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Reverse Outlining Guide

This document provides instructions for conducting a reverse outlining exercise to analyze and improve the organization of a draft document. For each paragraph, the exercise involves summarizing the main point, evaluating whether the topic sentence reflects that point, checking that each sentence supports the point, identifying repetitive points, and assessing sentence flow and transitions. The document recommends filling out a chart with this analysis for each paragraph and then creating separate outlines summarizing the points and topic sentences with transitions. This reverse outlining process is intended to help revise document organization and structure.

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69 views2 pages

Reverse Outlining Guide

This document provides instructions for conducting a reverse outlining exercise to analyze and improve the organization of a draft document. For each paragraph, the exercise involves summarizing the main point, evaluating whether the topic sentence reflects that point, checking that each sentence supports the point, identifying repetitive points, and assessing sentence flow and transitions. The document recommends filling out a chart with this analysis for each paragraph and then creating separate outlines summarizing the points and topic sentences with transitions. This reverse outlining process is intended to help revise document organization and structure.

Uploaded by

Ardex 313
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Reverse Outlining Exercise

For every paragraph in your draft, fill in the below chart using these
questions as a guide:

1. What is the point of this paragraph? (summarize briefly)

2. Is the point contained in the first sentence of the paragraph?


a. If not, revise the topic sentence so that it reflects the point of the
paragraph.

3. Does every sentence in the paragraph support this point?


a. Briefly identify the purpose of each sentence in the paragraph.
b. If a sentence does not support the paragraph’s point, consider whether the
sentence should be moved or deleted.

4. Are there repetitive points, either in the same paragraph or different paragraphs?
a. If so, evaluate the best place for this point and make it once.

5. Do the sentences flow together in a logical way? If not, move them and/or add
transitions.

6. Note any additional issues you happen to spot along the way (grammar, citation,
etc.)—though the point of this exercise is to focus on organization.

Sample Chart – Per Paragraph


Point

Topic sentence Yes/No


Identify fix if necessary

Each sentence supports Yes/No


point Identify fix(es) if necessary

Not repetitive Yes/No


Identify fix(es) if necessary

Flow Yes/No
Identify fix(es) if necessary

Additional issues
Reverse Outlining Exercise

Follow-up Exercises
1. In a separate document, create a reverse outline that identifies the point of each
paragraph.

2. In a separate document, create a topic sentence outline with current and/or


revised topic sentences.
a. Have you included transitions to show how these points are connected? If
not, add transitions.

Adapted from L. Danielle Tully, “Reverse Outlines: Fueling Revision and Preparing for Writing Conferences” (LWI Second Draft
Fall 2019).

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