English 102

From Topic Outline to Sentence Outline

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English 102
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Davis Oldham
FOSS 5355
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Please take your topic outline and convert it to a sentence outline. This will
constitute the core of your Preliminary Review of Research.

Remember that a topic outline lists words or phrases. A sentence outline

lists complete sentences.

A topic outline arranges your ideas hierarchically (showing which are main
and which are sub-points), in the sequence you want, and shows what you
will talk about. As the name implies, it identifies all the little mini-topics that
your paper will comprise, and shows how they relate.

A sentence outline does all of this, plus it shows exactly what you will
say about each mini-topic. Each sentence, instead of simply identifying a mini-
topic, is like a mini-thesis statement about that mini-topic. It expresses the
specific and complete idea that that section of the paper will cover as part of
proving the overall thesis.

Tip: Outlines can be very detailed or very general, but the more detail you
have the farther youll get toward writing your paper. Heres an example. A
paper of 12 pages (about 4,500 words) might have four major topics or points,
represented by roman numerals (I - IV) in the outline. This would mean each
point would represent about three pages of the final paper. These three pages
will include background information, multiple sources, different pieces of
evidence and explanation supporting that point, and often a brief description
of alternative views and an explanation of why those views are not so
convincing. Smaller points supporting each of the main points might then take
up a single page, or 2 - 3 paragraphsagain with evidence, explanation,
alternative views and so on. Finally, even smaller points under these might
correspond to individual paragraphs in the final draft.

You can view sample topic and sentence outlines at How to Write an Outline
from Los Angeles Valley College. This will give you a good idea of the
difference between the two, and how a sentence outline acts like a series of
mini-theses. Also review What is a Thesis for more on the difference
between a topic and a thesis.
Your sentence outline should, if done thoroughly and carefully, represent
almost a first draft of your research paper. Once youve written it, the paper
will practically write itself. Youll just be filling in the blanks, so to speak
providing specific examples and other support to flesh out and prove the ideas
youve already sketched out. The purpose, in other words, of doing this work
is not to make work for you, but to save you work in the long run by breaking
the job down into smaller, manageable tasks.

METHODS AND OBSERVATIONS

The concept of brainstorming was introduced by Alex

Osborn in his book Applied Imagination: Principles and
Practices of Creative Thinking (1953). Osborn offered a
theory of the steps involved in the creative process,
describing it as "a stop-and-go, catch-as-catch-can
operation--one which can never be exact enough to rate as
scientific." The process, he said, usually includes some or
all of these phases:
1. Orientation: Pointing up the problem.
2. Preparation: Gathering pertinent data.
3. Analysis: Breaking down the relevant material.
4. Hypothesis: Piling up alternatives by way of ideas.
5. Incubation: Letting up, to invite illumination.
6. Synthesis: Putting the pieces together.
7. Verification: Judging the resultant ideas.

Osborne established these four basic rules for

brainstorming:
Criticism is ruled out. Adverse judgment of ideas
much be withheld until later.
"Free-wheeling" is encouraged. The wilder the idea,
the better.
Quantity is the goal. The greater the number of ideas,
the more likely it is that useful ideas will result.
 Combination and improvement are sought. "In
addition to contributing ideas of their own,
participants should suggest how ideas of others can be
turned into better ideas; or how two or more ideas can
be joined into still another idea" (Osborn, 1953).

The Limits of Brainstorming

"Brainstorming seems like an ideal technique, a feel-
good way to boost productivity. But there is a problem
with brainstorming. It doesn't work. . . .

"[Professor of psychology Charles] Nemeth's studies

suggest that the ineffectiveness of brainstorming stems
from the very thing that [Alex] Osborn thought was most
important. As Nesmeth puts it, 'While the instruction "Do
not criticize" is often cited as the most important
instruction in brainstorming, this appears to be a
counterproductive strategy. Our findings show
that debate and criticism do not inhibit ideas but, rather,
stimulate them relative to every other condition.' Osborn
thought that imagination is inhibited by the merest hint of
criticism, but Nemeth's work and a number of other
studies have demonstrated that it can thrive on conflict.

"According to Nemeth, dissent stimulates new ideas

because it encourages us to engage more fully with the
work of others and to reassess our viewpoints."
(Jonah Lehrer, "Groupthink: The Brainstorming
Myth." The New Yorker, Jan. 30, 2012)

The Teacher's Role

"During classwide and group brainstorming sessions,
the teacher assumes the role of facilitator and scribe. That
is, he or she prompts and probes by asking questions such
as 'What do you mean?' 'Can you give an example?' or
'How are these ideas related?'--recording these ideas on
the board, an overhead transparency, or an electronic
display.
. . . The outcomes of a brainstorming session can
subsequently be used as a resource for
further freewriting, listing, or more structured prewriting
activities."
(Dana Ferris and John Hedgcock, Teaching ESL
Composition: Purpose, Process, and Practice, 2nd ed.
Lawrence Erlbaum, 2005)

After Brainstorming
"Brainstorming is usually just the first step in
generating an interesting and well-thought out essay, with
ideas that go beyond the superficial. A useful invention
strategy that follows brainstorming and precedes
the drafting of an essay is the Points-to-Make List, which
enables a writer to sort and narrow ideas. Although
different writers do this in individual ways, most good
writers will take time to write down, examine, and revise
their ideas in an informal list that is not as rigid as
an outline."