Outline and Thesis Assignment

01 Outline and Thesis Assignment

Learning Objectives : 

• Develop and organize various types of support for main ideas
• Integrate and document source material
• Create expository texts suitable for various academic and real-world purposes that exhibit audience awareness, unity, coherence, sufficient development, and adequate control of Standard English conventions

Outline Assignment Overview

All 101 assignments must be in Standard English and uploaded as a doc or docx to Canvas.

The outline is the map to your research paper.  Preview the research paper.

View the Readings and Learning Materials so that you are familiar with the outlining process and to see examples of sentence outlines.

This outline forms the framework for your paper, so the more specific and detailed your outline, the more of your paper has been started. (Open the outline and draft within the outline framework later.)

You will work from this basic outline as you write your paper. If your paper alters in form as you draft later, you may want to stop and change the format of your outline, so that you are still on track.

The outline should be in complete sentences; the thesis and topic sentences should frame the majority of the upcoming paper.

Evidence will support the assertions in the topic sentences and must be cited in the outline assignment.

All source material must be cited in text —paraphrased material as well as quoted material.

Checklist:

• Document is in formal outline format –I, A., 1., a.  and it is indented properly to show general to specific ideas (see the example in the Learning Materials)
• Thesis is at the top of the outline
• Outline is a 400 – 500 word formal outline for your research paper

• Outline should have topic sentences followed by in-text cited details in each section.
• Evidence from sources is cited in text.
• Language should be in formal Standard English and punctuated correctly.
• Topic sentences and corresponding ideas relate to the thesis stated in the beginning.

• Content shows understanding of the topic

• No use of first person –I, me or my

• Third person objective language throughout

Outline Rubric

The following explains the assignment specific grading criteria.  General guidelines of the DCC rubric apply.

A-B    

• The outline is at least 500 words in length.
• It has topic sentences followed by in-text cited details in each section.
• All language is in Standard English and is punctuated correctly.
• All sentences are complete
• Topic sentences and corresponding ideas relate to the thesis statement stated in the beginning at the end of the introduction.
• Ideas are insightful and show critical analysis of the topic.
• No more than 20% direct quotation—
• All supporting points have in-text citations in the correct format

C        

• The outline is over 50 words short in length.
• It may be missing one topic sentence.
• It may be missing one or two in text citations on supporting evidence.
• It may be missing an end quote or quotations on a very short quotation
• The student shows a general understanding of the issue, but does not show insight or significant critical thinking.
• There may be 3+ major grammar and/or punctuation errors, which do not interfere with meaning.
• There may be 1 or 2 fragments
• Must be under 25% direct quotations—

D        

• The outline is more than 100 words short.
• Structure, including topic sentences and supporting points, is not evident.
• Frequent grammar and punctuation errors interfere with meaning in more than 1 or 2 sentences.
• Complete sentences are not used.
• More than two points are not cited.
• Over 25% direct quotations (see Turnitin report)

F          Criteria for a D are not met.

• The paper is not in outline format

• Paper may be plagiarized
• Paper may be more than 25% direct quotations
• Serious developmental grammar and punctuation issues may occur frequently and may interfere with meaning
• Paper is incoherent
• Paper is plagiarized