The body of your paper will consist of evidence in support of your thesis. Instead of getting tangled up in a formal outline early in the process, sketch an informal plan that organizes your ideas in bold strokes. Anna Orlov, for example, used this simple plan to outline the structure of her argument:
It’s helpful to start off with a working thesis and a rough outline—especially when writing from sources.
Drafting a working thesis: C1-c
Sketching a plan: C1-d
Compared with older types of surveillance, electronic surveillance allows employers to monitor workers more efficiently.
Some experts argue that companies have important financial and legal reasons to monitor employees’ Internet usage.
But monitoring employees’ Internet usage may lower worker productivity when the threat to privacy creates distrust.
Current laws do little to protect employees’ privacy rights, so employees and employers have to negotiate the potential risks and benefits of electronic surveillance.
After you have written a rough draft, a more formal outline can be a useful way to shape the complexities of your argument. See C1-d for an example.