Outline Template
Start with a free outline PDF for your essay, research paper, speech or story. If you need help turning notes into a defensible argument, the $5 pack adds an original worked example, evidence checks, an alternative-position exercise and a self-check, alongside editable outlines and a presentation timing workbook.
- Instant download
- Editable Word & Excel
- Print-ready PDF
- 7-day refund
18 documents · PDF, DOCX, XLSX
Outline Template Pack
Eight reusable outline and timing tools, plus a five-page original guided practice. 18 documents: 9 PDF, 8 editable DOCX and 1 XLSX; paired formats contain the same material.
- Essay outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Argumentative outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Compare and contrast (PDF/DOCX)
- + 6 more
$5.00 USD, one-time One bundle · paired formats are not separate lessons
- Instant download
- 7-day refund
- Secure checkout by Stripe
7-day money-back guarantee. Full refund within 7 days of purchase, even after you download.
Free sample: Five Paragraph Essay Outline (PDF)
See what the paid guide adds
Work through a fictional shared-study-room decision: separate supplied facts from assumptions, inspect a completed argument, diagnose three unsupported claims, and plan the other side. The five-page guide includes explanations and a self-check. It is a practice aid, not grading or a promise of better results.
Preview the first two guide pages (free PDF)
Choose the version you need
Free: all eight basic printable PDFs. $5 pack: those PDFs, the five-page guide in PDF and DOCX, seven editable outline DOCX files and the timing XLSX. That is 18 documents plus a README; PDF and DOCX pairs are alternate formats of the same content.
Outline Template Pack
Eight reusable outline and timing tools, plus a five-page original guided practice. 18 documents: 9 PDF, 8 editable DOCX and 1 XLSX; paired formats contain the same material.
- Essay outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Argumentative outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Compare and contrast (PDF/DOCX)
- Research paper (PDF/DOCX)
- Speech outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Story outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Presentation planner (PDF/XLSX)
- Blank outlines (PDF/DOCX)
- Guided practice (5-page PDF/DOCX)
Formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX. Instant download after payment (link valid 72 hours, up to 5 downloads). AI-assisted: the templates were drafted with AI help and reviewed and laid out before publishing.
$5.00 USD, one-time One bundle · paired formats are not separate lessons
- Instant download
- 7-day refund
- Secure checkout by Stripe
7-day money-back guarantee. Full refund within 7 days of purchase, even after you download.
Free sample: Five Paragraph Essay Outline (PDF)
Full refund within 7 days — see the refund policy and license.
Free printables
Eight basic printable PDFs are free, with no sign-up. Pay only if you want the five-page guided practice, editable outlines and timing workbook.
Printable Essay Outline Template2 pages · free PDF
Printable Argumentative Essay Outline1 page · free PDF
Compare and Contrast Outline Template1 page · free PDF
Printable Research Paper Outline1 page · free PDF
Printable Speech Outline Template1 page · free PDF
Printable Story Outline Template1 page · free PDF
Printable Presentation Planner1 page · free PDF
Printable Outline Template2 pages · free PDFOutline formats
| Format | Looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Alphanumeric | I. → A. → 1. → a. | School essays and research papers (the classic format) |
| Decimal | 1 → 1.1 → 1.1.1 | Technical and business documents; easy to see depth |
| Full-sentence | Every point is a complete sentence | Detailed plans that turn quickly into paragraphs |
| Topic (phrase) | Short phrases only | Quick brainstorming and speeches |
| Reverse outline | Summarise each paragraph of a finished draft | Checking structure while revising |
In the alphanumeric format, Roman numerals mark main sections, capital letters mark supporting points, Arabic numerals mark details, and lowercase letters mark sub-details. A traditional rule is that if you have an A you should have a B — a single sub-point usually belongs in its parent.
Five-paragraph essay outline
- I. Introduction — hook, background, thesis statement listing three points
- II. Body paragraph 1 — topic sentence, evidence, explanation, link to thesis
- III. Body paragraph 2 — topic sentence, evidence, explanation, link
- IV. Body paragraph 3 — topic sentence, evidence, explanation, link
- V. Conclusion — restate thesis in new words, summarise points, closing thought
The structure scales: a longer essay keeps the same introduction–body–conclusion shape but adds more body sections, each with its own topic sentence.
Worked example: distinguish evidence from assumptions
Fictional practice brief: four groups arrived to find a shared study room occupied. Total visits are unknown. A volunteer cannot supervise continuously. A paper booking sheet is available.
| Outline part | Example |
|---|---|
| Position | Try a reversible two-week paper-booking trial. |
| Supplied fact | Four unsuccessful arrivals were reported. This is a count, not a conflict rate. |
| Reasoning | A visible schedule could make reservations clearer. The outcome has not been measured. |
| Counterargument | Unsupervised bookings may overrun. A paper sheet does not enforce a rule. |
| Next step | Record visits and conflicts, then review whether to keep the trial. |
The paid guide expands this invented case into a worked outline, three evidence-check exercises and an alternative-position task. Do not cite this scenario as real research.
Research paper outline
- Title and working thesis — a question or claim you can refine as you research.
- Introduction — context, why the topic matters, thesis, roadmap.
- Literature review / background — what sources already say, grouped by theme.
- Methods (for empirical papers) — how evidence was gathered.
- Findings or main argument — sections with sub-points and citations.
- Discussion — interpretation, limitations, counterarguments.
- Conclusion — answer to the research question and implications.
- References — in the style your course requires (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Add source notes to each point as you outline — writing “(Smith 2021, p. 14)” next to a point helps you track the source when drafting.
Speech and presentation outlines
A speech outline is usually shorter than an essay outline and uses key phrases rather than sentences, so you can glance at it while speaking. A common structure is: attention-getter, credibility and preview, three main points with transitions, summary, and a memorable close. For presentations, map one main point to one slide or group of slides and add timing to each section — the XLSX totals planned minutes and shows remaining time against the limit in F2. A negative remaining value means the plan is too long. The printable PDF is a static worksheet and does not calculate.
Story and novel outlines
| Structure | Beats |
|---|---|
| Three-act | Setup → confrontation → resolution |
| Freytag’s pyramid | Exposition → rising action → climax → falling action → resolution |
| Hero’s journey (simplified) | Ordinary world → call → trials → ordeal → reward → return |
| Scene list | One line per scene: who, where, goal, conflict, outcome |
Writers differ: some outline every scene, others only key turning points. A simple scene list is often the most useful middle ground.
What’s in the pack
- Original five-page guided practice (PDF/DOCX): fictional brief, worked argument, evidence critique, alternative position and self-check
- Five-paragraph essay outline (PDF/DOCX)
- Argumentative essay outline with counterargument section
- Compare-and-contrast outline (block and point-by-point)
- Research paper outline with source-note columns
- Speech outline with timing and transitions
- Story outline (three-act and scene list)
- Presentation planner: XLSX calculates total time; PDF is a static worksheet
- Blank alphanumeric and decimal outlines
The outline PDFs are US Letter; the presentation worksheet is A4. Use fit-to-page for other paper sizes and inspect print preview. The DOCX and XLSX files are editable. Layout and timing calculations were checked in LibreOffice 26.2.6; Word, Pages and Google imports have not been separately tested.
AI-assisted content
Templates were drafted with AI assistance and reviewed before publishing. Always follow your teacher’s or publisher’s specific formatting requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is an outline template?
A pre-structured document that helps you organise ideas into sections and points before writing.
What are the parts of an essay outline?
Introduction with thesis, body sections with topic sentences and evidence, and a conclusion.
What is the difference between a topic and a sentence outline?
A topic outline uses short phrases; a sentence outline writes each point as a complete sentence.
What is a decimal outline?
An outline numbered 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 — common in technical and business writing.
Can I edit the templates?
The DOCX and XLSX files are editable. Layout and timing calculations were checked in LibreOffice 26.2.6; Word, Pages and Google imports have not been separately tested.
Is this a subscription?
No, it is a one-time download.