How to Create an Article Outline
his chapter shows how to create an article outline that is easy to follow to create quality content.
Write down some of the ideas and sentences that would be appropriate in your article. These could be some of the focal points that could help make your article creative, interesting and appealing to a reader.
At times you may have difficulty figuring out what to write about or maintaining the flow in which the article develops. Here are some suggestions that may help:
The article is based on a topic or subject, a theme, or an issue. The outline on which the topic is developed has three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
The introduction supports the topic which is the purpose of the article.
The body is best divided into logical sections, each an aspect of the topic, seamlessly flowing from one to the other. Each paragraph starts with a sentence that refers to an aspect of the topic. The body also includes properly cited sources and documentation that supports your topic. Watch for misspellings, grammatical errors, and punctuation. Be concise in your writing; get to the point. Remember, internet usage is expensive in some countries. Some people may copy and paste and may be quite busy; their time is the most valuable thing they own.
You may write, as I have, and the content doesn't seem to fit the subject but in your mind it does. Reread and edit. Read out loud. Sometimes, actually, a lot of times I see words on the page that are not written. I "see" the words in my voice-mind as I read silently but the words are not there. That's why it helps me to read the content aloud.
For ideas that you include and seem out of place, if they are suitable, defend them. Write how you got there.
Sketch at Isamo Noguchi Museum Garden, Queens, NY by A.L.Williams Hill
An example: I was thinking about Utrice Leid, host of podbean cast Leid Stories, and the question she asked the listeners on her radio show about the defendants on the Armhad Arbery criminal trial getting a fair trial. The second time she asked the question, I giggled. How could I giggle about a murder trial of a Black man? It was what the question brought to mind not the tragedy. The question brought to mind an episode of Star Trek, the Original Series. In "The Naked Time" Sulu was running around the ship with a rapier. He grabbed Uhura, shouting, "Come fair maiden!" She looked at him and said, "Sorry, neither!"
BAM! FAIR means White! My answer would have been yes, these defendants think they will be getting a "fair" trial with eleven white jurors and after it was reported that a woman for whom one of the male defendants worked attempted to suppress evidence.
The Roam by Allison L. Williams Hill
The conclusion wraps up the article. It summarizes the elements used to argue or
support the topic.
1. Write ideas about your website’s subject matter from your customer’s point of view and your thoughts on how to attract the interest of your intended reader. The ideas could be expressed as single words- nouns or verbs, or phrases. Include associated words or phrases. These can be used as your keywords. Develop them into long phrases and these may be used as your long keyword phrases. Look at what you have written that may become good ideas for articles. Keep all of these in a file for future development and reference.
2. Select one of the ideas and structure it into a topic. Browse educational (.edu), government (.gov), and non-profit organization (.org) websites for objective and other information that may be used in your article. The point is to bring new information forward, to hold the interest of your reader and to encourage repeat visits.
Ascension by Allison L. Williams Hill
3. What you do with the topic determines how the paragraphs will be created. If you want to educate readers about the origins of skeleton keys and their current value, you would start from the old-when skeleton keys came into existence and why- and end with the new- the existence of skeleton keys today and their value, if any. Write the article as one flowing document for your first draft. Then it would be easier to see how to separate the paragraphs and create subheadings.
4. The second and third draft, if necessary, reflect the development of the article. Step away from it for a day and return to it with fresh eyes.
S Soul Portrait by Allison L. Williams Hill
5. Read and reread what you have written. Always refer to your outline to avoid drifting from the purpose of the article. If that happens, and it may, rework the outline. As you read your work, you may realize that the intention may need to change. The outline is not written in stone. It is a guide to help you write the article. You may find the outline does not suit the revised direction of the article. As you develop it, the way to convey the information or the information itself may change. The latter may occur as a result of your advanced research.
6. Read your work out loud as you think of your audience! Your eyes may “see” words that are not there. The content is exiting the brain and some silent words may not make it to the page. Tense changes may be missing or incorrect.
Reading aloud will also improve its flow because the spoken word, when pacing, informs of how to punctuate, break up, and structure the product for the eye and the customer’s “authoritative voice.”
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