OUTLINE

Many people go through agony when writing even the first sentence of a memo or report. The experience is so intense, in fact, that they close the door to their office and copy the work of someone else or take their work home and have their spouse complete the first draft. Yet they could have avoided such humiliation by drafting an outline before writing the first sentence.

All documents have the same three-part structure, and outlines mimic it. The three parts are the introduction, discussion, and conclusion.

The introduction provides an overview of the topic. It covers the scope, goals, and objectives of the subject. This part typically consumes 10 percent of the outline.

The discussion covers the major topics and their subtopics. You can organize topics and subtopics sequentially, chronologically, spatially, or through a mixture of the three. This part typically consumes 80 percent of the outline.

The conclusion summarizes the highlights covered in the discussion, but it does not rehash the discussion point by point. This part consumes 10 percent of the outline.

Outlining offers several benefits. It not only forces you to organize your thoughts, but it also provides the structure for preparing a presentation or a narrative document. Finally, it provides a means for seeking input prior to preparing a draft.

for Building an Outline

• Define the topic for the outline in one sentence.
• On a sheet of paper or using computer software, compose the words introduction, discussion, and conclusion, leaving sufficient room for the next step(s).
• Under the introduction, list the goals, scope, and objectives of the document.
• In the discussion, list the details for each topic that you identify.
• In the discussion, arrange each topic and the subtopics in logical order (e.g., spatially).
• In the conclusion, list the major points presented in the discussion.