Some useful reflections on outlining and writing from David Carraher.
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Outlines I: Writing and Organizing Ideas. I find that writing ideas down doesn't simply register my thoughts. It makes them more easily graspable and reference-able. Over time, my thinking itself benefits from having the external representatations. To look at. To ponder over. To tweak. To reconsider and reorganize. To share with others and receive their input.
I think of outlines as a means of enhancing ideas. You have the benefits of the written word. But something more is gained.
I often use an outline to figure out the structure of ideas in a document. It may be of my own writing, but could be someone else's. I find myself wondering:
Does this idea go here? Isn't this the evidence for an earlier claim? Shouldn't it be shown, later, in the data section, rather than assumed, in the introduction? What if someone doesn't accept the analysis as exhaustive? Aren't there other possible interpretations? If so, where should they go?
Making an outline starts a debate in my head. There is an audience of listeners who butt in at various moments.
Aren't you assuming that...?
We have a somewhat different view on that...
That term you chose is really self-serving...
Sometimes an outline helps even before I begin to write. I usually start with a list of points or ideas. Then I begin to shufflie and subordinate them:
This first item is really a minor issue. Perhaps I shouldn't begin with it. And maybe it fits better under this other idea; it concerns only some special condiitions under a more general
I've long been a fan of outlining in Word, ever since dynamic outlining was possible.
You change the outline, and the whole document changes.
Word's outline capability can be a real timesaver. But there are some inherent limitations.
- Styles get in the way. In fact, don't try to make headings styles contain outline prefixes (A., I, i, a. etc.) or Word will quickly become confused and you will soon be terribly frustrated.
- Most of the content in a Word document is not really in outline format; only the headings are. If you restrict your sytles to headings, you'll soon overwhelm Word.
- Word's outlines cannot be shared with other outline-enabled apps.
It all boils down to this. In Word, outlines are a "feature". Deep in its soul Word isn't an outliner. This limits how well Word can be used to structure, analyze, and share ideas.
More on this in the coming days. [David Carraher]
10:46:00 AM 
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