Before you start writing your thesis, make a thesis outline to help you organize your thoughts. It aids in the logical progression of your paper as well as ensuring that all of your material is covered. Making a thesis outline also aids you in identifying areas that are either under- or over-explained in your paper. It’s best to start with your thesis statement and gather all of your information in one place.
The majority of people create a thesis outline in the form of a bulleted list because it is simple to write and reference later. A series of indentations may run the length of the list. For example, one could create a few topic headings to indicate the main points of the thesis’ paragraphs, then indent additional bullets beneath those headings with supplementary details and information.
Using different types of indicators for each point in the thesis outline could be beneficial. You might use Roman numerals in topics that will be paragraph headings, for example. Numbers can be used for indented details beneath those, and letters can be used for any additional indents beneath the details. This makes it simple to understand and provides a hierarchical structure for your information, making it easier to write the thesis once the thesis outline is complete.
A two- or three-column thesis outline can be useful for some people. The first column can contain the above-mentioned bulleted outline, while the second column can contain any additional notes that are too long to fit into the outline. A third column could contain pertinent quotes that can be incorporated into the paper, or it could contain reference material and citations for a bibliography page.
When creating a thesis outline, it’s also a good idea to think about the style guide you’re using for your thesis. The Modern Language Association (MLA) style guide and the American Psychological Association (APA) style guide are two examples of academic style guides. It will be easier to write the thesis later if you keep your style guide in mind; you may even choose to write out source citations as you use them in the proper format. They can simply be copied and pasted into the paper after that. One of the most effective ways to write an excellent thesis is to create a comprehensive thesis outline.