Sample Outline Written in Apa Format

Outlining is helpful in brainstorming, structuring and defining arguments and relationships before writing begins. When creating outlines in APA style, roman numerals define the main topics in a project. The second level, or sub-topic, should be specified with capital letters. Third level topics, subsumed in second level subject matter, are denoted with Arabic numerals, followed by lowercase .

Many educators, especially those teaching in the social sciences, require essays written in the APA format. This format was developed by the American Psychological Association, and it is one of the most common writing formats used. The point of the outline is to detail what the essay or speech is about in an easy to read format. This is useful for students who are starting to write a paper and want to list out what they are going to cover prior to starting to write the assignment. Outlines allow them to organize their thoughts in a cohesive way, and many teachers require an outline prior to starting a paper as well. It is extremely important to follow the instructor's guidelines for papers before starting to write. The APA style differs from other popular writing styles in how outlines are structured and sources are referenced. Students that do not follow these guidelines may end up with a lower grade, or have to complete the assignment again. Samples of the APA style for outlines and papers are available in their manuals, which are published every few years. Students writing a paper or outline in the APA format for the first time can also check out sample outlines written in the APA format online.SUNY Plattsburgh has a helpful resource available online for students and faculty writing in the APA style here http://faculty.plattsburgh.edu/michael.morales/psy304_research%20paper.html. This site shows how to format a research paper according to the APA guidelines. It also provides links to more APA style resources for students to reference.Microsoft Office has templates available online that show users how to properly format an outline for the APA style. These are available at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/outline-apa-style-TC030006834.aspx for Microsoft users to download to their computer. They can then fill in the content on the outline, as it already has the numerical and alphabetical headings listed.