How to turn your outline into your paper:

  • Here is a piece of someone’s outline, representing the first body paragraph of the paper:

I. The death penalty does not deter crime

A. The criminals do not consider the consequences of their actions

1. “Incensed and even cold blooded criminals do not consider the consequences of their actions. When one is committing heinous acts such as murder, rape, and acts of terrorism, hatred, rage, and psychosis take over while logical thinking vanishes” (Jankowitz 12).

2. Karla Faye Tucker quote: “No, I wasn’t even thinking bout the chair when I killed them people. I never even thought I would be caught, and at the time, I didn’t even care. All I felt was my rage” (“Interviews with Inmates”).

  • “A” represents a paragraph in section “I”, while “1” and “2” represent facts that will be used in that paragraph. You do NOT just list the facts. Instead, use the TIQCA pattern:

T—Topic of paragraph—your point (A)

I.—Introduce your research. The research should not be

thrown in without introduction. Use your words to introduce it.

(Ex: According to…., The book/article/website X states…, One

writer/researcher/scientist believes…)

Q—Quote (or correctly paraphrase/summarize) the fact (1)

C—Cite the source of the research. Put citation after the quotation

marks but before the period.

A—Analyze the research you use by discussing it, explaining it,

giving your opinion about it, connecting it to the issue at hand. Do

NOT just list facts without explaining or discussing them.

T—Transition into your next piece of evidence. Connect the ideas.

*Repeat I, Q, C, A… for next piece of research (2)

NOW: Examine the sample outline above and compare it to the paragraph to the right, to see the TIQCA pattern in action:

The TIQCA Pattern in Action(student draft—some typos)

Many of those who support the death penalty believe one of its main functions is to deter, or prevent, people from committing terrible crimes. Unfortunately, those who think that the death penalty actually stops people from committing crimes have no real evidence to support their theory. According to Criminal Psychology, a well-researched report on various studies of the inner-workings of criminal minds, “Incensed and even cold blooded criminals do not consider the consequences of their actions. When one is committing heinous acts such as murder, rape, and acts of terrorism, hatred, rage, and psychosis take over while logical thinking vanishes” (Jankowitz 12). Mr. Jankowitz suggests that murders are not thinking about what their punishment will be before or while they are killing people. The do not think, “Hey, I should stop because I might get the death penalty for this.” Instead, they are solely and sickly focused on satisfying their anger by committing a violent crime. Interviews with those sentenced to death reveal that the death penalty did not and would not have stopped them from committing crimes. Texas woman Karla Faye Tucker, who was executed in 1998 for the pickax murder of two people, stated in an interview, “No, I wasn’t even thinking bout the chair when I killed them people. I never even thought I would be caught, and at the time, I didn’t even care. All I felt was my rage” (“Interviews with Inmates”). Ms. Tucker’s brutal action was not deterred by the possible consequence of the death penalty, thus proving Dr. Jankowitz’s claim: Criminals as ruthless as she do not even consider the consequences of their atrocious actions. An interview with serial killer Kent Hendricks provides a similar theme…