Writing Centre | Writing a Research Paper: Creating a Working Outline: Writing a Research Paper: Creating a Working

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The "rule of two": each "main topic" should contain at least two subtopics; subtopics, if followed by sub-subtopics, should again contain at least two.

Portion of a "good" outline	Portion of a "poor" outline
II. Body A. First Major Topic 1. Subtopic 2. Subtopic a. Sub-subtopic b. Sub-subtopic c. Sub-subtopic B. Second Major Topic	II. Body A. First Major Topic B. Second Major Topic 1. Subtopic a. Sub-subtopic C. Third Major Topic

Portion of a "good" outline

Portion of a "poor" outline

II. Body

            

            

            

            A.  First Major Topic

            

            

            

            1. Subtopic

            

            

            

            2. Subtopic

            

            

            

            a. Sub-subtopic

            

            

            

            b. Sub-subtopic

            

            

            

            c. Sub-subtopic

            

            

            

            B.  Second Major Topic

II. Body

            

            

            

            A.  First Major Topic

            

            

            

            B.  Second Major Topic

            

            

            

            1.  Subtopic

            

            

            

            a. Sub-subtopic

            

            

            

            C.  Third Major Topic