• Look over the questions you brainstormed in Tip Sheet 10.
  
• Decide on some words or phrases that are common to groups of questions.
  Use this list of Common Subtopic Heading Words to help you.
• Turn those words or phrases into specific subtopic headings.
  
• On a sheet of notebook paper (or cut and paste if using a word processor) write each subtopic heading and rewrite under it the questions that go with it.
  
• Now add any other new questions that come to mind under any of the headings.
  

Now you can get an idea if you have enough subtopic headings (there should be at least 3), or if you need more or have too many. You can add or subtract headings now, or wait until you begin taking notes.

For example:

 

Say you have to do a project about local water pollution and you pick the Charles River as a body of water to research. Your general topic in this case is "Charles River Pollution".

 

First, you may have brain stormed some questions like the following:

 

• How much is the Charles River polluted?
• What causes pollution in the Charles?
• Does the government do anything to clean up the pollution?
• How does the pollution in the river affect plant or animal life?
• How does the pollution in the river affect people?
• Will I ever be able to swim in the Charles?

 

Next, you can identify and choose some categories these questions fit into, and select words that label those categories. It helps to think of these words as part of a phrase that includes your general topic. Keep reading and this will become more clear.

 

 

Statistics How much is the Charles River polluted?

 

Causes What causes pollution in the Charles?

 

Solutions Does the government do anything to clean up the pollution?

 

Effects How does the pollution in the river affect plant or animal life?

 

Effects How does the pollution in the river affect people?

 

Future Will I ever be able to swim in the Charles?

 

Now, turn those categorizing words into subtopic headings by linking them to your general topic which is Charles River Pollution.

 

How? Write your subtopic headings like this, leaving space under them for your questions:

 

• Statistics about Charles River Pollution

• Causes of Charles River Pollution

• Effects of Charles River Pollution

• Solutions to Charles River Pollution

• Future of Charles River Pollution

 

Now, you can rewrite your questions under these subtopic headings.

 

LIKE THIS:

 

• Statistics about Charles River Pollution

   

  How much is the Charles River polluted?

• Causes of Charles River Pollution

   

  What causes Charles River pollution?

• Effects of Charles River Pollution

   

  How does the pollution in the river affect plant or animal life?

   

  How does the pollution in the river affect people?

• Solutions to Charles River Pollution

   

  Does the government do anything to clean up the pollution?

• Future of Charles River Pollution

   

  Will people ever be able to swim in the Charles River?

Now you can add any new questions you can think of under the subtopic headings. You are now on your way to making an outline. Use the Common Subtopic Headings list to give you ideas for categories. It can also help you to develop questions!