SHS

English for Academic and Professional Purposes – SHS

Module
First Edition 2020

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Undersecretary: Lorna Dig Dino

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Consultant and Editor:
Dr. Kyzil D. Lipar Ms. Barbra N. Villareal

Author:
Maienne I. Pabroa

Layout Artist:
Joana J. Gumban
 11

EAPP Module

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Department of Education
 Lesson

5 OUTLINING ACADEMIC
TEXTS

Think of an outline as a skeleton you must assemble bone by bone,

gradually making it take form into a coherent whole or think of it as a puzzle in
which you must put all the pieces in their correct places in order to see the full
picture. The more fully you can come to understand the outline as both rule-
bound and creative, the more fully you will experience its usefulness and its
power to deliver your message in a unified, coherent way.

Learning Objective:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to write an outline of a
paragraph and essay.

Task 1. Read the list of words or phrases below. Decide which two name
general categories, and then put the rest of the words and phrases in the correct
category.

read a book ride a bike

swim bake cookies
watching movies play cards
play baseball indoor activities
outdoor activities climb a tree

Outlining is an organizational skill that will develop your ability to think in

a clear and logical manner. An outline can help you synthesize the most
important information in a paragraph or essay. The information in the outline is
a quick check on whether the paragraph or essay is unified, well supported, and
well organized.
I. Outlines have two basic characteristics.
A. They are accurate summaries of information.
B. They are organized to show how ideas are related.
II. Outlines follow a special format.
A. They begin with a title which states the topic.
B. All statements must be labeled.
1. Roman numerals are used to label main ideas.
2. Capital letters are used to label major supporting
sentences.
3. Arabic numeral is used to label minor supports.
C. All labels must be used in pairs and must be followed by a
period.
1. If a l us used, a ll must be used.
2. If an A is used, a B must be used.
3. If a 1 is used, a 2 must be used.
III. Making an outline has two advantages.
A. The outline synthesizes the most important information of a
paragraph or essay for the reader or listener.
1. The outline can be helpful when taking notes from a
textbook.
2. The outline format can make taking lecture notes
simple.
B. The outline provides the important information the writer wants
to include in paragraph or essay.
1. The outline can be helpful when beginning to write
because it lists the main points to be developed.
2. Developing an outline point by point helps the writer to
adequately support each point.

Task 2. Six Steps to Build Outlining Proficiency.

Step One: Understand the difference between the topic and major
thoughts. All information must be organized around a general topic.
Exercise A
1. Read the list of items.
2. Determine what should be the main topic for each list.
3. Write the topic on the line provided.
 1. _________________________
Headache
Runny nose
Fever
Chills
2. _________________________
Wood
Oil
Gas
Kerosene
3. _________________________
Arm
Wrist
Ankle
Toe
4. _________________________
Duterte
Aquino
Arroyo
Estrada

Step Two: Understand the Main Idea.

The main idea is the central idea which ties a paragraph or list of items
together. The topic usually becomes the title of the outline. Once the topic is
identified, the main ideas must be labeled with Roman numerals. In paragraph
only one main idea will be present. When outlining a paragraph, a single Roman
numeral I may be used. This is an exception to the rule that all labels must be
used in pairs.
Major details give the necessary support or proof that will help the
readers understand the main idea mentioned in the topic sentence. The major
details are labeled with capital letters. Finally, minor details which clarify or give
examples of the major details are labeled with numbers.
Exercise B
In each of these exercises,
1. Choose the topic, and write it as the title.
2. Decide what the main ideas are, and label them in the first
column with Roman numerals.
3. Decide what are the major details, and label them in the
second column with capital letters.
 Exercise B.1.
Title: _______________________________________________
I. Individual
Hiking
Swimming
Walking Soccer
II. Two-person
Tennis Badminton
Team Baseball
Basketball
Exercise B.2
Title: _______________________________________________
Office
Manager
Secretary
Doctor
Nurse
Midwife
Clerk
Factory
Supervisor
Laborers
Hospital

Step Three: Understand minor details.

Remember that minor details clarify or provide examples of the major
details. They must have something in common with the major detail listed
above.
Exercise C
In each of these exercises,
1. Choose the topic, and write it as the title.
2. Decide what the main ideas are, and label them in the first
column with Roman numerals.
3. Decide what are the major details, and label them in the
second column with capital letters.
4. Decide what are the minor details, and label them in the
third column with an Arabic number.
 Step Four: Understand the difference between main ideas stated in the
topic sentence and major and minor details.
Remember major and minor details are used to support or prove the
main ideas. Major details often follow key words known as transitions. A few
such words are first, next, last, another. There are many transitions. If you are
not familiar with them, get the handout on transitions.
When outlining a paragraph,
1. List the topic.
2. Next to the Roman numeral l list the topic sentence which states
the main idea.
3. Below the topic sentence, indent two spaces and list each major
detail with a capital letter.
4. Below the major detail, indent two spaces and list each minor
detail with an Arabic numeral.
Exercise D
1. The topic and topic sentence have been given.
2. In the outline format, list the statements on the left in logical order.
3. First, find all the different major details and list them by the capital
letters.
4. Next, list all the fact and examples that explain the major details.
These are minor details, and they are each given an Arabic
numeral.
 I. Topic sentence: The ancient Romans were unlike the Greeks in
many ways.

The Greeks granted citizenship to many conquered people. The

Greeks made great contributions to literature and philosophy.
First, they differed in the views of citizenship. The Romans
developed practical methods for government and the legal
system. The Romans stressed citizenship as part of national
heritage. Second, each were leaders in their own special field.

l. Topic sentence: The ancient Romans were unlike the Greeks in

many ways.
A. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
B. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________

Step Five: Understand how to outline a paragraph.

To outline a paragraph,
1. Read the entire paragraph.
2. Decide what the topic is and make it the title.
3. Find the topic sentence that states the main idea. To
synthesize the statement, write it in your own words.
However, make sure it is a complete sentence. List it next
to Roman numeral l.
4. List in your own words all the major details which support
the main idea.
5. List in your own words the minor details which clarify the
major details.
Exercise E
Read the following paragraph, and outline it according to the directions
above.

Teenagers take drugs for several reasons. Young people can

get drugs easily. They are available everywhere: football games,
shopping centers, even the school cafeteria. Most teens can afford
these drugs by using their allowances and earning from part-time jobs.
Another reason for teens to take drugs is that many have psychological
problems. They feel taking drugs is a way to escape from making
decisions. At this age, they also have the problem of establishing their
 independence from their parents. Finally, they may use drugs because
of peer pressure. Hoping to be part of the “gang,” the teen turns to drugs
to be accepted. Even the most mature teen might be tempted to use
drugs rather than risk being left out. For all of these reasons, drugs are
a major problem facing teens.

Topic: ___________________________________________________
I. (Main Idea) ______________________________________________
A. (Major Detail) ______________________________________
1. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
2. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
B. (Major Detail) ______________________________________
1. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
2. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
C. (Major Detail) ______________________________________
1. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
2. (Minor Detail) _________________________________

Step Six: Understand how to outline an essay.

To outline an essay,
1. Read through the entire essay, and find the topic. List it as
the title.
2. Locate the main idea of each essay. This is referred to as
the thesis statement. It is the controlling idea. It tells the
reader what the writer will be discussing in the essay. It is
usually found in the first or second paragraph.
3. Read the thesis statement, and write it in your own words
next to the label thesis.
4. Read through each of the remaining paragraphs.
5. List the main ideas, and label them with the Roman
numerals.
6. List the major details, and label them with capital letters.
7. List the minor details, and label them with Arabic numerals.

Peer Pressure
We often hear about the dangers of peer pressure to teenagers.
Teenagers take drugs, skip school, get drunk, or have sex because their
friends do these things. However, there is another—perhaps equally
bad—effect of peer pressure. Desperate to conform to their friends’
values, teens may give up their interests in school, hobbies, and even
in certain people.
Teenagers may, first of all, lose or hide their interest in school in
order to be like their friends. They adopt a negative attitude in which
 school is seen as a battlefield, with teachers and other officials regarded
as the enemy. In addition, teenagers may stop participating in class. It
is no longer cool to raise a hand or seem anxious to learn. It is cool to
show up without the assigned homework. Conforming also means not
joining many after-school activities. A teenager might be curious about
the band, the Spanish club, the student council, or the computer club.
However, he/she does not dare join if the gang feels such activities are
for squares.
Teenagers also give up private pleasures and hobbies to be one
of the crowds. Certain things, such as writing poems, practicing piano,
reading books, or fooling around with a chemistry set may be off limits
because the crowd laughs at them. So, teens often drop these interests.
He or she may exchange then for riding around in cars and hanging out
at the mall. Even worse, teens have to give up their own values and
mock the people who stay interest in such hobbies. Against their better
instincts, they label as “creep” the girl who is always reading books. They
may even tease the boy who spends after-school time in the biology lab
be calling him a “nerd”. Most important, giving up private pleasure during
these years can mean that the teenager loses these interests forever. It
may only be as an adult that the person wishers he or she had kept up
with piano, ballet, or astronomy. He or she may then feel it is now too
late to start again.
Finally, teenagers sometimes give up the people they love in
order to be accepted. If necessary, they sacrifice the old friend who no
longer dresses well enough, listens to the right kind of music, or refuses
to drink or take drugs. Potential boyfriends and girlfriends may be
rejected, too, if the crowd doesn’t like their values. Sadly,
teenagers can even cut their families out of their lives. They may
be ashamed of the parents who are too poor, too conventional,
too different from friends: parents. Even if the teens are not
completely ashamed of their parents, they may still refuse to
participate in family get-togethers or spend time with younger
brothers or sisters.
It is true many teenagers face the pressures of being forced to
take drugs, to perform dangerous stunts, to do risky things. But a more
common and perhaps more painful pressure is to conform to the crowd
by giving up part of oneself. Attachments to learning, to special interests,
and to special people are often thrown away just to “to be one of the
guys.”

Topic: ___________________________________________________
Thesis Statement: __________________________________________
I. (Main Idea stated in the topic sentence) ________________________
A. (Major Detail) ______________________________________
 B. _________________________________________________
1. (Minor Detail) _________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
C. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
II. ______________________________________________________
A. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
B. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
C. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________
III. ______________________________________________________
A. _________________________________________________
B. _________________________________________________
C. _________________________________________________
1. ____________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________

WRAP IT UP

Understand the difference between the topic and major thoughts,

between main ideas and minor detail; difference between main ideas
stated in the topic sentence and major and minor details and how to
outline a paragraph and how to outline an essay.

I. Read the essay below. Then outline it on a separate sheet of paper.

Write out the thesis statement and topic sentences and list the three major
points that fit under each topic sentence.
 Escape Reading
Everyone needs to escape from a dull routine. Escape can sometimes
be dangerous--if a person turns to alcohol or drugs, for instance. But escaping
into a sport or hobby can be a healthy way to turn off the daily pressures. My
escape hatch is reading books that carry me to other times and places.
I often escape, first of all, into spy stories. These books are usually set
in exotic lands I'm sure I will never actually see. Spies, for example, pass
information to each other in a market in Tokyo, a cafe in Venice, or an airport in
Bombay. In addition, spy novels are filled with fascinating marvels of technology.
James Bond has his Lotus car equipped with smokescreen and machine gun
controls, of course, but even less-glamorous spies use cameras the size of
matchboxes and microphones that pick-up conversations miles away. The
intricate, twisted plots of spy stories also aid the sensation of total escape.
Keeping up with the secret agents, the counterspies, and the double crosses
occupies my mind completely. I don't worry about whether my car will pass
inspection when I'm trying to figure out which American agent is really working
for the KGB.
A second kind of escape reading I enjoy is the Western. A book by Zane
Grey or Louis L'Amour is filled with the atmosphere of a long-ago era. I can live
for a time in a town like Dodge City; I can almost see the dusty main street, the
raised wooden sidewalks, and the women wearing calico sunbonnets. The
Western also helps me escape by providing plenty of action. Almost every page
puts me in the midst of a cattle roundup, a gunfight, or a galloping posse. The
non-stop action won't allow my mind to wander back to the real world until I turn
the last page. Finally, a Western tempts me to escape into it because the story
usually describes a simpler, less confusing world than my own. The characters
are either good guys or bad buys, and it is easy to tell the difference. In the Old
West, justice always triumphs in the end.
The final and most enjoyable escape I know is reading horror stories.
For one thing, such stories keep me interested because the authors create
fascinating imaginary monsters. A story about a slimy creature that emerges
from a graveyard or a huge, hundred-pound rat that lives in a basement is a
story that blanks out reality. Horror stories introduce me to imaginary places as
well. A horror tale can be set in a series of tunnels beneath the Antarctic ice
sheet or in another dimension that exists only in a spooky old house. Pure
shock, however, is what makes horror stories sure-fire escapes. The problems
I have at work could never be as bad, for example, as the horrible situations
Stephen King's characters endure. As I read about a woman being chased by a
rabid St. Bernard, or a little boy being pursued by an insane and murderous
father, I forget the outside world completely.
The members of my family have learned to leave me in peace when I
escape into my books. They know that giving me such time means that I will be
easier to live with. After I have returned from a dangerous spy mission, a
Western shoot-out, or a house of horror, I can deal more calmly with everyday
crises at home.
 II. Read the essay below. Then outline it on a separate sheet of paper.
Write out the thesis statement and topic sentences and list the three major
points that fit under each topic sentence.

Problems with Holidays

When most of us think about holidays, we have images of togetherness,
happiness, and freedom from every day cares. However, these pleasant pre-
holiday thoughts can often turn into an unpleasant reality. The problems
connected with holidays tend to occur in three areas--family situations, personal
expectations, and finances.
Families can make holidays very trying times. First, for larger holidays
such as Christmas, many families gather all the relatives in one place. Living
with relatives, even temporarily, can be annoying. You discover, for instance,
that Uncle Bob spends two hours in the bathroom every morning, and Aunt
Helen performs dozens of noisy jumping jacks on the wooden floors of the
upstairs bedroom. Besides the problems of close confinement, family get-
togethers can also result in arguments and conflicts. Old wounds are opened
and new ones inflicted. Aunt Helen will have one drink too many and remind
your father that no one in their family thought Mom was good enough for him.
Mom's simmering dislike of Aunt Helen flares up, the entire family takes sides,
children start crying, and the grudges are carried long past the holiday season.
A second area of holiday trouble revolves around personal expectations.
One expectation that can end in disappointment is the dream of a perfect gift.
Your boyfriend shows up on Valentine's Day with a card, not a dozen roses; a
shirt is sitting under the Christmas tree, not the stereo system you wanted.
Another false expectation is that something important will happen. For instance,
the hope that this Thanksgiving will finally be the one that brings you and your
father closer together vanishes as the day turns into the usual round of eating
and watching football, rather than talking in an intimate way. A last false belief
is that the holiday will lessen loneliness and depression. But, in fact, holidays
may do just the opposite. You will probably feel especially miserable if you have
no special someone and there are couples all around you at the Easter or
Christmas church service.
Finances are the final area of holiday difficulty. Employees may be asked
to contribute to holiday charity drives, the boss' present, the secretary's gift, or
the maintenance people's envelopes. Also, acting as the host for a holiday can
be expensive. Having a pre-holiday party or a big family dinner on the day itself
can cost well over a hundred dollars. The biggest financial pressure, though, is
buying gifts for the family. You are under pressure to buy the Barbie Dream
House, video games, or a fancy watch. If you don't buy the present a person
wants, you feel like a guilty Scrooge; if you do buy it, you live in dread of January
bills.
 Whether the reasons are family situations, personal expectations, or
financial considerations, holidays are often not the fulfilling experiences they are
supposed to be. They can, in fact, be nerve wracking.
REFERENCES GALLERY

Plata, S. et al. (2016). Reading into Writing in the 21st Century: A Process
Approach.Trailblazer Publications Asia Inc.
ANSWER KEYS
Exercise D

Exercise E

Topic: Teenagers and Drugs

I. (Main Idea) There are several reasons why teenagers take drugs.
A. (Major Detail) They can get drugs easily.
1. (Minor Detail) They are available everywhere; football games,
shopping centers event he school cafeteria.
2. (Minor Detail) Most teens have spending money for drugs
because of allowances and earning from their jobs.
B. (Major Detail) Another problem is that teens have psychological
problems.
1. (Minor Detail) They take drugs to escape from making
decisions
2. (Minor Detail) They are also trying to establish independence
from parents. C.(Major Detail) They may use drugs to be accepted.
1. (Minor Detail) They want to be part of the “gang”.
2. (Minor Detail) They do not want to be considered an outcast.

Exercise F

Topic: Peer Pressure

Thesis Statement: Desperate to conform to the values of their friends, teens

may give up interest in school, hobbies, and even certain people.

l. (Main idea stated in the topic sentence) Teens lose or hide their interest in
school.
A. (Major detail) They adopt a negative attitude.
 B. They stop participating in class.
1. (Minor detail) They do not raise their hand or seem anxious to
learn.
2. They come to class without their assignments.
C. They do not join in after-school activities.
1. A teen may be curious about an activity.
2. However, he/she does not dare to join.
ll. He/she gives up private hobbies or pleasures to be part of the crowd.
A. Certain hobbies may be put off, so the teen will be accepted not
laughed at.
1. He/she may drop these interests.
2. He/she may exchange them for riding in cars or ganging out in
the mall.
B. Teens may give up their own values and mock others.
1. They may call a girl who reads a “creep.”
2. They may call a boy who studies a “nerd.”
C. They may lose interest in their private pleasures forever.
1. It may not be until they become an adult that they wish they
had continued
the piano, ballet, or astronomy.
lll. Finally, they may give up the people they love.
A. They sacrifice old friends.
B. Potential boyfriends and girlfriends may be rejected, too.
C. They cut themselves off from, their families.
1. They may be ashamed that their parents are too poor, too
conventional, too different.
2. They refuse to participate in family get together or spend time
with younger brother or sisters.

Think it Out

OUTLINING AN ESSAY I

Thesis Statement: My escape hatch is reading books that carry me to other

times and places.

Topic Sentence _I: I often escape, first of all, into spy stories.
Specific Supporting Evidence:
A. Set in exotic lands B. Fascinating technology C. Intricate plots
Topic Sentence _II: A second kind of escape reading I enjoy is the Western.
Specific Supporting Evidence: A. Atmosphere of long-ago era B. Plenty of
action C. Simpler, less-confusing world
Topic Sentence III: The final and most enjoyable escape I know is reading
horror stories. Specific Supporting Evidence: A. Fascinating monsters B:
Imaginary places C. Pure shock
OUTLINING AN ESSAY II

Thesis Statement: The problems connected with holidays tend to occur in three
areas--family situations, personal expectations, and finances.

Topic Sentence _I: Families can make holidays very trying times. Specific
Supporting Evidence: A. Family in close quarters B. Arguments and conflicts
Topic Sentence _II: A second area of holiday trouble revolves around personal
expectations. Specific Supporting Evidence: A. Dream of perfect gift B.
Something important will happen C. Holiday will lessen loneliness and
depression
Topic Sentence _III: Finances are the final area of holiday difficulty. Specific
Supporting Evidence: A. Office expenses B. Expenses as host C. Buying family
gifts
METADATA

Title English for Academic and Professional

Purposes

Language English

Keywords English for Academic and Professional

Purposes

Description Outlining is a pre-requisite skill that enables

students to learn and use other skills cited in
this subject. Once a topic has been chosen,
ideas have been generated through
brainstorming and free writing, and a working
thesis has been created, the last step a writer
can perform in the prewriting stage is creating
an outline. Learning to outline allows a
student to categorize the main points and
supporting details, to organize the
paragraphs or texts into an order, and
essentially to comprehend the thoughts that
the texts emphasize. This must be learned
beforehand to equip students to learn other
writing skills.

Primary Media Print Material

Primary Storage Flash drive, CD, DOC

Resource Location Department of Education

Region VI – Western Visayas
Division of Aklan

Developer Maienne I. Pabroa

Teacher III