Do Outlines Need to Be in Complete Sentences?

An outline does not need to be written in complete sentences. Caveman talk -- five words or less -- for each entry of the outline is sufficient. The outline, even with incomplete sentences, is enough to help the writer know the direction and content each paragraph is to contain. When using this type of informal outline, without complete sentences, it's recommended to write out the topic sentence or thesis sentence of the paper. This helps to keep the focus of the paper. An outline may be written in complete sentences. This type of outline may be used for more formal essays or research papers.