{"id":280,"date":"2026-08-02T20:15:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T20:15:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/?page_id=280"},"modified":"2026-08-02T20:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T20:15:11","slug":"reverse-outlining","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/reverse-outlining\/","title":{"rendered":"Reverse Outlining"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Reverse Outlining?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reverse Outlining is a method that helps writers edit, reorganize, and streamline their writing. \u00a0\u00a0Reverse outlining involves using outlining techniques\u00a0after\u00a0you have already written text.\u00a0 Using a reverse outline, you (the writer) place yourself in the reader\u2019s position and look at the flow of what you have.\u00a0 Reverse outlining is a tool that can be used at varying stages of the writing process, from a sentence to a dissertation.\u00a0 You may even be using elements of this technique already!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reverse Outlining requires you to be in the position of the reader, not just the writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why use Reverse Outlining?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can help you determine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If a given section is\u00a0<em>actually<\/em>\u00a0saying what you thought you were saying<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your points are clear and presented in the correct order<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether the argument supports your thesis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether important ideas are buried within a paragraph<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The direction that you should go with your draft<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The gaps in your argument<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your paper is actually arguing for a different thesis, or is making a different argument than you originally intended<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You might even prefer your new argument\/thesis! \u2026Or not.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Either way, your reverse-outline can help you rework the paper accordingly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Simple Strategy for Reverse Outlining:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Number the paragraphs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify the topic\/purpose of each paragraph<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put these topics into an outline<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyze this outline<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a revised outline<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reorganize the text according to the revised outline<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check for cohesion<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can also be done on a sentence level within each paragraph<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essay Level<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the margins, take brief, pithy notes about what each paragraph\/section is doing, in a sentence or two.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you can\u2019t get a paragraph\u2019s\/section\u2019s claim down to 1-2 short sentences, the paragraph\/section might need focusing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once you have pithy claims for each section\/paragraph, you might notice that the paragraphs want to be rearranged to better make your point<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay special attention to how each section advances the paper\u2019s argument.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ask:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is the section actually saying?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do you want the section to say?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use just the first and last sentence of each paragraph to look at overall flow and cohesion.\u00a0 Can you trace the argument?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Paragraph Level<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use the actual individual sentences and set them up in an outline<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask: Does each sentence support the topic sentence of the paragraph?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put aside any that do not and place them elsewhere in the draft<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Often, when we first write a draft, we write through our thoughts and end up putting the information we would want as a reader at the end of a paragraph rather than the beginning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sentence Level<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pull out any sub-clauses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask: Does your sentence make sense without them?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Revise and place the clauses back in as needed to define the basic sentence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pro Tips:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reverse Outlining is a way to mine your free writing or zero drafting for ideas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a hard copy to enable you to more easily annotate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you use Scrivener as your writing software, Reverse Outlining is particularly easy as you can use the different views to look at your material<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further Resources:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/the_writing_process\/reverse_outlining.html\">Reverse Outlining: An Exercise for Taking Notes and Revising Your Work<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the PURDUE OWL<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gvsu.edu\/wc\/reverse-outline-what-is-it-and-how-do-149.htm\">Reverse Outline: What is it and how do I use it?&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the Fred Meijer Center for Writing &amp; Michigan Authors<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GCWC Revision Strategies Featuring Reverse Outlining:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/structure-revision-strategy\/rs_structure_cant-remember-what-youve-written-mirror-outlining-as-a-tool-to-clarify-your-rough-draft\/\">Can\u2019t Remember What You\u2019ve Written? Mirror Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Your Rough Draft<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/argument-revision-strategy\/rs_argument_cant-distill-your-argument-20-minute-free-write-as-a-clarification-tool\/\">Can\u2019t Distill Your Argument? 20 Minute Free Write as a Clarification Tool<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/structure-revision-strategy\/rs_structure_do-your-topic-sentences-and-paragraphs-align-thinking-through-the-vacuum\/\">Do Your Topic Sentences and Paragraphs Align? Thinking Through the Vacuum<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/rs_hierarchy\/rs-fractured-logic-and-unconnected-claims-argument-as-a-matter-of-hierarchy-hierarchy\/\">Fractured Logic and Unconnected Claims: Argument as a Matter of Hierarchy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/structure-revision-strategy\/rs_structure_disorganized-first-draft-reverse-outlining-as-a-method-to-discover-structure\/\">Is Your First Draft Disorganized? Reverse Outlining as a Method to Discover Structure<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/rs-narrative-heirarchy-structure\/\">Lost Your Work\u2019s Narrative? Reverse Outlining and Storyboarding as a Method of Reordering Your Work\u2019s Structure<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/rs_hierarchy\/rs_hierarchy_whats-my-main-point-reverse-outlining-as-a-tool-to-clarify-argument\/\">What\u2019s My Main Point? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Clarify Argument<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/structure-revision-strategy\/rs__structure__where-are-my-section-breaks-reverse-outlining-as-a-tool-to-find-your-section-breaks\/\">Where Are My Section Breaks? Reverse Outlining as a Tool to Find Them<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/rs_hierarchy\/rs_hierarchy_signposting\/\">Where\u2019s This Section Going? Signposting to Connect Claims<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gcwritingcenter.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/revision-strategies\/rs_hierarchy\/mapping-signposting\/\">Will My Reader Know What\u2019s Important? Mapping and Signposting as Tools to Navigate Between Claims<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Reverse Outlining? Reverse Outlining is a method that helps writers edit, reorganize, and streamline their writing. \u00a0\u00a0Reverse outlining involves using outlining techniques\u00a0after\u00a0you have already written text.\u00a0 Using a reverse outline, you (the writer) place yourself in the reader\u2019s position and look at the flow of what you have.\u00a0 Reverse outlining is a tool [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-280","page","type-page","status-publish","czr-hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":283,"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/280\/revisions\/283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingcenter.columbiagreene.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}