How To Write An Outline For Paper In APA Format?

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Are you thinking of writing your research paper without making an outline? You might be skipping the outline because your professor has not asked you to write one. Well, you should write one anyway. It would not only leave a good impression on your professor and readers but could also fetch you some extra credits.

An essay writer should never underestimate the value of a good outline. In addition to impressing your professor and fetching you extra credits, it would also help you write an extra-ordinary and well-organized research paper. Your APA paper could have different types of outline depending on the type of paper and your teacher’s instruction.

Different APA Outline Formats

• Basic Outline Format: This is the most commonly used outline format. It is not only used in APA format but also in other formats. In this format, you are to place the thesis statement of your paper at the top. Below that main supporting arguments, of your thesis statement, are listed with the label of Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, etc.). Sub-points are written below the main point and you label them with capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.). If you have sub-points, you can jot them down by labeling them with digits (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). If you want to go further, you can label those points with small letters (a, b, c, d, etc.). After that, you will have to label further sub-points with digits in parenthesis ((1), (2), (3), (4), etc.)
• Full Sentence Outline: unlike the previous type, in this kind of outline you have to write complete sentences instead of phrases. This helps you develop a complete plan and you have a description of every part of the paper. This is useful to make others understand the roadmap of your paper. This outline follows the same numeric approach as the previous format.
• Decimal Outline: This format is very rarely used by college students. Mostly this format is used when the research topic is really tricky and complex and involves a lot of sub-topics. It is often used when the research paper is really big.

What APA Format Should You Use?

The Basic outline format is the most commonly used. Mostly the teachers do not specify any particular APA format for you to follow, so you have a choice to make.

If you are still confused and do not know how you should structure your outline or what format you should use, you should check out the outline that I am going to share below.

1. Introduction: It is the first section of your APA paper, in which you are supposed to grab the attention of the reader and briefly explain what the paper is about.
1. Hook: You begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing hook statement.
2. You enlist the main problems that you are going to discuss in your paper.
3. You enlighten the reader about the background of the problems that you mentioned earlier.
4. You will end the introduction with a clear and concise thesis statement that you will elaborate on in your paper.
2. Body: This part of your paper will consist of a few parts depending on the length of your paper. In each part, a different point is discussed. However, every part or paragraph has the same structure as follow:
1. Topic sentence in which you will discuss the main idea
2. Theoretical perspectives, if any
3. Supporting details
1. Sub-point, if any
1. Further subdivided points
4. Transition to the next paragraph
3. Conclusion: In conclusion, you will restate the thesis statement and would briefly explain how the main points were supporting your thesis statement.
4. Reference Page

Always develop an outline, if not for the instructor, then for yourself; it gives you a roadmap.

The above-mentioned guideline will help you write an outline in APA format. But it is better to take help from a legit ‘write my essay’ service instead of risking your grades.