8-Step Formula for Writing a Research Paper Outline That Works

This article explains a proven 8-step formula to write a perfect research paper outline for your university or a research journal. Read attentively and succeed in your career!

A research paper outline is a detailed document - sometimes, it can be brief, depending on the context - that contains all the topics you are going to cover in your paper. The common outline of a research paper also includes details like evidential sources to help a writer stay organised.

The success of your paper completely hinges on how well your outline is written. According to the University of Maryland Global Campus, a writer must support his outline in a logical way with previously published articles or research papers. It’s essential to make your research paper stand on logical grounds, whether through research questions or a literature review.

This article outlines detailed eight steps you need to follow when writing a research paper outline, including for a dissertation or a new study to cover the gap. Walk with us to learn more about these steps.

8-Step Formula You Must Follow to Write a Research Paper Outline That Works

Writing a research paper outline requires a lot of time and effort from a writer or a student. It’s not like an idea comes to your mind, and you start writing an outline based on that idea without going through a literature review. You can’t outline a research paper without strong knowledge about the topic you are going to cover.

If you are short on time or struggling to find resources to support your argument, seeking research paper help from a reputable platform can be a great solution. These services ensure your outline is well-structured and completed within the given timeframe. Additionally, they provide ongoing support, allowing you to make revisions based on feedback from your supervisor or committee.

However, if you decide to write your research paper outline without external help, we will provide an eight-step formula that you can follow. Read to the end and write an outline that will improve your academic grades.

1. Choose Your Methodology and Topic Wisely

When you are going to write a research paper outline, it’s a wise step if you decide on the methodology you will follow in a research paper. For instance, you will choose whether your methodology will be qualitative or quantitative. Sometimes, your supervisor has expertise in one domain, such as qualitative research. Selecting a topic that falls under that research method will benefit you.

Following this approach will help you not only in outlining the paper but also at the later stage when completing it to present it before a committee. Secondly, you will choose a topic after deciding on the research method. Some topics are research method-specific, and you can’t get them done when selecting the wrong method. For example, you can’t choose a qualitative research method if you are surveying to collect the data.

Consulting your supervisor in this regard will be in your favour to complete your article smoothly. Here are some key takeaways:

Follow your supervisor's guidelines when writing a research paper outline
Don’t ignore the specific research expertise of your instructor
Choose a topic that falls under your interest and your supervisor’s experience
Don’t be too generic on a topic when thinking about writing a unique paper

Review Literature As Much As You Can

A literature review is a systematic survey of the published knowledge on a specific topic, whether research papers, dissertations, books, etc. This activity helps you understand the available knowledge and the gaps that need to be covered. A literature review will also help you narrow down your topic as you find new dimensions while going through it. Additionally, a literature review is also a must to define the content of an informative or argumentative research paper outline.

These are some research journals that can help you in finding the relevant literature:

ResearchGate
SagePub
WilleyLibrary
Taylor and Francis
IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials

This list of journals with high impact can go on. Usually, you will find articles in these journals related to qualitative and quantitative research. Some articles will be paid, and you will be able to access them after paying the fee. However, you may read their abstracts freely as they are available to understand the topic initially.

The literature review will also help you in avoiding duplication. You will write a research paper on an “XYZ Topic”. However, some previous scholars have already conducted research in a similar area. If you write a research paper on the same topic, it will be called duplication. Research duplication can’t be tolerated at any level, as a research journal may reject your article entirely based on that reason.

2. Consider the Style of Sources Documentation

There must be a requirement by your institution or research journal regarding the selection of documenting your references. For instance, you may be asked to follow APA or MLA referencing style for your research paper. You will follow some specific rules when writing an APA research paper outline.

These are some things you need to add in an outline following the APA style:

Title Page: You write the research paper title and the relevant information, such as name and date.
Abstract: You write a comprehensive statement of 200 to 300 words explaining your research paper.
Introduction: A writer introduces his topic with the help of previously published work.
Methods: You can mention a data collection method based on the literature review relevant to your topic.
Results: In this section, a student explains all the results after running tests on the collected data.
Discussion: Here, a writer discusses the results and how they are similar to or different from previous studies.
References: You mention all the references following the APA guidelines.

On the other hand, you will follow different guidelines for writing an MLA-style research paper outline. The guidelines for headers and titles, page numbering, and presenting results in tables and charts in the MLA style need your full attention. So, always outline your research paper after considering your source documentation or referencing style.

3. Choose Your Formatting Style

There are three types that you can follow when formatting your outline. Usually, your supervisor or institute asks you to follow a specific formatting. If no requirements are presented, you can follow the most common one, which is Alphanumeric.

Here is a detailed overview of these formatting styles:

Alphanumeric: As mentioned above, most writers follow this formatting style. Alpha numerals are included in this formatting. And Arabic numerals support the Alphanumeric style, too. Capitalised and lowercase letters are also included in it. There are shorter sentences instead of complete or long ones.
Full-sentence: This formatting style follows the same guidelines as Alphanumeric. However, there is a litter difference. Full-sentence style includes detailed sentences instead of short points.
Decimal: The decimal formatting style is also a bit similar to Alphanumeric. However, its numbering follows this pattern: 1, 1.1, and 1.3. Sentences are also short in Decimal formatting.

4. Decide on the Sequence

Following an effective sequence in your outline can make it easy for supervisors and the common readers to understand it. For example, some topics are new for most people. They can’t understand it without a proper background. In that case, adding a detailed background of your selected topic will help them. Moreover, you will also consider the context when adding a background to a topic.

The sequence is undoubtedly important, but synchronisation is also essential to make your outline acceptable. Sometimes, students don’t follow a pattern and submit their outline. They may add an introduction before the abstract or references before the discussion chapter. This inability to follow synchronisation can raise questions about your credibility in completing a research paper. Always follow a sequence and pattern to make your research paper outline synchronised.

5. Define Every Step Clearly

Your outline will have several steps, such as the abstract and the conclusion. When writing a research paper outline, it will be beneficial for you to define every step clearly. Let’s say you are in the introduction part, and write all the means you will use to complete it. Mention all the studies that can help you introduce your topic. Similarly, when you are at the literature review, clearly tell your supervisor about the number of studies you will go through to better understand the subject.

Every step of your outline, from the title to the conclusion, will have a clear strategy and timeframe to be completed. It allows writers to avoid procrastination as they know they must complete a specific part of the outline by a particular date. Don’t consider minor details unimportant; always add them to your outline to prevent later issues or delays.

6. Pay Attention to Your Writing Tone

Most students are not conscious about the writing tone in academic writing. They use an informal tone and everyday words to write a research paper outline. Paying no attention to the wording and tone cannot only affect your grades but also lead to fewer opportunities when entering professional life. Therefore, always pay close attention to your wording, tone, sentences, paragraphs, and the structure of the research paper.

Here are a few things every student or writer must consider when writing an outline:

Be unbiased
Keep your sentences clear and precise
Don’t use derogatory words that may offend readers
Don’t try to be personal with your readers at any level
Don’t include emotional statements in your outline

7. Keep a Room for Revision

Most students repeat a mistake and consider their initial outline as the final one. They are not well prepared for the revision. When you present your outline to your supervisor or the committee appointed by your institute, there will be suggestions to revise your outline. Teachers may ask you to include or exclude particular sections, such as hypotheses or research gaps.

Be prepared for that and accept suggestions for improvements. This will enhance your image in front of your teachers, showing that you are serious about completing your research paper without flaws. Being open to suggestions will eventually make your research paper outline error-free.

Research Paper Outline Examples

This section has some examples showing what a good research paper outline will look like. Look at these outlines and better understand what to include in your research paper outline and what to exclude.

Image Source: Scribbr

Source: University of Mary Washington

How Long Is a Research Paper Outline?

No universal rule applies to the word count of a research paper outline. Usually, supervisors, institutions, and research journals pass instructions on to you about the length of an outline.

Considering these guidelines, you can write a paper outline that may exceed the recommended word count with a margin of one to two hundred words. The initial draft of the outline isn’t the final one, as it always brings some changes to be made. While making changes, you can follow the exact word count guideline by all means.

What Is a Good Research Paper Outline?

A good research paper outline should have to be comprehensive. It must contain all the necessary elements, including topics and sub-topics. In an effective outline, you will define your introduction and the scope of the topic being selected. Plus, you can shed some light on the literature review and the research gaps found while going through these studies.

Whether you are following APA or MLA, make sure your outline includes all the necessary details required by the specific style. This will help you create a well-structured research paper outline with confidence. However, if writing an outline feels overwhelming, you can hire a research proposal writing service to get professional assistance.

How to Write a 5-Paragraph Research Paper Outline?

Writing a 5-paragraph research paper outline can become a fingertip task for you. Writing such an outline will not be an issue if you command the selected topic. However, going through a lot of literature review and continuous discussions with your supervisor will be required to write a 5-paragraph research paper outline.

Completing an outline while following this approach, you will write an introductory paragraph followed by the four paragraphs of the body. To conclude, you will write a paragraph about a conclusion.

Last Words

A well-structured research paper outline helps you achieve high grades and increases the chances of your article being accepted by a high-impact journal. It serves as a roadmap, ensuring your ideas are organised, your arguments are coherent, and your research flows logically.

However, crafting a comprehensive and effective outline requires significant effort and dedication. You must engage in meaningful discussions with your peers and supervisors to refine your research focus. A thorough literature review is also essential to understand existing studies, identify research gaps, and position your work effectively within the academic discourse. This process demands critical thinking, analysis, and meticulous planning to ensure your outline lays a strong foundation for your final paper.