Question

which type of writing would most likely require the use of a traditional, topic - based outline as opposed to a chronological outline?
a. driving directions for a car tour of the national parks
b. instructions for repairing a leaking kitchen faucet
c. a manual that explains how to use a spectrometer
d. a research essay about the chemical elements found on mars

Explanation:

A traditional, topic - based outline is used when the content is organized around different topics. A research essay about chemical elements on Mars (Option D) would have various topics such as the types of elements, their abundance, how they were discovered etc. A chronological outline is based on time order. Options A (driving directions - more of a sequential but not really chronological in the sense of time passing for an event), B (instructions - sequential) and C (manual - sequential) are more about steps or sequence rather than topics.

Answer:

D. A research essay about the chemical elements found on Mars