Pre-Writing: Brainstorming, Organizing and Outlining Ideas

“A basic structural design underlies every kind of writing.” - Strunk and White, Elements of Style

Just as a builder would not try to construct a building without an architectural plan, a writer should not attempt an academic paper without prewriting first. As the name implies, “pre”-writing is what comes initially, and its purpose is to inform (“build”) the content and guide the direction (“structure”) of the actual writing yet to come. Prewriting consists of 3 basic steps: brainstorming, organizing and outlining ideas. If the prewriting phase is overlooked or done in haste, the paper will lack organization, focus and support and, like our hypothetical building, fall apart due to structural weakness. What is Brainstorming “Brainstorming” is a strategy that allows your mind to free-associate spontaneous and random ideas. Instead of struggling to consciously think of what to put down on that empty page or blank computer screen (every writer’s nightmare!), it frees up the sub-conscious to draw upon a vast sea of accumulated prior knowledge. Pre-Writing/Brainstorming Techniques With Free-writing, one writes (by hand) non-stop for a set period of time, say 3 minutes, then reviews what has been written to locate the main idea, often just a key word or phrase. With Looping, the writer uses the identified main idea as a starting point and continues to free-write for another 3 minutes, then repeats the process for an additional 3 minutes, if needed. Both free-writing and looping work fine with native speakers, but ESL writers tend to get sidetracked by grammar/structure issues, stopping and re-starting the writing process, which negates the intended purpose of the exercise. Instead, non-native writers may prefer to use Clustering/Mind Mapping and/or Listing as brainstorming techniques. Clustering or Mind Mapping (see reverse, fig 1) In clustering, ideas are organized visually. Start with your topic or prompt in a circle at the center of the page. Add a circle for every idea, clustering related topics like branches extending outward from a tree. Don’t be afraid to include “bad” ideas or topics you probably won’t use later. Follow ideas to their end, ask who/what/where/when/why at dead ends, and draw lines to show new connections. Listing (see reverse, fig 2) With listing, ideas are quickly written down in a vertical column(s) as they occur, without regard to hierarchy, organization or connectivity. This is true “stream of consciousness” and organizing/grouping comes later. Having some kind of limit is helpful, either time (say, 3-5 minutes) or length (a full sheet of paper). Organizing and Outlining (see reverse, fig 3) Once you’re done brainstorming, look for connections between related ideas (discarding the inconsequential or off-topic) and arrange them in indented outline format (eg, I, A, 1, a, i), the most general ideas closer to the left margin, specific ideas toward the right. At this outline stage you should have: 1) a “working” thesis statement (it may change later); 2) topic sentences for each main section; 3) a clear organizational structure appropriate to your intended audience and stated purpose for writing. Examples On the back of this sheet, you’ll find three examples of a prewriting. They are all in response to a single assignment: write a research paper on an influential American artist. The writer was inspired by the Museum’s collection of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, so he started with that artist as his topic. Figure 1 shows the start of a cluster activity (not a complete map); note how more interesting lines of thought continue beyond the image and less relevant ones cut short. Figure 2 shows a full listing activity; the letters were added afterwards to mark related ideas. Figure 3 shows an outline that includes full topic sentences and uses the best ideas from listing and clustering. Notice how the writer used multiple methods to explore many ideas before forming a thesis and arranging his points.

I. (Working) Thesis: Frank Lloyd Wright’s classic prairie house design reflects American basic values and ideals, epitomized in the popularity of ranch-style houses after World War II.

A. Development of ranch-style houses was influenced by historically relevant factors. 1. Frank Lloyd Wright a. designer b. prairie house i. Americana ii. organic, “earth hugging” 2. Westward migration a. wide open Mid-Western plains b. pioneers c. settling new territory i. discovery, adventure ii. risk 3. Old West nostalgia a. cowboy mystique b. independence, self- relianceB. Particular physical aspects identify ranch-style house design. 1. functional=decorative a. reproducible (“cookie cutter”) design b. open floor plan c. flexible interior usage d. one floor e. built–in appliances f. attached garage 2. cheap available land a. suburban tract developmentsC. Ranch houses also represent movement into a particular socio-economic status. 1. home ownership a. affordable “starter” home 2. social mobility a. post-World War II affluence b. growing middle class c. consumerism 3. popular mainstream style a. look-alike tract housesD. The psychological and emotional factors involved in owning one’s home are key to achieving

the “American Dream.” 1. basic American values/ideals a. independence; freedom i. car culture=physical mobility ii. restlessness b. hard work leads to material wealth i. defines self-worth c. sense of community i. cooperation vs competition d. break with past i. new, non-traditional 2. “retro” fashion a. practical-- popular with downsizing “Boomers” i. kids moved out, need less space ii. no stairs for creaky knees! b. nostalgia for simpler time i. “recycling” and redesigning older styles and fashions

stained glass window wooden table furniture ceramics Americana a,b,c,dprairie house aorganic a/b“earth-hugging” a/b Midwest plains awide open spaces a,bstraight lines b geometric planes bdesigner apopular cmainstream cinfluences aranch house ***post-World War II a,caffluence chome ownership cindependence d frugality c/dhard work dstarter home cland availability bbreak with past dfreedom dnon-traditional b/d

1950s style bcheap land b/copen floor pattern bsmall bedrooms breproducible design battached garage bcar culture c/dsuburbs csocial mobility cphysical mobility dThe Old West a/dcowboys a/dpioneers adiscovery a,dadventure a,dnewness dexploration a/dWestward migration asettling new territory aAmerican dream dimmigrants a/cretro dstyle popular again c/ dboomers downsizing crestlessness dnostalgia dColorado boyhood ranch homeconsumer culture c/d

Fig.

1: C

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Other Work??

Wooden Table Stained

Glass

Prairie House

Ranch-Style

Mid-West Plains

Organic/Earthy

Pioneers

Discovery

Adventure

Japanese Influence

Open Floor Plan

Fig.

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ing

Fig.

2: L

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Indepen-dence

Home Ownership

Frank Lloyd Wright

Americana

RISD Writing Center/Peter Carney/Meredith Barrett, April 2013.