Hands across the Oceans

A  Introduction:

Outlining is a very useful skill to learn when your are planning a paragraph or essay, before you start writing it, or when researching a topic, or when synthesising information from several sources.

B  Points to Remember:

1 Delete all the articles (a, an and the)

2 Delete the helping words (will, shall, must, may, might, can, could, is, are, has, have)

3 Find the main points and supporting details

4 Leave out irrelevant or repeated information

5 Present the ideas in a logical order, going from the most general to the most specific

6 Use headings and subheadings to show main ideas

7 Use the standard format for outlining – see below

8 Use abbreviations and symbols where possible

9 The first part of the outline should be a definition

c  Rules for Writing an Outline

A The title must be centered

B Headings: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VII, IX, X

C Sub-points: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H

D Sub-sub points: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

E Sub-sub-sub points a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, I, j

Or (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8)

F Sub-sub-sub-sub points i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x

G Sub-sub-sub-sub-sub points ai, aii, aiii, aiv, av, avi, avii, avii, aix, ax

H Remember to indent when you write the letters and numbers that show the points and sub-points

D  An Example of an Outline

Look at the skeleton of the following outline for G.C.C. countries and decide what headings and subheadings you are going to include in it. Then add information for Kuwait and Bahrain following the same order.

Title: G.C.C. Countries

I   Definition:

    A  countries on Arabian peninsula

    B  belong to Gulf Cooperation Council

II  Saudi Arabia

     A  Population

         1  Saudi Arabians

         2  Foreigners

            a  Western

            b  Middle Eastern

            c  Asian     

     B  Natural resources

     C  Climate

     D  Religion

III  Kuwait

IV  Bahrain

E  Exercise

Study any reading or one your teacher has given you and make notes in the form of an outline, showing main points, sub-points, sub-sub-points, and supporting details and examples.

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