The Writing ProcessBrainstorming techniques

Types of Brainstorming

Listing Free writing Discussion Mapping/Diagramming Clustering Outlining

Sample Essay Topic

Should students at 2-year colleges have to perform community service as part of a graduation requirement? Please develop an argument to support your opinion, and be prepared to supply a counter-argument.

LISTIN

G

Listing does exactly what it sounds like; a writer can list all the ideas or responses they have to a general topic.

Yes No

Play an active role in community

Don’t have the time

Opportunity for networking in a career field

Not what college is for

Looks good on resumes

Should be able to choose and not forced on.

Exposure to different people

Seems like a HS or MS type requirement

Work experience Money’s too tight to give up work hours

Already do as part of job

FREE W

RIT

ING

Free writing is a stream of consciousness exercise. It’s useful to get the ideas flowing without thinking about organization or mechanics.

Should community college students have to do community service to graduate? Didn’t we have to do it for high school? What’s the point, anyway? I don’t pay to go to college just so I can do volunteer work for someone, and it’s not like I have the time for it between work and school and the kids. Hell, I need someone to volunteer for ME so I can get stuff done around the house But I guess maybe it wouldn’t be bad if I could help in an office where I could make connections in my major field, like nurses or something. OH, I need to make that appointment for my son. I just don’t’ feel like I can handle anything else on top of all the homework and tests and work and everything else that I already have to do. It might be good for students without family or work obligations but I just don’t see how I could do it.

It’s okay to just talk

One of the most effective methods of brainstorming is to just talk it out. Sometimes, discussing a topic with fellow students, family members, or an instructor can help you gather ideas.

MA

PPIN

G/D

IAG

RA

MM

ING

Mapping/diagramming and clustering are very similar. Starting with a central idea, branches are added as new ideas, branch off. Related ideas are attached by branches. New ideas start a new branch.

No community

service requirement

Can’t afford it

Day

care

Can’

t mis

s an

ymor

e w

ork

Alrea

dy p

ayin

g tu

itio

n

Kid

s have b

een s

ick

I don’t pay to volunteer

CLU

STER

ING

Rather than using the more linear format of mapping, clustering uses bubbles and lines to connect ideas based on a main topic or idea.

Meet new/different

people

Looks good on resume

networking

Active role in

community

Better chances of getting a

job

Make more

money

Work experience

Yes, community service

Graduation requirement

Want to live/work

here

OU

TLIN

ING

Outlining might not be the most effective way to start brainstorming without doing something beforehand.

It may be more effective to outline once the ideas have been generated using another form of brainstorming. This can help more when a writer has an idea of what they want to say without knowing exactly how to organize her thoughts.

This may seem very formulaic; it is. It’s a good way to get started and think about the relationships between sentences in terms of organization.

Topic Sentence: A community service requirement could greatly benefit students at a 2-year college.

Primary Support: It could provide students with valuable experience that would make them a more desirable employee.

Secondary Support a (explain): Many employers want to hire workers that already have some experience.

SSb(example): Volunteering at a retirement community could help a nursing student get a job more easily by showing he already has experience in the field.

SSc(effect/result/analysis): Through the volunteer experience, students can also get valuable work experience that could make them a better candidate for a job in the future.

Activity

1. On your own, brainstorm some ideas about the topic presented here.

2. After a few minutes, get with a small group and discuss the ideas you came up as individuals, and keep notes of new ideas you came up with.

3. As a group, try to create an outline based on the ideas you developed.

Should the national drinking age be lowered to 18?