Skill Builder: Annotated OutlineAn outline is the scaffold upon which you build your paper. You probably already use a mental outline when you plan a paper, perhaps without even being aware of it. Writing the outline can give you a visualization of your plan. An outline provides both focus and direction for the paper, shows where relevant points and arguments need to be made and also identifies areas where more supportive evidence is needed.What is an annotated outline?Because you are writing a research paper, your paper is built around the research findings that you located in your search.When you prepare an annotated outline, you will note the research that supports each section of the paper. This will help you see any areas that need further research to support them.The following example may help support the transition of your paper from a collection of research notes to a fully developed paper.Suppose the research topic you chose was the relation of childhood bullying to self-esteem. The title of your paper is: Self-esteem in childhood bullying.When researching the paper, you found conflicting research results. Some research showed that children with low self-esteem tended to bully others, while other research showed that children with extremely high self-esteem were bullies. Looking closer, you began to see that this research could be divided into studies investigating different variables, such as gender, age, and ethnic background. Now, you want to turn this into a research report.An annotated outline might look like this (all citations are fictional):Topic: The relation of childhood bullying to self-esteem: Too much or too little?Overview of childhood bullyingDefinitions of bullying (Simpson, 2010; O’Connor, 2008)Types of bullying (Yang, 2009; Sinisi, 2011)Self-esteem in childhoodDefinitions of self-esteem (Whitefield, 2009)Impact of self-esteem on behavior in childhood (Liebermann, 2010)Research on the relation of self-esteem to bullying in childhoodGender, self-esteem, and childhood bullyingSelf-esteem and same-gender bullyingSelf-esteem in boys bullying boys (Pryzborski, 2012)Self-esteem in girls bullying girlsSelf-esteem in opposite-gender or non-gender specific bullying in childhood (no research found)Age, self-esteem in childhood bullyingSelf-esteem and bullying from 6-9 (Brennan, 2011)Self-esteem and bullying from 9-12 (Mendez, 2010; Lee, 2011)Family structure, self-esteem, and childhoodSelf-esteem and bullying in children in single-parent families (Shams, 2012)Self-esteem and bulling in children in dual-parent families (Mugaddam, 2011)Ethnicity, self-esteem and childhood bullyingInter-ethnic bullying and self-esteem (Jacinto, 2009; Akbarzadeh, 2010)Intra-ethnic bullying and self-esteem (Lawrence, 2011)ConclusionsSummary and suggestions for future studiesReferencesPreparing an annotated outline in this way will give you a way to organize and clarify your plans. Additionally, it gives your instructor a chance to provide feedback on the proposed structure of the paper before you begin to write. You can also see which subtopics you need to research further before proceeding with the final draft.AssignmentThis week, you will develop an annotated outline that will help support the transition of your paper from a collection of research notes to a full-blown paper. Preparing an annotated outline in this way will give you a way to organize and clarify your plans and allow your instructor a chance to give you feedback on the proposed structure of the paper before you begin to write it. You can also see which subtopics you need to research further before proceeding with the final draft.One way of talking about outlines is to describe an outline as a pre-writing outline, or as a reverse outline. The prewriting outline is prepared before the paper is written, so you can see the plan you want to follow. Some people, however, must write their ideas out before they take shape; if that is your preferred approach, you can use a reverse outline method. Write out a draft, then go back and try to outline it. If you cannot find the structure in your paper, then you probably need to do some serious revisions. Think of a pre-writing outline as scaffolding, and a reverse outline as an X-ray of your paper.When you prepare an annotated outline, you will note the research that supports each section of the paper. This will help you see any areas that need further research to support them.Here are some great resources, located under your weekly resources, for Reverse Outlining:Purdue Online Writing Lab: Reverse OutliningUNC, The Writing Center: Reverse OutlineSupport your work with at least 10 peer-reviewed research articles published in the past five years.Length: 2-3 pages, plus reference list in proper APA formatYour outline should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.Upload your document and click the Submit to Dropbox button. Your instructor will review the outline and provide feedback including the go-ahead to proceed with your Signature Assignment.Due DateSep 5, 2021 11:59 PM
