Before you start writing your assignment, it's helpful to create a clear outline of your ideas. A good outline gives you direction, boosts your confidence and allows you to think more purposefully about structure and flow.
Your outline is just for you, so you should use whichever form suits you best! This may be in note form, bullet points or visual diagrams. A strong outline should do the following:
Identify Your Key Points and Arguments
Start by writing out the main points you want to make. Keep it simple, aim to have each point no more than one or two lines. Focus on clarity rather than detail at this stage.
Organise Your Ideas Logically
Rearrange your points into an order that makes sense. Think about how your ideas connect, where transitions are needed, and which points naturally belong together. Group related arguments side-by-side to help your essay flow smoothly. For further guidance, see our Structure and Flow section for more support with this.
Attach Supporting Evidence
Under each point, list the evidence or research that supports (or challenges) it. Note how the evidence links to your argument. If any points lack evidence, consider doing more research if time allows. Make sure you record full referencing details now to save time later. For further guidance, take a look at our Referencing guide for more support.
Add Notes for Critical Thinking
Academic writing values critical thinking that means questioning your arguments and assessing the reliability of your sources. If you’ve thought of ways to critique your points or your evidence, jot them down. Make these notes stand out (for example, using a different colour or the comment function or track changes in Word) so you can easily find and develop them later. For more information on Critical Thinking, take a look at the Develop@Derby Critical Thinking guide to improve this skill.
In this video from the Academic Writing workshop, Alex from the Academic Enhancement Team, discusses how to overcome the difficulties of starting to write an assignment.