Argumentative Outline for the Extended Essay

1. Your outline should be treated as a work in progress. Change it as needed. Keep it up-to-date so you
can keep track of your organization. It may help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
2. You will turn in an up-to-date copy with your 2,000 word draft.
3. You should have most of your research wrapped up by the end of this year. If you wait, you will be
considered behind on the EE.
4. Use the following guidelines:
a. Personal Information (Name, Subject Area, Supervisor, Research Question) on cover sheet
b. No plastic covers
c. All outlines typed, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
d. All pointscomplete sentences, paragraph style
e. Works cited page that matches the citations used in your outline
5. Your outline will be checked by your supervisor and used as a grade in TOK.
6. Rememberthe outline serves several purposes. It will:
a. Tie your research question (your claim) to your arguments.
b. Serve as an argument check. Have you sufficiently developed arguments (your reasons) that
support your research question? Is your reasoning logicalthat is, grounded in researchable
evidence? Your argument must move beyond personal reasoning (opinion and logical reasoning are
not the same thing).
c. Serve as an evidence/research check. Do you have sufficient evidence to support your claims and
reasoning? This is the hard part. All of your arguments must be supported by evidence that you have
gathered through research
d. Serve as a counter argument check. Are you able to lay out claims and evidence that argue
against your claim? You must think about how another person others could think critically about,
analyze and refute your argument.
e. Serve as a discovery tool to help determine whether you have done enough research.
f. Serve as an organizational tool that guides the writing of your draft
7. Use these key point to help you think about your outline:
a. Research Question = Claim (your position on your topic)
b. Arguments = Reasons (why you believe your claim)
c. Researchable Evidence = Support (what the experts say)
d. Counter Arguments / Evidence = Reasons / Support that refutes your primary claim (gives you the
opportunity to say why your position is stronger, better or should be taken seriously)
8. You should refer back to the class time we spent talking about argumentative writing: claims, warrants,
criteria, counter claims, evidence...

9. Although, the structure of your essays will vary, the following outline is generally enough to work for all
essays. Even literature essays can develop a counter argument. Follow the formal outline format that begins
on page 2 OR the template from April.
The Formal Outline
A formal outline is systematic and organized through the use of main headings marked by Roman numerals,
subdivided into major points marked by capital letters that are further subdivided into related details marked by
Arabic numerals and finally by lower case letters.

Warning: This format requires the use of 2 subdivisions for any point further divided into details. You cannot
divide any part into just one (1) subdivision.
Note: This outline should be written in complete sentences with paragraphs for each of your points. You must
have at least 3 fully developed arguments in support of your research question. Clearly, this will not be
a short outline. However, if you take your time and make the effort, you will find that your draft will be
much easier to write.

Example Format (Your outline obviously may vary in terms of subdivisions)

Research Question: (Your research question should be the first item on page 1)
I. Argument #1 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)
A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
B. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
C. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
D. Counter-argument
1. Interpretation, Analysis
2. Citations from credible sources
3. Your response to counter-argument
4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument

II. Argument #2 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)
A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
B. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
C. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
D. Counter-argument
1. Interpretation, Analysis
2. Citations from credible sources
3. Your response to counter-argument
4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument
III.Argument #3 (Your argument stated in your own words, fully developed and explained)
A. Evidence (reasons that support your argument)
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
B. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
C. Evidence
1. Detailed analysis, interpretation with citations from credible sources
2. Direct quotations that support your argument with citation
D. Counter-argument
1. Interpretation, Analysis
2. Citations from credible sources
3. Your response to counter-argument
4. Possible direct quotations from sources that refute this argument

IV. Conclusion (Based on arguments and evidence, what conclusions can you draw?)
E. Conclusion #1
1. Details
2. Analysis, Interpretation
F. Conclusion #2
1. Details
2. Analysis, Interpretation
G. Unresolved questions when appropriate to subject / topic.