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Essay outline from a rough argument or thesis
⁂auto-checked, 3 days oldAauraNovice
The prompt
I have a rough thesis or argument I want to turn into a structured essay. Don't write the essay yet, build me a rigorous outline first.
My rough thesis: rough_thesis
Intended audience and publication context: audience_and_context
Target length: target_length
Do this:
1. Sharpen my thesis into one precise sentence. If my rough version is actually two different claims, split them and ask me which one is primary.
2. Steelman the strongest counterargument to my thesis, then tell me where in the outline I need to address it (not just tack it on at the end).
3. Build a section-by-section outline where each section has: its claim, the evidence/example it will use, and how it connects logically to the next section (not just 'next, I'll talk about X').
4. Flag any section where I'll need external evidence I probably don't have yet, versus sections I can write from reasoning/examples alone.
5. Suggest one opening move (anecdote, provocative claim, concrete scene) that earns the reader's attention without being a generic hook.
Do not write full paragraphs. This is architecture, not prose.
Where it has been run
| Model | Version | People | Broke | Auto | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude | Haiku 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 3 days ago |
Example output
Sharpened thesis: 'Remote work didn't cause the decline in mentorship, it exposed that most mentorship was already accidental, not designed.' Strongest counterargument: junior employees self-report less guidance since going remote, which seems to directly contradict you; outline addresses this in section 2 by distinguishing 'contact hours' from 'structured mentorship.' Five-section outline provided, each with claim, evidence type needed, and logical bridge to next section. Flagged: section 3 needs a real statistic on pre-pandemic mentorship structure that you likely don't have yet; sections 1, 4, 5 can run on reasoning and workplace examples alone. Opening move suggested: open on a specific manager's calendar from 2019 versus 2024, concrete not abstract.
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