A reader might create an outline primarily when the text is complex. Outlining helps to organize thoughts, identify main ideas, and clarify relationships between concepts, particularly in more intricate or lengthy texts.
However, readers may also consider outlining when:
- The author includes graphs and charts that require interpretation or summarization.
- The author uses a lot of unfamiliar words, as it can help in tracking definitions or context for those terms.
- The author uses personal stories as examples, as outlining can help distinguish between various examples and the central messages they support.
In summary, while complexity is a key reason, outlining can be beneficial in various contexts as well.