How to Write an Outline

The traditional formal outline does not work very well in the real writing world. Instead, the points of proof or support, stated in sentences, should form the backbone of your essay. To form those supports, sometimes it helps to ask your thesis statement the following questions: how? or why?

Example 1:

Thesis: Climate warming endangers our futures.

Thesis: Climate warming endangers our futures. How?
Point 1: It is melting the ice caps and eventually the seas will flood the earth.
Point 2: The air will become increasingly insufficient to support life.
Point 3: The atmosphere will become so thin that the sun will burn the planet to extinction.

Each of these points must be supported with empirical data from your research. By the way, examples are a good way to develop the subpoints.

Example 2:

Thesis: Climate warming is a hoax. Why?
Point 1: Many scientists do not accept the rationale.
Point 2: One scientist admitted in an e-mail that the data was not reliable.
Point 3: The climate goes in cycles and we are only in a warming cycle.