day 10: using reverse outlines

On Day 6 we talked about using an outline to organize your writing.

​Making a plan before writing is helpful, but we also make new connections and discover new information while we are writing.

So then what’s a reverse outline?

These tips on making a reverse outline from www.thesiswhisperer.com can help get you started.

what's a reverse outline?

A reverse outline is made from your draft.

Use it to “diagnose potential problems with your arguments” and “find a way forward without mucking around too much with existing text.” – Thesis Whisperer

why use a reverse outline?

You can use a reverse outline as a sanity check, for a complete re-write, or to guide minor R&R.

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how to make a reverse outline

Step One

• Open your paper and a new document.
  
• Number the paragraphs in your paper.

Step Two

• Find the sentence with the key idea (your topic sentence), and paste it into the new document.
  
• Number them according to the paragraph numbering, and bold them.
  
• I suggest not using the numbering outline feature, because we will be moving them around later on.
  
• If you can’t find a topic sentence in your paragraph, write a brief description of what the paragraph is (or should be) about, as the corresponding “topic sentence”. Do not bold.

Step Three

• Read through your numbered list in your new document.
  
• Does it make sense? Does it follow a logical flow? Are you missing key transitions? 
  
• Rearrange sentences and add in new ones to fill in gaps or improve flow. Keep your original numbering.

Step Four

• Read through your new list – are you happy with it?
  
• If so, create a new draft with the new organization and sentences.

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Do you think you'll try out a reverse outline?

Quote of the Day
"You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you, and we edit to let the fire show through the smoke." - Arthur Plotnik

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