Messina 1 fSample Outline for the Research Paper English II Directions: You must complete a sentence outline after

you have finished your tree map. Using your notes from your research and your notes from your literature, complete a sentence outline based on the following example. Keep in mind that your essay should contain two to four major ideas that are each supported in more than one very distinct paragraph. You should keep up with the author-page citation as you are completing the outline. A sentence outline should be written in complete sentences. Designate each part of the outline with the labels given below. That is dont erase the bolded titles for each part of the outline. This outline is worth 30 pts. and is considered to be the first rough draft. It is due Wed., March 10. Jimmy Golden Mrs. Messina Formal Outline 10 March 2010 Archy and Mehitabel Thesis: Don Marquis uses his characters to show his disapproval of the world today. I. Introduction A. Hook: A moth says, it is better to be happy for a moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while (Marquis 107-108). B. Introduce the literature: Don Marquis shares his outlook on the world through poetry. Mehitabel sings a song, archy is shocked, and the hen and the oriole are all poems in which he shows what he believes is wrong with the people of his day. C. Preview of topics: From the flappers to the common ignorant man, Marquis leaves out no one. D. Thesis: Don Marquis uses his characters to show his disapproval of the world today. II. Body A. First Major Idea 1. First Paragraph a. Topic sentence: Mehitabel sings a song is a poem that criticizes the women of the 1920s who were becoming more independent.

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b. Explain topic sentence: Don Marquis obviously did not like the strong willed flappers of his time, and was looking to condemn them in any way he could. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: In mehitabel sings a song, archy states, it appears to be boss that mehitabel is still far from being the quite domestic character you and I had hoped she might become. (Marquis 98). d. Explain Direct Quotation: By saying this, he is stating that he had hopes that girls would turn back to the domestic lifestyles they used to live, but that they continue to disappoint him. e. Transition: Not only did Don use the character of archy to put women down, he also used mehitabel the cat. 2. Second Paragraph a. Topic sentence: The critic Sam G. Riley explains how Marquis character mehitabel portrays his view of women. b. Explain topic sentence: Riley shows readers that the character mehitabel is uses as an example of how the rebellious women of his day acted. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: The critic states, Marquiss vehicle for satirizing the free spirited flappers of the 1920s (Riley). d. Explain Direct Quotation: Sam G. Riley was showing that Marquis used mehitabel to voice his view on the flappers e. Transition: Besides the women of his day, Marquis also didnt agree with the way people judged others. B. Second Main Idea 1. First Paragraph

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a. Topic sentence: The poem archy is shocked shows how quickly man judge things that are out of the ordinary. b. Explain topic sentence: In this poem, a man pulls out his own eye and eats it. Even though it is really just a pickled onion, it causes turmoil because it is not normal. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: In the poem, the man says, that was not a glass eye it was a pickled onion can not a man eat pickled onions in this community without exciting remark (Marquis 91). d. Explain Direct Quotation: The man was doing nothing wrong, he was simply eating an onion, but since he wasnt doing it normally he was considered a freak. e. Transition: Man is scared of things that are new to him. 2. Second Paragraph a. Topic sentence: Critic Dan Jaffe comments on how Marquis uses archy and other characters to show mans ignorance to the world. b. Explain topic sentence: Marquis characters each help readers see how man is acting and hopefully makes them realize they need to change. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: Jaffe states, He rails against individual self-delusion and the arrogance, foolishness, and lack of compassion inherent in judging hastily and superficially (Jaffe). d. Explain Direct Quotation: He is saying that man is quick to judge new things. e. Transition: Another issue Marquis likes to focus on is outer beauty. C. Third Main Idea 1. First Paragraph a. Topic sentence: The hen and the oriole is about how there is sympathy for a beautiful oriole if it dies, but no one cares if a hen is slaughtered.

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b. Explain topic sentence: This poem emphasizes how man pays too much attention to outer beauty instead of the inner beauty. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: In the poem, archy states, did it ever strike you that a hen regrets it just as much when they wring her neck as an oriole but nobody has sympathy for a hen because she is not beautiful (Marquis 133). d. Explain Direct Quotation: If something bad happens to something beautiful, the world goes into mourning. If something bad happens to something ugly, the world says good riddance. e. Transition: Don Marquis just wanted the world to be a better place. 2. Second Paragraph a. Topic sentence: Don Marquis is obviously focused on the wrongs in the world. b. Explain topic sentence: He focuses on how the world is changing for the worst, the faults of man, and the wrongs of women. c. Specific Example from Your Literature: The article states that marquis focused on, free-verse poems on such concerns of Archys as transmigration of souls, social injustice, life in New York City, and death d. Explain Direct Quotation: Marquis poems cover a broad range of topics. e. Transition: Don Marquis invites readers to interpret his poems how they want to, they can be read many ways. III. Conclusion A. Restate thesis: The characters in Don Marquis poems show how he views the world. B. Sum up your essay: Don Marquis let everyone know what he found were mans faults.

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C. Leave your reader thinking: Don Marquis views of the world were obviously stated throughout his poems, he just wanted to make the world a better place.
*Remember: 1. No new ideas in the conclusion. 2. No first or second person pronouns. 3. Use as many body paragraphs as you need to develop your essay effectively. In other words, do not limit yourself to four body paragraphs. 4. Quality over quantity (give me all shrimp!) Write in mini-skirts. 5. We answer questions in an essay. We do not ask them. 6. Dont end your sentence with a preposition or a verb. 7. Avoid contractions in a formal essay. 8. Dont refer to the essay within the essay (This essay will explain or This quote explains)