Final answer:
The false statement about formal outlining is to include as much detail and as many subtopics as possible. A formal outline should be clear and not overloaded with details, while allowing revisions and eventual conversion into a table of contents.
Step-by-step explanation:
When creating a formal outline, there are certain principles to follow to ensure that the writing process is organized and effective. However, one statement about formal outlining is not true: Include as much detail and as many subtopics as possible within the outline. While it is important to be thorough, overloading an outline with too much detail can be counterproductive. Instead, an outline should provide a clear, logical progression of your main ideas, allowing room to revise and reorganize as you develop your document further. Other true principles of outlining include revising the outline throughout the writing process, using consistent notation (either decimal or alphanumeric, but not both), and the ability to convert a formal outline into a table of contents for the completed document.