English 1A
Gavilan College

The Research Process

Step 7: Organize Your Points

An outline will help you keep your ideas organized, and it will help to map out the list of points you want to make to develop your thesis.  Outlines can be formal or informal to suit your needs

Informal Outline

As you first begin to shape your paper, an informal outline can be very useful for plotting out the progression of your main points.  An informal outline usually consists of a thesis and a list of supporting points. 

Thesis: While some feel that Ritalin is over-prescribed in the United States, it is actually the best treatment for those that suffer from ADD or ADHD.

  • ADD and ADHD is a chemical imbalance that only medication can treat
  • Ritalin is the fastest, most reliable way to treat the imbalance
  • Other methods are not as effective and can waste time
  • Doctors can closely monitor the child
  • Ritalin can work well in conjunction with other methods

 

Formal Outline  

The formal outline usually elaborates on the informal outline, adding in details to develop the main supporting points.  It's often helpful to list the number of pages you think you might spend on each supporting point, to get an idea of how long the whole paper will be.

Thesis: While some feel that Ritalin is over-prescribed in the United States, it is actually the best treatment for children who suffer from ADD or ADHD.

I.  Introduction:  (1 page)
  a. Introduce topic: Ritalin
  b. Thesis statement:  see above
  c. Summary of main supporting points

II.  ADD and ADHD is a chemical imbalance (1 page)
   a.  The fastest way to correct a chemical imbalance is through medication
   b.  Diet and other environmental changes can help, but won't be as effective without medical intervention

III.  Ritalin is the most effective medication to correct that imbalance. (2-3 pages)
   a.  How and why Ritalin works
   b.  Examples of children who benefited from Ritalin
   c.  Safety of Ritalin

IV. Other methods may not be as effective (2-3 pages)
   a.  We can waste years trying out unproven or experimental methods on children
   b.  ADD/ADHD can have serious effects on the child's learning process
   c.  Since these are critical learning years for the child, it's unfair to withhold safe, effective medication

V.  Doctors can closely monitor the child (1 page)
   a.  To minimize side effects
   b.  To modify dosage as necessary

VI.  Ritalin can work well in conjunction with other methods (2-3 pages)
   a.  Diet
   b.  Changes in routine or environment
   c.  Other types of medication

VII.  Conclusion:  Recap of ideas (1 page)

Note:  See the Hacker book for more examples of formal and informal outlines.

Next Step