Outlining – Writing About Literature

Historical Analysis – Outlining

Once you’ve decided what you want to say, it’s time to figure out how you want to say it. An outline is an excellent way to arrange the primary points of your essay in order to make the drafting process go more smoothly. The key elements of your analysis should be: introduction, thesis statement, body, and conclusion.

The introduction launches the essay in a certain direction. It provides the reader with a brief summary of the subject matter in order to orient them.

The thesis statement will boldly, clearly, and concisely state the claim that you plan to prove throughout the rest of your essay.

The body should be comprised of paragraphs that each serve an individual purpose. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that supports your thesis and is followed by textual and historical information to back it up.

The conclusion should summarize your argument, and make a final assertion (a restatement) of your thesis statement.

When outlining, include each piece of evidence you plan to use to support your topic sentences and, eventually, your thesis. This will ensure that you leave nothing out when you move on to the drafting process.

My Outlines
Though each of these drafts ended up going through changes that veered away from the original outline, the outlines served as a sort of launching point that helped me stay on track during the drafting process.

Draft One