Overview: Why Write an Outline in the First Place?
Students are often asked to outline the main points before they write an essay. Many see it as a time-consuming waste of time, but the process of planning forms the strong bones behind the essay and makes writing a comparatively simple process of fleshing it out. Think of the outline as the foundation and framing walls of a building, because those must be built before the drywall, wiring, plumbing and all the rest.
Main Ideas Are Also the Main Points
If the outline is done well, the main ideas are already visible, and form the main points of the essay. The introductory paragraph can be built from those main ideas, in order to give the reader a sense of where the essay will be going. It is relatively easy to develop paragraphs that will discuss each of them. The main points of your essay have done double duty: in the introduction and in each main topic. Writers can take the main ideas and develop them further with the supporting details. The structure is already there in the essay.
Supporting Points under Main Ideas Add Detail
However, if an essay were limited to main ideas alone, it would be very short and not as interesting. The supporting structure under the those main points adds detail, and the argument is already constructed for the writer. Since the supporting points are already there, it just takes writing them out. The outline has served a valuable purpose, at least in terms of the rough draft. In furure drafts, the writer will want to make sure there are good transitions between paragraphs and main points, and also check details of spelling, grammar, and word choice. Spell-check is usually only a starting point.
Staying the Course Means Staying on Track
The outline helps the writer to stay on track and make sure all the points that need to be covered are covered. By comparing the essay to the outline at several points in the process, the writer can check to make sure that everything is covered, and that nothing that should have been there has been left out. Conversely, it allows the writer to stay on track and not go off on a tangent. It helps improve focus, and helps writers choose the right tools for the job. It also gets past the important step of getting words on paper for that first draft. Good writers always revise later to check that the essay is the best it can be before turning it in to the teacher or editor.
Add New Ideas to Make the Essay Memorable
Writing a great essay is more than just filling in the blanks, however. The process of outlining main and supporting ideas, and also outlining resources to use, such as other studies if it is a research-based essay, also serves a very important function. The main and supporting ideas were just those the writer knew about before beginning the essay. The mind will connect those, and suggest metaphors, varying points of view, and details that can make the essay memorable.
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