From the course: Organizing an Outline
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Using the five-step sequence
- One of the most common outline types in business and especially in government is the five-step sequence. You can use this basic outline when you need help getting started or because it just works for you. The five steps are, executive summary, background, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. If you recognize these top-level topics, now you know the name for it. The five-step sequence. First comes the executive summary. The point is to get to the point. This top-level topic lacks subtopics, instead it includes only a single paragraph that provides a quick summary of the entire report. Be brief and concise, four or five sentences only. If you see in a multiple paragraph executive summary or a single paragraph that stretches for over a page, that's a sign that it was done incorrectly. Here's a tight example of an executive summary which could be incorporated into an outline as narrative text. See how quickly it gets to the point? Site 3 is the choice. The rest of the report…
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