Sample Outline – Write out the introduction and then write a sentence outline of the paper for

conferences.

Introduction:
Provide background (for a personal narrative, the background you provide is about yourself, in other
words the subject/status you are describing in detail in the body of the paper). Include a thesis.

Thesis:
This statement should appear at the very end of the introduction. This statement summarizes the main
idea of the essay. For the personal narrative, the thesis will mention the event/experience you are
narrating, its significance, and how it is indicative of your values.

Body of the Paper:

Outline in at least one sentence per paragraph the sequence of the story’s event/experience.

Conclusion:
Here you will consider a thoughtful ending to the main idea of the essay. Never introduce a new
supporting point in the conclusion (those belong in the body of the paper), but you might leave your
reader with something thought-provoking, final words to ponder.