Essay Outline Generator
Choose an essay type — argumentative, expository, compare and contrast, narrative, research, or persuasive — type your topic, and set how many body paragraphs you want. You get a Roman-numeral outline with lettered steps for the introduction, each body paragraph, and the conclusion, ready to copy. Honest templates, no AI. Free, no sign-up.
How to Use the Essay Outline Generator
- 1. Choose the essay type. The six types change the steps inside every part of the outline, not just the labels. If you are unsure, check your assignment for words like argue, explain, compare, or tell.
- 2. Enter your topic or thesis. A short phrase is enough. It is dropped into some of the steps (for example, “Background: Provide context about …”). Leave it empty and the outline shows a [Your Topic] placeholder instead.
- 3. Set the body paragraphs. The field takes 2 to 5 paragraphs; three is the classic five-paragraph shape. A number outside that range, or a part-number such as 2.5, is changed to a whole number from 2 to 5, and a line under the button tells you which one the outline used. Choose Generate Outline.
- 4. Copy the outline and fill it in. Each lettered step is a prompt, not finished content. Replace it with your own hook, claim, evidence, and analysis, then drag your notes under the right step.
What the Outline Looks Like
The structure is the same for every type: an introduction, your chosen number of body paragraphs, and a conclusion, numbered I, II, III and so on, with lettered steps under each. This is the first part of what the tool returns for an argumentative essay with three body paragraphs and the topic “The impact of social media on mental health”.
Argumentative, three body paragraphs (first two parts)
I. Introduction
- A. Hook: Start with a compelling fact, question, or bold statement related to your argument
- B. Background: Provide context about The impact of social media on mental health
- C. Present the opposing viewpoint briefly to show awareness
- D. Thesis Statement: State your clear position on The impact of social media on mental health
II. Body Paragraph 1
- A. Topic Sentence: Present supporting argument #1
- B. Evidence: Cite a specific source, study, or example
- C. Analysis: Explain how this evidence supports your thesis
- D. Address potential counterargument to this point
- E. Transition: Connect to the next supporting argument
Body Paragraphs 2 and 3 repeat that pattern (paragraph 3 ends with a transition into the conclusion), and the conclusion is part V.
How the Six Essay Types Differ
| Type | Introduction steps | Each body paragraph | Conclusion steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argumentative | Hook, background, opposing view, thesis | Topic sentence, evidence, analysis, counterargument, transition | Restate thesis, summarize arguments, implications, closing thought |
| Expository | Hook, background, key terms, thesis | Topic sentence, explanation, example, analysis, transition | Restate thesis, recap, broader significance, closing thought |
| Compare & Contrast | Hook, both subjects, why compare, thesis | Topic sentence, subject 1, subject 2, analysis, transition (point-by-point) | Restate thesis, summary, evaluation, closing thought |
| Narrative | Hook, setting, characters, purpose | Rising action, climax setup, then resolution in the last paragraph | Reflect, connect to a theme, resolution, closing thought |
| Research Paper | Hook, background, research question, thesis | Topic sentence, evidence from peer-reviewed sources, analysis, discussion, transition | Restate thesis, synthesize, limitations, future directions, closing thought |
| Persuasive | Hook, urgency, credibility, thesis with call to action | Topic sentence, evidence, emotional appeal, refutation, transition | Restate thesis, summarize, emotional close, call to action |
Notice what the research template is: an essay-style outline for a source-based paper. It is not a journal-article skeleton, so it has no methods or results sections. If your paper is a lab or empirical report, the Abstract Writing Helper follows the IMRaD structure, and the Discussion Section Outline covers the end of that kind of paper.
Which Tool Do You Need?
| If you are writing… | Use |
|---|---|
| A general school or college essay of any of the six types above | This page |
| An AP U.S. History document-based question | DBQ Outline Generator |
| An AP History long essay | LEQ Outline Generator |
| An AP Language rhetorical analysis | Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline |
| The review of the literature in a thesis or article | Literature Review Outline Generator |
| Just the thesis sentence | Thesis Statement Generator |
Turning the Outline Into an Essay
- One main idea per body paragraph. The generated topic-sentence step is a prompt to state that idea in one sentence that supports your thesis.
- Delete steps that do not fit. A short essay may not need every lettered step, and a long one may need more. The template is a scaffold, so edit it.
- Order the body paragraphs by purpose. Put your strongest point first or last, not in the middle, unless your assignment calls for chronological or point-by-point order.
- Add the sources as you go. Note the author and page beside each evidence step now, so the citations are easy to build later.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What types of essay outlines can I create?
- Six: argumentative, expository, compare and contrast, narrative, research paper, and persuasive. The introduction, body, and conclusion steps are different for each one, as the table above shows.
- Does this tool write the essay for me?
- No. It assembles fixed outline steps for the type you choose and drops your topic into some of them — honest templates, no AI. It cannot research your subject or write the content, so the hook, evidence, and analysis are yours to supply.
- How do I write an essay outline?
- Start with your thesis, then list the main points that support it, one per body paragraph. Under each point, note the evidence and the analysis that links it back to the thesis. Finish with what the conclusion must do: restate the thesis and say why it matters.
- How many body paragraphs should an essay have?
- The classic five-paragraph essay has three, but length and assignment decide. Longer essays need more points rather than longer paragraphs. The tool is built for two to five body paragraphs and says so if you type another number; for a longer paper, generate the outline and add sections of your own.
- Do I need to know my thesis before creating an outline?
- Not exactly. A working thesis makes the outline sharper, but you can enter just a topic and refine the claim as you plan the body paragraphs. If you want help phrasing the claim, the Thesis Statement Generator comes first.
- Is a Roman-numeral outline required?
- Only if your instructor asks for one. A formal outline uses Roman numerals for the major parts, then capital letters and Arabic numerals for levels below. If you need the numbering applied to your own notes, the Outline Numberer does it.
- Can I use this for a research paper?
- Yes, for a source-based research essay. Choose the Research Paper type to get steps for a research question, evidence from peer-reviewed sources, a limitations step, and future directions. It does not produce the sections of an empirical paper such as methods and results.