Research Paper Outline Draft

Instructions:

Please complete the following steps for your discussion post and response.

This discussion will allow you to create your outline or map for your first draft.

• Create a traditional outline that follows the format in this downloadable pdf: Example Outline
• Make sure you fill in the information specific to your topic and your essay.
• It is recommended that you complete this in a Word document (or other word processing software).
• Copy and Paste into the Canvas Editor and attach your outline document.
• Write a paragraph describing the challenges experienced while creating the outline for the paper.
• What challenges did you experience gathering research?
• Is there a resource that has been helpful in the process of researching, organizing and writing the research paper? (This can include software suggestions.)

Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/outlining

Example Outline

The following outline is for a 5-7 page paper discussing the link between educational
attainment and health. Review the other sections of this page for more detailed information
about each component of this outline!

I. Introduction

A. Current Problem: Educational attainment rates are decreasing in the United States
while healthcare costs are increasing.
B. Population/Area of Focus: Unskilled or low-skilled adult workers
C. Key Terms: healthy, well-educated

Thesis Statement: Because of their income deficit (cite sources) and general susceptibility
to depression (cite sources), students who drop out of high school before graduation
maintain a higher risk for physical and mental health problems later in life.

II. Background

A. Historical Employment Overview: Unskilled laborers in the past were frequently
unionized and adequately compensated for their work (cite sources).
B. Historical Healthcare Overview: Unskilled laborers in the past were often provided
adequate healthcare and benefits (cite sources).
C. Current Link between Education and Employment Type: Increasingly, uneducated
workers work in unskilled or low-skilled jobs (cite sources).
D. Gaps in the Research: Little information exists exploring the health implications of the
current conditions in low-skilled jobs.

III. Major Point 1: Conditions of employment affect workers’ physical health.

A. Minor Point 1: Unskilled work environments are correlated highly with worker injury (cite
sources).
B. Minor Point 2: Unskilled work environments rarely provide healthcare or adequate injury
recovery time (cite sources).

IV. Major Point 2: Conditions of employment affect workers’ mental health

A. Minor Point 1: Employment in a low-skilled position is highly correlated with dangerous
levels of stress (cite sources).
B. Minor Point 2: Stress is highly correlated with mental health issues (cite sources).

V. Major Point 3: Physical health and mental health correlate directly with one
another.

A. Minor Point 1: Mental health problems and physical health problems are highly
correlated (cite sources).
B. Minor Point 2: Stress manifests itself in physical form (cite sources)

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/outlining

VI. Major Point 4: People with more financial worries have more stress and worse
physical health.

A. Minor Point 1: Many high-school dropouts face financial problems (cite sources).
B. Minor Point 2: Financial problems are often correlated with unhealthy lifestyle choices
such unhealthy food choices, overconsumption/abuse of alcohol, chain smoking, abusive
relationships, etc. (cite sources).

VII. Conclusion

A. Restatement of Thesis: Students who drop out of high school are at a higher risk for
both mental and physical health problems throughout their lives.
B. Next Steps: Society needs educational advocates; educators need to be aware of this
situation and strive for student retention in order to promote healthy lifestyles and warn
students of the risks associated with dropping out of school.