Outline Template

OUTLINE EXAMPLE

Thesis statement: <What your paper is going to be about.> (Example:

The cost of medical care in the United States is causing the poor to receive substandard care.)

Key points: <What ideas you will actually be writing about.> Examples of possible key points for the above thesis statement:

1. Paying for medical care is beyond the reach of the poor.

2. Paying for medical insurance is beyond the reach of the poor if not offered by their employers.

3. The poor are forced to use over-extended and under-staffed medical facilities if they cannot afford care.

4. Are we ethically responsible for caring for the poor?

5. What would possible alternatives be to supplying medical care for the poor?

You can use the thesis statement and key points to create an introductory paragraph; then you will expand in the rest of the paper on the thesis and key points. Examples of expanding on key points:

Key point 1. Paying for medical care is beyond the reach of the poor. < Expand your ideas for this topic.>

Demonstrate why and how medical care is beyond the poor.

Average cost of medical care as opposed to average salaries.

The poor have to use clinics and other free care.

Key point 2. Paying for medical insurance is beyond the reach of the poor if not offered by their employers. <Expand your ideas for this topic.>

Can the average worker afford health care costs even if they have them.

Average costs of health care plans.

If an employer does not supply health care benefits how can employees get it.

Key point 3. <Expand your ideas for this topic>

Key point 4. <Expand your ideas for this topic >

Key point 5. <Expand your ideas for this topic >

Summary / Conclusion:

Create a key summary sentence/paragraph that declares a wrap-up of concepts you have covered in the paper. You may want to quickly summarize your main ideas. This should transition into a Conclusion of your ideas on the topic. The conclusion could be a separate paragraph or this section could be more than one paragraph.