Things To Remember About Research Paper Outline Format

Research papers are a favorite of many college and high school teachers to give to their students, and it is no surprise why. Research writing teaches students many vital skills that they can use in later life, such as the ability to find good sources to back up your argument, time management skills and how to write about complex topics in a succinct manner. This is also a reason why you should take your research tasks seriously, and complete them to the best of your ability. One of the key ingredients to crafting a well-structured research paper is to create a research paper outline.


Many students think that their teachers put an unneeded burden on them by insisting that they plan their work, or create an outline for it. However, teachers do not insist on this to make their students’ lives miserable, but rather it is done so that students are able to be more efficient when writing their work. An outline acts as a blueprint when you are writing your paper.

Now, think about it like this. Imagine if you buy a shelf from a home depot and come home to construct it. If there is no blueprint for it, then it will take you extremely long and a lot of experimentation to finally be able to build it. However, if there is a blueprint for it (which there should be if it is brought from any reputable home depot!), then the time you spend on constructing the shelf will be significantly shortened. The same metaphor can also be applied to writing research papers.

For example, if you are tasked to write a paper consisting of 10 pages, then it will be absolutely necessary for you to find out the 10 page research paper outline format, since it is nearly impossible to write a paper of that length without any prior preparation.


A large part of your outline is to create time in your schedule to sit down and work on your paper. Thus, if you have any unimportant commitments, and you feel that they may interfere with your work, then it is best to cut them out of your schedule. However, do not become a prisoner in your own room, it is advisable to go out for fresh air often when you are working on your paper.


You will certainly need to use sources in your paper, and compiling them is one of the most important aspects of any research paper outline format. You cannot begin writing your work until you have carefully selected all the sources you will use in your work.

The best ways to find good sources for your work is through your university’s library. The library will host many books that can be very useful, and act as excellent sources to support your argument. Also, in libraries, look out for newspaper clipping, as these can also act as good sources, and it is advisable to include them in your research paper outline format apa.

Remember, when working on your outline, make a good schedule and carefully extract your sources.