It can be helpful to think about the outline as a structure for how to answer the research question(s) in your problem statement, what elements to include and in which order. You can also use the outline to get an overview of how long each chapter or section can and must be.
Making an outline will give you a preliminary idea of how your assignment could turn out. It is different from the table of contents precisely because it is preliminary.
You may want to base your outline on a standard structure.
When writing an outline for your assignment, it is a good idea to follow the points below.
You will often have to adjust the outline while you are writing the assignment, and usually, the outline will not be final until late in the process. Find more inspiration on the Writing process page.
The information about formalities is written in collaboration between Center for Educational Development (CED) and AU Library and is general guidelines for formal requirements. They do not replace the provisions in your academic regulations, your lecturers' guidance or information on your course's website. If in doubt ask your supervisor.
