9+ Formal Outline Templates – Samples, Examples

Feb 13, 2023

When it comes to making all kinds of different documents, you may be wise to make an outline as a guide. This can take the form of an essay outline, a research outline, or any other kind. And in that case, you may want to make use of outline templates to help you.

Thankfully, there are all kinds of tools like sample proposal outlines available that can help you with actually making all your outline samples. These aids can give you a useful framework to use that can save you time such that you need only modify the template and add the specifics.

Formal Report Outline Template

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MS Word
Google Docs
Apple Pages

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Formal Letterhead Outline Template

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MS Word
Google Docs

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Free Outline of Formal Essay

bloomfield.edu

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Size: 4 KB

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Free Formal Report Outline

csun.edu

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Size: 16 KB

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Free Formal Speech Outline

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Size: 7 KB

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Blank Formal Outline

library.vcc.ca

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Size: 78 KB

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Free Formal Outline Sample

hs.stdoms.org

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Size: 43 KB

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What Is a Formal Outline Format?

There are different kinds of outline templates, such as formal outline templates. Put succinctly, a formal outline, even for specific types like essay outline templates, contains these elements:

Logical order. This means making sure that your paper flows naturally from topic to topic so as to ensure a sense of order.
Consistent patterns. If you write your outline in one way, you should stick to it for the whole outline so as to maintain that pattern.
General to specific points. Your paper will generally start with general points and make its way to increasingly specific points, as you can see with subheadings.

How to Create a Formal Outline

While there are a number of blank outline templates available, like speech outline templates, creating formal templates can be done according to a consistent pattern:

Make sure to place your thesis statement on top of the page, so as to state the basic point of your work.
Arrange each topic in order as a list.
Each main topic should be highest on each group, with its subtopics under it, and their subtopics under them.
Decide if you want to use sentences or phrases first, then stick with one or the other consistently.

Formal Research Paper Outline

crestmont.edu

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Size: 21 KB

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Example of Formal Outline

astate.edu

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Size: 6 KB

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Free Formal Outline of Training

unep.fr

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Size: 19 KB

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Do’s and Don’ts of Using a Formal Outline Template

No matter the template you use, such as research paper outline templates or meeting outline templates, there are some consistent tips that you can use that might help you with using the templates. After all, in order to use any tools properly, there are some guidelines that you may do well to keep in mind. In this case, those include:

Do make sure that subgroups have more than one category, so as to further divide the larger category. If you cannot divide the category, then do not bother.
Do stay consistent with your pattern of writing. This allows the audience to focus on the content rather than the format.
Do remember that the higher categories are the most general categories, and that the sub-categories are meant to be more specific.
Do not forget to include the thesis statement at the top of the page. This statement is a basic summary of your entire outline, and all the categories are ways of specifying it further.

You may also feel free to check out some of the other offerings on the website, in case there may be other simple templates that you can use for your work.