Brainstorming is another crucial prewriting technique.
Brainstorming typically generates a list based on a particular topic instead of writing complete sentences or phrases as you would in free-writing. Like free-writing, brainstorming invites you to get your ideas onto paper before you edit them rather than editing them in your mind and then writing down what’s left.
Brainstorming gives you two assignments:
- Generate an initial list of items related to the general subject.
- Organize the items on that list for further development.
Here’s an example.
I’m going to write an essay about basketball. Here’s the list I brainstormed in about a minute.
Michael Jordan
NCAA Final Four
James Naismith
Lebron James
Jump Shot
And1 Mixtape
Team Chemistry
Box and 1
Zone Defense
Three-pointers
Analytics
Hall of Fame
Giannis
Kobe
Jordans (shoes)
One-on-one
ACL tears
Shaq
Hoop Dreams
Space Jam
Now it’s time to organize the list.
I could start with the four NBA players I’ve listed: Jordan, Lebron, Giannis, Kobe, and Shaq.
Another category could be features of the game: jump shot, box and 1, zone defense, zone defense, and three-pointers.
Finally, I could group the miscellaneous items associated with basketball: movies (Hoop Dreams and Space Jam), shoes, and video compilations (And1 Mixtapes).
My direction will depend on the kind of essay I’m supposed to write. If the essay is supposed to be argumentative, I have several topics for debate: the NBA’s most outstanding player (MJ vs. Lebron), the usefulness of analytics, or the best basketball movie.
If I write a compare and contrast essay, I can discuss different kinds of defenses (zone, man-to-man, box, and 1) or superstars (MJ vs. Kobe. vs. Lebron).
If my task is a research report, I can discuss why basketball leads to so many ACL tears or how analytics changed how basketball is played.
The important thing is that I’m getting my work through writing rather than having the process play out in my head.
Even if your students know their topic, they can brainstorm all the points they want to make as a step towards organizing their material effectively.