Pre-write - Brainstorm
Pre-write: How do I brainstorm ideas?
- Free-writing—You can write down every idea that comes to your mind, without editing. It is
important for you to get out every idea you have and then go back and edit the text
later.
- You can use the journalists' questions—Who? What? When? Why? Where?
- What are your questions about the topic? Listing your research questions can be a good way of
deciding what to write about.
- How would different disciplines in the university describe your topic? For example, if your
topic is “penguins,” what would a biologist want to know about penguins? What could an
anthropologist learn from observing penguins? How could an engineer develop a habitat for penguins?
Often, taking a disciplinary perspective can give you a more focused way to write about the topic
you choose.
