How to Make an Outline: Stage One

Begin organizing your research by sorting the information you found into topics and sub-topics. A research project will often have three or four topics or concepts, but you are not limited to that number. Each topic or concept should have at least two supporting ideas. Details and examples will be added for each supporting idea during stage two of the outlining process. Later you can add sections to your outline for your paper's introduction and conclusion. 

I.  First Topic or Concept

A. Supporting idea

B. Supporting idea

II. Second Topic or Concept

A. Supporting idea

B. Supporting idea

C. Supporting idea

III. Third Topic or Concept

A. Supporting idea

B. Supporting idea