Informative Essay Outline Assignment
Overview: Now that you’ve had an opportunity to find and read sources and have gained some
instruction on MLA formatting and source integration, it’s time to start drafting your paper. The outline
is the first step in drafting the Informative Essay. After completing the outline, we will begin to write the
rough draft of the Informative Essay. Completing a preliminary outline will provide you with a plan for
your rough draft; in addition, the outline will give your instructor a chance to review your plans and your
structure for this essay. Your instructor will offer you feedback on your outline so that you may make
any necessary adjustments to your ideas and/or structure as you write the rough draft.
(Note: Be sure to review the Sample Student Informative Essay Outline and the lecture about writing the
outline.)
Instructions:
1. Write a full thesis that explains the controversy as well as the competing sides of the
controversy.
2. Include a background section that contextualizes the main topics you will cover. The background
section may explain relevant history, definitions, and explanation of the controversy. In short,
include any information a reader would need to understand in order to comprehend the
controversy.
3. Map out the major arguments in favor of and against your topic. Be sure to write each argument
out as a complete sentence.
Use a block or point-by-point structure, if you choose. See the lecture for more information
about these organizational patterns.