NAME: ___________________________

SECTION: ______________________

ENGLISH 8
QUARTER 4: WEEK 2
EXPANDING THE CONTENT OF AN OUTLINE

Background Information

Have you experienced wanting or needing to write about something but do not know how to start it?
Most of the time when we are asked to write, our minds are filled with so many ideas that we want to say or
include in our writings. The difficulty then arises when we cannot organize these ideas understandable to our
readers. As a result, our composition seems to be out of focus.

Organization in writing is very important that is why outlining plays a very important role in creating a
piece of writing. An outline is like a blueprint that engineers use in building a structure. It is a general plan of
what you are going to write. It helps you group ideas into main points; thus, providing logical connections.

In outlining we can get information from primary and secondary sources.

A primary source is a record made by people who saw or took part in an event (originates from the
past). A primary source gives you direct access to the subject of your research. It provides first-hand information.

Examples: autobiography, letters, diaries, speeches, photographs, interview.

A secondary source, on the other hand, is a record of an event written by someone absent during the
given incident. It provides second-hand information and commentary from other researchers.

Examples: biography, textbooks, encyclopedia, magazine articles, dictionaries.

As we gather information using these sources, we may start arranging the essential ideas to form an
outline. In formal writing, we have two types of outline. The first is the topic outline and the second is the
sentence outline.

A topic outline hierarchically presents your ideas or information by showing which among them is your
main idea and which are your sub-points. It lists words or phrases. On the other hand, a sentence outline lists
complete sentences rather than words or phrases only.

An outline has three main parts, the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

The introduction should contain your thesis statement or the topic of your research as well as the purpose
of your study. It should be an “Attention Getter”.

The next part is the body. It is where you will present all your arguments to support your thesis
statement. Develop the body by identifying the main points and supporting details. Generate ideas by freewriting
about the ideas that are related to the topic.

The last one is the conclusion. The conclusion is where you form a summary of all your arguments so
you can arrive at your final position. Write a conclusion that has a memorable closing.

You may format both types of formal outlines (topic outline and sentence outline) in the same way.
 Place your introduction and thesis statement at the beginning, under Roman numeral I.
 Use roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to identify main points that develop the thesis statement.
 Use capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) to divide your main points into parts.
 Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) if you need to subdivide any As, Bs, or Cs into smaller
parts.
 End with the final roman numeral expressing your idea for your conclusion.
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The number of main points depends on the length of article or essay. Here is what the skeleton of a traditional
formal outline may looks like. The indention helps clarify how the ideas are related.
 I. Introduction -Thesis statement
II. Main point 1 → becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 1
A. Supporting detail → becomes a support sentence of the body
paragraph 1
1. Subpoint → example to illustrate the main point
2. Subpoint → example to illustrate the main point
B. Supporting detail
1. Subpoint
2. Subpoint
II. Main point 2 → becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 2
A. Supporting detail
B. Supporting detail
III. Conclusion or concluding sentence
Consider the following examples as you recall the basic concepts in outlining:

Topic Outline

Birds as Insect Controllers

I. How birds help
Main point 1 A. Have a high metabolism rate
B. Eat nearly twice weight
1. 3-oz. to 5 ½ oz. ratio in birds
2. 10-lb. to 18 1/3 lb. ratio in humans
Main point 2 II. How environment helps
A. Vegetation
1. Windbreaks
2. Living fences
3. Shrub buffers
B. Water
1. Farm ponds
2. Grass waterways
Conclusion III. Birds are an essential part in
in the biodiversity

Sentence Outline
Birds as Insect Controllers:
Main point I. Birds eat insects.
1 A. The birds have a high metabolism rate.
B. The birds eat almost twice their own weight.
1. A 3-ounce baby bird will eat 5 ½ ounces of insects.
2. A 10-pound human baby would have to eat 18 1/3
pounds of food.
II. The environment attracts birds.
Main point A. Planting the right vegetation attracts birds.
2 1. Windbreaks provide birds protection.
2. Living fences provide birds nesting and roosting sites.
3. Shrub buffers provide birds protection.
B. Developing water sources attracts birds.
1. Farm ponds provide birds with water and food.
2. Grass waterways attract birds of different varieties.

III. Birds are an essential part in maintaining

Conclusion
balance in the biodiversity.

Webster’s New World Student Handbook, Second Edition, p. 3

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In expanding an outline, add information that support and strengthen your main topic. You can cite
specific examples in this part of your paragraph.
 Here is an example of how you can take your topic outline (Birds as Insect Controllers) and expand
it into a paragraph.

Birds as Insect Controllers

Birds are warm-blooded vertebrates that belong to the class Aves. Most of
them eat insects that’s why they are considered to be insect controllers. They
have a high metabolism rate. As a result, they can eat almost twice their weight.
A 3-ounce baby bird will eat 5 ½ ounces of insects. While a 10-pound human
baby would have to eat 18 1/3 pounds of food.

Most birds live in the forest and grassland. It was known by the researchers
that different types of environments attract birds. One way to attract birds is by
planting the right vegetation. Farmers also install windbreaks and shrub buffers
that protect birds Also, living fences are built to provide birds nesting and
roosting sites. Another way to attract birds is by developing water sources. Farm
ponds provide birds with water and food. Grass waterways attract birds of
different varieties. That’s why birds are often seen in swamps.

Birds are an essential part in maintaining balance in biodiversity. That’s why

we need to protect their habitat and conserve the remaining species of birds in
the wildlife.

Learning Competency with code:

Expand the content of an outline using notes from primary and secondary sources (EN8WC-IIIc-1.1.6)
Activity A. Read each item carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. Which of the following is not a description of an outline?
a. It is a plan for or summary of writing projects.
b. It is a general plan of what are you going to write.
c. It is a tool used to organize written ideas about a topic.
d. It is a device used to arrange the title of the stories found in a book.

2. What type of source provides raw information and first-hand evidence?

a. primary source c. tertiary source
b. secondary source d. none of the above

3. Which of the following sources will you use if you would like to get information on current issues?
a. book b. diary c. newspaper d. notebook

4. Which of the following best describes the secondary source?

a. It presents summaries of the materials.
b. It gives you direct evidence about the topic you are researching.
c. It is usually provided by the person who experienced an incident.
d. It provides you second-hand information and commentary from other researchers.

5. Which part of an outline contains your thesis statement or the topic of your research as well as the
purpose of your study?
a. body b. conclusion c. introduction d. title

6. Which among the given choice below is an example of a primary source?

a. articles b. dictionary c. letter d. textbook
7. All are examples of secondary sources except ____________.
a. biography b. encyclopedia c. magazine d. speech 3

8. Which of the following is NOT true about an outline?

a. An outline is just additional work for you to do.
 b. An outline will make your essay more organized.
c. An outline can make you save time in writing your essay.
d. An outline is a general plan of what you are going to write.
9. What is a topic outline?
a. It supports the main idea in a paragraph.
b. It tells the reader what the entire paragraph is all about.
c. It lists complete sentences rather than words or phrases only
d. It arranges your topic hierarchically and shows what will you talk about.

10. Which among the parts of an outline form a summary of all your arguments so you can
arrive at your final position?
a. body b. conclusion c. introduction d. title

Activity B. Complete the outline below using either primary or secondary sources. (1 point each and 2
points for the concluding sentence)

Topic: Why Swimming is an Ideal Sports for Kids

I. Swimming is a great alternative to other youth sports.

A. __________________________________________________
B. __________________________________________________
II. Swimming provides some unique additional benefits.
A. __________________________________________________
1. _______________________________________________
B. __________________________________________________
1. _______________________________________________
III. Concluding sentence: __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Activity C: Expand the outline below to make a paragraph. You can use either primary or secondary
sources. Write your paragraph on a separate sheet of paper.
I.

4
 Rubric for Scoring an Essay
5 4 3 2
Content There is one There is clear but There is somewhat Vague or unclear
clear, well- supporting clear but more topic Inadequate.
focused topic. information is supporting details Paragraph answered
Paragraph general. are needed. 0-2 guide questions
answered all Paragraph answered Paragraph only about biases.
guide questions 4 guide questions answered 3 guide
about biases. about biases. questions about
biases.

Organization The sentences The sentences follow The sentences The sentences do
follow a logical a somewhat logical follow a somewhat not follow a logical
sequence. The sequence. Some logical sequence. sequence. Most of
ideas are written ideas are written Some of the ideas the ideas are not
coherently. coherently. are not written written coherently
coherently.
Mechanics No errors in Few errors are Many errors of Dominated by errors
and spelling, observed in spelling, spelling, in spelling,
Grammar punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, punctuation,
capitalization, capitalization, capitalization, capitalization,
sentence sentence structure sentence structure sentence structure
structure and and grammar, but and grammar; and grammar;
grammar. meaning is not meaning confused meaning at times
obscured. or obscured. unidentifiable.

References for Learners

Gonzales, C.et.al (2018). English for 21st Century Learning (Afro-Asian) Sampaloc, Manila.
“What Does a ‘Good’ Outline Look like? What Does a Full-Sentence Outline Look like? How Do I Create
One? - Answers.” n.d. Rasmussen.Libanswers.com. Accessed November 24, 2020,
https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/32339#:~:text=An%20outline%20is%20a%20tool
“Outlining | Boundless Communications.” n.d. Courses.Lumenlearning.com. Accessed November 24, 2020.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundlesscommunications/chapter/outlining/
Ryan Lualhati. n.d. “Outlining.” Accessed November 24, 2020. https://www.slideshare.net/rye07/outlining-
10492999.
Calalang, Arian. 2017. “Topic Outline.” Slideshare.net. March 19, 2017.
https://www.slideshare.net/ariandeisecalalang/topic-outline-73298713.
“Writing for Success: Outlining | English Composition II: Rhetorical Methods–Based.” n.d.
Courses.Lumenlearning.com. Accessed November 24, 2020.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp2kscopexmaster/chapter/writing-for-success-
outlining-pdf/.
“Topic Sentences with Multiple Choice Questions. Accessed March 15, 2021. https://dhs.dearbornschools.org/wp-
content/uploads/sites/259/2013/12/Topic-Sentences-Multiple-Choice-Questions.pdf.
Honradez.Grade 6-english-reading-outlining-a-two-paragraph-passage
https://www.slideshare.net/edithahonradez/grade6englishreadingoutliningatwoparagraphpassage
5

ANSWER KEY:

Activity A: Activity B:
1. D Answers may vary
2. A
3. C
 Activity C:
Answers may vary

Prepared:

MARIA CHRISTINA P. BOGNOT

Secondary School Teacher I