Creating an Outline

Outlines are useful for organizing information, such as topics in an essay . An outline typically consists of main headings and subheadings . You can create an outline from scratch in Outline view or change a bulleted or numbered list into an outline using the Bullets And Numbering command on the Format menu. In Outline view, you can use buttons on the Outlining toolbar or drag the mouse pointer to move headings and subheadings to different locations or levels.

Create an Outline from Scratch

In a new document, click the Outline View button.

Type each heading, and then press Enter.

To assign a heading to a different level and apply the corresponding heading style, place the insertion point in the heading, and then click the Promote or Demote button on the Outlining toolbar until the heading is at the level you want.

To move a heading to a different location, place the insertion point in the heading, and then click the Move Up or Move Down button on the Outlining toolbar until the heading is moved where you want it to go.

When you're done, click the Normal view button.

Did You Know?

You can create an outline in Normal view while you type . Click at the beginning of a line, type 1. , press the Tab key, type a main heading, and then press Enter. You can type another main heading or press the Tab key to add a subheading under the main heading.