essay planning sheet format

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Build a strong foundation with our essay plan template

No shaky arguments here. Whether it’s a class assignment, personal statement, or a missive on the company blog, FigJam’s essay writing plan will help you construct a stronger essay outline from the ground up.

Essay plan template

Share ideas, hone arguments, and refine your writing with our collaborative essay plan template.

Nail down your message

Organize evidence, strengthen supporting arguments, and hammer your main point home with our essay planning sheet.

Create flow: Maintain a cohesive writing process with an essay planning template that clarifies how one section leads to the next.

Evaluate your argument from all sides: Crystallize your claim and test it out from new angles in a visual format.

Do your research: Fact check your work and sources before writing by laying out supporting evidence on an easy-to-read outline.

Make a statement together

Writing doesn’t have to be a solo act. FigJam’s Community-built widgets make it easy to draft with collaborators and source feedback from trusted peers. Fold in new ideas and fine-tune existing arguments with Badge, Storymapper, and Lil notes.

Break it down, then build it up

Perfect the nuts and bolts of your essay with a well-organized essay plan example. Next, find new ways to tell your story with templates from our Community.

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Compare and contrast the main points in your essay.

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How to write an essay plan?

If you’re wondering how to plan an essay or how to write an effective essay plan with important points and supporting details, just tap into our free essay plan example to get started. From there, you’ll be prompted to break your essay down into the following sections:

• Introduction
• Body paragraph #1
• Body paragraph #2
• Body paragraph #3

Fill in each of these sections with relevant information and credible sources. Then, share it with your trusted collaborators and peers to make sure your argument sings.

What are the 5 aspects of planning an essay?

The 5 aspects of planning an essay correspond to the 5 main sections of your essay: the introduction, the 3 body paragraphs, and the conclusion.

• Introduction – Planning an introduction involves writing a thesis statement and a brief list that outlines the order of your supporting arguments.
• Body paragraphs (3) – As you plan your 3 body paragraphs, you’ll collect evidence—from credible sources—that backs up any supporting detail, arguments, and thesis.
• Conclusion – While you conceptualize this final section, consider how you can open up the floor for further conversation after the essay ends. Are there any related questions you wished you’d asked? What makes this a relevant topic—today? Jot down all of your ideas on a planning sheet for essays.

What is a good structure in an essay?

Many essays follow the classic 5-part structure—the introduction that states your main argument, the 3 points supporting that claim, and the conclusion that wraps everything up.

Keep in mind, however, that you don't have to follow this essay planning example exactly. Some of the best essays break the mold—so don’t be afraid to customize your essay planning sheet or collaborate on a creative structure as you outline.

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How to plan an essay: Essay Planning

• What's in this guide
• Essay Planning
• Additional resources

How to plan an essay

Essay planning is an important step in academic essay writing.

Proper planning helps you write your essay faster, and focus more on the exact question.  As you draft and write your essay, record any changes on the plan as well as in the essay itself, so they develop side by side.

One way to start planning an essay is with a ‘box plan’.

First, decide how many stages you want in your argument – how many important points do you want to make? Then, divide a box into an introduction + one paragraph for each stage + a conclusion.

Next, figure out how many words per paragraph you'll need.

Usually, the introduction and conclusion are each about 10% of the word count. This leaves about 80% of the word count for the body - for your real argument. Find how many words that is, and divide it by the number of body paragraphs you want. That tells you about how many words each paragraph can have.

Remember, each body paragraph discusses one main point, so make sure each paragraph's long enough to discuss the point properly (flexible, but usually at least 150 words).

For example, say the assignment is

Fill in the table as follows:

Next, record each paragraph's main argument, as either a heading or  topic sentence (a sentence to start that paragraph, to immediately make its point clear).

Finally, use dot points to list useful information or ideas from your research notes for each paragraph. Remember to include references so you can connect each point to your reading.

The other useful document for essay planning is the marking rubric .

This indicates what the lecturer is looking for, and helps you make sure all the necessary elements are there.

Pathways and Academic Learning Support

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• Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 1:23 PM
• URL: https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning

• TemplateLab

Essay Outline Templates

37 outstanding essay outline templates (argumentative, narrative, persuasive).

Writing an essay can seem like an overwhelming task, and planning beforehand is essential to success. An essay outline will help you to structure and organize your essay so that it flows coherently. Essay outlines work for all kinds of essays and will save you time and stress.

There are various different ways to structure an essay, and using an essay outline template allows you to decide on the best structure for your essay. Whether you want a balanced argument, or if you’re trying to persuade someone of your idea, then there will be an essay outline that works for you.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay Outline Templates
• 2 What is an Essay Outline Template?
• 3 Essay Outline Examples
• 4 What Different Types of Essay Outline Templates Are Available?
• 5 Why are Essay Outlines important?
• 6 How Do You Structure an Outline for an Essay?
• 7 Essay Outline Samples
• 8 What is the Format of a Five-Paragraph Essay Outline? 
• 9 How to Write an Effective Essay Outline
• 10 Free Essay Outlines
• 11 Create an Effective Outline Using an Essay Outline Template

You can download and print one of our free essay outline templates to help you plan the perfect essay.

What is an Essay Outline Template?

An essay outline template is essentially the essay plan. It provides students with a clear structure before they write their essay, including all of the main points that are necessary for their writing.

Planning an essay outline beforehand makes the process of essay writing a lot less daunting, providing students with a guideline to follow whilst writing their essays in detail. In the world of academic writing , an essay outline serves as a tool to organize and structure thoughts before delving into the actual writing process. Many students underestimate the significance of creating an essay outline, often resulting in disorganized and incomprehensible essays.

Essay Outline Examples

What Different Types of Essay Outline Templates Are Available?

Essay outlines can be used for any college essay, research papers, a contrast essay, speech writing, or an expository essay. There are a range of essay outline templates to use, and they vary depending on the style of essay you are writing. These include:

• Argumentative essay outline
• Narrative essay outline
• Contrast essay outline
• Literary analysis essay outline
• Persuasive essay outline
• Expository essay outline
• College essay outline
• Descriptive essay outline
• Reflective essay outline

Depending on the purpose of your essay, there will be a different structure to suit your writing and your writing process. For example, an argumentative essay outline may follow a more traditional five-paragraph essay outline, while a literary analysis essay may follow a more detailed essay outline template.

Why are Essay Outlines important?

Of course, you can write an essay without planning. However, it will likely read as unstructured and lacking in coherence. Essays that follow an essay outline template present as more well-researched, clearer, and with a thoughtful structure throughout.

• Planning makes perfect If you are writing to argue a point or explore a range of viewpoints, essay outlines are crucial to prepare before you begin writing in detail. Writing should not be an immediate, quick process; the best essays are drafted, re-drafted, edited, and finalized. If you use an essay outline, this will be reflected in the quality of your work. As a teacher, it is clear to me when students have not taken the time to plan their work. Their writing seems messy and rushed. Essay outlines provide structure and balance to any long piece of writing.
• Save time during the writing process Planning is the hard part of essay writing. During the planning process, you will be brainstorming your ideas and cultivating your overall viewpoint or argument. This means that when you come to write the essay, those ideas are already there. All you need to do is formulate them into sentences and paragraphs. An essay outline makes the process of writing the essay itself so much simpler. With the essay outline template, you will have the bulk of your ideas and the structure of your essay there to follow. It will save you time when it comes to writing the essay out in full.

How Do You Structure an Outline for an Essay?

Depending on the assignment, essays can follow a range of structures, and there are many different ways to structure an essay outline.

Before you begin to structure your essay outline, there are a few things to consider:

• Check your assignment guidelines . Your teacher or professor may have specified a certain number of words or pages for the essay, which can affect how you structure it.
• Consider the purpose of the essay. Is it to argue, is it a persuasive essay, or is it to reflect upon something? This will greatly help you to form and structure your essay, as you may need to compare and contrast ideas throughout your writing.
• Who is your audience? If this essay is purely for academic purposes, then your essay may follow a more traditional structure. However, if your essay is for a speech or a college application, then the structure may be more unconventional and include more of your own thoughts and experiences.

While there may be variations in essay outline structures depending on the specific requirements of the assignment, some general guidelines can be followed. You should edit and adjust your essay structure depending on the tone, audience, and purpose of your essay.

Typically, an effective essay outline comprises three primary sections: the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Each of these sections serves a unique purpose and contributes to the overall coherence of the essay.

• Introduction The introduction section of an essay outline introduces the topic and provides relevant background information to engage the reader. It also includes the thesis statement, which presents the main argument or claim of the essay. To structure the introduction in the outline effectively, writers can utilize a hook to grab the reader’s attention, provide context, and end with a strong thesis statement.
• Body Paragraphs The body paragraphs section of the essay outline supports the thesis statement with relevant evidence and arguments. The number of body paragraphs may vary depending on the required length of the essay. However, it is common to have three body paragraphs, each focused on a specific supporting point. In the outline, writers can include subpoints, evidence, and examples for each body paragraph to ensure a coherent and logical flow of ideas.
• Conclusion The conclusion section of the essay outline summarises the main points discussed in the body paragraphs and restates the thesis statement. The conclusion should not be an afterthought in the essay writing process. This part of the essay helps to tie all of your ideas together and is reflective of a well-structured essay. It is crucial to end the essay on a strong note, leaving a lasting impression on the reader. To structure the conclusion in the outline, writers can briefly restate the thesis, review the main points, and provide a final thought or call to action.

Essay Outline Samples

What is the Format of a Five-Paragraph Essay Outline? 

A five-paragraph essay outline is a common essay structure used for academic essays. It is particularly useful for shorter essays or beginners who are just starting to develop their writing skills. Many high school students or first-year college students benefit from following this structure.

The format consists of five paragraphs, as the name suggests – an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

• Introduction In the introduction of a five-paragraph essay outline, writers should begin with an attention-grabbing hook to capture the reader’s interest. This can be achieved through a relevant anecdote, a rhetorical question, or a shocking statistic. This helps to immediately capture the reader’s attention and begin the essay strong. Next, provide some background information on the topic and end the introduction with a clear thesis statement that encapsulates the main argument of the essay.
• Body Paragraphs The three body paragraphs of a five-paragraph essay outline each focus on a specific supporting point, which aids in the development of the thesis statement. Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Following the topic sentence, writers should provide evidence, examples, or arguments to support the main point. It is essential to ensure a logical flow between paragraphs and maintain coherence throughout the essay. This can be done through the use of connectives at the start of each body paragraph, such as ‘Firstly,’ ‘Secondly,’ and ‘Furthermore.’
• Conclusion The conclusion of a five-paragraph essay outline restates the thesis statement and summarizes the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. However, it is vital to avoid introducing new information in the conclusion. Instead, writers should provide a thought-provoking final statement or reinforce the significance of the essay topic.

How to Write an Effective Essay Outline

Each writer will have their own unique approach to essay writing, but preparing an essay outline does not require you to reinvent the wheel. You can follow these simple steps to craft an effective, useful, solid outline.

• Read and Understand the Assignment Before beginning the outline, thoroughly read and understand the essay assignment, including any specific guidelines or requirements from the instructor. This will help in determining the length, topic, and structure of the essay. Understanding the assignment in detail also enables you to plan how you will carry out your preliminary research for the essay. Adaquete reading and preparation also helps you to establish the purpose of your essay, which will determine which essay outline template will work best for you.
• Brainstorm and Organize Ideas Start with brainstorming ideas related to the topic. Here, you should establish the key points of the essay based on your research. Once ideas are generated, you can organize them into meaningful categories or subtopics. In an argumentative essay outline, for example, you will need to compare and contrast ideas. By placing all the main points into categories in an organized manner, you can create a logical flow within the essay, making it more engaging for the reader.
• Choose an Appropriate Outline Format Decide on the outline format that best suits the specific essay requirements. Depending on the complexity of the topic, your essay may be formatted differently. An expository essay will differ from a research paper, for example, so be clear on which outline will work for you. It is also essential to decide on the number of main points to be included based on the required length of the essay. Sometimes it is best to discuss fewer points in greater detail, particularly for a literary analysis or narrative essay.
• Develop Thesis Statement and Main Arguments Craft a strong and clear thesis statement that encapsulates the main argument or claim of the essay. Then, determine the main arguments or supporting points that will be discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Organize Supporting Points and Supporting Evidence Arrange the main arguments in a logical order, keeping in mind the flow of ideas. Ensure that each supporting point is backed up by sufficient evidence or reasoning to strengthen the overall argument. This will also help you to write a strong conclusion to complete your essay.
• Review and Revise After creating the initial essay outline, review and revise it to ensure coherence, logical flow, and adherence to the assignment requirements. Make necessary adjustments and rearrange the outline if needed. Then, you can start writing your essay by following the outline.

Free Essay Outlines

Create an Effective Outline Using an Essay Outline Template

Creating an essay outline is a crucial step in the writing process that should not be overlooked. Whether it’s an argumentative essay outline, a literary analysis essay outline, or a persuasive essay outline, an essay outline template can help you to structure and organize your points in a thoughtful and clear way.

By structuring an essay outline effectively, using the appropriate format for a five-paragraph essay, and following the steps to write an essay outline, writers can ensure a well-organized, coherent, and compelling essay. Utilizing an essay outline template not only enhances the writing quality but also saves time and effort in the long run.

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A good essay doesn't appear out of thin air — it develops from a plan. Essay planning is essential to ensure your essay is organized and coherent. Using a plan to begin your essay writing process will help you figure out your main idea , topic sentences, and details. Luckily, tried and tested essay planning sheets and templates can assist you with outlining your essay and improving your writing skills. 

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• Cell Biology

How many supporting details should each paragraph contain?

True or False: You should include new information in your conclusion.

It includes the thesis.

It contains the findings.

It includes a topic sentence.

In your introduction, it   comes last and gives your reader an overview of the main supporting points you will make in your essay.

It should contain at least 3 supporting details.

Which of the following it NOT a question to ask yourself about the prompt?

True or false: If the prompt is for an essay you're writing as part of an exam, you can conduct research for your response.

True or false: There are different types of prompts.

What type of writing prompt would require a response that seeks to convince the audience of the writer's position?

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How to Begin Planning Your Essay

You need to take a few steps to begin planning your essay.

Decide on an Essay Topic

If your teacher didn't provide an essay topic, consider some questions, events, or ideas that you feel are important and would like to expand on. If they did provide an essay topic, identify keywords and phrases to focus on. You should strive to use these keywords throughout your essay and as a basis for your research plan.

Essay Plan: Research Your Thesis and Take Notes

Your teacher may have already provided you with some reference material or links to reputable sources. If so, plan on using this material to kickstart your research on the topic. Supplement this with your own findings as needed. If you're starting from scratch, use reputable sources to research your topic, and keep a list of references as you do this if you are required to cite your information. Some credible sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks, and many websites with .edu or .org domains.

Essay Plan: Organize Your Research and Ideas

You can use a mind map, essay plan sheet, or other essay planning tools to organize your research and main ideas. See the essay plan sheet in the "Structuring your Essay" section for an example. Organizing your research and ideas will help you plan out your main topic sentences for each paragraph and the order of these paragraphs. You'll also use this step to structure your research into supporting sentences for each main topic. Write a concluding sentence at the end of each paragraph to summarize how they contribute to the main topic.

Essay Plan: Write Your First Draft

Once you've organized your ideas using an essay planning tool of your choice, you're ready to write your first draft. Use your essay plan sheet to form your introduction, the topic sentence for each paragraph, supporting details, concluding sentences, and your overall conclusion. Remember, your first draft doesn't have to be perfect.

Essay Plan: Edit and Revise

Once you complete your first draft, it's time to re-read, edit, and revise your essay. Use this time to cut out unnecessary details and restructure your essay. Here are some helpful tips to improve your editing skills:

• Print out your essay and read it out loud slowly. Listen for ways to improve the clarity and overall flow of your essay.
• Check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.
• Ask a friend or schoolmate to read your essay and give you suggestions and corrections.

Structuring Your Essay

Because structuring your essay can seem daunting, the best way to help you is to use an essay planning sheet.

Essay Planning Sheet

An essay planning sheet (sometimes called a template) is a document that gives you some suggested categories to organize your essay topic and main points. These plans will help to improve your essay formatting skills. Planning sheets have different formats and offer different suggestions, but most include the following:

• Thesis /Essay Topic

Introduction

• Topic Sentence
• Supporting Details
• Concluding Sentence

You can find free essay plan sheets online or create your own. You can also use a mind map or box plan to organize your writing. Here is an example of an essay planning sheet for a general five-paragraph essay:

Essay Plan: Introduction

In the introduction, you'll want to ensure you present your argument , idea, or thesis in this section. Do your best to start with an attention-grabbing hook or introductory statemen t that will keep your reader interested in your essay. Thought-provoking questions, interesting quotes, or controversial statements can be good tools to use in your introduction. After you have drawn your reader in, it is important to state your thesis statement (a sentence or two summarizing the main argument of your essay). Your order of topics comes last and gives your reader an overview of the main supporting points you will make in your essay. This will help your reader to follow your argument from the get-go. Improving the quality of your introduction is a skill that comes with time and is a crucial part of the writing process.

Essay Plan: Paragraph Structure

Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that presents a main idea or argument that supports your main point. You should include at least three supporting details in each paragraph. These details should provide quotes from reputable sources, data, verifiable facts, or other information that gives weight to your topic sentence. Finish with a concluding sentence to summarize the overall argument in each paragraph.

Essay Plan: Conclusion

Writing an effective conclusion is an important skill to help your reader remember the main idea or argument of your writing. You should restate your thesis, main points, and key findings from your supporting paragraphs . Finish off your essay with your concluding statement . Similar to the concluding sentences you have created in your previous paragraphs, the concluding statement wraps up your essay and signals to the reader that you have completed your argument. Don't include any new information in your conclusion. This paragraph is intended to summarize and restate what your reader has already learned in your essay.

Remember, readers often remember the first and last few sentences of an essay more easily than the overall text. Use quotes, questions, or statements that will grab the attention of your readers and leave a lasting impression on them.

Essay Plan Example

Let's create an example essay plan using the planning sheet we previously discussed. First, if you don't already have an essay topic or thesis, take the time to choose one. For this example, we'll use the topic "intercultural awareness."

Your first step in the writing process would be to research intercultural awareness. There are many aspects to this topic, so it might be helpful to think of a question regarding intercultural awareness that you'd like to answer. A mind map can help organize your thoughts and discover what you already know about this topic. After completing your research and mind map, use this information to figure out your main topic sentences. Take the time to arrange these main topics in a logical order and ensure these topics relate to your thesis.

Now that we have our main topic sentences, we can use our research to add supporting details and form our paragraphs. Be sure to add references to the end of your essay if these details include quotes, data, paraphrased text, or facts. Once you've completed the body of your essay, you can flesh out your introduction and conclusion. Be sure to use attention-grabbing sentences and paraphrase your main idea and topic sentences in these introductory and concluding paragraphs.

Here is an example of a completed essay planning sheet:

Essay Topic: Why is intercultural awareness important for business?

Don't forget to add your references to your essay and cite them in the required format.

Essay Planning Next Steps

Once you've filled out your essay planning sheet, it's time to write your first draft! Using an essay planning sheet or template and looking at other essay examples can help you to organize your writing logically and coherently. These tools will help ensure you've included all the necessary parts for a successful essay in your writing process.

Essay Plan - Key takeaways

Decide on your thesis if your teacher hasn't provided one.

Use credible sources to research your thesis.

Use a mind map, essay planning sheet, or other essay planning tools to organize your ideas.

Write out your first draft.

Re-read, edit, and revise your essay.

1 Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989).

Flashcards in Essay Plan 93

Body paragraph

Order of topics

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Frequently Asked Questions about Essay Plan

How to plan an essay?

How do I structure an essay plan?

Make sure your essay plan structure includes space to note down your:

• introduction
• topic sentences
• supporting details
• concluding sentences

When planning a narrative essay what should the writer do?

Look for an essay planning sheet or template designed specifically for a narrative essay. This type of planning sheet can help you make sure you've included the necessary details and used the right structure in your essay.

How do I plan an essay outline?

First, decide on your thesis or main topic if you haven't been provided one. Next, use that as the basis for your research. Use an essay outline tool or make your own to organize your thoughts into the key parts of your essay.

How to plan an expository essay?

Look for an essay plan sheet designed specifically for an expository essay. This type of planning sheet can help you make sure you've included the necessary details and used the right structure in your essay.

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• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
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• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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7 Steps for Writing an Essay Plan

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Have you ever started writing an essay then realized you have run out of ideas to talk about?

This can make you feel deflated and you start to hate your essay!

The best way to avoid this mid-essay disaster is to plan ahead: you need to write an Essay Plan!

Essay planning is one of the most important skills I teach my students. When I have one-to-one tutorials with my students, I always send them off with an essay plan and clear goals about what to write.

Essay Planning isn’t as dull as you think. In fact, it really does only take a short amount of time and can make you feel oh so relieved that you know what you’re doing!

Here’s my 7-Step method that I encourage you to use for your next essay:

The 7-Step Guide on How to write an Essay Plan

• Figure out your Essay Topic (5 minutes)
• Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes (20 minutes)
• Brainstorm using a Mind-Map (10 minutes)
• Arrange your Topics (2 minutes)
• Write your topic Sentences (5 minutes)
• Write a No-Pressure Draft in 3 Hours (3 hours)
• Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission (30 minutes)

I’ve been using this 7-Step essay planning strategy since I was in my undergraduate degree. Now, I’ve completed a PhD and written over 20 academic journal articles and dozens of blog posts using this method – and it still works!

Let’s go through my 7 steps for how to write an essay plan.

Prefer to Watch than Read? Here’s our video on writing an Essay Plan.

how to write an essay plan

1. figure out your essay topic. here’s how..

Where did your teacher provide you with your assessment details?

Find it. This is where you begin.

Now, far, far, far too many students end up writing essays that aren’t relevant to the essay question given to you by your teacher. So print out your essay question and any other advice or guidelines provided by your teacher.

Here’s some things that your assessment details page might include:

• The essay question;
• The marking criteria;
• Suggested sources to read;
• Some background information on the topic

The essay question is really important. Once you’ve printed it I want you to do one thing:

Highlight the key phrases in the essay question.

Here’s some essay questions and the key phrases you’d want to highlight:

This strategy helps you to hone in on exactly what you want to talk about. These are the key phrases you’re going to use frequently in your writing and use when you look for sources to cite in your essay!

The other top thing to look at is the marking criteria. Some teachers don’t provide this, but if they do then make sure you pay attention to the marking criteria !

Here’s an example of a marking criteria sheet:

Sample Essay Topic: Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?

Now, if you have a marking criteria you really need to pay attention to this. You have to make sure you’ve ticked off all the key criteria that you will be marked on. For the example above, your essay is going to have to make sure it:

• Takes a position about whether climate change is a serious challenge for human kind;
• Discusses multiple different people’s views on the topic;
• Explores examples and case studies (‘practical situations’);
• Uses referencing to back up your points.

The reason you need to be really careful to pay attention to this marking criteria is because it is your cheat sheet: it tells you what to talk about!

Step 1 only takes you five minutes and helps you to clearly clarify what you’re going to be talking about! Now your mind is tuned in and you can start doing some preliminary research.

2. Gather your Sources and take Quick Notes. Here’s how.

Now that you know what your focus is, you can start finding some information to discuss. You don’t want to just write things from the top of your head. If you want top marks, you want some deep, detailed and specific pieces of information.

Fortunately, your teacher has probably made this easy for you.

The top source for finding information will be the resources your teacher provided. These resources were hand picked by your teacher because they believed these were the best sources available our there on the topic. Here are the most common resources teachers provide:

• Lecture Slides;
• Assigned Readings.

The lecture slides are one of the best resources for you to access. Lecture slides are usually provided online for you. Download them, save them on your computer, and dig them up when it’s time to write the essay plan.

Find the lecture slides most relevant to your topic. To take the example of our climate change essay, maybe climate change is only discussed in three of the weeks in your course. Those are the three weeks’ lecture slides you want to hone-in on.

Flick through those lecture slides and take quick notes on a piece of paper – what are the most important topics and statistics that are relevant to your essay question?

Now, move on to the assigned readings . Your teacher will have selected some readings for you to do for homework through the semester. They may be eBooks, Textbooks or Journal Articles.

These assigned readings were assigned for a reason: because they have very important information to read ! Scan through them and see if there’s any more points you can add to your list of statistics and key ideas to discuss.

Next, try to find a few more sources using Google Scholar. This is a great resource for finding more academic articles that you can read to find even more details and ideas to add to your essay.

Here’s my notes that I researched for the essay question “Is Climate Change the Greatest Moral Challenge of our Generation?” As you can see, it doesn’t have to be beautiful #Studygram notes! It’s just rough notes to get all the important information down:

Once you’ve read the assigned lecture slides and readings, you should have a good preliminary list of ideas, topics, statistics and even quotes that you can use in step 3.

3. Brainstorm using a Mind-Map. Here’s how.

Do your initial notes look a little disorganized?

That’s okay. The point of Step 2 was to gather information. Now it’s time to start sorting these ideas in your mind.

The best way to organize thoughts is to create a Mind-Map. Here’s how Mind-Maps often look:

For your essay plan Mind-Map, write the essay question in the middle of the page and draw a circle around it.

Then, select the biggest and most important key ideas that you think are worth discussing in the essay. To decide on these, you might want to look back at the notes you took in Step 2.

Each key idea will take up around about 200 – 350 words (1 to 2 sentences).

Here’s a rough guide for how many key ideas you’ll want depending on your essay length:

• 1000-word essay: 3 to 4 key ideas
• 1500-word essay: 5 to 7 key ideas
• 2000-word essay: 6 to 8 key ideas
• 3000-word essay: 9 to 12 key ideas

Once you’ve selected your key ideas you can list them in a circle around the essay question, just like this:

Last, we need to add detail and depth to each key idea. So, draw more lines out from each key ideas and list:

• Two sources that you will cite for each key idea;
• A statistic or example that you will provide for each key idea;
• Any additional interesting facts for each key idea

Here’s how it might look once you’re done:

4. Arrange your Topics. Here’s how.

You’re well and truly on your way to getting your essay down on paper now.

There’s one last thing to do before you start getting words down on the manuscript that you will submit. You need to arrange your topics to decide which to write first, second, third, fourth, and last!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Start and end with your strongest points;
• Ensure the points logically flow.

To ensure your points logically flow, think about how you’re going to transition from one idea to the next . Does one key point need to be made first so that the other ones make sense?

Do two key points seem to fit next to one another? If so, make sure you list them side-by-side.

Have a play around with the order you want to discuss the ideas until you’re comfortable. Then, list them in order. Here’s my order for my Climate Change essay:

Each of these key ideas is going to turn into a paragraph or two (probably two) in the essay.

5. Write your topic Sentences in just 5 minutes. Here’s how.

All good essays have clear paragraphs that start with a topic sentence . To turn these brainstormed key points into an essay, you need to get that list you wrote in Step 5 and turn each point into a topic sentence for a paragraph.

It’s important that the first sentence of each paragraph clearly states the paragraph’s topic. Your marker is going to want to know exactly what your paragraph is about immediately. You don’t want your marker to wait until the 3 rd , 4 th or 5 th line of a paragraph before they figure out what you’re talking about in the paragraph.

So, you need to state what your key idea is in the first sentence of the paragraph.

Let’s have a go at turning each of our key ideas into a topic sentence:

6. Write a No-Pressure Essay Draft in just 3 Hours. Here’s how.

Okay, now the rubber hits the road. Let’s get writing!

When you write your first draft, don’t put pressure on yourself. Remind yourself that this is the first of several attempts at creating a great essay, so it doesn’t need to be perfect right away. The important thing is that you get words down on paper.

To write the draft, have a go at adding to each of your topic sentences to turn them into full paragraphs. Follow the information you wrote down in your notes and Mind-Map to get some great details down on paper.

Forget about the introduction and conclusion for now. You can write them last.

Let’s have a go at one together. I’m going to choose the paragraph on my key idea “Is climate change caused by humans?”

I’ve already got my first sentence and my brainstormed ideas. Let’s build on them to write a draft paragraph:

• “Most scientists believe climate change is caused by humans. In fact, according to the IPCC, over 98% of climate change scientists accept the scientific data that climate change is caused by humans (IPCC, 2018). This figure is very high, signalling overwhelming expert consensus. This consensus holds that the emission of carbon from burning of fossil fuels in the 20 th Century is trapping heat into the atmosphere. However, a minority of dissenting scientists continue to claim that this carbon build-up is mostly the fault of natural forces such as volcanoes which emit enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere (Bier, 2013).”

Your turn – have a go at your own draft paragraphs based on your Mind-Map for your essay topic! If you hit a rut or have some trouble, don’t forget to check out our article on how to write perfect paragraphs .

Once you’ve written all your paragraphs, make sure you write an introduction and conclusion .

Gone over the word count? Check out our article on how to reduce your word count.

7. Edit your Draft Once every Few Days until Submission. Check out this simple approach:

Okay, hopefully after your three hour essay drafting session you’ve got all your words down on paper. Congratulations!

However, we’re not done yet.

The best students finish their drafts early on so they have a good three or four weeks to come back and re-read their draft and edit it every few days.

When coming back to edit your draft , here’s a few things to look out for:

• Make sure all the paragraph and sentence structure makes sense. Feel free to change words around until things sound right. You might find that the first time you edit something it sounds great, but next time you realize it’s not as good as you thought. That’s why we do multiple rounds of edits over the course of a few weeks;
• Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors;
• Print out your draft and read it on paper. You notice more mistakes when you read a printed-out version;
• Work on adding any more details and academic sources from online sources like Google Scholar to increase your chance of getting a top grade. Here’s our ultimate guide on finding scholarly sources online – it might be helpful for this step!

Before you go – Here’s the Actionable Essay Plan Tips Summed up for you

Phew! That essay was tough. But with this essay plan, you can get through any essay and do a stellar job! Essay planning is a great way to ensure your essays make sense, have a clear and compelling argument, and don’t go off-topic.

I never write an essay without one.

To sum up, here are the 7 steps to essay planning one more time:

The 7-Step Guide for How to Write an Essay Plan

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
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Essay plans

An essay plan is a way to identify, select, and order the points you want to make in your essay. It helps you to work out your argument and your structure before writing, which should make the writing process more efficient and focussed. Sometimes essay plans are set as formative assignments so tutors can provide feedback before you write your full essay. 

Scroll down for our recommended strategies and resources. 

Enough detail for feedback

If you have an essay plan as an assignment, the main purpose is to give your lecturer enough information about your structure and main points so they can give you useful feedback. Follow any guidance you have been given, but usually an essay plan doesn’t have to be in full sentences; an outline structure of main points in a bullet point list, maybe with some further details of the evidence you will use or explanation under each point, is often enough. See these guides on how to do simple outline plans for an essay:

How to plan an essay (University of Newcastle)

Structuring the essay (Monash University)

Different ways of planning

Group similar ideas.

The aim of planning is to put down all your ideas and then to sort through them and order them. Look at where the ideas group together to see if any common themes start emerging, as these might form the paragraphs in your essay. See the video below for an example of how to group and order ideas in a plan.

Planning: General structure [video] (University of York)

Changes are normal - reverse outline

We rarely follow our essay plans exactly because our ideas develop as we write. If you don’t keep to your plan, it isn’t a sign of failure or a sign that planning doesn’t work. However, you may need to reflect on your planning process - are you over-planning and it takes too much time, or are your plans too vague and more detail would help? If you have strayed from your plan, a good strategy is to check the structure of your essay afterwards to make sure it all matches up. See the guide below on how to do a reverse outline as a useful part of your redrafting process.

Reverse outlines (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

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Posted on 11th April 2019

How to Plan an Essay

By Cite This For Me

Planning is one of the most important parts of the writing process, but it’s also one of the most overlooked. Some students think planning is a waste of time, while others aren’t exactly sure how to plan.  

In this article, we’ll explain why planning actually saves you time, plus give you tips on how to create an effective plan for any essay or paper.

Why you should plan your essays

So, why is planning such a big deal? Why can’t you just start writing?

A plan is an organized roadmap for your essay. It helps you sort your ideas into coherent paragraphs that flow logically. Without a plan, you might end up rambling and leave your readers lost and confused.

Planning also gives you a chance to make sure that your ideas make sense and that you have plenty of evidence before you start writing. You don’t want to get halfway through your essay and realize you’ve lost your train of thought—or that you don’t have adequate evidence to support your claims.

How Planning Saves You Time

Far from being a time waster, planning actually saves you time in the long run. Once you’ve done the work of planning, writing your essay comes easily.  You’ll already have all of the information you need for your essay in one place. Now all you have to do is put it into sentence form!  

What Does a Plan Look Like?

There’s no one way to plan an essay. You can format your plan using whatever method works best for you.

You may want to try a traditional outline , a bubble map, or even some carefully organized notes. However you choose to record your plan, there are some key elements you should include.

What to Include in a Plan

In order to plan thoroughly and effectively, be sure to include the following items.

At the top of your planning sheet, write your thesis statement. Your thesis should clearly, concisely state the main claim or argument you’ll be advancing in the essay. If you’re writing the essay in response to a prompt, your thesis is a clear answer to the question the prompt is asking.

Often, your thesis will also list 2-3 main points in support of your claim.

Here’s an example:

Overuse of social media is dangerous because it limits face-to-face interaction, and studies show it increases anxiety and depression while decreasing self-esteem.  

You should list your thesis at the top of your paper because it controls your entire argument. Every paragraph, supporting detail, and piece of evidence in the rest of your essay exists to support your thesis.

As you map out the rest of your paper, continue consulting your thesis. Does the information you’re including directly support your thesis? If not, leave it out. (Or rewrite your thesis.)

Your thesis also dictates the structure of your essay. Based on the sample thesis above, readers would expect information about how social media limits face-to-face interaction, increases anxiety and depression, and decreases self-esteem. And they would expect the information in that order.

For these reasons, start by generating a thesis statement and writing it at the top of your planning sheet. Then allow your thesis to guide the remainder of your plan.

2-3 Supporting Reasons

Your plan should also include your 2-3 supporting reasons (the reasons why you’ve chosen to take a particular stance or make a certain claim).

For our essay about the dangers of excessive social media use, for instance, our supporting reasons are already outlined in the thesis statement:

• Social media limits face-to-face interaction.
• Overuse of social media increases depression and anxiety.
• Overuse of social media decreases self-esteem.

These supporting reasons will be the main topics of your body paragraphs.

Once you’ve written your thesis and determined your supporting reasons, it’s time to plan out your evidence.

How will you support each of your supporting reasons (which in turn support the thesis of your essay?)

Depending on what type of paper you’re writing, your evidence may include:

• Information about current or historical events

If you’re writing the paper for an assessment, it’s likely that you’ll be provided with a prompt and a series of passages or texts. In this case, you must use only textual evidence (evidence selected from the provided texts).  

For each of your supporting reasons, try to plan at least three pieces of strong, relevant evidence. When you write your essay, you’ll also need to provide your own commentary or analysis of the evidence you select, so ensure you only choose evidence that you can explain in your own words.

As you select your evidence, begin building your bibliography. Recording them as you research and write is easier than doing it at the end of your process where you may forget where a piece of evidence came from. It’s also important to include a parenthetical citation or another type of in-text citation when mentioning evidence within your paper.

Counterargument  

If you’re writing an argumentative/persuasive essay, you’ll also need to plan your counterargument. A counterargument has three main parts:

• Introduce the opposition
• State an opposing argument
• Refute the opposing argument

Choose an argument from the other side that you’d like to address in your paper. It should be one of the most popular arguments from the other side, and it should be one that you’re confident you can refute.  

Once you’ve selected an argument, plan how you’ll refute it as well. You may point out a logical fallacy, provide a stronger reason from your own side, or offer a compromise.

Once you have all the pieces of your essay planned, putting it on paper is simple.  

Your introductory paragraph will include your thesis statement (and list your 2-3 supporting reasons). The topic sentence of each body paragraph will introduce one of your 2-3 supporting reasons (in the order they were mentioned in your introduction). Each body paragraph will contain the evidence you’ve already planned out to support it.

All you need to do is organize this information into sentence form, insert transitions, add commentary to your evidence, and include a conclusion.

Final Thoughts

Some students see planning as a pain, but it actually saves you time and makes your essay clear and organized.  

A solid plan should include:

• Thesis statement
• 2-3 supporting reasons
• 3 pieces of evidence for each supporting reason
• Counterargument (if persuasive/argumentative)

Still don’t believe in the power of planning?

Try it out next time you’re assigned an essay. Notice how much easier it is to write your essay—and how much better your writing is with just a bit of advance planning!

Cite This For Me has citing tools like a Harvard referencing generator , an APA citation generator , and Chicago style citation maker to help you create a bibliography for your paper. Try it today!

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Essay Planning and Writing introduction

Essay Planning and Writing are crucial steps in crafting a coherent, persuasive, and well-structured essay. Proper planning ensures that your ideas are organised and your argument flows logically from one point to the next.

Essay Planning :

• Understanding the Brief : Start by carefully reading the essay question to identify key themes, requirements, and expectations.
• Research : Gather relevant information from credible sources, taking notes on key points, evidence, and references.
• Creating an Outline : Organise your ideas into a clear structure. Typically, an essay outline includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea that supports your thesis.

Structuring Your Essay :

• Introduction : Begin with a hook to engage the reader, provide background information, and present your thesis statement, which outlines the main argument of the essay.
• Body Paragraphs : Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea, followed by evidence, analysis, and a concluding sentence that links back to the thesis. Ensure a logical flow by connecting paragraphs with transitions.
• Conclusion : Summarise the key points made in the body, restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented, and offer a final thought or call to action.

Writing the Essay :

• Drafting : Write a first draft based on your outline, focusing on getting your ideas down rather than perfection.
• Revising : Review your draft for coherence, clarity, and structure. Ensure each paragraph supports your thesis and that your argument flows logically.
• Editing and Proofreading : Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, as well as consistency in tone and style.

Effective essay planning and writing involve structuring your essay in a way that clearly presents your argument, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall thesis. A well-structured essay is easier to read, more persuasive, and demonstrates a clear understanding of the topic.

Essay Planning Recordings

• Essay Planning (Video) 12 minutes By the end of this session you should be able to: - Recognise the main difference between editing and proofreading - Know the key aspects to check for when editing your work - Understand common errors in writing and what effective techniques for correcting them.
• Essay Instruction Terms What is meant by different terms you see in assessment criteria and instructions given by tutors.
• 5 Tops Tips for Writing Excellent Essays (Video) 47 minutes Learn our top 5 best tips for producing a quality essay. By the end your should be able to: - Understand the essay question - Write a clear introduction - Craft strong paragraphs - Critically engage with research and evidence - Proofread your work

• << Previous: Editing & Proofreading
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• Last Updated: Sep 5, 2024 9:11 AM
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• Teacher Planner Templates

Essay Planner Template

Description:

This great planner will help you make an argumentative, persuasive, and informative essay from introduction to expository moments. Pick a paper size that suits you, download the PDF template, and print it as you start writing your story with pre-prepared materials and creative ideas for your essay.

Sections available in this template:

• Possible Title (1, 2, 3);
• Ideas & Key Points.

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One of my fave monthly printables as it just "works" and looks nice 

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Essay Plan Generator

When you are able to develop a skill in essay writing , you will realize how it is able to take your time and a lot of patience to improve more. Writing an essay would help you talk about a particular worldly issue without showing any biases. Essays are more on facts and a little of your opinion. Essays give writers the chance to incorporate their own experiences, the way how they think and their ability provide research data. It is an essential part in the learning process that enables you to mark your point of view. In this article, you will be able to encounter more about the idea of creating a simple yet presentable essay plan .

10+ Essay Plan Examples

1. essay plan template.

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11. Essay Plan Checklist

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What is an Essay Plan?

An essay plan is an act of making you practice how to organize ideas and make further modifications. It serves as an outline that is essential to use for discussing or writing about a certain issue. The purpose of an essay is to practice your mind on how to focus on an area where it can bring you to make a quality conclusion .

Planning is the way how you are able to visualize regarding the content of your essay. You should make sure that your essay is well-planned. Otherwise, you will end up having a sequence of phrases that are not even organized. Your main points should be clear and logically stated.

10 Steps for Essay Planning

• Read and analyze the essay questions.
• Write down the essay questions.
• Brainstorm or think of more ideas regarding the matter.
• List down all of your thoughts and the scope that covers the essay questions.
• Take note of the words or phrases that you think are essential in your work.
• Write down the main points that can be used to answer the questions.
• Look through any type of handouts that can be used to have a more detailed outline of your essay.
• Do not forget to take note of the sources of all the information you got. This will be indicated in the reference list.
• Do not make your outline too complicated.
• Think about how many words you need to write, the elements that you cover in your essay and how much space you should be able to allot to each of your outline section.

Here is an outline of your essay that you need to follow:

• Essay question or topic
• Introduction – this includes your thesis statement
• 1 st Paragraph – this includes your topic sentence and evidence
• 2 nd Paragraph – this also contains a topic sentence and evidence
• 3 rd Paragraph – just like the first and second paragraph, it contains a topic sentence or an idea that is supported by an evidence or claim
• Conclusion  – provides the possible motivations and restatement of central idea
• Reference – the list of the sources of your texts, data or images that you do not own

What is a good essay?

A good essay must have one clear main idea. Each of the paragraphs must have a topic sentence to be supported with a supporting detail. They should be organized logically and must be able to stick together. Always make sure that an essay would give a best impression to the readers.

What is the standard number of paragraphs per essay?

Essays must have at least five paragraphs.

What is the best way to start an essay plan?

The best way to start an essay plan is to prepare a box plan that consists of the essay elements. These elements will serve as your guide to be able to write continuously without getting lost of the usual standard arrangement.

Effective essay planning helps in making your work be done immediately. It speeds up your writing process and gives you precise direction while working on it. You just have to follow the correct structure and format of your essay. Always consider your audience when making an essay because they are the ones who will give you feedback about it. The attention that they should give also matters.

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Create an Essay Plan on how you organize your study schedule and its benefits

Develop an Essay Plan on the role of exercise in student life

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Plan Templates

8+ essay plan templates – sample, example.

Having a hard time starting your essay plan? We got you covered. The secret to writing a comprehensive and coherent essay is by coming up with a well-structured essay plan. An essay plan allows you to build your essay one idea at a time. Essay plan templates and outline templates showcase what are some of creative and appropriate sections in your essay.You may also see Plan Templates .

• 568+ Plan Templates in Word
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Essay Plan Template

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Argumentative Essay Planning Sheet

Law Essay Plan

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What Essay Plan Templates Are in Store for You?

• Argumentative Essay Planning Sheet Template – In writing an argumentative essay, the challenge lies on how you structure the flow of your arguments. Bear in mind that you can’t just merely enumerate your arguments but to lay them out in a logical and systematic manner. By using these template, you can breakdown your arguments into sections with their supporting details.
• Academic Essay Plan Template – This template is a guide in writing an effective essay plan. This will help you know the basic elements of an essay plan and how to effectively convey and write your ideas in the most comprehensible and coherent way. There are also sample thesis statements that you may refer to.
• Discursive Essay Plan Template – This template provides you with suggestions and outline on how to write an essay plan for three different types of discursive essays namely the for and against essays, opinion essays, and essays suggesting solutions to problems. The respective plan templates provide you with writing tips in terms of structure and content.
• Persuasive Plan Template – Persuasive essays can be tricky. Your essay must be convincing enough to persuade your readers to take your side. You need to effectively introduce the issue, clearly state your position, and write your supporting evidences.

Discursive Essay Plan

Persuasive Essay Plan

How to Effectively Map Out Your Essay Plan?

• Come up with a comprehensive and engaging thesis statement. You thesis statement presents the why’s and importance of your essay. It will be the heart of your essay. Your thesis statement will project the scope and limits of your the write-up. As per content, thesis statements are not necessarily long. As much as possible be concise and succinct.
• Provide topic sentences for each paragraph. This is done so as to guide the flow of your sentences. The topic sentence will is either your idea or argument. After that, substantiate your claims by providing your evidences.
• Make a sound conclusion. You also need to plan the structure of your conclusion. You should plan how you’ll manage to reiterate the important points and adding a strong closing sentences or notes to your reader’s in a creative and professional way. Like writing a strategic plan template , essay plan also provides key writing strategies and methods.

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The Mental and Physical Benefits of Running: Essay Plan Template

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• Funding Programs
• Internet For All

Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Round 2 (2023)

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) is a $3 billion program, from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, to support Tribal governments bringing high-speed Internet to Tribal lands, including telehealth, distance learning, affordability, and digital inclusion initiatives. The program seeks to improve quality of life, spur economic development, and create opportunities for remote employment, online entrepreneurship, remote learning, and telehealth by expanding broadband access and by providing digital training and inclusion programs to Native American communities.

This second round of funding from the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program will make approximately $980 million available on Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian lands for deployment of Internet infrastructure, affordability programs, telehealth and distance learning initiatives.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity page includes information for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program eligible applicants. Here, you will find sample budget materials, application guidance, webinar schedules and other materials to help strengthen your application.

You can find full details about this program in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Download the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Need to know the differences from prior program iterations?

In addition to the technical amendments made under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the following represent the major changes in the second NOFO. See the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Fact Sheet for a quick overview of some of the differences. Please see the NOFO above for full program details.

Who Can Apply

Section 905(a)(8) of the Act specifies the following entities as eligible to receive grants pursuant to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program: 

• a Tribal Government; 
• a Tribal College or University; 
• the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Community, including Native Hawaiian Education Programs; 
• a Tribal organization; or (v) an Alaska Native Corporation.  

See Section C of this NOFO for additional information concerning the eligibility requirements for this program.

Application timeline

Eligible Entities must submit a single application by the application deadline to be eligible for program funding. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is not a formula or block grant program and a single application for funding must be timely submitted by an Eligible Entity to receive funding consideration from NTIA.

• Applications submitted online through the Grants.gov system must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on  March 22, 2024 ; 
• Applications submitted by postal mail or by courier service must be postmarked (for postal mail) or show clear evidence of mailing (for courier submissions) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on  March 22, 2024 ; and 
• Applications submitted by electronic mail must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on  March 22, 2024 . 

See Section D in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for detailed information concerning application submission requirements.

Types of Projects Funded

Section 905(c)(5) of the Act states that an Eligible Entity may use grant funds made available under the TBCP for:

• broadband infrastructure deployment, including support for the establishment of carrier-neutral submarine cable landing stations;
• affordable broadband programs, including— (i) providing free or reduced-cost broadband service; and (ii) preventing disconnection of existing broadband service;
• distance learning;
• telehealth;
• digital inclusion efforts (which may include digital equity planning and workforce development activities); and
• broadband adoption activities. 

NTIA expects to make awards in this round of funding within the following ranges:

• Broadband Internet infrastructure deployment projects proposed by a single applicant: $1 million to $50 million 
• Broadband Internet adoption and use projects: $100,000 to $2.5 million

These funding ranges are not required minimums and maximums, but eligible entities requesting funding for projects outside of these ranges must provide a reasonable explanation for the variance in their project size.

See Section D.7 of this NOFO for additional information concerning the eligibility requirements for this program.

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