Outlines
Have 2 Jobs:
1.to organize the structure of a paragraph
2.To help you take notes
Now that you can find the topic sentence in aparagraph, you’re ready to organize an entireparagraph into essential points of the maintopic and supporting details!
Outlines
for some paragraphs you may not need to fill in all thedetail lines. For others, you may need to add more lines.
I.___________________________________
(Topic Sentence – shortened to main idea)
A. ________________________________________
(supporting detail)
B. ________________________________________
(supporting detail)
C. ________________________________________
(supporting detail)
D. ________________________________________
(supporting detail)
Example 1: Read the paragraphbelow.
Worker bees are tremendously busy. Theygather nectar from the flower. They build thehoneycombs. They feed and clean the queenbee. They also protect the hive.
Notice how the topic is repeatedly used?
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•What is the topic sentence?
•Hint: when taking notes, you don’t writethe whole topic sentence. You reduce it toas few words as possible. For example,the sentence Worker bees aretremendously busy could be written asBusy worker bees.
Worker bees are tremendously busy.They gather nectar from the flower. Theybuild the honeycombs. They feed and cleanthe queen bee. They also protect the hive.
•Main topic: Busy worker bees
•Next, find the sentences in the paragraphthat give details or support the main topic.Ask yourself a question, such as “What dothe worker bees do? Then record youranswer in the fewest possible words:
Worker bees are tremendously busy.They gather nectar from the flower. Theybuild the honeycombs. They feed and cleanthe queen bee. They also protect the hive.
•Main topic: Busy worker bees
•Supporting Details: Gather nectar
Build honeycombs
Feed and clean queen
Protect hive
Worker bees are tremendously busy.They gather nectar from the flower. Theybuild the honeycombs. They feed and cleanthe queen bee. They also protect the hive.
I. Busy worker bees
A. Gather nectar
B. Build honeycombs
C. Feed and clean queen
D. Protect hive
Worker bees are tremendously busy.They gather nectar from the flower. Theybuild the honeycombs. They feed and cleanthe queen bee. They also protect the hive.
Example 2: Read the paragraphand write an outline.
Even though the tugboat is a smallvessel, it has big jobs to perform. It helpsto push and pull huge freighters and oceanliners in and out of city harbors. It helpsmaneuver large ships into their docks. Itpulls barges in and out of the harbor alongthe coast. It helps to lay telephone andtelevision cable.
Remember to reduce!
indent
Is yours similar to mine?
I. Small tugboats perform big jobs
A. Push and pull huge ships
B. Maneuver ships into docks
C. Pull barges
D. Lay communication cables
Now work backwards. Use theoutline to write a good paragraph.
I. Humpback whales
A. Mammals
B. Length, 45 feet
C. Tail flukes, 12 feet wide
D. Throat, 30 expanding grooves
E. Twin blowholes, breathing
F. Leap, high in air
Remember:
1. Indent
2. Repeat your topic.
3. Use transitionphrases
Is yours similar to mine?
Humpback whales are among themagnificent giants of the sea. Thesemammals average 45 feet in length. Just asamazing, their tail flukes are 12 feet wide.The humpback has about 30 throat groovesthat allow its throat to expand. Thehumpback breathes through twin blowholeson top of its head. It seems playful as itleaps high into the air.
Find: the indention, the repeated topic, and the transitions.
Supporting sentences clarify thetopic sentence of a paragraph by…
•Giving examples in enumerative order
•Telling a story or incident in sequential order
•Showing events in chronological order
•Describing using spatial order
•Shows the effects or results of something thathappened in cause/effect order
•Compares or contrasts
•Describes something using the senses
So, in other words
There are 7 types of paragraphs
•enumerative
•sequential
•chronological
•spatial
•cause/effect
•Compare/contrast
•Descriptive
Today you are going to write aparagraph in enumerative order
•Giving examples in enumerative order
•Telling a story or incident in sequential order
•Showing events in chronological order
•Describing using spatial order
•Shows the effects or results of something thathappened in cause/effect order
•Compares or contrasts
•Describes something using the senses
Enumerative Paragraphs
•The writer develops the paragraph byusing examples.
•The specific focus of the paragraph isstated in the topic sentence and isfollowed by several supporting examples.
•Signal words, such as for example, first,furthermore, and also tell the reader thatanother example is coming up in theparagraph.
Enumerative Order Signal Words
Enumerative signal words:
For example
First
Also
Another
Second
Furthermore
In addition
Some
Others
Too
Likewise
A few
As well as
Example of an EnumerativeParagraph
Walls are built for differentpurposes. For example,Hadrian’s Wall was built in 125A.D. across the neck of Scotlandto keep the northern Picts out ofnewly acquired Roman territoryin England. Another example isa pasture wall, built to keeplivestock safe and protected. Athird kind of wall is a memorialwall. The Vietnam VeteransMemorial wall was completed in1982 and displays the names ofthat war’s dead and missing.Finally, the most common use ofwalls, of course, is in housing toseparate rooms and to supportroofs.
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•Enumerative signal words:
•For example
•First
•Also
•Another
•Second
•Furthermore
•In addition
•Some
•Others
•Too
•Likewise
•A few
•As well as
Example of an Enumerative Paragraph
Walls are built for different purposes. Forexample, Hadrian’s Wall was built in 125 A.D.across the neck of Scotland to keep the northernPicts out of newly acquired Roman territory inEngland. Another example is a pasture wall,built to keep livestock safe and protected. Athird kind of wall is a memorial wall. TheVietnam Veterans Memorial wall was completedin 1982 and displays the names of that war’sdead and missing. Finally, the most commonuse of walls, of course, is in housing to separaterooms and to support roofs.
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Outline this EnumerativeParagraph
Walls are built for different purposes. Forexample, Hadrian’s Wall was built in 125 A.D.across the neck of Scotland to keep the northernPicts out of newly acquired Roman territory inEngland. Another example is a pasture wall,built to keep livestock safe and protected. Athird kind of wall is a memorial wall. TheVietnam Veterans Memorial wall was completedin 1982 and displays the names of that war’sdead and missing. Finally, the most commonuse of walls, of course, is in housing to separaterooms and to support roofs.
Is yours similar to mine?
I. Purposes of walls
A. Defense – Hadrian’s Wall
B. Protection – pasture wall
C. Memorial – Vietnam Veterans Memorial
D. Support – house walls
Homework Paragraph
•Make an Enumerative Outline for thedifferent kinds of students in this room.
•Then write an Enumerative Paragraphfrom your outline.
–Remember to indent
–Remember to repeat your topic
–Remember to use transitions