Preparation: Hierarchy of ideas and outlining
Now that you have had a chance to practise some of the ideas around organization, put them into action.
Using the ideas and strategies in this section, produce an outline for your report. You will need to consider your purpose and readership, the hierarchy of ideas, and the pattern of organization you will adopt.
Use this outline to refine the headings for your report. As you do so, keep in mind the features of effective headings. In particular, make sure that your headings have the following characteristics:
Note: Microsoft Word has an outlining tool that you can use to help with this process. By using it, you are also able to generate an automatic Table of Contents. This will save you a lot of time in formatting and referencing page numbers. Even if you don’t use the outlining tool, you can still use Word’s automated Table of Contents feature. If you are unfamiliar with the outlining tool in Word or the automated Table of Contents, try looking them up in Word’s internal Help menu. They are relatively easy to use and can save you time in the long run, especially if your report undergoes substantial revisions.