Sample outline for writing a research paper

A research paper is a compulsory academic writing task assigned both in high school and college. It is considered as an important activity to check the writing and research abilities of the students. However, writing a research paper cannot be possible without creating a well-structured research paper outline.

Simply start by writing down your thesis and the main ideas you wish to present. This will likely change as your research progresses; therefore, do not worry about being too specific in the early stages of writing your outline. The most important part is done by now, we are just going to extend and organize it.

There are three different kinds of research paper outline: alphanumeric, full-sentence and decimal outlines. The differences relate to formatting and style of writing. An alphanumeric outline is most commonly used. It uses Roman numerals, capitalized letters, arabic numerals, lowercase letters to organize the flow of information.

What is an Outline for a Research Paper? An outline for a research paper is a blueprint for a whole subject. It helps a student map his way through the writing process without losing his point or skipping important things as he writes. We can also say that a research paper outline serves as an action plan.