Step 3.  Preparing a tentative outline of major points to be covered


After collecting a working bibliography, you should next do some general reading--without taking notes--on the subject you plan to write about.  Construct a tentative outline of the tree or four major points to be included in the paper.  This outline, of course, will not be complete.  No doubt you will need to make many changes as you learn more about your subject.  However, you must have some plan for the paper before you can undertake the next step.

Example

Flannery O'Conner's Style in Wise Blood and The Violent Bear It Away

I.  Imagery

II.  Symbolism

III.  Regionalism