Lists and Outlines

The Scratch List:

A quick list of topics a writer wants to cover is called a scratch list. A few ways of  making a scratch list are:

• Find an item in the list
• Tick the item off as you process
• Remove items from the list
• Add items to the list
• Move an item within the list
• Shuffle the order

 The Outlines:

Outlines is a complex way of organizing the ideas. A few tips for making outlines are:

• Define the main topic (purpose of the message) in the title
• Divide the main topic into major components
• Break the components into sub points
• Don't put a single item under a major component; if you have only one sub point, integrate it with the main item above it or recognized
• Strive to make each component exclusive (no over-lapping)
• Use details, illustrations and evidence to support sub points.
  

Grouping ideas into categories is the hardest part of outlining. These components or categories are very important as they are a major point in your writing. Every major category in an outline should have at least two subcategories.How to group  ideas into categories or components its depends on the topic and channel of communication. The order of the information in outline though depends on what pattern or strategy choose to write.