Extended Essay Skeleton Outline Template
Note – this is a generic template and may need to be adjusted for your particular topic
Introduction (usually written last):
You will be able to write an introduction if you can make the following statements/claims about your
paper:
o Why the topic is interesting, important or worthy of study
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o Some background information to put your topic in context (why is it personally significant?)
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o Indication of how your topic has been focused on something that is manageable within 4000
words._____________________________________________________________________
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o A clear and precise research question (it may change slightly throughout the draft stage):
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o A clear concluding thesis statement and argument (response to the research question. It also
may change slightly)
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Body:
It is here where you will craft and support your argument. For the EE, you may decide to divide the
paper into multiple parts or sections.
Each part should have a clear focus; each paragraph within each part should have a purpose, make a
point, and be supported by research.
For your outline you should be able to:
o Distinguish the order in which you will make your argument:
Part One:_________________________________________________________
Part Two: ________________________________________________________
Part Three: _______________________________________________________
Part Four: ________________________________________________________
Part One will likely be methodology and justification for the approach you’ve taken for your research (ie –
sources, data collection etc...)
Part Two/Three/Four will present your case, support it with data/research and will present counter-
arguments and refute them.
Feel free to add more parts of you feel you need them
Within each part, you should be able to state the following (Note: This is a simplistic model for what your
final product should be.):
Part One:
Paragraph One:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Two:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
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o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Three:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Part Two:
Paragraph One:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Two:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Three:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Part Three:
Paragraph One:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Two:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Three:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Part Four:
Paragraph One:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Two:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Paragraph Three:
o Argument:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
o Supporting Research and Source:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Analysis and Conclusion: Here you will bring together your research, restate what you’ve outlined in
your body and systematically present your finding that supports your thesis.
To conclude you should be able to:
o Clearly state the conclusion(s) of your work
o This conclusion should directly relate to the research question and be substantiated by the
evidence presented
o Indicate issues, unresolved questions and new questions that have emerged from research
For your outline conclusion, you should be able to state:
o Key arguments or information that contributes to your research question
o Demonstrate how it all ties together to prove your thesis. In other words:
what is the point of your essay:
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What key research do you have to support this:
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What can you deduce as a result of writing this paper (ie: your insight, discovery,
argument):
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What kinds of new questions arise from your work/research?
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Next, reread the rubric. Have you covered all of the criteria for both content
and Form? Have you earned the points you want for Content and Form?
Next, create and type your actual outline (this handout is just a basic beginning
template, for organization purposes only! This is not your outline!)
Lastly, upload your outline to turnitin.com with your bibliography (again review
the rubric)
If you seek help from me you must be familiar with this template and the rubric.
