Experiments in outlining
Digital companions
The bullet points and/or numbered formatting available in any word processor offer a great foundation for outlining. Importantly, you can indent to visualize the hierarchy or nesting of ideas. However, dedicated outlining apps offer additional functionality such as branching/tree options, collapsible headings, rearrangeable elements and more. If such features sound helpful to you, just run a search for 'outlining apps' and play with what's out there.
Colour coding
An outline needn't be black and white! You can use colour however you see fit, but let's look at two common ways to use colour in outlines:
- To track drafting progress, you assign colours to signify 'Complete' (perhaps green) and 'Not Yet Started' (perhaps red). You can also signify a middle grounds like 'In Progress' or 'Done But Need to Add Literature' (perhaps yellow). As you work on your rough draft, you update the highlighting in your outline. This lets you understand with a quick glance what you have completed so far, and where you should resume when setting goals for your next writing session.
- To code writing elements, you assign colours to signify 'moves' or elements of the writing. For example, blue might indicate claims, orange might indicate supporting evidence, and purple might indicate analysis of counterarguments. This approach can be helpful if you are working to deepen the criticality of your prose, as you can track how you are engaging with contrasting viewpoints and literature.
Going old school
Even tech-savvy writers can find merits in an 'old school' approach to outlining. You know how satisfying it is to cross items off a paper to-do list as you finish them? If you outline in a notebook, that same satisfaction awaits with each paragraph you draft! In all seriousness, some people find it easier to engage in the inventive, sloppy parts of writing via pencil rather than typing; somehow, a scrap of notebook paper can feel less daunting than a blank Word document. If you get overwhelmed or freeze up when you start to plan an essay structure, try going old school: it might help.
- Tip: Get crafty. Grab scissors to cut outline pieces into strips, or jot your ideas onto index cards or sticky notes. This will let you nimbly rearrange your points to build a structure that flows logically. (Just remember to pin the pieces in place or take a snapshot before your cat scatters that precious outline into every corner of the room. Ahem...)
Zoom in, zoom out, regroup
As silly as this might sound, one of the most important skills in academic writing is grouping: specifically, the critical thought you apply when grouping related ideas, and your ability to break a related group into logical subgroups as needed. When outlining, remember to think about comfortable paragraph lengths and the reader's experience. You might need to subdivide, consolidate or shuffle points in your outline as you draft.
- Subdivision example: In your outline, you allocated a single paragraph to focus on 'Inclusive nursing practices'. As you draft, that paragraph is becoming unwieldy, yet the material is all relevant to the assignment aims. Therefore, you regroup and amend your outline, converting one paragraph into three: 'Inclusive nursing: plain-speech communication', 'Inclusive nursing: LGBTQ+ patients', and 'Inclusive nursing: religiously diverse patients'.
- Consolidation example: An assignment asks you to consider the extent to which TikTok has influenced Gen-Z's attitudes towards the consumption of fast fashion. To build a foundation for the analysis, you want to define and explore relevant aspects of Gen-Z itself, so your outline first allocates three paragraphs to this purpose. However, as you draft, you 'zoom out' and realise this approach simply won't work given the assignment's maximum word count. Therefore, you cut the broadest or most general background on Gen-Z, consolidating the three envisioned paragraphs into one or two that maintain tighter, more relevant focus.
Bring an awareness of grouping to your outlining practice by critically considering the hierarchy or nesting of ideas. For longer assignments, it's helpful to think not just in terms of 'paragraphs > essay', but 'paragraphs > major sections > essay'.
