Where Do You Start?

With a big paper ahead of you, it can be difficult to decide how to shape your ideas in a readable, organized fashion. You can order your paper in many different ways depending on what resources you have. Try one of the approaches listed below to build a coherent piece of writing.

**Resources and Questions**
If you have a(n) . . .	then ask yourself . . .
Assignment sheet	Does the instructor provide a structure by how they present the essay requirements? Is there a standard format for the genre you’re writing in (e.g. business report, cover letter, lab report, purchasing manual)? How can you order the required elements in a logical fashion?
Evidence/Resources	What information do your sources provide? Where does that information fit into the given genre? Where in your essay will that information have the strongest impact on your reader?
Thesis statement	According to your thesis statement, what do you have to explain or argue first in order to make your claim? Background information Cause How many elements do you mention in your thesis statement?

Creating an Outline

An outline acts as a skeleton for your essay. It can be as simple or detailed as you want.

Start by writing your thesis statement (topic + opinion) at the top of the page.
Under it, come up with your major supporting statements for your thesis statement. Put a Roman numeral in front of each major supporting point. You should have a minimum of three, but more are possible.
Under each major supporting statement, come up with at least two minor supporting statements that back up that point. Again, you can have more than two minor supporting statements. These points are indented once and get a capital letter.
Some of you minor supporting statements may have their own supports. Again, the lowest number of supports should be two, but more is fine. This time, the point is indented twice and has a regular Arabic numeral like the ones in this list.
End with a closing statement. This point uses your last Roman numeral.

This will give you a general idea of what you want to cover in your essay and in what order. You can also see whether you want to rearrange your points or add more information before you start writing.

Here is an example.

Thesis: Drivers should be required to pass a driving competency road test every two years.

People's health can change, affecting their ability to drive safely.
1. Eyesight
2. Hearing
3. Muscle control
Drivers may need to learn the rules of the road with greater care.
1. They may not know what they are doing is wrong
2. Classes would be made available for those who need more education
Drivers may have issues with mental health and clarity
1. Age-related problems
  1. Dementia
  2. Alzheimer's
  3. Other memory problems or general mental confusion
2. Other neurological problems
  1. Parkinson's disease
  2. Epilepsy
  3. Other diseases that cause seizures
Ultimately, requiring all drivers to pass a road test every two years will make the roads safer and save lives.

Graphic Organizers

A graphic organizer like one of these is another great method to take what you see in your essay guidelines or research and organize it into an effective analysis.

**Graphic Organizers for Writing Essays**
graphic organizer idea graphic	Idea Development Map - The basics of any essay are given here, moving from the main point to major points and the supports the writer uses to back them up.
graphic organizer Compare Contrast.PNG	Comparison and Contrast - This helps show how two topics are similar and different.
graphic organizer Description.PNG	Description - This graphic focuses on the senses to help create a full and sharp image of what you want the audience to experience.
graphic organizer narrative.PNG	Narrative - The graphic demonstrates the order of events when the writer wants to tell a story, whether it's fictional or not.
graphic organizer process analysis.PNG	Process Analysis - Here the focus is on explaining how to perform a process by using steps to guide the reader through it.