Paper Outline

This is a general plan of how information will be presented in your paper. For some papers, all you need is to jot down the main points so that you do not forget any important element as you write. However, for many other papers, you will find it useful to create an outline to help organize your
ideas into a rational paper. There are different kinds of outlines namely:

•    Scratch outline
•    Topic outline

Scratch outline as the name suggests is a string of notes single words or phrases written down with the purpose of refreshing the memory during the writing process.Topic outline is the most commonly used kind of outline. It consists of words or phrases that are numerically arranged to show order as
well as relative importance of the information.
Example:

Title: Career as a Police Officer

I.  Financial aspect

A.   Disadvantages
1.    Low pay
2.    No opportunity to make extra income
B.   Advantages
1.    Job Security
a.    Permanent employment
b.    Attractive retirement benefits
2.    Potential for success in business or politics after retirement

II.  Social aspect
A.   Disadvantages
1.    Limited social interactions
2.    Unpredictable transfers difficult for family
3.   Discipline often wearisome

Sentence Outline: In this kind of outline, each heading is a complete sentence.
Example:

Title: Career as a Police Officer

I.     Financial considerations are a big factor when choosing a career

A.   There are several disadvantages to a career in the police department
1.    The pay is low compared to other civilian jobs
2.    There is no opportunity to make extra income

B.   There are however some appealing advantages
1.    Job security is at its peak
a.    This is permanent employment
b.    The likelihood of being fired are minimal
c.    The retirement benefits are attractive
d.    Promotions are slow but steady

2.    There is a high potential for success in business or politics after retirement

II.    The social aspect should also be put into considerations
A.   The most apparent disadvantages include:
1.     social interactions are usually more restricted
2.    Unpredictable transfers are generally difficult for family
3.    The strict discipline is often wearisome

B.    The advantages however outweigh the disadvantages
1.    This career can be very fulfilling if one is fitted for the job
2.    There numerous opportunities to travel and see different places
3.    An annual paid leave is very appealing

Outline Form
Numbering  lettering,  indention,  punctuation and other aspects of  formal outlines  adhere  to  specific conventions.The numbering  and  Indention should be consistent throughout. Below is a typical form of sentence and Main statement

I.  ……………………………………… (Use roman numerals for key headings)
A.  ………………………………………….. (A capital letter for 1st subhead)
1.   ………………………………………………. (Use Arabic numeral for 2nd subhead)
2.   ……………………………………………….
a.   ……………………………………….. (Use small letters for the 3rd subhead)
b.   ………………………………………..
1)   …………………………………. (Use Arabic numeral with parenthesis for 4th subhead)
B.   ……………………………………………………..
II.         ……………………………………………………………

Do not endeavor to complicate your outline. Two levels of subheads are usually sufficient  for  short papers while there’s  hardly any need to go beyond the third subhead for longer papers.

Read more article: Tips for writing your final draft