{"id":2866,"date":"2022-07-01T20:06:40","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T20:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-introtocollegereadingandwriting\/?post_type=chapter&p=2866"},"modified":"2022-07-01T20:38:33","modified_gmt":"2022-07-01T20:38:33","slug":"outlining","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-introtocollegereadingandwriting\/chapter\/outlining\/","title":{"raw":"Reverse Outline","rendered":"Reverse Outline"},"content":{"raw":"

Reverse Outlines Help Identify & Analyze Main Ideas in a Text<\/h2>\r\n\"\"\r\n\r\nOutlines allow you to work with\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0of the information in the text in \u201cshorthand\u201d form to see patterns of organization, idea relationships, and\/or idea development. An outline\u00a0categorizes groups of ideas and differentiates between main and supporting ideas. An outline differs from a concept map in that it shows the linear order of ideas in the text.\r\n\r\nOutlining is an important reading, writing, and analyzing strategy. It helps you identify and recall main ideas and supporting details and also become aware of the way in which groups of ideas relate and lead into one another.\r\n\r\nAfter you read, doing a reverse outline can help you remember idea relationships within the text. It\u2019s easier to recall \u201ctwo reasons\u201d or \u201cfour points of contrast\u201d and then fill in the specifics than it is to recall each item separately, without considering how it fits into an overall plan.\r\n\r\nReverse outlines can also help you analyze a text. For example, if an outline of an article on sloppy vs. neat people looked like the one below, you might realize that the author intended to influence your feelings by providing more negative information about sloppy people.\r\n
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How to do a Reverse Outline<\/h2>\r\nMain Idea: Readers use reverse outlines to understand and evaluate a text\r\n<\/strong>You can put the main idea of the whole text at the start to keep it prominent, like this.<\/em>\r\n\r\nI. Read the text and jot down the ideas of each paragraph in as few words as possible.\r\n

A. If a paragraph does not have a main idea, identify its function.<\/p>\r\n

1. example\r\n2. description\r\n3. definition\r\n4. effect\r\n5. etc\u2026.<\/p>\r\nII. Review your list of main ideas\/functions and ask\/answer the following questions.\r\n

A. Do all ideas in the list relate to the text\u2019s main idea?<\/p>\r\n

B. Are there multiple instances of an idea and, if so, what does that mean? (e.g. really important idea? need to edit repetitiveness?)<\/p>\r\n

C. Do the ideas logically link with each other?<\/p>\r\n

D. Is the reasoning sound? (e.g., no logical errors, no inappropriate language use intended to sway a reader emotionally instead of logically)<\/p>\r\n

E. Do some paragraphs contain too many ideas?<\/p>\r\nIII. Use a reverse outline to identify, understand, and evaluate ideas\u2014to link ideas to your own background and react, apply, analyze, and synthesize them.\r\n\r\nIV. Use a reverse outline to evaluate your own writing in order to move it from draft to more final version. Many websites offer fuller discussions of this use of a reverse outline.\r\n

A.\u00a0Reverse Outline<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Duke University Writing Studio<\/p>\r\n

B.\u00a0Reverse Outlines<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 University of Wisconsin Madison, Writing Center<\/p>\r\n

C.\u00a0Reverse Outlines<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Explorations of Style blog about academic writing<\/p>\r\n