Writing Sample Essay - Defining an Outline

Writing Sample Essay - Defining an OutlineA good outline is a crucial component of any good essay. One of the most basic guidelines for an outline is to always start your essay with a strong opening statement that serves as the foundation for the rest of the paper. The writer must also include more than one strong opening in their paper.Strong, confident opening statements can make or break a reader's interest in the rest of the essay. Too few, and the reader will probably skip straight to the conclusion or an early return page. On the other hand, too many will run the risk of boring the reader.A solid organization, an overall structure that guides the content of the paper, also provides for more meaningful analysis and more detail in the writing. A student's resume is not complete without a strong organizational structure. While an outline does not provide the structure, a student can begin their outline by breaking down the information into parts, sections, and major ideas.With the breakdown of the information organized, a student can then begin to build a group analysis to examine each section and learn about each group. To illustrate, a medical researcher may begin her paper by examining the idea of scientific research and its important role in the medical community. Then, to better understand this group, she could continue with group analysis by going through specific issues, defining each group, and comparing their contributions to scientific research. The group analysis will give the writer a clearer understanding of the group.A well-structured outline also includes a section for the author's voice. A personality, passions, and interests are elements of a writer's sense of self. A personal essay needs to describe a unique voice. However, most of us need only one voice in our writing to connect with readers.Perhaps the best example of a group writing project is the writer's voice. When a student decides to write an outline, they are in a unique position t o help shape a writer's voice. In essence, an outline helps the writer to ensure that their best writing voice is reflected in their own writing. The student can study the sample outline, note the parts of the paper that have a particular author's voice, and then develop those parts in their own writing.When a student is finished, they should have an outline that incorporates a number of different elements and at least one basic structure. A simple outline usually contains an introduction, thesis statement, goal, and method. Any good outline begins with a strong introduction that describes the overall structure of the paper.After the basics, a student can add their own research and experience to their writing sample. One easy way to increase insight into your subject is to carefully examine how others have dealt with similar situations. A student who has studied the history of historical problem solving can easily add a unique perspective to his or her outline.