Once you have a topic and proposition, you need to create an outline. The outline gives an overview of how you plan to attack the topic, from beginning to end. You should ask yourself, what kind of information do I need to make sense of this topic?

One mistake commonly made is to try to get the outline perfect the first time. This usually leads to writer's block. It is generally better to work fast, writing down all the issues that come to you. Later you can eliminate those that are not needed.

Some people find the automatic outlining features in word processors facilitate the process. If you forget an issue in the middle, you can add it and the word processor takes care of renumbering.

While every outline is different, they generally have several features in common. They start with an introduction that discusses the motivation for picking the topic, the proposition, and other issues that the reader needs to understand the topic and why it is important.

They end with conclusions and recommendations. While often combined, these are slightly different. The conclusion summarizes what you found: Did the new management system work? It looks backward towards what can be drawn out of the study. The recommendations look towards the future: Should the company adopt the new system and, if so, how should it do so?

The middle portions of outlines differ from one thesis to another. Generally the early sections cover the building blocks: background on a proposed management system, experience in other organizations, a description of the organization for which it will be considered. The later sections often become both more integrative and more specific: What is the cost of the new system to the organization? What changes in culture and operations are needed? What are the benefits?

The outline is likely to evolve as more is learned about a topic and more information becomes available, but it still serves as a road map.

Example 1: Mounting a Successful School Board Campaign

As noted in a previous discussion , this is basically a marketing study. Here is a quick and dirty outline created in about ten minutes in front of a class:

1.Introduction

            a.Why this topic

            b.The proposition

2.Possible strategies

            a.Television advertising

            b.Direct mail and radio

            c.Door-to-door

            d.Combination of strategies

3.Literature on campaign strategy

4.Case studies

            a.Local elections in Milwaukee

            b.Interviews

            c.Election commission data

            d.Newspaper articles

5.Analysis of each strategy

            a.Cost

            b.Effectiveness

6.Selection of favored strategy

7.Analysis of favored strategy

            a.Financial needs

            b.Personnel needs

            c.Implementation plan

8.Conclusion and recommendations

Example 2. An Alternative Milwaukee Public School Budget Model

1.Introduction

2.Past MPS Efforts at Reform

3.Decentralization Efforts in Other Cites

4.An Analysis of the Present MPS Budget

5.An Alternative Budget Model

6.Other Management Changes Needed

7.Conclusions and Recommendations