1. Use the title of your paper as the title of your outline.
2. Write your thesis statement under your title.
3. Your introduction and conclusion are functional and are not represented in your outline. Use major divisions from your notecards as major divisions in your outline.
4. Indent subtopics so all letters or numbers of the same kind line up directly under one another.
5. Capitalize only the first letter of the first word in a main topic or subtopic (with the exception of proper nouns and proper adjectives).
6. Do not use a period at the end of every line unless you write a sentence outline.
7. Each main division or subtopic must have a minimum of two parts. For example, an A subtopic must be followed by a B subtopic.
8. Be consistent in maintaining grammatical parallel structure.
9. Remember to double-space your entire outline.

I.

A.

1.

a.

(1)

(a)

(b)

(2)

b.

2.

B.

II.

The following example is consistent in its use of short phrases in parallel structure.