How to Write an Annotated Outline

Co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA

Last Updated: October 24, 2024 Fact Checked

Before you begin writing your research paper, you may be advised by your teacher to create an annotated outline. An annotated outline can help you organize the main points of your paper and ensure your research supports your thesis. Creating an annotated outline can save you valuable time when you sit down to write your paper.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Understanding the Key Elements of an Annotated Outline

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1
Begin with Introduction section. Your annotated outline should begin with an Introduction section, titled Introduction. Underneath the section heading, you should include one point each for:^{[1]
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- An attention grabbing hook to open your paper
- A preview of the main points of the paper
- Your thesis statement
2
Use section headings for the body of your paper. The section headings should be labeled and ordered so they support your thesis statement. However, the headings can be as general or as specific as you'd like. The important thing is that your section headings relate directly to your thesis.
- For example, you may be writing a research paper about climate change on Mt.Hood in Portland, Oregon. Your thesis may focus on how the climate systems on Mt.Hood have been affected by climate change, specifically global warming and the effects of these changes. You may then create section headings like: The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood, The Climate Systems on Mt.Hood, The Recent Climate Changes on Mt.Hood via Global Warming, The Effect of Climate Change on the Local Economy, and The Effect of Climate Change on the Biology and Wildlife.
- Do not go overboard on section headings, as the annotated outline should be concise and to the point. Most annotated outlines are no longer than two to two and a half pages long, with double spaces between each section.
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3
Include at least two supporting paragraph headings under each section heading. Each section heading should then contain at least two paragraph headings that support the points made in the section. You can have more than two paragraph headings in each section heading, as long as the information is relevant to your thesis statement.^{[2]
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- For example, under one section heading, The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood, you may include two paragraph headings: The Glaciers of Mt.Hood and The Forests of Mt.Hood.
4
Create a topic sentence for each paragraph. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that reflects your thesis and supports the arguments made in the paragraph.^{[3]
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- For example, under one paragraph heading, The Glaciers of Mt.Hood, you may have this paragraph topic sentence: “The disappearing glaciers on Mt.Hood are clear examples of the effect of global warming on Oregon's highest mountain.”
5
Note at least two supporting points in each paragraph. You should have at least two supporting examples in each paragraph and a content summary that explains how the paragraph connects back to your thesis. Your supporting examples should be quotations and paraphrases from your research that support the paragraph's topic sentence.
- For example, under the paragraph heading, The Glaciers of Mt.Hood, you may use one supporting example from a recent geological survey of the largest glacier on the mountain, Eliot Glacier, showing how the glacier is receding. You may then also use a recent geological survey of Palmer snowfields, which was downgraded from a glacier to a snowfield due to significant receding of the glacier.
- Your content summary can be one to two lines that explain how the supporting evidence connects back to your thesis. For example: “The drastic receding of Palmer Glacier and the continued receding of Eliot Glacier both show how the rises in the Earth's temperature have caused substantial glacial melting and the loss of at least one key glacial body on the mountain.”
- You should then include a closing sentence that transitions from one paragraph to the next paragraph. This will help you ensure your paper flows well and moves effectively from paragraph to paragraph and section to section.
6
End with a Conclusion section. Your annotated outline should then end with a final section titled Conclusion. Underneath the section heading, you should include one point for:^{[4]
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- A rephrasing of your thesis statement
- Concluding details
- A final line or clincher which reinforces your thesis

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating an Annotated Outline without Citations

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1
Read over your research and identify the main sections of your paper. With the structure of an annotated outline in mind, read over your research for your paper. Use a highlighter or a pen to identify the main section headings of your paper. Look at how you can break these section headings down into at least two supporting paragraph headings.^{[5]
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Research source}
- You should also note any research that may be useful as supporting evidence for your paragraph headings. Identifying this before you dive into the annotated outline will save you time, as you will not need to flip through your research as you put the outline together.
2
Finalize your thesis statement. Before you put your research into an annotated outline, you should read over your thesis statement and ensure it is as clear and concise as possible. Your thesis statement will act as a roadmap for your annotated outline, so ensure that summarizes the main points of your research clearly.
- For example, your thesis statement for a paper on how the climate systems on Mt.Hood have been affected by climate change, specifically global warming and the effects of these changes may be: “Due to global warming, the local economy and the biology and wildlife of Mt.Hood are under threat and face possible extinction in the next fifty years.”
- From this thesis, you may then create section headings that will back up your thesis, or your paper's claim. For example: The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood, The Climate Systems on Mt.Hood, The Recent Climate Changes on Mt.Hood via Global Warming, The Effect of Climate Change on the Local Economy, and The Effect of Climate Change on the Biology and Wildlife.
3
Place your research and your thesis into an annotated outline. Once you have reviewed your research notes and finalized your thesis statement, you can place this information into the structure of an annotated outline.^{[6]
X
Research source} Your final outline on the effects of global warming on Mt.Hood may look like:
- INTRODUCTION
  - Attention grabber/ “hook”: “Oregon's highest peak, Mt. Hood is known for its pristine snow and icy blue glaciers. But the most well known volcano in the state is at risk of becoming barren and dry in the next fifty years due to global warming.”
  - Preview of main points: “This paper will look at how global warming is negatively affecting the biology and wildlife on Mt.Hood, as well as the local economy that thrives on ski resorts and winter sports.”
  - Thesis statement: “Due to global warming, the local economy and the biology and wildlife of Mt.Hood are under threat and face possible extinction in the next fifty years.”
- SECTION HEADING 1: The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood
  - Paragraph topic sentence: The Glaciers of Mt.Hood, “The disappearing glaciers on Mt.Hood are clear examples of the effect of global warming on Oregon's highest mountain.”
    - Evidence/supporting point 1: Past receding of Palmer Glacier and downgrade to snow field, relevant quotations from sources.
    - Evidence/supporting point 2: Current receding of Eliot Glacier, relevant quotations from sources.
    - Content summary: “The drastic receding of Palmer Glacier and the continued receding of Eliot Glacier both show how the rises in the Earth's temperature have caused substantial glacial melting and the loss of at least one key glacial body on the mountain.”
    - Closing sentence: “However, the glaciers of Mt.Hood are not the only threatened climate area on the mountain, as the biology and wildlife in the forests of Mt.Hood are also being drastically affected by rising temperatures.”
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 2: The Climate Systems on Mt.Hood
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 3: The Recent Climate Changes on Mt.Hood via Global Warming
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 4: The Effect of Climate Change on the Local Economy
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 5: The Effect of Climate Change on the Biology and Wildlife
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- CONCLUSION
- Rephrasing of thesis statement
- Concluding details on topic
- Final sentence/clincher

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating an Annotated Outline with Citations

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1
Review your research and identify the main sections of your paper. Keeping the structure of an annotated outline in mind, read over your research for your paper. Use a highlighter or a pen to identify the main section headings of your paper. Look at how you can break these section headings down into at least two supporting paragraph headings.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- You should also note any research that may be useful as supporting evidence for your paragraph headings. Identifying this before you dive into the annotated outline will save you time, as you will not need to flip through your research as you put the outline together.
2
Choose primary references for each section. If you are including citations of your references in your annotated outline, you will need to identify your references first. Pay attention to primary references that helped you to form the main ideas in your paper. Highlight one to two primary references for each section of your paper.
- You will then need to use MLA style or APA style to create a citation for each reference. You will use these references in your annotated outline as supporting evidence for each section.^{[8]
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  Research source}
- You can also include additional information for each reference. This can be one to two complete sentences that sum up the main ideas in the reference and how they relate to a main idea in your paper.
3
Do a final draft of your thesis statement. Before you put your research into an annotated outline, you should read over your thesis statement and ensure it is as clear and concise as possible. Your thesis statement will act as a roadmap for your annotated outline, so ensure that summarizes the main points of your research clearly.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- For example, your thesis statement for a paper on how the climate systems on Mt.Hood have been affected by climate change, specifically global warming and the effects of these changes may be: “Due to global warming, the local economy and the biology and wildlife of Mt.Hood are under threat and face possible extinction in the next fifty years.”
- From this thesis, you may then create section headings that will back up your thesis, or your paper's claim. For example: The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood, The Climate Systems on Mt.Hood, The Recent Climate Changes on Mt.Hood via Global Warming, The Effect of Climate Change on the Local Economy, and The Effect of Climate Change on the Biology and Wildlife.
4
Place your research, your references, and your thesis into an annotated outline. Once you have reviewed your research notes and finalized your thesis statement, you can place this information into the structure of an annotated outline. Your final outline on the effects of global warming on Mt.Hood may look like:
- INTRODUCTION
  - Attention grabber/ “hook”: “Oregon's highest peak, Mt. Hood is known for its pristine snow and icy blue glaciers. But the most well known volcano in the state is at risk of becoming barren and dry in the next fifty years due to global warming.”
  - Preview of main points: “This paper will look at how global warming is negatively affecting the biology and wildlife on Mt.Hood, as well as the local economy that thrives on ski resorts and winter sports.”
  - Thesis statement: “Due to global warming, the local economy and the biology and wildlife of Mt.Hood are under threat and face possible extinction in the next fifty years.”
- SECTION HEADING 1: The Geological Profile of Mt.Hood
  - Paragraph topic sentence: The Glaciers of Mt.Hood, “The disappearing glaciers on Mt.Hood are clear examples of the effect of global warming on Oregon's highest mountain.”
    - Evidence/supporting point 1: Past receding of Palmer Glacier and downgrade to snow field, relevant quotations from reference.
    - Reference: Pacific Northwest Regional Assessment Group, 1999, Impacts of Variability and Change: Pacific Northwest, JISAO Climate Impacts Group / NOAA. The PNW Regional Assessment Group looks at the history of Palmer Glacier and how its mass has shrunk over the past twenty years. This reference also explores how global warming contributed to the shrinkage of Palmer Glacier.
    - Evidence/supporting point 2: Current receding of Eliot Glacier, relevant quotations from reference.
    - Reference: National Assessment Synthesis Team / US Global Change Research Program, 2000, Climate Change Impacts on the United States: Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change, Cambridge University Press. This reference discusses how climate change is affecting the climate of the United States, including the affect on glaciers in the United States.
    - Content summary: “The drastic receding of Palmer Glacier and the continued receding of Eliot Glacier both show how the rises in the Earth's temperature have caused substantial glacial melting and the loss of at least one key glacial body on the mountain.”
    - Closing sentence: “However, the glaciers of Mt.Hood are not the only threatened climate area on the mountain, as the biology and wildlife in the forests of Mt.Hood are also being drastically affected by rising temperatures.”
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 2: The Climate Systems on Mt.Hood
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 3: The Recent Climate Changes on Mt.Hood via Global Warming
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 4: The Effect of Climate Change on the Local Economy
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- SECTION HEADING 5: The Effect of Climate Change on the Biology and Wildlife
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
  - Paragraph topic sentence
    - Evidence/supporting point 1
    - Evidence/supporting point 2
    - Content summary
    - Closing sentence
- CONCLUSION
- Rephrasing of thesis statement
- Concluding details on topic
- Final sentence/clincher