LESSON 2: EXPANDING THE CONTENT OF AN OUTLINE

USING NOTES FROM PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

SOURCES
What is an outline?
An outline is a tool used in improving and organizing
written ideas about a topic into a logical order. Writers
use outlines when writing their papers to know which
topic to cover and in what order.
What are the types of an outline?
The type of outline to be used by the writer depends on
the nature of the topic and purpose of the writer.
Topics that are information-heavy may require more
major topics and subtopics since the writer’s purpose
is to be as informative as possible. However, if the
writer wants to be persuasive, outline should only
accommodate what is important to the audience’s
needs.
There are two types of outline: the sentence outline
and the topic outline.
1. Sentence Outline
It is a type of outline that presents the thesis
statement, major topics, subtopics, and supporting
details in sentence form. It allows you to include those
details in the sentences instead of having to create an
outline of many short phrases that goes on page after
page. Also, it follows a hierarchical structure
composed of sentences and headings around the
subject of the speech or essay.
These characters are used in this order in bullet
formatting.
 Roman Numerals
  Capitalized Letters
 Arabic Numerals
 Lowercase Letters

2. Topic Outline
It is a type of outline which presents the major topics,
subtopics, and supporting details in the form of words
and phrases.
What are the contents of an outline? An outline is
composed of many parts. These parts work together to
present a clear idea of a paragraph or an essay. An
outline contains thesis statement, major topics,
subtopics, and supporting details. The following are
the parts with their corresponding definition:
Contents of an Outline Definition

A thesis statement is a one-sentence

Thesis Statement statement that expresses the main idea
of an essay.

Major topics refer to the major

Major topics phrases/sentences which are formed
from the thesis statement.

Subtopics refer to the minor

Subtopics phrases/sentences which are formed
from the major topics.

Supporting details are

phrases/sentences which provide
additional information to clarify or prove
Supporting Details
the main idea. These details help you
explain further the ideas presented by
the major topics and subtopics.

How to Expand the Content of an Outline Using Different

Sources?
In expanding the content of an outline, you need to use primary and
secondary sources. Primary sources are firsthand information
taken from original evidences such as reports on discoveries and
events and interviews from persons in authority while secondary
sources are secondhand information taken from the primary
sources.
Below are examples of primary and secondary sources which will be
used in expanding the contents of your outline.
Examples of primary sources Examples of secondary sources
include: include:
• diaries, letter  journal articles that comment on

correspondence, or analyses research

 textbooks
• original documents e.g.
birth certificates, trial  dictionaries and encyclopedias

records  books that interpret, analyze

• interviews, speeches, oral  political commentary

histories  biographies
• laws, regulations,  dissertations
constitutions  newspaper editorial/columns
• government documents,  criticism of literature, art works
statistical data, research or music
reports
• journal article reporting
new research or findings
• creative art works,

literature
• opinion pieces