Question

What must a student understand about the structure of a textbook before he can outline it?

Answer 1

Before outlining, the student must understand the general purpose of the textbook, the audience which it addresses and the list of contents laid out to accomplish its purpose.

A introductory note or preface which elaborates on "how to use this book" would normally suffice to understand the authors' goal as well as the aim population the book was addressed to. One or two pages further, an index or list of contents should provide the outliner with a clear picture of all the subtitles expected to help achieve the major educational purpose of the book.  

After reviewing these important sections in a book, one can then proceed to outline it.

Answer 2

The student must first examine the table of contents of the textbook and then know the content and the main point of the textbook. Then the student should go through each section of the book to connect it with the main point and discuss what the textbook is all about. He should take notes on every section of the book and then arrange the topics to be able to make an outline. <span />