Nursing essay outline development is one of the critical steps in writing essays for nursing courses. An outline serves as the roadmap to your writing endeavour, highlighting the main points or ideas that you intend to explore in the essay. A solid essay outline can go a long way in boosting the entire writing process. The outline helps you to organize your thoughts and ensure a coherent flow of ideas throughout the essay.

What is an Essay Outline?

An essay outline basically refers to the structure or plan of how you intend to write the paper from the introduction to conclusion. The essence of nursing essay outline development is to summarize your points in a way that will be easier to remember when writing the paper. The outline gives a picture of how the arguments will unfold from one paragraph to another.

Sometimes, lecturers require students to submit an essay outline for approval before they can begin writing the papers. As a result, you may need to change some sections of the outline to meet the required parameters. That is why you should also maintain a sense of flexibility during the nursing essay outline development process. Nevertheless, an outline remains as an essential component of essay writing.

Organizing the Content

Outline development is a preliminary stage whereby your ideas are still not fully formed. However, you should have a better idea of the topic and some relevant source materials for the essay. So, start by trying to shape those points into structured arguments.

Forming categories

Look through all the ideas and information that you have drafted to determine the central point that the essay should be based upon. That will become the thesis statement. Then, you can move into organizing the content in a way that serves the argument.

Organize the points into categories that relate to different aspects of the argument. You can arrange them into themes, which can be adapted into paragraphs when writing. Nonetheless, make sure that every category is related to the thesis statement.

The Order of Information

It is also important to consider the order in which your points will appear in the final paper. While every nursing essay must start with an introduction and end with a conclusion, you can organize the body in any way that suits your purpose. One of the things to consider organizing your materials is whether there is an obvious starting point for the argument. You should also look into the subjects or points that provide easy transitions into other ideas.

Nursing Essay Outline Development: Presentation of the Outline

Now that you understand the process of nursing essay outline development, you should also see how a sample essay outline looks. Today, some platforms offer essay outline templates that you can use to plan your work when writing nursing essays. However, it is still important that you know how to develop a nursing essay outline from scratch. Here are the key points that a nursing essay outline should address.

i.               Introduction

·   Hook: The hook refers to the first sentences of the essay. They should grab the reader’s attention and give them a reason to keep reading. You can create a great hook by using anecdotes or giving some lesser known facts about the subject.

·   Thesis Statement: The thesis statement should clearly state the main purpose of the essay. Some also refer to it as the research question that your paper will be seeking to answer.

ii.              Background Information

·   The background information section provides context for your topic by highlighting key elements of the argument.

·   This section should also mention any theoretical frameworks that will be discussed in the essay.

iii.            Body Paragraphs

·   Topic Sentence: Start by introducing the key idea of every paragraph.

·   Supporting Evidence: Provide facts, research findings and examples to support the arguments.

·   Analysis: Explain the significance of the given research findings and how they relate to your thesis.

iv.            Critical Reflection

·   Reflect on your findings and experiences’ implications.

·   Consider the implications of your arguments on the nursing career, policies and education.

v.              Conclusion

·   Summarize the main points of the essay

·   Restate the thesis and why it is important

·   Finalize the essay with a thought-provoking statement or question. 

The outline is the basis of the essay and, that is why you should be very keen when developing it. Remember if the outline is wrong, you are likely to experience several issues when writing the essay. Although nursing essay outline development may take different approaches, a good outline should follow the above guidelines.

The Tricks for Writing a Top Notch Nursing Essay

The outline will no doubt make your work easier when it comes to writing the essay. However, it is still not enough to guarantee a compelling nursing essay. Here are some useful tips to help you in crafting a winning nursing essay.

Understand your prompts

The prompts are the instructions that govern how you are required to write the essay. Take time to carefully read and understand them so you know exactly what is expected.

Do proper research

Research is not just about getting the facts but, the right information to support your arguments. Think about the right facts that will effectively support your arguments. Dig deeper into articles, books, journals and even real life experiences to find the points that will pit your arguments into context.

Set the Stage

Create a compelling introduction that grabs your readers’ attention and prepare them for what is coming up next. You can point out a surprising fact or even ask a thought provoking question. Nursing is largely about caregiving, so, be sure to include something that will evoke emotions such as empathy and compassion.

Make a compelling case

Every paragraph in your essay should focus on a single point or issue, backed by evidence and examples. Think of it like making a claim then, issuing evidence to support it. Maintain clarity during the writing process, so, that every point comes out as intended without confusing the readers.

Get personal

An individual’s personal experiences are some of the things that make them unique. Therefore, you should not be afraid to share stories from your own experiences in nursing and other aspects of life. Reflect on how those experiences have informed your understanding of nursing and approach to patient care.

Give your readers something to think about

The final bit of your essay should tie up any loose ends and leave your readers with something to reflect upon. Summarize the key points but, also look for a way to leave a lasting impression on the readers. You can end with a call to action or issue a thought provoking statement that will challenge your readers.

This article offers essential insights to guide you in writing the best outline for your nursing essay. However, the process of nursing essay outline development is not always an easy task even with all the above resources. It can still be a painstaking endeavor for many students. The good news is, you can easily avoid the hassles with our professional essay writing services. Contact us today to order a customized nursing essay.