Guidelines for a Pyramid Outline

It will take you some time and practice to get used to developing an outline according to the pyramid technique. However, for now, you should develop your pyramid outline to include the following features:

• Your main message covers all the ideas grouped below it for the entire document.
• The first questions directly generated from the main message each lead to substantial report sections proportional in scope and complexity to the other sections.
• Every statement covers all the ideas below it at each level of the pyramid.
• Statements are phrased as full sentences, with verbs. (Do not write labels or “topics.”)
• Key terms are repeated in questions and answers throughout the outline.
• Both reader’s questions and the writer’s answers appear at every level.
• Your statements lead to more questions on the same topic until the main message has been explained and the purpose has been fulfilled.