Outlining a research paper can be compared with assembling the frame of a house. Creating a good outline is the first step to creating an excellent paper, but like a house, if you start with a weak frame, the paper is doomed.
There are many different techniques at your disposal for writing a good outline. Describe the technique or techniques that you use and how you find it helpful. Discuss some shortcoming of your technique and ponder how it may be improved.