Putting it All Together: Making your Report Plan

How do I share the ideas and opinions I have about my topic?

My historical inquiry is only done when I've organized and reported my findings.  To help me organize my ideas, evidence, and the flow of my argument, I always create an outline of my report plan.

My outline can be a rough 'sketch' of what I plan to write, or it can be detailed and list the different types of evidence I will use to support each section.  I know I may change the outline as I go through the process of writing and revising my report, but what is most important is that my outline gives me my overall plan.

Each section of my outline is a section of my argument. Each section has a central topic, which I will support with evidence and explanation.  Added together, all the sections will support my thesis statement.  

I've done my outline in two ways: one using a graphic organizer and another using a written outline.  You can do your outline in the way that helps you best in planning how you will write up your research.  Draw, audio record, write notes--do what helps you stay focused on your research goal!

 

An example of my plan, in a graphic organizer:

 

Graphic organizer of a research writing plan
My writing plan presented in a graphic organizer

 


An example of my plan, in a written outline:

I.  Local colonists depicted themselves as innocent victims of British tyranny

II.  There was a long history of tensions between the people and soldiers in Boston

III.  The people of Boston resented the British soldiers presence   

IV.  The British soldiers were resentful of the people of Boston    

V.  The tensions between the groups led to the soldiers shooting into the crowd of townspeople

VI.  Conclusion

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Take Action:
Create your report plan

  • State your overall thesis
  • List and organize your topic sentences
  • Find evidence and your evaluation that supports each of your topic sentences
  • State your conclusions

Terry's Tips

Provide options for action and expression

Giving students options on how to accomplish a task gives every learning style an opportunity to succeed.  In creating a writing plan, you can give students the option of using a classic list outline, a graphic organizing tool (like Inspiration or bubbl.us), drawing, or voice recording to outline their writing plan. 

For tips and tools to support students in creating an outline or writing plan, see Why and How to Create an Outline.  For an example of a visual outline, see the UVics Writers Guide: The Body of the Essay.  And finally, for a rubric to support students in creating an effective graphic organizer, see Inspiration Rubric for Graphic Organizers.