Essay outline template

Quick answer

A basic essay outline has an introduction with a hook and thesis, three body paragraphs that each have a topic sentence, evidence and explanation, and a conclusion. Use this general outline, or pick your essay type below for a more specific one.

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Essay Outline (Five Paragraphs)
Topic: [Your topic]
Thesis: [Your main point, in one sentence]
 
I.Introduction
A.Hook: [A fact, question or short example that draws the reader in.]
B.Background: [Context the reader needs.]
C.Thesis: [Your main point, in one sentence.]
II.Body paragraph 1
A.Topic sentence: [The main idea of this paragraph, linked to your thesis.]
B.Evidence or example: [A fact, quote or example that supports it.]
C.Explanation: [How the evidence supports your point.]
D.Transition: [A sentence that leads to the next paragraph.]
III.Body paragraph 2
A.Topic sentence: [The main idea of this paragraph, linked to your thesis.]
B.Evidence or example: [A fact, quote or example that supports it.]
C.Explanation: [How the evidence supports your point.]
D.Transition: [A sentence that leads to the next paragraph.]
IV.Body paragraph 3
A.Topic sentence: [The main idea of this paragraph, linked to your thesis.]
B.Evidence or example: [A fact, quote or example that supports it.]
C.Explanation: [How the evidence supports your point.]
D.Transition: [A sentence that leads to the next paragraph.]
V.Conclusion
A.Restate the thesis: [Thesis in new words.]
B.Summarize the main points: [One line for each body paragraph.]
C.Closing thought: [Why the topic matters.]
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Before you submit

Starting from a blank document? Set it up yourself

In Microsoft Word

  1. Open a new document and type your thesis at the top.
  2. Use Home, Multilevel List, I., A., 1., a. for the numbering.
  3. Add the introduction, three body paragraphs and the conclusion as top level items.
  4. Under each body paragraph, add the topic sentence, evidence and explanation.

In Google Docs

  1. Open a new document and type your thesis at the top.
  2. Use Format, Bullets and numbering, Numbered list for the numbering.
  3. Add the introduction, three body paragraphs and the conclusion as top level items.
  4. Under each body paragraph, add the topic sentence, evidence and explanation (Tab moves a line down a level).

Filled-in example

Sample content for illustration. Do not cite.
Filled-in example

a worked 5-paragraph outline on a sample topic. Sample content only.

Download the example
Essay Outline (Five Paragraphs): Example
Topic: Teaching personal finance in high school
Thesis: Every high school should teach personal finance because it prepares students for real decisions about money, debt, and saving.
 
I.Introduction
A.Hook: Many students graduate able to solve an equation but unable to read a credit card statement.
B.Background: Most students face major money decisions soon after school, such as loans, rent, and first jobs.
C.Thesis: Every high school should teach personal finance.
II.Body paragraph 1
A.Topic sentence: Personal finance prepares students for decisions they will face within a few years.
B.Evidence or example: A student choosing between two student loans with different interest rates.
C.Explanation: Without basic skills, the cheaper choice is easy to miss.
D.Transition: Knowing how loans work also helps students avoid debt in the first place.
III.Body paragraph 2
A.Topic sentence: Early lessons on debt and saving build habits that last.
B.Evidence or example: Research on how early money habits carry into adulthood.
C.Explanation: Small habits, such as saving a fixed share of each paycheck, compound over time.
D.Transition: These skills matter for every student, not only those who study business.
IV.Body paragraph 3
A.Topic sentence: A required course would reach students who would never choose one.
B.Evidence or example: States that already require a personal finance course.
C.Explanation: Requiring the course gives all students the same baseline.
D.Transition: Taken together, these points show why schools should act.
V.Conclusion
A.Restate the thesis: Personal finance belongs in the core high school curriculum.
B.Summarize the main points: It prepares students, builds habits, and reaches everyone.
C.Closing thought: Schools already teach students how to think. Money decisions are a good place to use it.
Note: in a real outline, replace each description of evidence with a specific source (author, year, page).
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How to use this template

  1. Download the Word file or choose Copy to Google Docs to get your own editable copy.

  2. Write your thesis first, as one sentence that makes a claim.

  3. Fill in the introduction: a hook, the context your reader needs, and the thesis.

  4. For each body paragraph, write the main idea as a topic sentence, then add your evidence and a line explaining how it supports your point.

  5. Write the conclusion: the thesis in new words, a line for each main point, and why the topic matters.

  6. Read the outline top to bottom. If a paragraph does not support the thesis, change it before you start writing.

Which essay outline should I use?

Your essay does this

Use this template

Proves a position with reasons and evidence

Argumentative essay outline

Weighs two subjects against each other

Compare and contrast essay outline

Moves the reader to act or agree

Persuasive essay outline

Answers a research question with sources

Research paper outline

Common mistakes

  • Writing a topic instead of a claim as the thesis. A thesis says something a reader could disagree with.

  • Putting two ideas in one body paragraph. Give each idea its own paragraph.

  • Leaving out the explanation after the evidence. Say how the evidence supports your point.

  • Repeating the introduction word for word in the conclusion. Restate the thesis in new words.

Frequently asked questions

What is a basic essay outline?

A basic essay outline lists the parts of a five-paragraph essay before you write it: an introduction with a hook and a thesis, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph gets a topic sentence, evidence and an explanation.

How long should an essay outline be?

Long enough to show the order of your ideas. For a five-paragraph essay, one page is usually enough. If your instructor sets a length or a format, follow that.

Do I have to use Roman numerals and letters?

No. Roman numerals and letters are the traditional format, but a plain list of lines works unless your instructor asks for a specific style.

Which outline should I use for an argumentative, compare and contrast or persuasive essay?

Use the outline made for that essay type. Each one has sections that match what the essay has to do. The cards below the template link to all three.

Can I change the template?

Yes. Download the Word file or copy it to Google Docs, then add, remove or rename lines so it fits your assignment.

Related templates

Argumentative essay outline template

Claims, evidence, counterargument and conclusion.

Compare and contrast essay outline template

Point-by-point and block versions.

Persuasive essay outline template

Position, reasons, objection and call to action.

Research paper outline template

Sentence or topic outline for a research paper.

Last reviewed October 2026.

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