: Books to Help Improve Your Writing
Appendix B: Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing
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Collaborative Writing: Assignments to Accompany the Group Project -
Collaborative Writing: Informal Progress Report -
Collaborative Writing: Issues to Resolve -
Collaborative Writing: Methodology -
Collaborative Writing: Peer Evaluation -
Collaborative Writing: Tasks of Collaborative Writing Group Members -
Collaborative Writing: Writing Plan -
Conclusion -
General Introduction -
Peer Reviewing