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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Outline

Last updated on: Jun 10, 2023

A Complete Essay Outline - Guidelines and Format

By: Nova A.

13 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Jan 15, 2019

To write an effective essay, you need to create a clear and well-organized essay outline. An essay outline will shape the essay’s entire content and determine how successful the essay will be.

In this blog post, we'll be going over the basics of essay outlines and provide a template for you to follow. We will also include a few examples so that you can get an idea about how these outlines look when they are put into practice.

Essay writing is not easy, but it becomes much easier with time, practice, and a detailed essay writing guide. Once you have developed your outline, everything else will come together more smoothly.

The key to success in any area is preparation - take the time now to develop a solid outline and then write your essays!

So, let’s get started!

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What is an Essay Outline?

An essay outline is your essay plan and a roadmap to essay writing. It is the structure of an essay you are about to write. It includes all the main points you have to discuss in each section along with the thesis statement.

Like every house has a map before it is constructed, the same is the importance of an essay outline. You can write an essay without crafting an outline, but you may miss essential information, and it is more time-consuming.

Once the outline is created, there is no chance of missing any important information. Also, it will help you to:

• Organize your thoughts and ideas.
• Understand the information flow.
• Never miss any crucial information or reference.
• Finish your work faster.

These are the reasons if someone asks you why an essay outline is needed. Now there are some points that must be kept in mind before proceeding to craft an essay outline.

Easily Outline Your Essays In Seconds!

Prewriting Process of Essay Outline

Your teacher may ask you to submit your essay outline before your essay. Therefore, you must know the preliminary guidelines that are necessary before writing an essay outline.

Here are the guidelines:

• You must go through your assignments’ guidelines carefully.
• Understand the purpose of your assignment.
• Know your audience.
• Mark the important point while researching your topic data.
• Select the structure of your essay outline; whether you are going to use a decimal point bullet or a simple one.

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How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps

Creating an essay outline is a crucial step in crafting a well-structured and organized piece of writing. Follow these four simple steps to create an effective outline:

Step 1: Understand the Topic

To begin, thoroughly grasp the essence of your essay topic. 

Break it down into its key components and identify the main ideas you want to convey. This step ensures you have a clear direction and focus for your essay.

Step 2: Brainstorm and Gather Ideas

Let your creativity flow and brainstorm ideas related to your topic. 

Jot down key pieces of information, arguments, and supporting evidence that will strengthen your essay's overall message. Consider different perspectives and potential counterarguments to make your essay well-rounded.

Step 3: Organize Your Thoughts

Now it's time to give structure to your ideas. 

Arrange your main points in a logical order, starting with an attention-grabbing introduction, followed by body paragraphs that present your arguments. 

Finally, tie everything together with a compelling conclusion. Remember to use transitional phrases to create smooth transitions between sections.

Step 4: Add Depth with Subpoints

To add depth and clarity to your essay, incorporate subpoints under each main point. 

These subpoints provide more specific details, evidence, or examples that support your main ideas. They help to further strengthen your arguments and make your essay more convincing.

By following these four steps - you'll be well on your way to creating a clear and compelling essay outline.

Essay Outline Format

It is an easy way for you to write your thoughts in an organized manner. It may seem unnecessary and unimportant, but it is not.

It is one of the most crucial steps for essay writing as it shapes your entire essay and aids the writing process.

An essay outline consists of three main parts:

1. Introduction

The introduction body of your essay should be attention-grabbing. It should be written in such a manner that it attracts the reader’s interest. It should also provide background information about the topic for the readers.

You can use a dramatic tone to grab readers’ attention, but it should connect the audience to your thesis statement.

Here are some points without which your introduction paragraph is incomplete.

To attract the reader with the first few opening lines, we use a hook statement. It helps engage the reader and motivates them to read further. There are different types of hook sentences ranging from quotes, rhetorical questions to anecdotes and statistics, and much more.

Are you struggling to come up with an interesting hook? View these hook examples to get inspired!

A thesis statement is stated at the end of your introduction. It is the most important statement of your entire essay. It summarizes the purpose of the essay in one sentence.

The thesis statement tells the readers about the main theme of the essay, and it must be strong and clear. It holds the entire crux of your essay.

Need help creating a strong thesis statement? Check out this guide on thesis statements and learn to write a statement that perfectly captures your main argument!

2. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of an essay are where all the details and evidence come into play. This is where you dive deep into the argument, providing explanations and supporting your ideas with solid evidence. 

If you're writing a persuasive essay, these paragraphs will be the powerhouse that convinces your readers. Similarly, in an argumentative essay, your body paragraphs will work their magic to sway your audience to your side.

Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and no more than one idea. A topic sentence is the crux of the contents of your paragraph. It is essential to keep your reader interested in the essay.

The topic sentence is followed by the supporting points and opinions, which are then justified with strong evidence.

3. Conclusion

When it comes to wrapping up your essay, never underestimate the power of a strong conclusion. Just like the introduction and body paragraphs, the conclusion plays a vital role in providing a sense of closure to your topic. 

To craft an impactful conclusion, it's crucial to summarize the key points discussed in the introduction and body paragraphs. You want to remind your readers of the important information you shared earlier. But keep it concise and to the point. Short, powerful sentences will leave a lasting impression.

Remember, your conclusion shouldn't drag on. Instead, restate your thesis statement and the supporting points you mentioned earlier. And here's a pro tip: go the extra mile and suggest a course of action. It leaves your readers with something to ponder or reflect on.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Structure

An outline is an essential part of the writing as it helps the writer stay focused. A typical 5 paragraph essay outline example is shown here. This includes:

• State the topic
• Thesis statement
• Introduction
• Explanation
• A conclusion that ties to the thesis
• Summary of the essay
• Restate the thesis statement

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Essay Outline Template

The outline of the essay is the skeleton that you will fill out with the content. Both outline and relevant content are important for a good essay. The content you will add to flesh out the outline should be credible, relevant, and interesting.

The outline structure for the essay is not complex or difficult. No matter which type of essay you write, you either use an alphanumeric structure or a decimal structure for the outline.

Below is an outline sample that you can easily follow for your essay.

Essay Outline Sample

Essay Outline Examples

An essay outline template should follow when you start writing the essay. Every writer should learn how to write an outline for every type of essay and research paper.

Essay outline 4th grade

Essay outline 5th grade

Essay outline high school

Essay outline college

Given below are essay outline examples for different types of essay writing.

Argumentative Essay Outline

An  argumentative essay  is a type of essay that shows both sides of the topic that you are exploring. The argument that presents the basis of the essay should be created by providing evidence and supporting details.

Persuasive Essay Outline

A  persuasive essay  is similar to an argumentative essay. Your job is to provide facts and details to create the argument. In a persuasive essay, you convince your readers of your point of view.

Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

A  compare and contrast essay  explains the similarities and differences between two things. While comparing, you should focus on the differences between two seemingly similar objects. While contrasting, you should focus on the similarities between two different objects.

Narrative Essay Outline

A narrative essay is written to share a story. Normally, a narrative essay is written from a personal point of view in an essay. The basic purpose of the narrative essay is to describe something creatively.

Expository Essay Outline

An  expository essay  is a type of essay that explains, analyzes, and illustrates something for the readers. An expository essay should be unbiased and entirely based on facts. Be sure to use academic resources for your research and cite your sources.

Analytical Essay Outline

An  analytical essay  is written to analyze the topic from a critical point of view. An analytical essay breaks down the content into different parts and explains the topic bit by bit.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

A rhetorical essay is written to examine the writer or artist’s work and develop a great essay. It also includes the discussion.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

A  cause and effect essay  describes why something happens and examines the consequences of an occurrence or phenomenon. It is also a type of expository essay.

Informative Essay Outline

An  informative essay  is written to inform the audience about different objects, concepts, people, issues, etc.

The main purpose is to respond to the question with a detailed explanation and inform the target audience about the topic.

Synthesis Essay Outline

A  synthesis essay  requires the writer to describe a certain unique viewpoint about the issue or topic. Create a claim about the topic and use different sources and information to prove it.

Literary Analysis Essay Outline

A  literary analysis essay  is written to analyze and examine a novel, book, play, or any other piece of literature. The writer analyzes the different devices such as the ideas, characters, plot, theme, tone, etc., to deliver his message.

Definition Essay Outline

A  definition essay  requires students to pick a particular concept, term, or idea and define it in their own words and according to their understanding.

Descriptive Essay Outline

A  descriptive essay  is a type of essay written to describe a person, place, object, or event. The writer must describe the topic so that the reader can visualize it using their five senses.

Evaluation Essay Outline

Problem Solution Essay Outline

In a problem-solution essay, you are given a problem as a topic and you have to suggest multiple solutions on it.

Scholarship Essay Outline

A  scholarship essay  is required at the time of admission when you are applying for a scholarship. Scholarship essays must be written in a way that should stand alone to help you get a scholarship.

Reflective Essay Outline

A reflective essay  is written to express your own thoughts and point of view regarding a specific topic.

Getting started on your essay? Give this comprehensive essay writing guide a read to make sure you write an effective essay!

With this complete guide, now you understand how to create an outline for your essay successfully. However, if you still can’t write an effective essay, then the best option is to consult a professional academic writing service.

Essay writing is a dull and boring task for some people. So why not get some help instead of wasting your time and effort?  5StarEssays.com is here to help you. All your  do my essay for me  requests are managed by professional essay writers.

Place your order now, and our team of expert academic writers will help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the three types of outlines.

Here are the three types of essay outline;

• Working outline
• Speaking outline
• Full-sentence outline

All three types are different from each other and are used for different purposes.

What does a full-sentence outline look like?

A full sentence outline contains full sentences at each level of the essay’s outline. It is similar to an alphanumeric outline and it is a commonly used essay outline.

What is a traditional outline format?

A traditional essay outline begins with writing down all the important points in one place and listing them down and adding sub-topics to them. Besides, it will also include evidence and proof that you will use to back your arguments.

What is the benefit of using a traditional outline format and an informal outline format?

A traditional outline format helps the students in listing down all the important details in one palace while an informal outline will help you coming up with new ideas and highlighting important points

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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Trying to devise a structure for your essay can be one of the most difficult parts of the writing process. Making a detailed outline before you begin writing is a good way to make sure your ideas come across in a clear and logical order. A good outline will also save you time in the revision process, reducing the possibility that your ideas will need to be rearranged once you've written them.

The First Steps

Before you can begin outlining, you need to have a sense of what you will argue in the essay. From your analysis and close readings of primary and/or secondary sources you should have notes, ideas, and possible quotes to cite as evidence. Let's say you are writing about the 1999 Republican Primary and you want to prove that each candidate's financial resources were the most important element in the race. At this point, your notes probably lack much coherent order. Most likely, your ideas are still in the order in which they occurred to you; your notes and possible quotes probably still adhere to the chronology of the sources you've examined. Your goal is to rearrange your ideas, notes, and quotes—the raw material of your essay—into an order that best supports your argument, not the arguments you've read in other people's works. To do this, you have to group your notes into categories and then arrange these categories in a logical order.

Generalizing

The first step is to look over each individual piece of information that you've written and assign it to a general category. Ask yourself, "If I were to file this in a database, what would I file it under?" If, using the example of the Republican Primary, you wrote down an observation about John McCain's views on health care, you might list it under the general category of  "Health care policy." As you go through your notes, try to reuse categories whenever possible. Your goal is to reduce your notes to no more than a page of category listings.

Now examine your category headings. Do any seem repetitive? Do any go together? "McCain's expenditure on ads" and "Bush's expenditure on ads," while not exactly repetitive, could easily combine into a more general category like "Candidates' expenditures on ads." Also, keep an eye out for categories that no longer seem to relate to your argument. Individual pieces of information that at first seemed important can begin to appear irrelevant when grouped into a general category.

Now it's time to generalize again. Examine all your categories and look for common themes. Go through each category and ask yourself, "If I were to place this piece of information in a file cabinet, what would I label that cabinet?" Again, try to reuse labels as often as possible: "Health Care," "Foreign Policy," and "Immigration" can all be contained under "Policy Initiatives." Make these larger categories as general as possible so that there are no more than three or four for a 7-10 page paper.

With your notes grouped into generalized categories, the process of ordering them should be easier. To begin, look at your most general categories. With your thesis in mind, try to find a way that the labels might be arranged in a sentence or two that supports your argument. Let's say your thesis is that financial resources played the most important role in the 1999 Republican Primary. Your four most general categories are "Policy Initiatives," "Financial Resources," "Voters' Concerns," and "Voters' Loyalty." You might come up with the following sentence: ÒAlthough McCain's policy initiatives were closest to the voters' concerns, Bush's financial resources won the voters' loyalty.Ó This sentence should reveal the order of your most general categories. You will begin with an examination of McCain's and Bush's views on important issues and compare them to the voters' top concerns. Then you'll look at both candidates' financial resources and show how Bush could win voters' loyalty through effective use of his resources, despite his less popular policy ideas.

With your most general categories in order, you now must order the smaller categories. To do so, arrange each smaller category into a sentence or two that will support the more general sentence you've just devised. Under the category of "Financial Resources," for instance, you might have the smaller categories of "Ad Expenditure," "Campaign Contributions" and "Fundraising." A sentence that supports your general argument might read: "Bush's early emphasis on fundraising led to greater campaign contributions, allowing him to have a greater ad expenditure than McCain."

The final step of the outlining process is to repeat this procedure on the smallest level, with the original notes that you took for your essay. To order what probably was an unwieldy and disorganized set of information at the beginning of this process, you need now only think of a sentence or two to support your general argument. Under the category "Fundraising," for example, you might have quotes about each candidate's estimation of its importance, statistics about the amount of time each candidate spent fundraising, and an idea about how the importance of fundraising never can be overestimated. Sentences to support your general argument might read: "No candidate has ever raised too much money [your idea]. While both McCain and Bush acknowledged the importance of fundraising [your quotes], the numbers clearly point to Bush as the superior fundraiser [your statistics]." The arrangement of your ideas, quotes, and statistics now should come naturally.

Putting It All Together

With these sentences, you have essentially constructed an outline for your essay. The most general ideas, which you organized in your first sentence, constitute the essay's sections. They follow the order in which you placed them in your sentence. The order of the smaller categories within each larger category (determined by your secondary sentences) indicates the order of the paragraphs within each section. Finally, your last set of sentences about your specific notes should show the order of the sentences within each paragraph. An outline for the essay about the 1999 Republican Primary (showing only the sections worked out here) would look something like this:

I. POLICY INITIATIVES

II.  VOTERS' CONCERNS

III.  FINANCIAL RESOURCES

            A.  Fundraising

                        a.  Original Idea

                        b.  McCain Quote/Bush Quote

                        c.  McCain Statistics/Bush Statistics

            B.  Campaign Contributions

            C.  Ad Expenditure

IV.  VOTERS' LOYALTY

Copyright 2000, David Kornhaber, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

How To Write An Essay Outline: Tips And Examples

• What Is An Outline?
• Why Are Outlines Helpful?
• Parts Of An Outline

To outline or not to outline: that is the age-old question. For a lot of people, outlines are a way to organize thoughts and gather information before they start writing, which can often save valuable time later on. But some writers prefer to craft essays more loosely, adding material and shaping their supporting paragraphs as they go.

Whether you’re new to outlines (or writing, period) or you’re just looking to hone your skills at crafting the perfect essay outline, there are some important things to know about the process. Follow along as we break down the why and the how of writing an effective outline and provide a step-by-step guide that will make writing your next essay a total cinch.

What is an outline?

An outline is “a general sketch, account, or report, indicating only the main features, as of a book, subject, or project.” In other words, it’s like a brief summary of the topics you plan to cover in a longer piece of writing.

In writing an outline, you create the skeleton of your essay, which provides a supportive structure on which you can arrange and organize each of your paragraphs. This helps you clarify the points you intend to make in your writing and also gives you an opportunity to tailor your research, which can make the writing process much easier later on.

Why are outlines helpful?

If you aren’t typically an outline writer, you might be wondering if you really need to put in the extra work to create one. Ultimately, everyone has a different writing style, and only you know what’s going to work for you, but here are four major reasons why many people find the outlining process helpful:

1. Outlines are brief and concise.

Remember: an outline is not the same thing as a rough draft. In an outline, each section contains only a sentence or two, and each topic is distilled to a single main idea.

2. Outlines help you write more efficiently.

You don’t have to worry about rambling or repeating the same statistic several times. You decide exactly where information belongs before you start writing.

3. Outlines are easy to edit.

You can move facts, details, and even entire sentences around easily without needing to rewrite whole paragraphs.

4. Outlines ensure supporting details connect to the thesis.

Once you see all of your work laid out, you might realize that certain paragraphs can be combined or that your conclusion doesn’t actually tie back to your thesis. Isn’t it nice to notice these potential errors before you’ve finished a draft?

Writer’s block? It’s part of the process. Here are some tips to overcome it and get your words flowing again.

The parts of a standard essay outline

Now that you understand the “why” behind writing an essay outline, let’s talk about how to do it. Here are the main parts to include in any essay outline:

Introduction

In an outline, your introduction consists of your thesis statement . This is a single sentence that states the subject, main idea, or main purpose of your essay.

When you write your essay, you will add a few sentences before and after your thesis statement to grab your reader’s interest and preview your essay’s main points. For the outline, you only need to narrow your point of view to a single, effective thesis that will inform the rest of the outline.

Body paragraphs

Body paragraphs are the parts of the essay in which you present information to back up your thesis. First, you’ll need to decide if you’re writing a three-paragraph essay or a five-paragraph essay . You may have anywhere from one to three body paragraphs, depending on what type you choose.

Each body paragraph in your outline should have:

• A main idea that aligns with your thesis.
• A topic sentence stating the main idea.
• A bulleted list of relevant research, quotes, anecdotes, and/or statistics.

Much like the introduction, your outline’s conclusion is all about your thesis statement. Here, you should:

• Restate your thesis
• Summarize the main points that support your thesis.
• Leave your reader with an impactful final thought or call to action.

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Example of a standard essay outline

Now that you know the parts of an essay outline, it might help to see them in action. Here’s an outline format you can use to plan your own essays, filled in with examples of a thesis statement, topic sentences for your body paragraphs, and the main parts of a strong conclusion.

• Thesis statement: There’s a lot of debate about which food category hot dogs fit into, but it’s clear from the evidence that a hot dog is a type of sandwich.

Body paragraph #1

• Topic sentence: To begin, hot dogs fit the dictionary definition of the word sandwich.
• Supporting detail: Sandwich is defined as “two or more slices of bread with a layer of meat, fish, cheese, and whatever other filling you’d like between them.”
• Supporting detail: A hot dog is a grilled or steamed sausage, usually made of pork or beef, which qualifies as a layer of meat.
• Supporting detail: Hot dog buns are split rolls, similar to the ones used for deli sandwiches.

Body paragraph #2

• Topic sentence: Secondly, hot dogs meet the legal definition of sandwiches in many places.
• Supporting detail: Mark Wheeler, a food safety specialist with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), says the organization defines a sandwich as “a meat or poultry filling between two slices of bread, a bun, or a biscuit.”
• Supporting detail: In New York state, tax law lists “hot dogs and sausages on buns” as types of sandwiches.
• Supporting detail: Additionally, tax law in California clearly includes “hot dog and hamburger sandwiches” served from “sandwich stands or booths.”

Body paragraph #3

• Topic sentence: Finally, most Americans agree that hot dogs are sandwiches.
• Supporting detail: In a poll of 1,000 people conducted by RTA Outdoor Living, 56.8% of respondents agreed a hot dog is a sandwich.
• Supporting detail: Many fast food chains that serve primarily burgers and sandwiches, like Five Guys burgers and Shake Shack, also sell hot dogs.
• Supporting detail: Lexicographers at Dictionary.com have also declared that hot dogs officially meet the criteria to be included in the sandwich category. (Curious? Read the article here for this and other great food debates explained .)
• Restatement of thesis: Hot dogs are a unique kind of food, but the evidence makes it clear that they are indeed a type of sandwich.

Now, get to planning that perfect essay! (But if you’re hungry for a snack first, we don’t blame you.)

Plan and write a five-paragraph essay that will earn your instructor's own five—high five, that is!

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How to Write an Essay Outline

Last Updated: September 15, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 551,233 times.

Essay outlines provide structure and guidance for writers as they begin the drafting process. An outline should briefly summarize the intended content of your essay and organize that content in a sensible, coherent manner. Knowing how to outline is an important skill for students, since some instructors require students to turn in outlines before submitting their papers. Keep reading to learn more about how to develop an effective outline for your paper.

Preparing to Outline a Paper

• List all the ideas that come to mind (good or bad) and then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by adding onto the list or by using another prewriting activity. [2] X Research source
• Freewriting. Write nonstop for about 5-10 minutes. Write whatever comes to mind and don’t edit yourself. When you are done, review what you have written and highlight or underline the most useful information. Repeat the freewriting exercise using this information as a starting point. You can repeat this exercise multiple times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. [3] X Research source
• Clustering. Write your subject down on the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. At the end of each of the lines you have drawn, write down a new idea that corresponds to your main idea. Then draw three or more lines from each of those new ideas, and write ideas that corresponds to those ideas. Continue developing your cluster until you feel that you have explored as many connections as you can. [4] X Research source
• Questioning. On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart so that you can write your answers on these lines. Respond to each questions in as much detail as you can. This exercise will help develop your ideas and identify areas of your topic that you need to learn more about. [5] X Research source

• Make sure your thesis is arguable. Do not state facts or matters of taste. For example, something like "George Washington was the first president of the United States," would not be a good thesis because it states a fact. Likewise, "Die Hard is a great movie," would not work because it expresses a matter of taste. [9] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• Make sure your thesis provides enough detail. In other words, avoid simply saying that something is "good" or "effective" and say what specifically makes it "good" or "effective." [10] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• If you're writing a three-paragraph essay, consider using a short list of examples that correspond to ideas you could make paragraphs about. For example, if you're talking about how a book uses different colors to symbolize a connection between the protagonist and the villain, you might write something like "In Author's book Booktitle, the author uses motifs of red, yellow, and blue to indicate the shifting dynamics between Betsy and Joe." This way, you could make a paragraph per color exploring the use of it as a motif and what it means to the story overall.

Deciding on a Basic Outline Structure and Style

• Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc,) are used to mark each major heading or section. You will typically have three for an essay outline: one for your introduction, one for your body, and one for your conclusion.
• Capitalized letters (A,B,C, etc.) mark each primary point within a major section.
• Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) are used to flesh out primary points.
• Lowercase letters (a, b, c, etc.) are used if further detail is still required.

• A decimal outline begins with “1.0” and other sections will begin with different numbers (2, 3, 4, etc.). Therefore, the first section would read "1.0," the second would read "2.0," and the third would read "3.0."
• The number after the decimal point changes when new information is presented. For instance, under the "1.0" section, you would expect to see "1.1," "1.2," and so on.
• Further subsections can be added by adding another decimal, followed by a number that corresponds to the new information. For instance, under the first "1.1" section, you might find "1.1.1," "1.1.2," and "1.1.3" labels.

• For example, if section I of your outline begins with something like “buying a new book,” then section two should begin with a similarly structured phrase. Something like “reading my new book” would be appropriate whereas “read my new book” would not be appropriate.

• For example, if you are writing a narrative essay about discovering and reading your favorite book and the first section of your outline is titled “Hearing about the book,” then “Checking the book out of the library” and “Reading the book” would be appropriate titles for the other sections of your essay outline. These outline section titles feature information that is as important as the first section title. However, titling a section something like “went to my room and closed the door” would not be appropriate. This line would work better as a subsection under “Reading the book.”

• For example, under the section heading “Hearing about the book,” you might also include subsections called “talking to my best friend,” “listening to the radio on my way to school” and “browsing the internet for new book ideas.” Beneath each of these subsections you would provide additional sub-subsections to break down the information that you will need to include in each of these subsections.

Organizing the Information in Your Essay Outline

• Under the first sub-point, write a sentence that introduces the essay topic while also grabbing the reader's attention. A shocking fact or anecdote is a great way to start.
• The second sub-point should describe the topic, history of the issue, background, or problem being explored. Keep this section brief, but include the information that your readers will need to know in order to understand your paper.
• The final sub-point should be your thesis statement. State the idea or argument that you plan to discuss in your essay.

• Do not label each point as "main point." Instead, directly write out the point being explored.
• Under each main point, you should write supporting evidence to back the point up. Give each piece of supporting evidence its own line and sub-section. Then, write out an explanation analyzing the evidence and showing how it supports your claims.
• If desired, you could also include a sentence that transitions into your next major point at the end of each "main idea" section. This is not strictly necessary, though.

• Restate your thesis first. Do not copy your original thesis statement word-for-word. Instead, restate the idea, but rephrase it in a new way.
• Make a concluding statement. A concluding statement will usually discuss the implications of the thesis, propose solutions to problems addressed in the essay, or explain the importance of the thesis to something outside of the range of the essay.

Expert Q&A

• Check out your school’s writing center for extra help with your outline. Most schools have writing centers that offer walk-in and by appointment help for all kinds of writing projects. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.csueastbay.edu/scaa/files/docs/student-handouts/prewrite-exercises-beverett.pdf
• ↑ http://writing.ku.edu/prewriting-strategies
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/outlining
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/audience/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/developing_an_outline/types_of_outlines.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/parallel_structure.html
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/headings
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/essay-outline/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.

About This Article

To write an essay outline, start with a section about your introduction that includes an introductory sentence and your thesis statement. Then, make a section about the body of your essay that has subsections for each paragraph you'll be writing. Within each subsection, include the main point of the paragraph and any evidence you'll be presenting to support it. Finally, create a section about your essay's conclusion that includes a final sentence. For help choosing between a numeric or decimal outline structure, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Parts of a Paper / How to Write an Essay Outline

How to Write an Essay Outline

It’s 11 p.m., your paper is due tomorrow, and you’re only about halfway done. You’re typing along and when you realize that, wait…you’re actually not a huge fan of your argument or the supporting examples you’re using. Your options are to haphazardly keep writing or to backtrack and rehash what you’ve already done. Ugh. Unsurprisingly, both options aren’t great.

This scenario is scary, but totally avoidable! Though it’s tempting to just start writing, one of the best steps you can take before you type a single word is to create an outline for your paper. By taking the time to write a paper outline, you can prevent the scenario above and make your writing process a cinch!

Guide Overview

What is a paper outline, why it’s worth writing an outline.

• Step 1: gather your relevant materials
• Step 2: create your thesis
• Step 3: find examples
• Step 4: analyze your examples
• Step 5: arrange your examples

A paper outline is a skeletal version of your paper. Another way to think about an outline is to view it as a roadmap. An outline helps you organize and streamline your thoughts ahead of time. By front loading this work, you allow the eventual writing process to be much easier: instead of having to backtrack and see if your paper makes sense, you can refer to your outline and be rest assured that you’re on the right track.

It’s understandable if you think it’s not worth the time to write an outline. After all, writing a paper in itself is a lot of work – why add an extra step?

Here’s the secret: creating an outline and then writing your paper takes about the same amount of time as jumping straight into writing your paper. Why? By immediately writing, you run the risk of having to go back and see if the flow of your paper makes sense. Backtracking takes up a lot of time: having to go back and revise your paper because you missed a point can be a pain.

Taking the time to outline your paper gives you the space to see what arguments work, which examples to include, and more. Doing this prep work ahead of time prevents you from having to do it while in the middle of your paper. Your completed outline serves as a solid reference as you write your assignment. In an ideal world, your outline should be so thorough that the writing process is essentially just you converting your bullet points into sentences that flow together!

How to outline a paper

Step 1: gather your relevant materials.

The first step to take when outlining a paper is to gather all your relevant materials. If you’re writing a paper about a book you’re reading in class, start thinking about which passages from the book are relevant to your prompt. If you’re writing a paper about a broader topic, identify what sources you’ll need to construct your argument.

Pro tip: Avoid plagiarism and keep track of the sources you’re using at EasyBib.com! Easily create an APA or MLA format citation , try out our Chicago citation generator , and find help for other citation styles.

Step 2: Create your thesis

After you’ve compiled your materials, start thinking about your thesis statement. Revisit your assignment prompt, peruse your materials, and determine what your viewpoint is regarding the prompt.

Step 3: Find examples

Once you have your thesis, come up with ways to support it. Identify the quotes you need or the arguments you want to utilize in order to bolster your thesis.

Step 4: Analyze Your Examples

Write 3-4 bullet points connecting your examples to your thesis. The analysis part of your paper is the meat of your paper, so feel free to take as much time as you want during this step.

Step 5: Arrange Your Examples

Now that you have your examples and analysis, arrange them in a logical way that helps you develop and support your thesis. This is the step in which you can start copying and pasting your notes into an outline that mimics the flow of your paper. By the end of this step, you should have a solid outline!

Here’s a template for a five paragraph essay you can use for your papers moving forward:

Before you jump into writing your paper, it might pay to take a quick look at our EasyBib grammar guides . Discover what an abstract noun is, read a determiner definition , see the difference between regular and irregular verbs , and get familiar with other parts of speech.

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• Academic Essay
• Argumentative Essay
• College Admissions Essay
• Expository Essay
• Persuasive Essay
• Research Paper
• Thesis Statement
• Writing a Conclusion
• Writing an Introduction
• Writing an Outline
• Writing a Summary

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How to Write an Essay Outline with MLA and APA Styles

Got a great essay idea, but feel like sorting out your thoughts is as tough as untying knotted headphones from your backpack? No worries! We've all felt that way.

Whether you're staring down a blank page or drowning in a sea of scattered thoughts, we've got your back. In this article, we're going to break down the writing process of an essay outline into simple, easy-to-follow steps. Plus, we'll cover specific formatting guidelines for both MLA and APA styles, making sure your essay looks polished and professional.

What Is an Outline?

Let's start from the basics. An essay outline helps you arrange your thoughts and plan your essay before you begin writing. It can be your strategy guide to beat writer's block. Instead of wandering around in your paragraphs, hoping everything falls into place, an outline gives your essay format a clear path.

Here's how it works: You write down your main ideas, arguments, and supporting details in a logical order. This keeps you focused and ensures your essay flows smoothly from start to finish. It also makes writing much easier.

Now, you might wonder, 'Why do I need essay outlines? Can't I just write and see where it goes?' Well, you could, but it's risky. Without a format plan, you might stray off-topic, get lost in unrelated ideas, or end up with a confusing mess that confuses your readers.

So, whether you're writing a persuasive essay, a personal story, or an APA or MLA research paper, a good outline is essential. It saves time and frustration and helps you create a well-organized and clear essay that gets your message across.

Wanting a Perfectly Polished Essay?

Let’s breeze through your writing assignments with ease!

How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Simple Steps

Now, before you start outlining, let our coursework writing service give you some extra help to begin. Just follow these four steps to create an outline format that makes the rest of your writing easy. These steps break down the process into simple parts, making it easier for you to understand and follow along.

Set Your Goal Clearly

When setting your goal, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve with this essay? Is it to convince the reader of a certain viewpoint, educate them on a topic, or perhaps entertain them with a captivating story? Clarifying your goal helps you stay focused throughout the writing process and ensures that every part of your essay works towards achieving that goal.

It's also important to consider your audience and what you aim for them to grasp from reading your essay. For example, if you're working on the Divine Comedy summary , think about whether your audience is familiar with the text or if they're approaching it for the first time. Consider their interests—are they more interested in literary analysis, historical context, or thematic exploration? Additionally, be mindful of any potential biases they might have based on their background or prior knowledge.

Remove Unnecessary Details

In this step, it's time to prioritize and trim down your ideas. Take a close look at all the points you've brainstormed and ask yourself: Which ones are absolutely crucial for supporting my main argument or thesis statement? Anything that doesn't directly contribute to your goal should be cut. This streamlines your essay, keeping it focused and concise. Remember, clarity is key. Readers shouldn't have to sift through irrelevant information to understand your main points. So, be ruthless in eliminating anything that doesn't serve your purpose.

List the Main Ideas for Each Paragraph

Here, you're breaking down your essay format into manageable chunks. For each paragraph, identify the main idea or point you want to convey. These main ideas serve as the backbone of your essay, guiding the flow of your argument and ensuring that each paragraph contributes meaningfully to the overall narrative.

Consider how each point relates to your thesis statement and supports your overall goal. By clearly listing the main points of each paragraph in your essay outline, you'll create a roadmap for your writing that makes it easier for both you and your readers to follow along.

Organize Your Outline with a Simple Template

Now that you have identified your main ideas, it's time to put everything together in a structured format. Use a simple template by our business essay writing services to organize your outline in a way that flows logically from start to finish.

Begin with an introduction to set the stage and grab the reader's attention. Then, outline your body paragraphs to present your arguments or ideas in a clear and organized manner. Each paragraph should focus on one main point, supported by evidence or examples. Finally, conclude your format with a summary that wraps everything up neatly and reinforces your main thesis.

By organizing your format in this way, you'll create a roadmap for your essay that makes it easier to write and ensures that your ideas are presented cohesively.

MLA Outline Format

The MLA format essay outline serves as the skeleton upon which your ideas will flesh out into a cohesive narrative. Here's a breakdown of the key components and formatting rules to keep in mind:

• Paper Specifications : Your MLA paper should be standard letter size (8.5x11 inches), with one-inch margins around the entire page. The running head, if included, should be within the margin. This ensures uniformity and readability across different platforms.
• Indentation and Spacing : Start each sentence with an indentation that's half an inch from the left margin. Maintaining double spacing throughout your MLA outline enhances readability and leaves ample space for annotations and revisions. The recommended font size is 12-point, though 11-point or 11.5-point is acceptable. Consistency is key here.
• Securing Your Outline : While it might seem trivial, ensuring your MLA outline is securely fastened in the upper left corner—be it with a stapler, paper clip, or binder clip—helps maintain professionalism and organization.
• Title and Thesis Statement : Center the title of your MLA paper at the top of the outline. Directly below, write your thesis statement, setting it apart by capitalizing the first letter of each word and ending with a colon. This establishes the overarching argument or main point of your essay.
• Headings and Subheadings : Use a hierarchical system for headings and subheadings to denote the structure of your MLA essay. Major sections are indicated with Roman numerals (I, II, III), while subcategories are marked with uppercase letters (A, B, C). Further subdivisions follow a pattern of Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3) and lowercase letters (a, b, c), each ending with a period for clarity.

APA Outline Format

Understanding the structure of the APA outline format is key to organizing your ideas effectively. Here's a closer look at the various formats:

Basic APA Format :

• Roman numerals denote main headings.
• Capital letters signify first-level subheadings.
• Arabic numerals (1-9) are used within those subheadings.
• Lowercase letters are utilized beneath Arabic numeral subheadings.
• Arabic numerals within parentheses further delineate sub-points.

The full sentence outline mirrors this structure, replacing sentence fragments with complete sentences at each level.

APA Decimal Outline :

• This APA format is simpler, breaking headings into paragraphs and numbering them with Arabic numerals.
• Each heading is numbered sequentially, starting with 1.0.
• Paragraphs within headings are indicated by a decimal followed by a sequential number (e.g., 1.1, 1.2).
• Points or sentences within paragraphs are further delineated by additional decimals (e.g., 1.1.1, 1.1.2).

For instance, under the first heading, the first paragraph's first sentence would be numbered 1.1.1, with subsequent sentences following suit.

Outline Examples

Below are the sample outlines for both formatting styles. You'll notice that the MLA outline has a more narrative style, while the APA outline follows a structured format with distinct headings and subheadings.

In MLA, main sections are marked with Roman numerals and subsections with capital letters, whereas APA uses numbers and letters for different heading levels. Additionally, APA includes sections for methods and results, which are typical in scientific research papers, while MLA format typically omits these sections.

Meanwhile, if you're tempted to pay someone to write my paper , remember we're here to whip up stellar samples in any format you desire!

MLA Outline Example

Apa outline example, final recap.

That's all there is to it! We hope you now have a solid grasp of APA and MLA format outlines. Despite their apparent similarities, there are some notable differences between the two. Now that you're armed with this knowledge, go ahead and tackle your outline assignments like a pro!

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How to Write an Essay Outline?

28 August, 2020

8 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

Now that the school year has begun, you will start to receive many essay assignments. One way to organize your thoughts before writing is to create an essay outline. What is an essay outline? It's a tool that helps you organize your ideas and write a better essay. In this article, we will discuss why writing an outline for your essay is helpful, how it will improve your writing, and how to go about creating one.

What is an Essay Outline?

An outline is a tool that you can use for organizing your ideas and structuring your essay in a proper manner. It should summarize your essay and help you organize your content in a logical order. An outline can guide you throughout the writing process and remind you of what you should be writing about. Most commonly, an essay is written following a 5-paragraph structure, addressing the key points that you have laid out in the outline. Below, you will find more about the proper structure of your essay outline and what these 5 paragraphs should include.

Why Do You Need It?

Sitting down to write an essay can be overwhelming. Writing an outline helps alleviate some of that frustration. Furthermore, it will help you organize thoughts, present ideas logically and with a natural flow, as well as clarify your thesis and conclusion.

Find out the basic essay information with this article: What is an Essay?

Overall, an outline will help you communicate your point in a clear and organized format. The structure of your essay will rely on the outline you compose.

Preparing Your Outline

Before you begin writing an outline for the essay, make sure you understand the assignment. Namely, what exactly is the instructor looking for? Our  essay writer  recommends you to follow these simple steps:

1. Develop a Topic

The first step in your outline is to identify your topic. Once you have a clear understanding of the instructor’s expectations, begin brainstorming topics that fit within the assignment. Make a list of ideas and pick the ones that are of your interest. If you are stuck between a few ideas, begin free writing. Give yourself 5 minutes for each idea and just write everything that first comes to mind without editing or stopping. The idea that inspires you the most may just be the perfect essay topic for this assignment. In fact, essays are easier to write and read if the author is passionate about what he/she is writing.

Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Compare&Contrast essay topics

2. Identify the purpose, audience, and argument/ideas

Once you have developed a topic, you will need to define the purpose (or the reason) for writing this essay as well as who you are writing for. By having a clear understanding of the purpose, the audience, and the necessary arguments/ideas that need to be addressed, you will be better prepared to write an influential essay.

Take a second to look back over the instructions for the assignment and ask yourself the following questions.

• What are the objectives of the assignment?
• Are there keywords that stand out in the instructions?
• Are you being asked to persuade, entertain, enlighten, or educate your audience?
• Who is your audience? Is it the teacher, the other students, or someone else?
• What arguments or counter ideas might the audience have for your topic/idea?
• What emotions might these ideas bring up and how can you counterbalance them with facts?

3. Develop a thesis statement

Now that you know your topic, purpose, audience and have developed your main arguments/ideas – it is time to write your thesis statement . A thesis is only one to two sentences long and highlights the question your essay will be answering. It does not state your opinion or list facts though, but rather identifies what you will be arguing for or against within the body of your essay. Keep in mind that thesis statements must be accurate, clear, and relevant to the topic.

Structuring Your Outline

Now that you have read the above information, the question is:  how to write an essay outline?

First, decide on what structure to use. There are two main essay outline formats to choose from:   alphanumeric and decimal .

The alphanumeric format uses Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, etc), capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.), Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), and lowercase letters (a, b, c, d, etc.).  This one is more common than the other.

On the contrary, the decimal format only uses numbers. It begins with 1.0. Subsections add a decimal. The most important points under 1.0 would be 1.1, 1.2, etc. The subsections beneath 1.1 would be 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, etc. For a visual example of an essay outline scroll to the bottom of this article.

For the visual examples of the stated outline formats, scroll down to the bottom of this article.

Apply sub-section structure. The more detailed content of your essay will be found within the sub-sections, while the main sections are your fundamental ideas and arguments. Therefore, the sub-sections are the facts that support main sections. Think of the section title as the topic sentence for your paragraph and the sub-section as the tiny details that explain the idea of the topic. Notably, your sub-sections need to flow naturally from one to another.

Integrate paragraphs into your outline. Start fleshing out your section and subsection notes. Your introduction will need to include your topic and thesis statement. For a short essay, this only needs to be one paragraph long. Then, refer to your assignment instructions to clarify the length. Next is the body part – a ‘skeleton’ on which the entire essay is based. This section will consist of several paragraphs, each playing a supportive role in the filling of your thesis. The final section of your outline is the conclusion. This is a summary of everything you have stated in your essay. In this part, paraphrase your thesis statement and highlight the arguments made within the essay to support it. Remember that presenting new ideas and concepts in the concluding sentences is a big academic mistake. Rather, your final words should only emphasize the points you’ve indicated earlier and focus on the already-highlighted ideas.

Essay Outline Examples

Now, it’s time to showcase the most common essay outline types. For you to get the right idea of what an outline actually is, we have transformed the content of the article you are currently reading into an outline.

Alphanumeric format essay outline sample:

Decimal format essay outline sample:

Drawing the Line

Now that you know how to use an essay outline, you are well on your way to writing clear, persuasive essays. This tool will help you improve your writing and earn a higher grade for your essay. Now it’s time for you to get started and make use of this tool.

In case you have any questions, you are free to skim through our essay writing guide where you can find helpful information on how to plan, structure and write different types of essays.

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Argumentative essay outline toolkit, how to write an outline for an argumentative essay, once you are done with these steps, this is what your structure will look like, introduction.

• Provide an overview of capitalism and socialism
• Introduce the central question: How is socialism more beneficial for society?

Capitalism and socialism each have distinct strengths and weaknesses, but for the betterment of society socialism offers a wider and healthy prespective.

Socialism ensures fairness and equality

• Highlight the advantages of socialism, such as better living standards
• Mention how socialism reduces income inequality
• Provide real-world examples or case studies that illustrate the effects of socialism

Capitalism can be better for economy

• Discuss the benefits of socialism, such as reduced income inequality and social safety nets.
• Explore the disadvantages of socialism, such as reduced economic incentives and bureaucracy
• Offer examples from socialist societies or historical contexts to illustrate the impact of socialism

Socialism can create a stable economy and society

• contrast capitalism and socialism based on how socialism provides better economic stability for the society (e.g., economic growth, income distribution, individual freedom)
• Evaluate the impact of capitalism and socialism on societal well-being, considering factors like healthcare, education, and poverty

Socialism enhances living standards and reduces business fluctuations

• End your discussion by mentioning how socialism is better for both economically and socially
• Present examples of countries successfully implementing socialism models
• Reiterate your thesis statement
• Give your final perspective on how socialism system is more beneficial for society

This is what your outline will look like

Firstly, the essay will discuss how socialism ensures fairness and equality in society by examining various advantages of socialism and offering real-world examples from case studies and historical events. Secondly, the essay will compare and analyze both by evaluating their impact on social and economic factors. Lastly, the essay will convey how socialism enhances living standards and reduces business fluctuations and will support them with the use of real-world examples.

1. Identify the topic

The initial step in crafting a compelling outline for your argumentative essay is to carefully choose your topic. Your choice of topic should be precise and engaging, setting the stage for the reader's expectations. By thoughtfully selecting your topic, you're laying the foundation for an argument that will engage and inform your audience throughout your essay. To do this effectively, consider asking yourself thought-provoking questions.

If you are writing an essay on capitalism and socialism, your topic can be “Why is socialism important for a co-operative society”.

2. Define the objective

In the realm of argumentative essays, the primary aim is to convince your readers to align with your viewpoint on a particular topic. You accomplish this by presenting a well-reasoned argument supported by substantial evidence. Clearly outlining your objective helps your audience understand the purpose and direction of your argumentative essay right from the outset.

If your objective is to state your opinion on a topic, you can say, “A discussion on how socialism can improve co-operative behaviour in the society will be conducted.”

3. Craft the thesis

Within your outline, carve out a distinct section dedicated to constructing the thesis statement, the heart of your argumentative essay. A thesis statement for an argumentative essay takes a firm stance on the issue at hand. The thesis statement serves as the guiding light for your essay, directing your arguments and analysis toward a specific and persuasive perspective.

Continuing the example, your thesis statement for the topic could be, “Capitalism and socialism each have distinct strengths and weaknesses, but for the betterment of society socialism offers a wider and healthy prespective.”

4. Main points

As you delve into the core of your outline, it's crucial to outline the major components of your argument. Identify the central themes and specify supporting points that bolster your thesis. In the realm of argumentative essays, the conventional five-paragraph structure often serves as a helpful framework. This structure typically comprises an introduction and a body paragraph that examines both sides of the issue, followed by your reasoning for supporting one side. Mapping out these main points provides a clear roadmap for your argumentative essay, ensuring it flows logically and persuasively.

The main points for your essay could be

• Socialism can create a stable economy
• Socialism is better for social living and fewer business fluctuations

5. Sub-points

Subsequently, after introducing the main points of your essay, you should embark on a comprehensive exploration of each of these points, fortified by relevant examples and evidence. In this section, it's imperative to elucidate the key issues to be discussed and specify the examples that will underpin your arguments. By breaking down your main points into sub-points, you'll be able to provide a more detailed and compelling argument within your essay.

• Examine the drawbacks of capitalism, including income inequality and exploitation
• Discuss the benefits of capitalism, such as increase in overall economy and better market for consumers.
• Explore the advtanges of capitalism, such as a competitive market and bureaucracy

All will be explained with examples and backed with statistical data.

6. Evidence and citations

In the realm of academic essays, it's imperative to back your claims with credible evidence and properly attribute information. Your outline should include a dedicated section for citing your sources, whether they are real-world examples, quotes, or statistical data. This reinforces the credibility of your argument and demonstrates the thoroughness of your research.

You can cite real-world examples, and case studies, and provide information on historical events and their impact.

7. Introduction and hook

To captivate your readers' attention, your argumentative essay's introduction should feature a compelling hook. Typically, argumentative essays leverage surprising or striking statistics related to your argument as a hook. An effective introduction sets the stage for your argument and entices your audience to delve further into your essay.

You can start your essay with a statistical data hook like “Did you know roughly 39% of people have a positive view of capitalism and a negative view of socialism, and vice-versa”. Then continue on to provide an overview of capitalism and socialism and introduce your central question.

8. Conclusion

After you have stated your key points, it's time to conclude your essay. Argumentative essays are generally concluded by addressing opposing viewpoints and explaining why readers should align with your position.

In the conclusion, you will reiterate your thesis statement, and then give your final perspective on how socialism is better for society.

9. Transitions

Transition words play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless flow of your writing, facilitating smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and topics. In argumentative essays generally, contrast transition words are used specifically when you need to communicate a point that contradicts your previous statement. An effective transition sentence is one that includes a word or phrase such as however, despite this/that, in contrast, or nonetheless.

You can use words like “chiefly”, “as a result”, and “after all” to transition from one idea, topic, or sentence to another.

10. Refine and review

Finally, before you embark on the actual writing of your essay, thoroughly review your outline. Ensure that each point flows logically, and all necessary information is included, while avoiding any extraneous content. Make any necessary revisions as you review, by refining and reviewing your outline, you lay the groundwork for a well-structured, persuasive, and compelling argumentative essay.

Finally, during the review, you will need to ensure that each point flows logically and you have included all the necessary information and didn’t add any extra points.

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An essay outline is a plan  that helps you organize your thoughts and ideas before you begin writing your essay. A well-constructed outline can help you ensure that your essay is structured logically and includes all of the necessary information.

Today, we will learn everything about essay outlines. Academic writing is challenging enough. So we would really want to ease the overall process and ensure that you’re prepared to write the best essay possible. Are you confused about how to structure your paper? Do you not understand the difference between different types of articles? The answers to all of those questions and even more points will be covered here. So stick around and get all the information you can possibly need!

What Is an Outline for an Essay?

What is an essay outline? It is a good question, and we are excited to answer it. In simple terms, it is how your essay will be structured and what things it might feature. You can include the following items in your structure:

• Your general topic
• Thesis statement
• A number of paragraphs
• Topic and concluding sentences for each paragraph
• Resources or evidence used in your body paragraphs.

Trust us, following this list and ideas will save you a lot of time and help you in crafting a very good article.

Why Do You Need an Outline of an Essay?

Outline for an essay is crucial for several reasons. So here’s a quick list of why you’re writing and why research requires a good  essay structure example . It helps you:  

• Develop a logical and well-thought-out piece.
• Convince your readers that you’re making a valid point.
• Save some time.
• Don’t get lost in all the evidence and ideas you have for your paper.
• Consider purchasing a college essay for sale in case this is too difficult.

Basic Outline for an Essay: Template

For starters, we wanted to give you an essay outline template. It is an effective way to make sure you have all the required points of a good article. By keeping everything organized, you will get our highest mark and develop a believable  argument . But, of course, here is the template and enumeration of all the sections you need:  

• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary or so-called synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

How to Write an Essay Outline

How to write an outline for an essay? That's a $1 million question that we will answer today. You should understand from the very beginning that writing or mapping out your structure will take some time. But don't let this fact discourage you because it will be worth it in the end. However, we have also prepared several tips for you in order to ease the process even more:

• Research a topic before you actually start writing.
• Consider a type of article you're writing and pick an appropriate structure.
• Start outlining from the very beginning.
• Write down your thesis and make sure it is bulletproof.
• Provide some evidence you will use to support your argument.

Essay Outline Template

Our outline for the essay template will differ depending on the type of essay you will be writing. Interestingly enough, there are many types of academic essays you can consider. You can write an argumentative, persuasive one or a common narrative, or even an expository essay. As a result, choosing a relevant outline and structure will help you to distinguish our mentioned types and nail the one you’ve picked. Professional essay writers at StudyCrumb might help you with that.  

Persuasive Essay Outline

We will start with how to write a  persuasive essay outline  and the similar one is an  argumentative essay outline . You can find the structure itself down below. But we wanted to remind you of several things. Students often forget to cite their sources. So it is rather a good idea to include not only the evidence but citations and sources when outlining.  

• Catchy hook to engage your reader
• Background information  on your topic
• Thesis statement (mention all points that will be discussed in body paragraphs)
• Paragraph 1 with supporting evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Paragraph 2 with evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Paragraph 3 with evidence proving your point (+Topic Sentence)
• Rephrase a thesis statement
• Conclude all points leaving a final impression

Narrative Essay Outline

We also know how to write a narrative essay outline . This type of article tries to tell a story, and that is why it is called narrative. Our best stories will have a rising action, climax, and a falling action. But to time everything perfectly and make sure your readers are at the address of the receipt, outlining is your best friend. Besides, not to forget the information you wanted to include, our structure below will help you write a very good narrative article.

• Scene setting
• Mentioning your purpose of writing
• Rising action
• Climax (some epic event)
• Falling action (conflict resolution)
• Moral of your story or possible lessons

Expository Essay Outline

An expository essay outline is very close to our previous options. It includes the same points. So you also start with an introduction, follow with three body paragraphs and finalize everything with a conclusion. Trust us: the process of writing will be much easier with such structure. Hence, our key for a good essay is right here:  

• Topic background
• Topic sentence
• Supporting explanation
• Supporting example that backs up your topic sentence and explanation
• Summarizing or concluding statement
• Rephrase your thesis
• Summarize and connect your key points
• Leave a final impression with recommendations

Informative Essay Outline

Outline for an informative essay follows an already well-known structure. Don’t forget that your body paragraphs should have lots of details and relevant information. Each claim must be supported. Therefore, every article has a specific order that cannot be broken. If you don’t follow the structure, your argument may not be as strong as the ones following the given order.

• Topic background (general information)
• Supporting pieces of evidence
• Transition and concluding statement
• Leave a final impression with recommendations or future developments

Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

Compare and contrast essay outline  will definitely be useful. A lot of colleges and schools like this type of essay because this is a good practice of analytical skills. It is natural because you have a lot of information and evidence. Besides, you're comparing different items, and tracking them might be a challenge for everyone. Out of all essays, this one, above all, needs a good structure. So make sure you understand the difference between your subjects, include evidence, and focus on your thesis statement:  

• Topic sentence 1
• Subject 1: Detail 1
• Subject 2: Detail 1

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

Your rhetorical analysis essay outline is our last one, so we hope you’re happy. Just like you always do, include evidence to support your argument and do research before the actual writing. In our rhetorical analysis, you have to highlight the strategies and approaches the author used in their text. Therefore, the good idea is to use quotations from the text.

• General information
• Used rhetorical strategies
• How well the strategy works in this example? Provide quotes from the text
• Reasons behind picking these approaches and not any other

Outline Example for Essay

So far, we have told you about the stages you should follow to make up a plan for your future essay. It is more convenient to have an outline essay example in front. This will help to create an effective plan and then compile a really good writing piece based on it. The main thing is to include as much information as possible into your plan; our outline template for essay will help you with this task. Don't forget to  buy essay now if you're still not sure whether you'll be doing this task. 

Final Thoughts on Writing an Essay Outline

Awesome job because now you know  how to quickly write an essay outline. A quick reminder before we wrap this up. You create an outline or write down the structure to keep track of all the information. Don’t forget that different types of academic papers and articles require their respective structures. So save this guide in order not to lose them.  

You can always rely on our essay writing service. Backed by unrivalled experience, our writer will be happy to provide you with the fantastic result in a timely manner.  

FAQ About Outline for Essay

1. what is the topic outline.

An essay topic outline is a process of arranging your ideas. This structure can show you the higher key or gradation of your main points. Therefore, you have your main point or argument and several sub-points. It is up to you to arrange them in order of importance and highlight the most crucial ones.

2. How long is an outline for an essay?

An outline for the essay doesn’t really have a fixed length. In many cases, you’ll be the only one who sees the structure. But if your research paper is around 15 or 20 pages, then your structure should be no longer than several pages. Normally, one or two pages are quite enough to include everything you need.

3. What are the disadvantages of outlining methods?

Outlining method for essays definitely has some disadvantages. So here’s a quick list for you to remember:

• It takes time to write down and organize your structure.
• It requires more thought and accuracy than common outlining.
• It is challenging to find a format that will show all your details, including the relationships between your variables and points.

4. How do you capitalize an outline?

An essay outline also has its own format. In case you’re using a topic outline, you should capitalize only the first letter of the word that opens your heading. Of course, proper nouns are also capitalized. Finally, we don’t use complete sentences, so end punctuation is unnecessary.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Key facts about the abortion debate in America

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade – the decision that had guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion for nearly 50 years – has shifted the legal battle over abortion to the states, with some prohibiting the procedure and others moving to safeguard it.

As the nation’s post-Roe chapter begins, here are key facts about Americans’ views on abortion, based on two Pew Research Center polls: one conducted from June 25-July 4 , just after this year’s high court ruling, and one conducted in March , before an earlier leaked draft of the opinion became public.

This analysis primarily draws from two Pew Research Center surveys, one surveying 10,441 U.S. adults conducted March 7-13, 2022, and another surveying 6,174 U.S. adults conducted June 27-July 4, 2022. Here are the questions used for the March survey , along with responses, and the questions used for the survey from June and July , along with responses.

Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

A majority of the U.S. public disapproves of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe. About six-in-ten adults (57%) disapprove of the court’s decision that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee a right to abortion and that abortion laws can be set by states, including 43% who strongly disapprove, according to the summer survey. About four-in-ten (41%) approve, including 25% who strongly approve.

About eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (82%) disapprove of the court’s decision, including nearly two-thirds (66%) who strongly disapprove. Most Republicans and GOP leaners (70%) approve , including 48% who strongly approve.

Most women (62%) disapprove of the decision to end the federal right to an abortion. More than twice as many women strongly disapprove of the court’s decision (47%) as strongly approve of it (21%). Opinion among men is more divided: 52% disapprove (37% strongly), while 47% approve (28% strongly).

About six-in-ten Americans (62%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to the summer survey – little changed since the March survey conducted just before the ruling. That includes 29% of Americans who say it should be legal in all cases and 33% who say it should be legal in most cases. About a third of U.S. adults (36%) say abortion should be illegal in all (8%) or most (28%) cases.

Generally, Americans’ views of whether abortion should be legal remained relatively unchanged in the past few years , though support fluctuated somewhat in previous decades.

Relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the legality of abortion – either supporting or opposing it at all times, regardless of circumstances. The March survey found that support or opposition to abortion varies substantially depending on such circumstances as when an abortion takes place during a pregnancy, whether the pregnancy is life-threatening or whether a baby would have severe health problems.

While Republicans’ and Democrats’ views on the legality of abortion have long differed, the 46 percentage point partisan gap today is considerably larger than it was in the recent past, according to the survey conducted after the court’s ruling. The wider gap has been largely driven by Democrats: Today, 84% of Democrats say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, up from 72% in 2016 and 63% in 2007. Republicans’ views have shown far less change over time: Currently, 38% of Republicans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, nearly identical to the 39% who said this in 2007.

However, the partisan divisions over whether abortion should generally be legal tell only part of the story. According to the March survey, sizable shares of Democrats favor restrictions on abortion under certain circumstances, while majorities of Republicans favor abortion being legal in some situations , such as in cases of rape or when the pregnancy is life-threatening.

There are wide religious divides in views of whether abortion should be legal , the summer survey found. An overwhelming share of religiously unaffiliated adults (83%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do six-in-ten Catholics. Protestants are divided in their views: 48% say it should be legal in all or most cases, while 50% say it should be illegal in all or most cases. Majorities of Black Protestants (71%) and White non-evangelical Protestants (61%) take the position that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while about three-quarters of White evangelicals (73%) say it should be illegal in all (20%) or most cases (53%).

In the March survey, 72% of White evangelicals said that the statement “human life begins at conception, so a fetus is a person with rights” reflected their views extremely or very well . That’s much greater than the share of White non-evangelical Protestants (32%), Black Protestants (38%) and Catholics (44%) who said the same. Overall, 38% of Americans said that statement matched their views extremely or very well.

Catholics, meanwhile, are divided along religious and political lines in their attitudes about abortion, according to the same survey. Catholics who attend Mass regularly are among the country’s strongest opponents of abortion being legal, and they are also more likely than those who attend less frequently to believe that life begins at conception and that a fetus has rights. Catholic Republicans, meanwhile, are far more conservative on a range of abortion questions than are Catholic Democrats.

Women (66%) are more likely than men (57%) to say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to the survey conducted after the court’s ruling.

More than half of U.S. adults – including 60% of women and 51% of men – said in March that women should have a greater say than men in setting abortion policy . Just 3% of U.S. adults said men should have more influence over abortion policy than women, with the remainder (39%) saying women and men should have equal say.

The March survey also found that by some measures, women report being closer to the abortion issue than men . For example, women were more likely than men to say they had given “a lot” of thought to issues around abortion prior to taking the survey (40% vs. 30%). They were also considerably more likely than men to say they personally knew someone (such as a close friend, family member or themselves) who had had an abortion (66% vs. 51%) – a gender gap that was evident across age groups, political parties and religious groups.

Relatively few Americans view the morality of abortion in stark terms , the March survey found. Overall, just 7% of all U.S. adults say having an abortion is morally acceptable in all cases, and 13% say it is morally wrong in all cases. A third say that having an abortion is morally wrong in most cases, while about a quarter (24%) say it is morally acceptable in most cases. An additional 21% do not consider having an abortion a moral issue.

Among Republicans, most (68%) say that having an abortion is morally wrong either in most (48%) or all cases (20%). Only about three-in-ten Democrats (29%) hold a similar view. Instead, about four-in-ten Democrats say having an abortion is morally  acceptable  in most (32%) or all (11%) cases, while an additional 28% say it is not a moral issue. 

White evangelical Protestants overwhelmingly say having an abortion is morally wrong in most (51%) or all cases (30%). A slim majority of Catholics (53%) also view having an abortion as morally wrong, but many also say it is morally acceptable in most (24%) or all cases (4%), or that it is not a moral issue (17%). Among religiously unaffiliated Americans, about three-quarters see having an abortion as morally acceptable (45%) or not a moral issue (32%).

• Religion & Abortion

Jane Doe is a a research analyst focusing on social and demographic research at Pew Research Center

What the data says about abortion in the U.S.

Support for legal abortion is widespread in many countries, especially in europe, nearly a year after roe’s demise, americans’ views of abortion access increasingly vary by where they live, by more than two-to-one, americans say medication abortion should be legal in their state, most latinos say democrats care about them and work hard for their vote, far fewer say so of gop, most popular.

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I'm a mom of 2 and have had a nanny share for 5 years. It makes childcare cheaper, but the logistics can be complicated.

• A nanny share is when two or more families have one nanny taking care of their kids. 
• Sharing a nanny can reduce the cost for the families and have more flexible schedules. 
• But they can also come with a lot of logistic and planning which can be overwhelming. 

As a working mom of two, I know that navigating the confusing — and expensive — world of childcare can be stressful. There are several factors to consider, and what works for one family may not work for another. After plenty of discussion, my family landed on a nanny share .

If you're not familiar, a nanny share is an arrangement where kids from two or more families are cared for by one nanny . The families "share" the nanny. Nanny shares typically involve kids who are around the same age so that their schedules and stages of development align.

In over five years of nanny shares, here's what I've learned.

There are tradeoffs

Kids in a nanny share benefit from socialization since they spend time with another child, but they still get more personalized attention than they might get from a larger childcare environment. They also have less exposure to the typical day care germs , which means less missed work for parents.

There are financial benefits , too. Typically, families pay a nanny in a share two-thirds of a standard nanny rate. So each family pays less than they would for a private nanny, and the nanny makes more than they would working for just one family.

But there are downsides. Since personal relationships are involved, nanny shares feel less transactional than a day care environment. As with any relationship, there can be times of tension, and you might have to have some tough conversations .

Related stories

While nanny shares can have a lot of flexibility with schedules during the day, they have less flexibility with total hours of care. Many daycares have extended hours, but nanny hours are defined unless you plan ahead and pay more. Finally, even though you save money compared to a private nanny, shares still tend to be more expensive than larger childcare environments.

There are a lot of logistics

You have flexibility with a nanny share, but that also means you have to sort through logistics. Talking through how your kids and nanny will move through the day can help identify where you want to dig in and discuss more.

Where and when will the kids nap? Where will they eat? Who will provide another travel crib and high chair? If you're alternating houses, who will bring these items back and forth, and when? How do you feel about outings? Do you need a double stroller and car seats in the nanny's car? If so, how will the families split the cost? Are there any older siblings in either family that might require occasional care? These are all questions the families should be asking before setting up a share.

Have a detailed contract

To make sure that everyone is on the same page, it's important to get as much information in writing as possible. A contract should outline things like job requirements, expectations for paid time off, sick policies, and termination rights. The more you can anticipate up front, the better.

Everyone should have a chance to review and weigh in before the contract is signed.

Hosting has its benefits and drawbacks

In a nanny share, either one family hosts consistently or the two families alternate hosting. There are tradeoffs for each scenario.

The family that hosts gets the convenience of avoiding a commute and not having to pack up all of their child's belongings each day. However, they deal with some wear and tear. We've had toys broken and books ripped. Share hosts also have to store extra items, like a high chair and pack-and-play.

Sometimes, families easily agree on hosting — maybe one family doesn't have enough space to host, or a parent works from home and doesn't want to be distracted. I personally preferred to host when my kids were little so that I could breastfeed during the day when possible.

My family loves having a nanny share

As with most decisions, there are pros and cons to nanny shares. Since we all have different preferences and priorities, whether to move forward with a nanny share will depend on how you personally weigh the pros and cons.

There have been lessons learned and bumps in the road, but for my family, the benefits of a nanny share outweighed any downsides.

Watch: Why childcare has become so unaffordable

• Main content

Israel-Iran tensions updates: Calls for calm as ‘drones downed’ in Isfahan

Tensions have soared in the Middle East more than six months into Israel’s war on Gaza.

This live page is now closed. You can follow our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza here .

• Iran has fired air defence batteries to shoot down three drones over Isfahan, according to state media, as regional tensions rise following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel after an attack against its diplomatic premises in Syria.
• Unnamed United States officials have told US media that Israel launched an attack against a site in Iran, but the Israeli army has yet to comment.
• Italy’s foreign minister says the US was given a last-minute warning about the attack on Iran.
• Flights in several Iranian cities were briefly suspended. There were also reports of explosions in Syria and Iraq.
• The escalation comes more than six months into Israel’s devastating war on the Gaza Strip , which has killed more than 34,000 people, and heightens fears of a spiral of violence across the region.

That’s a wrap from us

Thank you for joining us for updates on the rising regional tensions after a suspected Israeli attack on Iran amid Israel’s war on Gaza.

We have you covered.

You can read our news story here , our global reaction piece here , and our explainer here .

And you can follow all the latest developments in Israel’s war on Gaza by reading our 24-hour live coverage here .

Here’s what’s happened today

We’ll be closing this live page soon. But before that, let’s have a quick recap of the day’s events:

• Iran says its air defence systems shot down three drones in Isfahan province early in the morning. There were no reports of damages, but an investigation is under way to determine where the drones were launched from and who was behind the attack, officials said.
• Israeli officials have not commented, but the reports came after Israel threatened to attack Iran following Iran’s retaliatory strikes on April 13. Meanwhile, unnamed US officials told media outlets that Israel had launched an attack on Iran.
• Iranian officials have sought to downplay the attack, with a senior official saying there was no plan for retaliation.
• There were also reports that mini-drones were flown by “infiltrators from inside”.
• While countries around the world called for de-escalation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken refused to comment on the reported Israeli attack, only saying after the conclusion of Group of Seven (G7) talks in Italy that the United States “has not been involved in any offensive operation”.
• Even so, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the US told the G7 foreign ministers that it received “last minute” information about the attack on Iran.

Attacks by Iran and Israel set ‘precedent’

This month’s escalation between Israel and Iran has set an important precedent, according to Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst.

“In these past weeks, a threshold has been crossed: For the first time in 45 years, Iran and Israel exchanged direct attacks on their sovereign territory – this is new,” Bishara said.

“That has set a precedent that we can no longer overlook, and we can no longer say ‘This is not going to be repeated’. There is a very good possibility, especially because it did not deteriorate too far.”

And because the attacks have been contained, “we could probably see more in the future”, Bishara said.

Turkish, Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional developments: Report

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have spoken over the phone to discuss the recent developments in the region following the reported explosions in Isfahan, according to Anadolu news agency.

Anadolu quoted sources as saying that the phone call was made at the request of the Iranian side, without sharing further information.

Afifeh Abedi, an Iran analyst, said that it is likely that Ankara “has become a channel” for exchanging messages between Iran and the US.

“It seems that this call was made to convey Tehran’s message to Washington after the events in Isfahan,” she wrote on X.

Earlier, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it is “closely” monitoring the recent developments in the region, and called on all parties to refrain from steps that could lead to a wider conflict.

“In light of the latest developments, it is becoming increasingly evident that the tensions that were initially caused by Israel’s illegal attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus risk turning into a permanent conflict,” a ministry statement said.

Global calls for ‘de-escalation’

From Germany and Russia to Japan and Egypt, countries around the world have called for “de-escalation” following the suspected Israeli attack in Iran.

Here’ s how the world has reacted.

Meanwhile in Gaza, death toll rises to 34,012

We’re taking a quick break from the live coverage on the rising tensions between Israel and Iran to bring you the latest from Gaza, where the death toll in more than six months of Israeli attacks has now topped 34,000.

According to the latest figures by the Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 42 people were killed and 63 wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period.

These figures bring the overall number of people killed since October 7 to 34,012, with 76,833 wounded.

You can follow our coverage on Israel’s war on Gaza here .

‘Clear this was going to be a limited exchange’

Al Jazeera's senior political analyst

Iranian officials say they don’t have a plan to retaliate – and that’s not surprising.

I think it was very clear from the very beginning that this was going to be a limited exchange, just as we’ve seen between Israel and Hezbollah.

So there’s a certain that there is hostility, that there is an exchange of hostilities, but that it will always be somehow contained.

Iran is not interested in a direct confrontation with Israel because conventional war between Iran and Israel – backed by the US and other Western power – is not to Iran’s advantage.

Iran has preferred for the past 40-plus years to engage in asymmetrical, indirect, proxy wars with Israel rather than direct conflicts.

What is clear is that Israel hit, but it was not the kind of hit that is meant to cause civilian damage or to humiliate Iran but to satisfy Israeli military ambition without angering the US.

Iran’s former top diplomat says attack on Iran a ‘diversion’ from Gaza

Mohammad Javad Zarif has condemned the “reckless fireworks” carried out in Iran’s city of Isfahan, urging world leaders to instead focus on “ending Israeli transgressions” in its ongoing war on Gaza.

In a statement posted on X, the former Iranian foreign minister said nothing should divert international public opinion from “Israel’s atrocities”.

“Genocide continues apace in Gaza,” said the chief Iranian negotiator of the ill-fated 2015 nuclear deal with the US and world powers.

He also criticised the US veto on the UN Security Council resolution on Palestine’s UN membership, saying it was “clearly a step in the wrong direction”.

Zarif added that the council’s failure to condemn the April 1 strike on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria compelled Iran to invoke its right to self-defence, referring to the April 13 attack on Israel.

No signs of appetite to further escalate situation

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

An investigation is under way to determine where the drones were launched from and who was behind the attack, but according to Iranian officials nothing has been damaged.

The IAEA has also said there is no damage sustained to any of the country’s six nuclear facilities.

Things are still very tense and whether or not this is the final response by Israel is unclear.

But what is clear is that this attack has been successfully repelled by Iran and its forces for the time being. Whether or not anything else will happen in the coming hours or days remains to be seen, but for now there doesn’t seem to be any appetite here to further escalate the situation between Iran and Israel.

Are Israel and Iran seeking a way out of escalatory cycle?

Some analysts say the limited nature of the suspected Israeli attack in Iran and the restrained reactions among Iranian officials suggest that both parties are looking to de-escalate the tensions in the region.

• “We seem to be at a moment when both sides are seeking to exit the current escalatory cycle, with Israel conducting a very limited attack to demonstrate some response to the Iranian strikes and Tehran quickly playing down the incident in order not to be compelled to respond,” said Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “For the moment, neither side want a direct war,” he told AFP.
• “What should be emphasised is a quasi-symmetry between the two strikes. There is a certain restraint on both sides,” said Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World in Geneva. “Objective indications show us that for the Iranians this is a closed matter, and that for the Iranians, more than the Israelis, there is no interest in this tension continuing.”

WATCH: What is Israel’s goal?

A Middle East analyst says Israel appears intent on “dragging the region into war”.

Watch his interview with Al Jazeera below:

UN chief says ‘high time to stop dangerous cycle’ of retaliation

In a carefully worded statement that does not mention the latest attack on Iran, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that “it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation” in the Middle East.

“The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond,” Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in the statement.

Five things to know about Isfahan

News of an attack on Iran has brought attention to the central city of Isfahan, which once served as the capital of the Persian Empire during the Safavid dynasty.

In January 2023, a military factory belonging to the Iranian army in Isfahan was also attacked by multiple drones. The province of Isfahan is home to Iran’s main nuclear site, Natanz .

Here are five things to know about Isfahan:

• From 1598 to 1736, Isfahan served as the capital during the rule of the Safavid dynasty.
• Shah Abbas made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest cities in the world during the 17th century, leading to the coining of the phrase, Isfahan nesf-e-jahan ast (Isfahan is half of the world) to highlight the city’s importance as a seat of power.
• The city has a population of approximately 2.2 million, making it the third-most populous city in Iran, after the modern capital, Tehran, and Mashhad, a religious centre in the country.
• Counting the greater Isfahan province’s population of four million, it is considered as the second-largest metropolitan area of modern-day Iran.
• The UNESCO World Heritage site, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, is located in Isfahan. Constructed between 1598 and 1629, it is considered one of the largest ancient squares in the world. Next to it is the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest bazaars in the Middle East.

Here’s what happened at G7 meeting after attack

The rising tensions in the Middle East dominated discussions as the G7 foreign ministers met in the Italian island of Capri:

• Addressing reporters after the talks ended, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken refused to comment on the reported Israeli attack against Iran, only saying that the US “has not been involved in any offensive operation”.
• Blinken added the G7’s focus is on de-escalation. Asked to describe the current US-Israel relationship, Blinken noted that Israel makes its own decisions, but the US is committed to its security.
• His comments came after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the US told the G7 ministers that it received “last minute” information about the attack on Iran.
• The G7 ministers’ communique, meanwhile, warned of new sanctions against Iran for its April 13 drone and missile attack on Israel and called on both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.

Timeline: How Iran-Israel tensions escalated since October 7

Our colleagues in the Al Jazeera Explainers team have put together a comprehensive timeline detailing how tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated since the start of the war on Gaza.

You can find out more here .

All Blinken says is US not involved in offensive action

Reporting from Capri, Italy

Antony Blinken reiterated the message of de-escalation and also said that the US has not been involved in any conflict alongside Israel, in terms of the strikes in the early hours of the morning on Iran.

He wouldn’t be drawn on whether the US had received prior warning from Israel as it’s being reported, therefore whether the G7 ministers themselves had received that warning via US channels, nor he would be drawn on the question of whether he thought that G7 pressure had helped in getting Israel to limit its strike.

The Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, though confirmed that both of those things had happened.

Iran’s army says ready for any further air attacks

Kioumars Heydari, the commander-in-chief of the ground forces of the Iranian army, says Iran remains vigilant to confront any other potential aerial threats.

“If suspicious flying objects appear in the sky of the country, they will be targeted by our powerful air defence,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run IRNA ahead of Friday prayers in Tehran.

“Even though last night’s objects were suspicious, our country’s defences reacted intelligently.”

Heydari also said Iran’s April 13 attacks on Israel “showed that the Islamic republic has the upper hand in the region and can establish security without the interference of any foreign power”.

Lufthansa, subsidiaries suspend flights to Israel amid tensions with Iran

The German airline Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Swiss and Austrian Airlines said all flights to Israel are temporary suspended.

Four flights scheduled between Friday and 7am (05:00 GMT) on Saturday have been cancelled so far, a Lufthansa spokesman told dpa news agency.

US got last-minute warning about attack on Iran: Italy FM

The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers that it received “last minute” information about the attack on Iran, Italy’s foreign minister said.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Capri that the US provided the information at a morning session that was changed at the last minute to address the attack.

Tajani said the US told the G7 ministers that it had been “informed at the last minute” about the attack.

“But there was no sharing of the attack by the US. It was a mere information.”

He also said that Italians living in Iran were all accounted for and “without problems”.

Iranian president makes no mention of Isfahan attack in new speech

Ebrahim Raisi is on a visit to Damghan, in the central province of Semnan, where he made a speech but made no mention of the attack on Isfahan.

He mostly discussed local affairs, remaining focused on the goals of provincial trips that he has been making across the country since assuming power – but he did talk about the April 13 attack on Israel.

“Operation True Promise led to authority, unity and cohesion in the country,” Raisi said. “Today, all political groups and factions believe that this response was necessary and a big honour for the country.”

Iran’s army has said the Isfahan attack is being investigated and further information will be made public later.

Blinken says US not involved in offensive operation, does not confirm Israeli attack

The US secretary of state, taking questions in Capri, has refused to comment on the reported Israeli attack against Iran.

“I’m not going to speak to that, except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operation,” Blinken told reporters.

‘Desperate attempt’ failed: Iranian MP

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian parliament from Isfahan, says the “desperate attempt” from Israel “with the help of local agents” had “failed and brought new disgrace for them”.

“Let them know that we are at peak readiness to protect our dear Iran,” he wrote on X.

Blinken delivers statement

The US secretary of state is speaking to reporters in Capri, where he attended the G7 meeting.

So far, Antony Blinken has yet to mention this morning’s reported Israeli attack in Iran.

He did say, however, that the US is committed to Israel’s security and to “de-escalation” in the Middle East.

We’ll bring you more shortly.

Foreign minister says Russia told Israel ‘Iran doesn’t want escalation’

Sergey Lavrov says Russia has held conversations with both the Iranian and Israeli sides.

In an interview with Russian radio stations, the foreign minister said:  “There have been telephone contacts between the leadership of Russia and Iran, our representatives and the Israelis.”

He added: “We made it very clear in these conversations, we told the Israelis that Iran does not want escalation.”

WATCH: Breaking down attack in Iran

Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays says Iran appears to be downplaying the suspected Israeli attack.

Watch the video below:

Dolphins need an offensive tackle. Who should they target in NFL draft? Ranking 5 best options

The Dolphins should be set with starting offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson for the upcoming season.

But general manager Chris Grier must look further ahead.

The Dolphins could be set with backup offensive tackle Kendall Lamm, Kion Smith and Jack Driscoll for the upcoming season.

But Grier, well, you know.

Everyone knows Armstead may retire after this season. And everyone knows Armstead has missed time with myriad injuries in recent seasons.

The Dolphins don't have to select a pure tackle in Round 1.

They could select Troy Fautana of Washington , who can play guard and tackle, or Graham Barton of Duke , who can play center, guard or tackle.

Or, of course, they could select an edge rusher or defensive tackle or even wide receiver.

If Miami were to pass on an offensive tackle in the first round, they could circle back to Jared Morgan (Arizona), Kingsley Suamataia (BYU) or Roger Rosengarten (Washington) in Round 2.

There is a lot of offensive line depth in this draft.

Joe Alt of Notre Dame will be a Top 10 pick.

But Miami may very well be looking at one or two of the five players listed below if available when Pick 21 comes around on Thursday night.

We felt it was important to outline the strengths of these five first-round tackles:

Dolphins NFL draft tackle targets in Round 1:

Round 1, pick 21: olumuyiwa fashanu, t, penn st..

Fashanu probably won't make it to 21, but my gosh, if he did. Fashanu is a left tackle with big-time upside to succeed Armstead as soon as 2025 and provide insurance in 2024. Matt Miller of ESPN even comps Fashanu to Armstead! Olu has prototypical size, is powerful and competitive. Fashanu blocked for presumed first overall pick Caleb Williams in high school. If Fashanu were to slip it would be because he's not perceived as a finished product and can add strength. Some parts of Fashanu's scouting remind us of Austin Jackson USC's report.

Round 1, Pick 21: Taliese Fuaga, T/G, Oregon St.

Fuaga has played right tackle but he should be able to make a conversion to left tackle or right or left guard in the NFL. He played both left tackle and guard in high school. Fuaga is massive and has familiarity with the zone-based scheme used by Miami. He's aggressive and has a good combination of size and balance. Fuaga has awareness and is a dominant run blocker. Scouts believe Fuaga has Pro Bowl potential.

Round 1, Pick 21: JC Latham, T, Alabama

Latham has played right tackle but he should be able to make the conversion to left tackle or guard in the NFL. He played left tackle in high school. Latham is 6-foot-6, 342 pounds and has said he would wrestle a grizzly bear. Our kind of guy, He's a bulldozer. He's physical. He's aggressive. He's a former defensive lineman. He has huge hands and is a powerful mauler.

Round 1, Pick 21: Tyler Guyton, T, Oklahoma

Guyton has played right tackle but should be able to make the conversion to left tackle or guard in the NFL. A former defensive lineman, Guyton has limited experience and a high ceiling. Guyton, 6-foot-8 with hoop history - is fluid and smooth and aware. Like Austin Jackson when he was coming out of college, Guyton will need to add strength and power. He'll work on his run blocking but projects as an elite pass blocker.

Round 1, Pick 21: Amarius Mims, T, Georgia

Mims is a massive - 6-foot-8, 340 pound - right tackle who may or may not be able to play left tackle in the NFL. Mims had some practice reps there at Georgia but not game reps there or at guard. Mims is a developmental prospect with only eight college starts. He also allowed no sacks and had no holds in those starts. Mimis has strong hands and pretty encouraging technique in pass block sets. He needs to refine run-blocking tool box.

Dolphins tackle depth chart

Terron Armstead - Pro Bowler and stud, when healthy.

Austin Jackson - Reaching his potential now.

Kendall Lamm - Valuable backup left tackle.

Kion Smith - A worthwhile developmental prospect.

Jack Driscoll - A top backup at guard and tackle.

Ryan Hayes - Developmental prospect.

Dolphins NFL draft picks: List of selections in 2024

• Round 1, Pick 21
• Round 2, Pick 55
• Round 5, Pick 158
• Round 6, Pick 184 (from Chicago)
• Round 6, Pick 198
• Round 7, Pick 241

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post . You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe . Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter . Help support our work by subscribing today.

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6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When

• Rebecca Knight

Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances call for different approaches.

Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. But what if you feel like you’re not equipped to take on a new and different leadership style — let alone more than one? In this article, the author outlines the six leadership styles Daniel Goleman first introduced in his 2000 HBR article, “Leadership That Gets Results,” and explains when to use each one. The good news is that personality is not destiny. Even if you’re naturally introverted or you tend to be driven by data and analysis rather than emotion, you can still learn how to adapt different leadership styles to organize, motivate, and direct your team.

Much has been written about common leadership styles and how to identify the right style for you, whether it’s transactional or transformational, bureaucratic or laissez-faire. But according to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, “Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.”

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Guest Essay

What Sentencing Could Look Like if Trump Is Found Guilty

By Norman L. Eisen

Mr. Eisen is the author of “Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial.”

For all the attention to and debate over the unfolding trial of Donald Trump in Manhattan, there has been surprisingly little of it paid to a key element: its possible outcome and, specifically, the prospect that a former and potentially future president could be sentenced to prison time.

The case — brought by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, against Mr. Trump — represents the first time in our nation’s history that a former president is a defendant in a criminal trial. As such, it has generated lots of debate about the case’s legal strength and integrity, as well as its potential impact on Mr. Trump’s efforts to win back the White House.

A review of thousands of cases in New York that charged the same felony suggests something striking: If Mr. Trump is found guilty, incarceration is an actual possibility. It’s not certain, of course, but it is plausible.

Jury selection has begun, and it’s not too soon to talk about what the possibility of a sentence, including a prison sentence, would look like for Mr. Trump, for the election and for the country — including what would happen if he is re-elected.

The case focuses on alleged interference in the 2016 election, which consisted of a hush-money payment Michael Cohen, the former president’s fixer at the time, made in 2016 to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump. Mr. Bragg is arguing that the cover-up cheated voters of the chance to fully assess Mr. Trump’s candidacy.

This may be the first criminal trial of a former president in American history, but if convicted, Mr. Trump’s fate is likely to be determined by the same core factors that guide the sentencing of every criminal defendant in New York State Court.

Comparable cases. The first factor is the base line against which judges measure all sentences: how other defendants have been treated for similar offenses. My research encompassed almost 10,000 cases of felony falsifying business records that have been prosecuted across the state of New York since 2015. Over a similar period, the Manhattan D.A. has charged over 400 of these cases . In roughly the first year of Mr. Bragg’s tenure, his team alone filed 166 felony counts for falsifying business records against 34 people or companies.

Contrary to claims that there will be no sentence of incarceration for falsifying business records, when a felony conviction involves serious misconduct, defendants can be sentenced to some prison time. My analysis of the most recent data indicates that approximately one in 10 cases in which the most serious charge at arraignment is falsifying business records in the first degree and in which the court ultimately imposes a sentence, results in a term of imprisonment.

To be clear, these cases generally differ from Mr. Trump’s case in one important respect: They typically involve additional charges besides just falsifying records. That clearly complicates what we might expect if Mr. Trump is convicted.

Nevertheless, there are many previous cases involving falsifying business records along with other charges where the conduct was less serious than is alleged against Mr. Trump and prison time was imposed. For instance, Richard Luthmann was accused of attempting to deceive voters — in his case, impersonating New York political figures on social media in an attempt to influence campaigns. He pleaded guilty to three counts of falsifying business records in the first degree (as well as to other charges). He received a sentence of incarceration on the felony falsification counts (although the sentence was not solely attributable to the plea).

A defendant in another case was accused of stealing in excess of $50,000 from her employer and, like in this case, falsifying one or more invoices as part of the scheme. She was indicted on a single grand larceny charge and ultimately pleaded guilty to one felony count of business record falsification for a false invoice of just under $10,000. She received 364 days in prison.

To be sure, for a typical first-time offender charged only with run-of-the-mill business record falsification, a prison sentence would be unlikely. On the other hand, Mr. Trump is being prosecuted for 34 counts of conduct that might have changed the course of American history.

Seriousness of the crime. Mr. Bragg alleges that Mr. Trump concealed critical information from voters (paying hush money to suppress an extramarital relationship) that could have harmed his campaign, particularly if it came to light after the revelation of another scandal — the “Access Hollywood” tape . If proved, that could be seen not just as unfortunate personal judgment but also, as Justice Juan Merchan has described it, an attempt “to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.”

History and character. To date, Mr. Trump has been unrepentant about the events alleged in this case. There is every reason to believe that will not change even if he is convicted, and lack of remorse is a negative at sentencing. Justice Merchan’s evaluation of Mr. Trump’s history and character may also be informed by the other judgments against him, including Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling that Mr. Trump engaged in repeated and persistent business fraud, a jury finding that he sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll and a related defamation verdict by a second jury.

Justice Merchan may also weigh the fact that Mr. Trump has been repeatedly held in contempt , warned , fined and gagged by state and federal judges. That includes for statements he made that exposed witnesses, individuals in the judicial system and their families to danger. More recently, Mr. Trump made personal attacks on Justice Merchan’s daughter, resulting in an extension of the gag order in the case. He now stands accused of violating it again by commenting on witnesses.

What this all suggests is that a term of imprisonment for Mr. Trump, while far from certain for a former president, is not off the table. If he receives a sentence of incarceration, perhaps the likeliest term is six months, although he could face up to four years, particularly if Mr. Trump chooses to testify, as he said he intends to do , and the judge believes he lied on the stand . Probation is also available, as are more flexible approaches like a sentence of spending every weekend in jail for a year.

We will probably know what the judge will do within 30 to 60 days of the end of the trial, which could run into mid-June. If there is a conviction, that would mean a late summer or early fall sentencing.

Justice Merchan would have to wrestle in the middle of an election year with the potential impact of sentencing a former president and current candidate.

If Mr. Trump is sentenced to a period of incarceration, the reaction of the American public will probably be as polarized as our divided electorate itself. Yet as some polls suggest — with the caveat that we should always be cautious of polls early in the race posing hypothetical questions — many key swing state voters said they would not vote for a felon.

If Mr. Trump is convicted and then loses the presidential election, he will probably be granted bail, pending an appeal, which will take about a year. That means if any appeals are unsuccessful, he will most likely have to serve any sentence starting sometime next year. He will be sequestered with his Secret Service protection; if it is less than a year, probably in Rikers Island. His protective detail will probably be his main company, since Mr. Trump will surely be isolated from other inmates for his safety.

If Mr. Trump wins the presidential election, he can’t pardon himself because it is a state case. He will be likely to order the Justice Department to challenge his sentence, and department opinions have concluded that a sitting president could not be imprisoned, since that would prevent the president from fulfilling the constitutional duties of the office. The courts have never had to address the question, but they could well agree with the Justice Department.

So if Mr. Trump is convicted and sentenced to a period of incarceration, its ultimate significance is probably this: When the American people go to the polls in November, they will be voting on whether Mr. Trump should be held accountable for his original election interference.

What questions do you have about Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial so far?

Please submit them below. Our trial experts will respond to a selection of readers in a future piece.

Norman L. Eisen investigated the 2016 voter deception allegations as counsel for the first impeachment and trial of Donald Trump and is the author of “Trying Trump: A Guide to His First Election Interference Criminal Trial.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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