Running head: BASIC ESSAY OUTLINE 1

Basic Essay Outline

Rebecca Dorsainvil

Palm Beach State College

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Basic Essay Outline

1. Introduction paragraph

a. attention getting (question, hypothetical situation, or a pertinent quote)

introducing the topic

b. necessary background about the topic

c. thesis statement“what will you be trying to prove in your paper?”.

2. Body Paragraph One- Argument Point One (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point1

3. Body Paragraph Two- Argument Point (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point

1 You may use Barclay Formula or APE organization… you may also add another APE to the first one in
order to make a fuller, richer argument. Do NOT lose your reader; do NOT convolute the idea that you
are trying to get to the reader. STAY FOCUSED on your thesis: What are your trying to prove in the
paper, and how does this help/ aid in convincing the reader?
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4. Body Paragraph Three- Argument Point (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point

5. Body Paragraph Four- Argument Point (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point

6. Body Paragraph Five- Argument Point (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

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e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point

7. Body Paragraph Six-Argument Point (One of the “how” or “why” you will be

proving your thesis)- Possible Refutation Paragraph (address possible

counterclaims)

a. Topic Sentence- Clearly connects back to the thesis

b. Assertion- Make a statement

c. Quote- Provide evidence (direct quote/ paraphrase) from your research or

personal narrative

d. Explanation- Connect Quote to the Assertion

e. Transition Sentence- Transition from Argument point to next Argument Point

8. Conclusion

a. restate your thesis (last sentence of your introduction)

b. quickly highlight some of the most important aspects of your research or personal

narrative

c. present your own perspective of the event

d. Apply the event and its influence to the outside world, to the future

e. Make a prediction on how the event will influence the future.

Works Cited

This part of the research paper allows you to avoid plagiarism (taking credit for someone

else’s work). It MUST be formatted correctly, and it must include all of the articles that you used

in your report. You should have used/ cited at least five articles. If you write your research or
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personal narrative in google docs, your life will be very easy. You can use the “add-on” called

“EasyBib Bibliography Creator”.

Copy and paste your article’s url into the creator, and submit that article into the bibliography.
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Once you have uploaded all of the articles’ urls, “add bibliography to doc”. It will accurately

upload all of the sources to your google docs document, like below:
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References

Ioffe, J. (2014, October 29). Russians Are Absolutely Gleeful Over the U.S. Space Rocket

Explosion. Retrieved from http://www.newrepublic.com/article/120032/antares-rocket-

explodes-en-route-space-station-russians-gloat

Klotz, I. (2014, October 29). Unmanned U.S. supply rocket for space station explodes on liftoff.

Retrieved from http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/29/uk-space-orbital-

idUKKBN0IH2HQ20141029

New U.S. space rockets include crew-escape systems | CBC News. (2014, October 31).

Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/new-u-s-space-rockets-include-crew-

escape-systems-1.2819495

Peterson, A. (2014, October 29). Trying to go to space on the cheap has had disastrous

consequences in the past. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-

switch/wp/2014/10/29/trying-to-go-to-space-on-the-cheap-has-had-disastrous-

consequences-in-the-past/