Formal Outlines

There are several types of formal outlines.  The example provided below is classified as a mixed outline.  Although complete sentences are used to express topic sentences or main points in a mixed outline, only phrases are used to describe subordinate ideas.  All formal outlines follow the same basic pattern and rules.  Therefore, the mixed outline below can serve as a guide to writing several types of formal outlines.  The mixed outline can be changed into a sentence outline by using complete sentences throughout or into a topic outline by eliminating all complete sentences except the thesis statement.

INTRODUCTION[1]

Thesis Statement:  Although film adaptations of novels may seem to distort original works, the adaptations often create worthy counterparts to the originals.

I.                    Although plots are simplified for films, films retain the primary focus of the original work.

A.     Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain):1885

1.      Forty-three chapters, over three hundred pages

2.      Hundreds of episodes included

B.     Huckleberry Finn (Joseph Mankiewicz film, with Mickey Rooney): 1939

1.      Eighty-eight minutes

2.      Focuses on five primary episodes

II.                 Films selectively develop characters, necessarily omitting some details from the novels.

A. Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass (Isak Dinesen) 1983 and 1960, respectively

1.      Character of first-person narrator introduced through description of life around her

2.      Character developed through cumulative effect of many episodes

B.     Out of Africa (Sidney Pollack film, with Meryl Streep): 1986

1.      Character revealed through narrative voice-overs

2.      Exploration limited to the five selected episodes

III.               Because of their nature, films often highlight crucial themes rather than including the multiple themes found in novels.

A.     The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck): 1939

1.      Thirty chapters, over six hundred pages

2.      Interwoven fiction and essays on social problems

3.      Multiple themes

B.     The Grapes of Wrath (Darryl Zanuck film, with Henry Fonda): 1940

1.      129 minutes

2.      Three-part narrative

3.      Three major themes retained

CONCLUSION

Remember: Outlines should reflect the proportions of the paper’s development.  For instance, if Roman numeral II and its divisions take up a major part of the outline, the reader will expect the    body of the paper to reflect that same substantial development.  In addition, the sequence of the outline should correspond with the sequence of the paper.