Essay Outline Template and Examples

Copy this template and fill it in before you start drafting. It works for a standard five-paragraph essay and scales to longer papers by adding body sections.

I. Introduction
   A. Hook: a fact, question or short scenario
   B. Context: background the reader needs
   C. Thesis: your main, arguable claim

II. Body paragraph 1
   A. Topic sentence (first supporting point)
   B. Evidence (quote, data, example) + citation
   C. Explanation: how this supports the thesis
   D. Link to next point

III. Body paragraph 2
   A. Topic sentence
   B. Evidence + citation
   C. Explanation
   D. Link

IV. Body paragraph 3
   A. Topic sentence
   B. Evidence + citation
   C. Explanation
   D. Link

V. Counterargument (optional, recommended for argumentative essays)
   A. Strongest opposing view
   B. Your response

VI. Conclusion
   A. Restate thesis in new words
   B. Summarise main points
   C. Why it matters / wider implication

Tips for using it

• Write each point as a full sentence. It forces you to know what you actually mean.
• Put your strongest point first or last, not buried in the middle.
• If a point has no evidence yet, mark it and research before drafting.
• For longer essays, add body sections and group them under headings.

Want a version tailored to your topic? Try the Outline Builder.

Why outlining improves essays

An outline separates thinking from writing. When you know your thesis, your points and your evidence before drafting, the draft becomes a matter of explaining rather than discovering. It also exposes problems early: a point with no evidence, two paragraphs making the same argument, or a thesis your points do not actually support.

Filled-in example outline

Illustrative outline; bracketed items show where real, cited evidence would go.

Outline formats

Outlines for different essay types

• Argumentative: include a counterargument section. See the persuasive essay guide.
• Compare and contrast: organise by criteria (point-by-point) or by subject (block). See the compare and contrast guide.
• Narrative: organise by story stages: hook, rising action, climax, reflection. See the narrative essay guide.
• Expository: organise by parts, steps or causes. See the expository essay guide.
• Research paper: introduction, literature review, method, results, discussion, conclusion.

Outline checklist

• The thesis is a full, arguable sentence.
• Each body section has one clear point that supports the thesis.
• Each point has at least one piece of evidence listed, with its source.
• The order builds logically (strongest first or last, or chronological).
• The word budget per section adds up to the required length.

A filled-in five-paragraph outline example

Templates are easier to use once you see one completed. Here is a full outline for the prompt "Should high schools start later in the morning?"

Replace the placeholder evidence with real, cited sources before drafting. An outline is only as strong as the evidence you find for it.

Outline formats: which one to use

Research paper outline template

Longer papers need more than five paragraphs, but the logic stays the same: each section supports the thesis. A typical structure is introduction with research question and thesis; background or literature review; one section per main argument or finding, each with evidence and analysis; a section dealing with counterarguments or limitations; and a conclusion that answers the research question and states its significance. In the social sciences you may instead follow introduction, methods, results and discussion. Check your assignment brief, because the required structure changes what the outline needs to contain.

Turning your outline into a draft

1. Write the body first. Start with the paragraph you know best. Momentum matters more than order.
2. Turn each point into a topic sentence. Every heading in the outline should become a clear opening sentence for a paragraph.
3. Add evidence and cite it as you go. Saving citations for later is how sources get lost and accidental plagiarism happens.
4. Explain every piece of evidence. After each quotation or statistic, write at least two sentences explaining why it supports your point.
5. Write the introduction and conclusion last. Once you know what the body argues, framing it is much easier.

Common outline mistakes

The most common mistake is outlining topics instead of claims: "Body 1: sleep" says what a paragraph is about, not what it argues. Others are having only one sub-point under a heading (split it or merge it), putting all the strongest evidence in one paragraph, and skipping the counterargument until the draft is nearly done. Fix these in the outline, where changes take minutes instead of hours.

Want feedback on your draft? Talk to a tutor.