Outlines are used for a variety of reasons and they are only meant to help. Choosing to begin any project with an outline is sure to give the writer or the creator of the project a good head start on whatever it is that they are doing. Outlines allow the writer to figure out the order of the paper or presentation before doing all of the final touches. Typically outlines are completed before any
. of the actual project writing is completed. Outlines are helpful because they help the writer figure out the right order of their project and helps them to keep similar ideas close to each other. Outlines typically have a headline or an introduction at the top of the page, this is also known as the topic statement. The topic statement is what the entire outline is about and the main idea of the whole project. Once the topic statement has been pinpointed, the writer can then move on to the next part of the outline also known as the body. The body will have a main idea that is derived from the topic statement. These are similar to topic statements, they just support the entire project and then sub headings are spawned from each one of these. Usually examples or details come next. Outlines can be written in a variety of ways, but the main rules typically are the same. Indentations are often used and each sub category or heading is indented so that it shows that it is referring to the above statement. Variations of letters and numbers are also used when composing an outline. Using bold, italics, underlines and different fonts is another way to allow the reader to differentiate between the many headings and topics. Putting together a proper outline is both easy and helpful to any project. More Reference Links: http://www.lavc.edu/library/outline.htm http://www.sthelens.k12.or.us/174320825162539897/lib/174320825162539897/Essay_Outline_Sample.htm