Essay Outline Form

Before you plan

1. What is the essay prompt/question?

2. What is your position on the question? Remember, your position should be clear and consistent
throughout the whole essay, even if in reality you have mixed feelings.

3. What 3 arguments do you have to support this position?

A.
B.
C. Counter-argument:
Rebuttal:

Introductory paragraph

1. How will you catch the reader’s attention (hook)?

2. Combine your position and your 3 arguments from the box above into a thesis statement:

Body paragraph 1
1. Rewrite your argument A here:

2. How will you support this argument?

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3. What summaries/paraphrases and quotations will you use to support this argument? Copy them
here, with their in-text citations, so you don’t have to look for them later (remember, quotes
should be less than 40 words long).

Body paragraph 2
1. Rewrite your argument B here:

2. How will you support this argument?

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3. What summaries/paraphrases and quotations will you use to support this argument? Copy them
here, with their in-text citations, so you don’t have to look for them later (remember, quotes
should be less than 40 words long).

Body paragraph 3
1. Rewrite your counter-argument (1-2 sentences against your argument) here:

2. Why is that counter-argument wrong?

3. How will you support your rebuttal (argument against the counter-argument)?
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 
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4. What summaries/paraphrases and quotations will you use to support your rebuttal? Copy them
here, with their in-text citations, so you don’t have to look for them later (remember, quotes
should be less than 40 words long).

Conclusion
Paraphrase your thesis:

How can you connect back to your hook?