Model Outline for Persuasive Research Paper

Creating an outline is a great way for you to organize your information and your thinking. When making an outline, you must consider your major points, break those major points into minor points, and decide where you will use information from your research to support those points.

If I were to write an essay arguing that the school should continue its one-to-one laptop program, the first thing I would need to do is determine my major points. These are, essentially, my reasons for my opinion. (My opinion is that the school should continue the laptop program. I have three reasons for this opinion. My reasons are: 1) Laptops enable students to learn and practice vital skills; 2) laptops provide easy access to important educational resources; and 3) contrary to popular belief, the laptop program actually saves money.)

Now that I have my three major points, I can begin breaking down my ideas and deciding which of my sources to use as support.

Below is an example of what the outline for my essay might look like. I am not going to fill out the introduction and conclusion sections. For now, I will just focus on the body of my paper. I can go back and complete the introduction and conclusion later on, when I actually know what I am introducing and concluding. The main points of my paper are highlighted. The length of your outline may vary depending on how many major and minor points you have to make in your paper.

Laptop Persuasive Research Paper Outline

  1. Introduction
  1. Attention-getter/Hook
  2. Problem
  3. Opinion
  4. Reasons for opinion
  1. Background information
  1. Overview of laptop program
  1. When it began
  2. Rationale for program
  1. Conflicting opinions
  1. Who is favor and why
  2. Who is against and why[MD1]
  1. Laptops enable students to learn and practice many skills that are vital to their success as students.
  1. Skills needed for high school
  1. Note taking
  2. Organization
  3. Quote from source
  4. Quote from source
  1. Skills need for college
  1. Programs
  2. Word, Excel, Power Point
  3. Other programs
  1. Skills needed for life
  1. Keep up with latest technology
  2. Good for competing in job market in the future
  1. Quote from source
  1. Teaches responsibility
  2. Quote from source
  3. Encourages independence
  4. Quote from source
  1. Laptops provide easy access to important educational resources.
  2. Anytime access to databases
  1. Research papers
  2. Required in every grade in high school
  3. Required in college
  1. Students who have access to and time to practice using this course will have an advantage and be better prepared for college level work
  2. Quote from source
  3. Prevent student grades from slipping
  1. Students and teachers can communicate more easily and frequently
  2. Absent students can check for and complete work they missed
  3. Shy students who are reluctant to participate in class con communicate ideas with technology and not lose participation points
  1. Blogging
  2. Quote from source
  1. Better variety of learning opportunities
  1. Teachers can plan technology based lessons, activities and assessments
  2. Differentiate for varied learning styles
  1. Quote from source
  2. Practice wider range of skills, including technology based skills
  1. Quote from source
  1. Contrary to popular belief, the laptop program actually saves money.
  2. Textbooks vs. Laptops
  1. If the laptops are taken away, new textbooks will need to be purchased to replace them
  1. Quote from source
  1. Textbooks are easily and frequently lost or damaged, needing to be replaced often.
  2. Textbooks quickly become outdated
  1. New editions are always being published
  2. Too expensive to keep updating
  3. Shouldn’t our students have the most current knowledge and information?
  4. Costs to students health
  1. Students will need notebooks and textbooks for each class, rather than one laptop for all
  2. Students will have to carry heavy backpacks to and form and all around the school.
  3. Back problems and other injuries can occur.
  1. Quote from source
  2. Quote from source
  3. Costs to the environment
  1. Saves paper
  1. Quote from source
  1. Saves the school money from the paper budget
  1. Quote from source
  1. Conclusion
  1. Restate opinion
  2. Restate reasons
  3. Connect the importance of this issue to the world at large or to life in general
  4. Call to action

Numbering and lettering format:

  • Use Roman numerals for your major points (basically, these are the points around which you will build your body paragraphs). (I,II,III,IV,V,VI, etc.)
  • Use capital letters for your minor points (these are the ideas that explain your major points). (A,B,C,D, etc.)
  • Use regular numbers to further break down your minor points, or to place your source information.
  • If breaking down details further, use lower case Roman numerals.

This is the old fashioned way. If you use Inspiration, this process becomes easier and the program does the lettering and numbering for you.

[MD1]These two areas may be combined when actually drafting the paper.