Key takeaways
- An essay outline is a simple framework that helps writers organize their ideas before they write.
- Outlining clarifies your thesis, main points, and the evidence you’ll cite before you start writing. This makes it easier to write and revise your work.
- Every outline should include the three main parts of an essay: introduction, body, and conclusion.
- Outlining is done in five steps: defining, organizing, planning, drafting, and reviewing. Following these steps creates a clear roadmap.
- Grammarly’s AI tools can help you plan, structure, and refine your essay outline with clarity and confidence.
An essay outline is the fastest way to turn messy notes into a clear, persuasive essay. It’s a vital part of the writing process because it helps you organize everything you need before you begin to write your rough draft: your thesis, the supporting evidence, and your essay’s structure.
Outlining before you write makes the writing process so much easier. It simplifies complex ideas, helps you stay focused, and saves time because with a strong outline, you’ll be doing fewer revisions later. Whether you’re writing a personal reflection or a research-based argument, an essay outline ensures your ideas flow logically from start to finish.
In this guide, you’ll learn what an essay outline is, why it matters, and how to create one in five steps, with examples and best practices to make outlining easier.
Table of contents
- What is an essay outline?
- Parts of an essay to include in your outline
- 5 steps for writing an essay outline
- Essay outline examples
- Best practices for outlining an essay
- How Grammarly can help you write essay outlines
- Essay outline FAQs
What is an essay outline?
An essay outline is a planning tool that organizes your main idea and supporting points into a clear, logical structure. Usually written as a bulleted or numbered list, an outline helps you visualize your essay before you begin to write.
There are several types of outlines you can use:
- Bulleted outlines are quick and flexible, which makes them great for informal planning.
- Alphanumeric outlines use Roman numerals and letters for formal structure.
- Sentence outlines expand ideas into complete sentences to clarify an essay’s flow.
Outlines can be as structured or as casual as you need them to be. Academic essays often require detailed outlines, while personal essays might start as rough notes that evolve as you write.
Why is outlining an essay important?
Outlining doesn’t just organize your ideas; it strengthens your essay overall. Here are the ways an outline strengthens your essay:
- Clarity: Outlining clarifies your thesis and shows how your main points connect to each other while supporting your thesis statement.
- Time savings: Planning your essay first reduces the amount of time you spend rewriting later.
- Stronger argument flow: Logical sequencing keeps readers engaged. In your outline, you can work out your essay’s sequence.
- Organization: Outlines prevent tangents and help every section support your thesis.
- Confidence: A roadmap reduces writer’s block and keeps you moving.
Parts of an essay to include in your outline
An essay outline should mirror your essay draft. It should list the essay’s key points, giving you a set of “story beats” to follow when it’s time to write. These three key points are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
Introduction
Your introduction outlines the topic, provides background context, and ends with a clear thesis statement. This is the main idea your essay will defend or explore.
Example thesis statement: “Social media has reshaped how we communicate, but it also challenges our ability to form authentic connections.”
When outlining, you can also include placeholder transitions to help maintain flow between sections.
Body paragraphs
Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea supported by evidence, examples, or analysis.
Example:
- Paragraph 1: The benefits of social media communication
- Paragraph 2: The negative effects on attention span and mental health
- Paragraph 3: Strategies for healthier online habits
Different essay types will shape body paragraphs differently. For instance, a compare-and-contrast essay alternates between subjects, while an analytical essay breaks down parts of a topic.
Conclusion
The conclusion should restate your thesis statement in new wording, summarize key points, and leave a final insight or call to action. Don’t introduce new ideas or evidence in the conclusion. The purpose of the conclusion section is to wrap up your essay, leaving readers with fresh knowledge or a different understanding of the topic.
Use this checklist to make sure you’ve covered everything necessary in your conclusion:
- Restate thesis
- Summarize key points
- Provide a takeaway (implication or next step)
Five steps for writing an essay outline
A clear, focused outline transforms brainstorming into an actionable writing plan. Follow these five steps to write an effective outline that will make writing a breeze:
Step 1. Define your objective
Start by identifying your essay’s main goal and central argument. Review your notes or research and draft a preliminary thesis statement. Your thesis statement is your paper’s position, summarized, so make it as clear as possible.
Weak thesis: “Social media has both good and bad effects.”
Strong thesis: “While social media increases connectivity, it undermines genuine communication through distraction and comparison.”
Step 2. Organize and prioritize your points
Gather your strongest supporting points and rank them by relevance. A simple technique is to assign each point a 1 (most important), 2 (middle), or 3 (least important).
Example:
- Social media expands access to information.
- It reduces in-person communication.
- It shapes self-image through validation.
Discard irrelevant notes, but save them for potential future use.
Step 3. Plan your structure
Group related ideas and determine the best order to present them in your essay. Create a quick structure checklist to ensure logical flow, then check it off as you review your outline. Here are a few examples of points to include:
- Paragraph order makes sense.
- Transitions are noted.
- Evidence and sources are mapped to each section.
Example: An argumentative essay might follow this order: context → claim → evidence → counterargument → conclusion.
Step 4. Draft your outline
Choose a format that fits your purpose—bulleted, alphanumeric, or sentence—and write your outline.
Step 5. Review and revise your outline
Before drafting, check your outline for:
- Logical flow and balance
- Clear paragraph purpose
- Sufficient evidence per point
- Strong transitions
- Alignment with your thesis
Essay outline examples
While all essays share a similar structure, the outline should adapt to your purpose and type.
Argumentative essay outline example
In an argumentative essay, the author introduces a position, then supports and defends it with credible evidence. An argumentative essay outline might look like this:
Title: Italian Ice Is a Superior Dessert to Ice Cream
Thesis: Italian ice is a healthier, more inclusive, and more refreshing dessert than ice cream.
- Introduction: Introduce the topic, define both desserts, and state the thesis.
- Discuss the popularity of Italian ice as an ice cream alternative, pointing to stats and figures before stating the thesis.
- Body 1: Health benefits and lower calorie content.
- Compare the nutritional breakdown of the average serving of Italian ice to the average serving of ice cream.
- Body 2: Dietary accessibility for vegan or lactose-intolerant consumers.
- Discuss Italian ice’s lack of dairy, making it ideal for people who don’t or can’t consume dairy.
- Body 3: Refreshing qualities and environmental impact.
- Share credible facts about dairy farming’s impact on the environment. Discuss the sensory experience of eating Italian ice, noting its refreshing qualities in the summer heat.
- Counterpoint: Acknowledge ice cream’s popularity, then rebut.
- Acknowledge ice cream’s long history as a popular dessert, then mention how Italian ice has a similarly long history without the environmental or animal harm. Discuss how Italian ice is the dessert better-suited to the 21st century because of its inclusivity and health benefits.
- Conclusion: Summarize main points and restate thesis.
- Summarize the body paragraphs, showing how they support the thesis statement.
Admissions essay outline example
Individuals seeking admission to colleges and specific academic programs often write admissions essays to demonstrate their fitness for admission. Take a look at this example of an admissions essay outline:
Title: Arigato, Sato Sensei
Thesis: Learning Japanese changed how I view culture, community, and my goals.
- Introduction: Introduce the teacher and motivation.
- Set the scene for your experience. Explain why you chose to study Japanese and what you’d hoped to get out of the experience.
- Body 1: Struggles and persistence.
- Discuss the challenges you faced in Japanese class, such as adjusting to an unfamiliar writing system, and how you worked through them.
- Body 2: Discovering culture through language.
- Explain how languages reflect their cultures, and how, through learning Japanese, you were exposed to a worldview that was previously inaccessible.
- Body 3: Real-world growth and application.
- Share an anecdote about how you were able to communicate with locals while visiting Tokyo.
- Conclusion: Reflect on how these lessons shape the future.
- Reflect on the points made in the body paragraphs, expressing gratitude for Sato Sensei’s dedication to teaching. Make a final point about how the lessons you learned in Japanese class went beyond language skills, teaching you about life.
Persuasive essay outline example
Title: We Need More Security Cameras in the Student Parking Deck
Thesis: Adding cameras improves safety and reduces theft.
Persuasive essays aim to persuade the reader to take a specific action, such as voting for or against a measure. Here is an example of a persuasive essay outline:
- Introduction: Context and thesis.
- Introduce the topic by explaining the frequency of break-ins in the student parking deck and the monetary value of stolen items and vehicular damage per semester.
- Body 1: Frequency of break-ins (include statistics).
- Share statistics about the frequency of vehicle break-ins. Discuss how much these break-ins cost students and the university.
- Body 2: Emotional impact and student testimonials.
- Discuss how students feel unsafe using the parking deck, sharing quotes where possible. This fear has a negative impact on students’ learning and perception of the university.
- Body 3: Cost-benefit comparison.
- Compare the cost of installing security cameras with the current costs accruing because of the break-ins. Discuss the intangible results of these costs, like greater peace of mind.
- Conclusion: Emphasize improved safety for all.
- Conclude the essay with a section affirming that an investment in security cameras is an investment in student safety and peace of mind. End the essay with a call to vote in favor of the security camera measure.
Personal essay outline example
Personal essays are a type of creative nonfiction. They often become blog posts, creative exercises, and sometimes, admissions essays.
Title: The Two Best Birthdays of My Life
Thesis: My 17th and 22nd birthdays taught me different lessons about connection and gratitude.
- Introduction: Background on birthdays and meaning.
- Discuss your feelings about birthdays in general. What do they mean to you? What do they often bring into your consciousness?
- Body 1: The independence of turning 17.
- Write about your 17th birthday. What happened? How did these experiences make you feel?
- Body 2: The surprise celebration at 22.
- Write about your 22nd birthday. What happened? How did the surprise color your view of that birthday celebration?
- Conclusion: Reflect on what these memories represent.
- Looking back on these specific birthdays, emphasize why they stand out in your mind among all your birthday celebrations.
Best practices for outlining an essay
- Start with your thesis statement to keep your outline focused.
- Focus on a single subject in each paragraph to avoid repetition.
- Note where transitions will go to maintain flow.
- Label evidence or sources to simplify citations later.
- Limit outlining sessions to 30 to 60 minutes to avoid perfectionism.
- Visualize the essay’s structure using a chart or mind map to connect ideas.
- Stay flexible; adjust your outline as ideas evolve.
- Do a quick quality check to ensure balance and clarity.
How Grammarly can help you write essay outlines
Grammarly supports you at every stage of outlining, from brainstorming to revision. Here’s how it can fit into each stage of the outlining process:
- Before outlining: Use Grammarly’s free AI brainstorming generator to explore topics and refine your thesis.
- While outlining: Grammarly’s free AI outline generator can organize your notes into a structured plan.
- During review: Grammarly offers real-time clarity and readability suggestions for your outline.
- After outlining: Apply Expert Review for advanced feedback and Reader Reactions to preview audience engagement. This can help you adjust your outline before you begin to write the first draft.
Essay outline FAQs
Why do writers use essay outlines?
Outlines help writers organize ideas, clarify structure, and ensure each paragraph supports the thesis before drafting.
What are the benefits of writing an essay outline?
Outlining makes writing smoother by keeping ideas organized, improving clarity, identifying gaps, and saving time during revision.
What are the main parts of an essay?
Every outline should include three sections: introduction (with thesis), body paragraphs (with evidence), and conclusion (with summary and insight).
When should I create an outline in the writing process?
Outlining comes after brainstorming and before drafting. It’s the stage where you shape your ideas into structure.
Are there different types of essay outlines?
Yes. You can use informal lists or formal structures like alphanumeric, sentence, or decimal outlines, depending on your needs.
