importance of brainstorming in essay writing

Brainstorming

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses techniques that will help you start writing a paper and continue writing through the challenges of the revising process. Brainstorming can help you choose a topic, develop an approach to a topic, or deepen your understanding of the topic’s potential.

Introduction

If you consciously take advantage of your natural thinking processes by gathering your brain’s energies into a “storm,” you can transform these energies into written words or diagrams that will lead to lively, vibrant writing. Below you will find a brief discussion of what brainstorming is, why you might brainstorm, and suggestions for how you might brainstorm.

Whether you are starting with too much information or not enough, brainstorming can help you to put a new writing task in motion or revive a project that hasn’t reached completion. Let’s take a look at each case:

When you’ve got nothing: You might need a storm to approach when you feel “blank” about the topic, devoid of inspiration, full of anxiety about the topic, or just too tired to craft an orderly outline. In this case, brainstorming stirs up the dust, whips some air into our stilled pools of thought, and gets the breeze of inspiration moving again.

When you’ve got too much: There are times when you have too much chaos in your brain and need to bring in some conscious order. In this case, brainstorming forces the mental chaos and random thoughts to rain out onto the page, giving you some concrete words or schemas that you can then arrange according to their logical relations.

Brainstorming techniques

What follows are great ideas on how to brainstorm—ideas from professional writers, novice writers, people who would rather avoid writing, and people who spend a lot of time brainstorming about…well, how to brainstorm.

Try out several of these options and challenge yourself to vary the techniques you rely on; some techniques might suit a particular writer, academic discipline, or assignment better than others. If the technique you try first doesn’t seem to help you, move right along and try some others.

Freewriting

When you freewrite, you let your thoughts flow as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind. You don’t judge the quality of what you write and you don’t worry about style or any surface-level issues, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you can’t think of what to say, you write that down—really. The advantage of this technique is that you free up your internal critic and allow yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious.

When you freewrite you can set a time limit (“I’ll write for 15 minutes!”) and even use a kitchen timer or alarm clock or you can set a space limit (“I’ll write until I fill four full notebook pages, no matter what tries to interrupt me!”) and just write until you reach that goal. You might do this on the computer or on paper, and you can even try it with your eyes shut or the monitor off, which encourages speed and freedom of thought.

The crucial point is that you keep on writing even if you believe you are saying nothing. Word must follow word, no matter the relevance. Your freewriting might even look like this:

“This paper is supposed to be on the politics of tobacco production but even though I went to all the lectures and read the book I can’t think of what to say and I’ve felt this way for four minutes now and I have 11 minutes left and I wonder if I’ll keep thinking nothing during every minute but I’m not sure if it matters that I am babbling and I don’t know what else to say about this topic and it is rainy today and I never noticed the number of cracks in that wall before and those cracks remind me of the walls in my grandfather’s study and he smoked and he farmed and I wonder why he didn’t farm tobacco…”

When you’re done with your set number of minutes or have reached your page goal, read back over the text. Yes, there will be a lot of filler and unusable thoughts but there also will be little gems, discoveries, and insights. When you find these gems, highlight them or cut and paste them into your draft or onto an “ideas” sheet so you can use them in your paper. Even if you don’t find any diamonds in there, you will have either quieted some of the noisy chaos or greased the writing gears so that you can now face the assigned paper topic.

Break down the topic into levels

Once you have a course assignment in front of you, you might brainstorm:

• the general topic, like “The relationship between tropical fruits and colonial powers”
• a specific subtopic or required question, like “How did the availability of multiple tropical fruits influence competition amongst colonial powers trading from the larger Caribbean islands during the 19th century?”
• a single term or phrase that you sense you’re overusing in the paper. For example: If you see that you’ve written “increased the competition” about a dozen times in your “tropical fruits” paper, you could brainstorm variations on the phrase itself or on each of the main terms: “increased” and “competition.”

Listing/bulleting

In this technique you jot down lists of words or phrases under a particular topic. You can base your list on:

• the general topic
• one or more words from your particular thesis claim
• a word or idea that is the complete opposite of your original word or idea.

For example, if your general assignment is to write about the changes in inventions over time, and your specific thesis claims that “the 20th century presented a large number of inventions to advance US society by improving upon the status of 19th-century society,” you could brainstorm two different lists to ensure you are covering the topic thoroughly and that your thesis will be easy to prove.

The first list might be based on your thesis; you would jot down as many 20th-century inventions as you could, as long as you know of their positive effects on society. The second list might be based on the opposite claim, and you would instead jot down inventions that you associate with a decline in that society’s quality. You could do the same two lists for 19th-century inventions and then compare the evidence from all four lists.

Using multiple lists will help you to gather more perspective on the topic and ensure that, sure enough, your thesis is solid as a rock, or, …uh oh, your thesis is full of holes and you’d better alter your claim to one you can prove.

3 perspectives

Looking at something from different perspectives helps you see it more completely—or at least in a completely different way, sort of like laying on the floor makes your desk look very different to you. To use this strategy, answer the questions for each of the three perspectives, then look for interesting relationships or mismatches you can explore:

• Describe it: Describe your subject in detail. What is your topic? What are its components? What are its interesting and distinguishing features? What are its puzzles? Distinguish your subject from those that are similar to it. How is your subject unlike others?
• Trace it: What is the history of your subject? How has it changed over time? Why? What are the significant events that have influenced your subject?
• Map it: What is your subject related to? What is it influenced by? How? What does it influence? How? Who has a stake in your topic? Why? What fields do you draw on for the study of your subject? Why? How has your subject been approached by others? How is their work related to yours?

Cubing enables you to consider your topic from six different directions; just as a cube is six-sided, your cubing brainstorming will result in six “sides” or approaches to the topic. Take a sheet of paper, consider your topic, and respond to these six commands:

• Describe it.
• Compare it.
• Associate it.
• Analyze it.
• Argue for and against it.

Look over what you’ve written. Do any of the responses suggest anything new about your topic? What interactions do you notice among the “sides”? That is, do you see patterns repeating, or a theme emerging that you could use to approach the topic or draft a thesis? Does one side seem particularly fruitful in getting your brain moving? Could that one side help you draft your thesis statement? Use this technique in a way that serves your topic. It should, at least, give you a broader awareness of the topic’s complexities, if not a sharper focus on what you will do with it.

In this technique, complete the following sentence:

____________________ is/was/are/were like _____________________.

In the first blank put one of the terms or concepts your paper centers on. Then try to brainstorm as many answers as possible for the second blank, writing them down as you come up with them.

After you have produced a list of options, look over your ideas. What kinds of ideas come forward? What patterns or associations do you find?

Clustering/mapping/webbing:

The general idea:

This technique has three (or more) different names, according to how you describe the activity itself or what the end product looks like. In short, you will write a lot of different terms and phrases onto a sheet of paper in a random fashion and later go back to link the words together into a sort of “map” or “web” that forms groups from the separate parts. Allow yourself to start with chaos. After the chaos subsides, you will be able to create some order out of it.

To really let yourself go in this brainstorming technique, use a large piece of paper or tape two pieces together. You could also use a blackboard if you are working with a group of people. This big vertical space allows all members room to “storm” at the same time, but you might have to copy down the results onto paper later. If you don’t have big paper at the moment, don’t worry. You can do this on an 8 ½ by 11 as well. Watch our short videos on webbing , drawing relationships , and color coding for demonstrations.

How to do it:

• Take your sheet(s) of paper and write your main topic in the center, using a word or two or three.
• Moving out from the center and filling in the open space any way you are driven to fill it, start to write down, fast, as many related concepts or terms as you can associate with the central topic. Jot them quickly, move into another space, jot some more down, move to another blank, and just keep moving around and jotting. If you run out of similar concepts, jot down opposites, jot down things that are only slightly related, or jot down your grandpa’s name, but try to keep moving and associating. Don’t worry about the (lack of) sense of what you write, for you can chose to keep or toss out these ideas when the activity is over.
• Once the storm has subsided and you are faced with a hail of terms and phrases, you can start to cluster. Circle terms that seem related and then draw a line connecting the circles. Find some more and circle them and draw more lines to connect them with what you think is closely related. When you run out of terms that associate, start with another term. Look for concepts and terms that might relate to that term. Circle them and then link them with a connecting line. Continue this process until you have found all the associated terms. Some of the terms might end up uncircled, but these “loners” can also be useful to you. (Note: You can use different colored pens/pencils/chalk for this part, if you like. If that’s not possible, try to vary the kind of line you use to encircle the topics; use a wavy line, a straight line, a dashed line, a dotted line, a zigzaggy line, etc. in order to see what goes with what.)
• There! When you stand back and survey your work, you should see a set of clusters, or a big web, or a sort of map: hence the names for this activity. At this point you can start to form conclusions about how to approach your topic. There are about as many possible results to this activity as there are stars in the night sky, so what you do from here will depend on your particular results. Let’s take an example or two in order to illustrate how you might form some logical relationships between the clusters and loners you’ve decided to keep. At the end of the day, what you do with the particular “map” or “cluster set” or “web” that you produce depends on what you need. What does this map or web tell you to do? Explore an option or two and get your draft going!

Relationship between the parts

In this technique, begin by writing the following pairs of terms on opposite margins of one sheet of paper:

Looking over these four groups of pairs, start to fill in your ideas below each heading. Keep going down through as many levels as you can. Now, look at the various parts that comprise the parts of your whole concept. What sorts of conclusions can you draw according to the patterns, or lack of patterns, that you see? For a related strategy, watch our short video on drawing relationships .

Journalistic questions

In this technique you would use the “big six” questions that journalists rely on to thoroughly research a story. The six are: Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?, and How?. Write each question word on a sheet of paper, leaving space between them. Then, write out some sentences or phrases in answer, as they fit your particular topic. You might also record yourself or use speech-to-text if you’d rather talk out your ideas.

Now look over your batch of responses. Do you see that you have more to say about one or two of the questions? Or, are your answers for each question pretty well balanced in depth and content? Was there one question that you had absolutely no answer for? How might this awareness help you to decide how to frame your thesis claim or to organize your paper? Or, how might it reveal what you must work on further, doing library research or interviews or further note-taking?

For example, if your answers reveal that you know a lot more about “where” and “why” something happened than you know about “what” and “when,” how could you use this lack of balance to direct your research or to shape your paper? How might you organize your paper so that it emphasizes the known versus the unknown aspects of evidence in the field of study? What else might you do with your results?

Thinking outside the box

Even when you are writing within a particular academic discipline, you can take advantage of your semesters of experience in other courses from other departments. Let’s say you are writing a paper for an English course. You could ask yourself, “Hmmm, if I were writing about this very same topic in a biology course or using this term in a history course, how might I see or understand it differently? Are there varying definitions for this concept within, say, philosophy or physics, that might encourage me to think about this term from a new, richer point of view?”

For example, when discussing “culture” in your English, communications, or cultural studies course, you could incorporate the definition of “culture” that is frequently used in the biological sciences. Remember those little Petri dishes from your lab experiments in high school? Those dishes are used to “culture” substances for bacterial growth and analysis, right? How might it help you write your paper if you thought of “culture” as a medium upon which certain things will grow, will develop in new ways or will even flourish beyond expectations, but upon which the growth of other things might be retarded, significantly altered, or stopped altogether?

Using charts or shapes

If you are more visually inclined, you might create charts, graphs, or tables in lieu of word lists or phrases as you try to shape or explore an idea. You could use the same phrases or words that are central to your topic and try different ways to arrange them spatially, say in a graph, on a grid, or in a table or chart. You might even try the trusty old flow chart. The important thing here is to get out of the realm of words alone and see how different spatial representations might help you see the relationships among your ideas. If you can’t imagine the shape of a chart at first, just put down the words on the page and then draw lines between or around them. Or think of a shape. Do your ideas most easily form a triangle? square? umbrella? Can you put some ideas in parallel formation? In a line?

Consider purpose and audience

Think about the parts of communication involved in any writing or speaking act: purpose and audience.

What is your purpose?

What are you trying to do? What verb captures your intent? Are you trying to inform? Convince? Describe? Each purpose will lead you to a different set of information and help you shape material to include and exclude in a draft. Write about why you are writing this draft in this form. For more tips on figuring out the purpose of your assignment, see our handout on understanding assignments .

Who is your audience?

Who are you communicating with beyond the grader? What does that audience need to know? What do they already know? What information does that audience need first, second, third? Write about who you are writing to and what they need. For more on audience, see our  handout on audience .

Dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias

When all else fails…this is a tried and true method, loved for centuries by writers of all stripe. Visit the library reference areas or stop by the Writing Center to browse various dictionaries, thesauruses (or other guide books and reference texts), encyclopedias or surf their online counterparts. Sometimes these basic steps are the best ones. It is almost guaranteed that you’ll learn several things you did not know.

If you’re looking at a hard copy reference, turn to your most important terms and see what sort of variety you find in the definitions. The obscure or archaic definition might help you to appreciate the term’s breadth or realize how much its meaning has changed as the language changed. Could that realization be built into your paper somehow?

If you go to online sources, use their own search functions to find your key terms and see what suggestions they offer. For example, if you plug “good” into a thesaurus search, you will be given 14 different entries. Whew! If you were analyzing the film Good Will Hunting, imagine how you could enrich your paper by addressed the six or seven ways that “good” could be interpreted according to how the scenes, lighting, editing, music, etc., emphasized various aspects of “good.”

An encyclopedia is sometimes a valuable resource if you need to clarify facts, get quick background, or get a broader context for an event or item. If you are stuck because you have a vague sense of a seemingly important issue, do a quick check with this reference and you may be able to move forward with your ideas.

Armed with a full quiver of brainstorming techniques and facing sheets of jotted ideas, bulleted subtopics, or spidery webs relating to your paper, what do you do now?

Take the next step and start to write your first draft, or fill in those gaps you’ve been brainstorming about to complete your “almost ready” paper. If you’re a fan of outlining, prepare one that incorporates as much of your brainstorming data as seems logical to you. If you’re not a fan, don’t make one. Instead, start to write out some larger chunks (large groups of sentences or full paragraphs) to expand upon your smaller clusters and phrases. Keep building from there into larger sections of your paper. You don’t have to start at the beginning of the draft. Start writing the section that comes together most easily. You can always go back to write the introduction later.

We also have helpful handouts on some of the next steps in your writing process, such as reorganizing drafts and argument .

Remember, once you’ve begun the paper, you can stop and try another brainstorming technique whenever you feel stuck. Keep the energy moving and try several techniques to find what suits you or the particular project you are working on.

How can technology help?

Need some help brainstorming? Different digital tools can help with a variety of brainstorming strategies:

Look for a text editor that has a focus mode or that is designed to promote free writing (for examples, check out FocusWriter, OmmWriter, WriteRoom, Writer the Internet Typewriter, or Cold Turkey). Eliminating visual distractions on your screen can help you free write for designated periods of time. By eliminating visual distractions on your screen, these tools help you focus on free writing for designated periods of time. If you use Microsoft Word, you might even try “Focus Mode” under the “View” tab.

Clustering/mapping. Websites and applications like Mindomo , TheBrain , and Miro allow you to create concept maps and graphic organizers. These applications often include the following features:

• Connect links, embed documents and media, and integrate notes in your concept maps
• Access your maps across devices
• Search across maps for keywords
• Convert maps into checklists and outlines
• Export maps to other file formats

Testimonials

Check out what other students and writers have tried!

Papers as Puzzles : A UNC student demonstrates a brainstorming strategy for getting started on a paper.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Allen, Roberta, and Marcia Mascolini. 1997. The Process of Writing: Composing Through Critical Thinking . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Cameron, Julia. 2002. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity . New York: Putnam.

Goldberg, Natalie. 2005. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within , rev. ed. Boston: Shambhala.

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

University of Richmond. n.d. “Main Page.” Writer’s Web. Accessed June 14, 2019. http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb.html .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Writing Process

Making expository writing less stressful, more efficient, and more enlightening, search form, you are here.

• Step 1: Generate Ideas

Brainstorming

"It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to always be right by having no ideas at all." —Edward de Bono

Most people have been taught how to brainstorm, but review these instructions to make sure you understand all aspects of it.

• Don't write in complete sentences, just words and phrases, and don't worry about grammar or even spelling;
• Again, do NOT judge or skip any idea, no matter how silly or crazy it may initially seem; you can decide later which ones are useful and which are not, but if you judge now, you may miss a great idea or connection;
• Do this for 15, 20, or (if you're on a roll) even 30 minutes--basically until you think you have enough material to start organizing or, if needed, doing research.

Below is a sample brainstorm for an argument/research paper on the need for a defense shield around the earth:

Photo: "Brainstorm" ©2007 Jonathan Aguila

The Importance of Brainstorming in Writing or How to Ease Your Assignment Handling

Having a Plan

It’s a situation that plenty of students have found themselves in: you’re halfway through writing a paper, when you realize that you have no idea what to say next about your topic. This is a very frustrating experience, to say the least. Luckily, when you take some time to brainstorm beforehand, you’ll always have a plan for what to write next. As a result, you won’t find yourself struggling to complete your work as the deadline moves closer.

Making Clear Points

No matter what topic you may be writing about, your teacher or instructor will want you to make clear, relevant points due to it. If you just dive into your work without planning beforehand, odds are good your work will come across as random and unfocused. There’s no way you’re getting the best grade possible with that approach. That’s one of the key reasons why brainstorming is so important. You need time to develop your ideas before beginning the writing process. That way, when you actually sit down to write the essay, you’ll never lose focus on your main arguments.

Being Original

Again, all professors want you to make clear points in your work. Usually, they also want you to make original points. Many essay assignments essentially require you to make an argument about a subject. Too often, students make arguments that are commonplace. To many professors, this is too easy. It’s not difficult to prove a point that others have made several times before. If you want to earn the best grade, you need to show that you can think critically about your topic and explore it in a unique way. Brainstorming gives you the chance to sort through your thoughts and come up with an idea that is truly unique.

Improving Organization

Unless you’re writing a story or poem for a creative writing class, your instructors will expect your work to be concise and organized. Even if you have a strong grasp on language and have an interesting point to make, your work will suffer if it sounds rambling and unclear. Regardless of how a strong writer you may be, you still need to take some time to prepare in order to ensure that your work is properly organized. Students may feel that brainstorming is just an extra step that makes completing an assignment an even longer process than it already is. That’s not the case, though. Brainstorming actually helps save your time by giving you a clear plan to stick to.

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Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Writing Tips / How to Brainstorm for an Essay

How to Brainstorm for an Essay

Once you get going on a paper, you can often get into a groove and churn out the bulk of it fairly quickly. But choosing or brainstorming a topic for a paper—especially one with an open-ended prompt—can often be a challenge.

You’ve probably been told to brainstorm ideas for papers since you were in elementary school. Even though you might feel like “brainstorming” is an ineffective method for actually figuring out what to write about, it really works. Everyone thinks through ideas differently, but here are some tips to help you brainstorm more effectively regardless of what learning style works best for you:

Tip #1: Set an end goal for yourself

Develop a goal for your brainstorm. Don’t worry—you can go into brainstorming without knowing exactly what you want to write about, but you should  have an idea of what you hope to gain from your brainstorming session. Do you want to develop a list of potential topics? Do you want to come up with ideas to support an argument? Have some idea about what you want to get out of brainstorming so that you can make more effective use of your time.

Tip #2: Write down all ideas

Sure, some of your ideas will be better than others, but you should write all of them down for you to look back on later. Starting with bad or infeasible ideas might seem counterintuitive, but one idea usually leads to another one. Make a list that includes all of your initial thoughts, and then you can go back through and pick out the best one later. Passing judgment on ideas in this first stage will just slow you down.

Tip #3: Think about what interests you most

Students usually write better essays when they’re exploring subjects that they have some personal interest in. If a professor gives you an open-ended prompt, take it as an opportunity to delve further into a topic you find more interesting. When trying to find a focus for your papers, think back on coursework that you found engaging or that raised further questions for you.

Tip #4: Consider what you want the reader to get from your paper

Do you want to write an engaging piece? A thought-provoking one? An informative one? Think about the end goal of your writing while you go through the initial brainstorming process. Although this might seem counterproductive, considering what you want readers to get out of your writing can help you come up with a focus that both satisfies your readers and satisfies you as a writer.

 Tip #5: Try freewriting

Write for five minutes on a topic of your choice that you think could  be worth pursuing—your idea doesn’t have to be fully fleshed out. This can help you figure out whether it’s worth putting more time into an idea or if it doesn’t really have any weight to it. If you find that you don’t have much to say about a particular topic, you can switch subjects halfway through writing, but this can be a good way to get your creative juices flowing.

Tip #6: Draw a map of your ideas

While some students might prefer the more traditional list methods, for more visual learners, sketching out a word map of ideas may be a useful method for brainstorming. Write the main idea in a circle in the center of your page. Then, write smaller, related ideas in bubbles further from the center of the page and connect them to your initial idea using lines. This is a good way to break down big ideas and to figure out whether they are worth writing about.

 Tip #7: Enlist the help of others

Sometimes it can be difficult coming up with paper topics on your own, and family and friends can prove to be valuable resources when developing ideas. Feel free to brainstorm with another person (or in a group). Many hands make light work—and some students work best when thinking through ideas out loud—so don’t be afraid to ask others for advice when trying to come up with a paper topic.

Tip #8: Find the perfect brainstorming spot

Believe it or not, location can make a BIG difference when you’re trying to come up with a paper topic. Working while watching TV is never a good idea, but you might want to listen to music while doing work, or you might prefer to sit in a quiet study location. Think about where you work best, and pick a spot where you feel that you can be productive.

Tip #9: Play word games to help generate ideas

Whether you hate playing word games or think they’re a ton of fun, you might want to try your hand at a quick round of Words With Friends or a game of Scrabble. These games can help get your brain working, and sometimes ideas can be triggered by words you see. Get a friend to play an old-fashioned board game with you, or try your hand at a mobile app if you’re in a time crunch.

Tip #10: Take a break to let ideas sink in

Brainstorming is a great way to get all of your initial thoughts out there, but sometimes you need a bit more time to process all of those ideas. Stand up and stretch—or even take a walk around the block—and then look back on your list of ideas to see if you have any new thoughts on them.

For many students, the most difficult process of paper writing is simply coming up with an idea about what to write on. Don’t be afraid to get all of your ideas out there through brainstorming, and remember that all ideas are valid. Take the time necessary to sort through all of your ideas, using whatever method works best for you, and then get to writing—but don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board if a new inspiration strikes.

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Brainstorming

What is brainstorming.

Brainstorming is the act of using certain methods to understand and improve your writing. From choosing a topic, developing an argument, outlining a paper, or working with a revision, brainstorming can help with any stage in the writing process.

How to Start Brainstorming

There are many techniques to choose from if you’re looking to brainstorm with your writing.

Here are some suggested methods:

Freewriting

Freewriting is a session, often timed, of writing through stream of consciousness. You can choose to freewrite about a larger topic/question or specific topic/question related to your project. When freewriting, don’t stop to think about what you have written until after the time is up. If you can’t think about what to write next, write whatever comes to mind, even if it seemingly has no correlation to your topic.

Step 1: Choose an amount of time to set your freewriting session. We recommend 3,5, or 7 minutes.

Example: I’m setting my freewriting time to 3 minutes!

Step 2: Choose a topic or question to base your freewrite on.

Example: I will freewrite about the topic for my paper: “A History of Florida Oranges”

Step 3: For your chosen time, write about whatever comes to your mind when thinking about the topic. Don’t Stop! Don’t worry about proper punctuation, spelling, or grammar, just keep writing!

Example: A History of Florida Oranges, I live in Florida I love oranges I wonder how many oranges florida produces where are the orange plantations in florida right now have they always been there in the past? Did they start growing in florida I don’t know what else to talk about I wonder if other countries like how floridas oranges taste how did florida become well known for their oranges and what sets it apart from other oranges in different states is it the climate it is always hot in florida but it makes orange juice taste so much better I am writing about oranges what can oranges be used for has there ever been no oranges in florida like a drought that would suck I hope it doesn’t happen while im around how many oranges does florida make in a year…

Step 4: Now look at what you’ve written. It may look weird right now, but take some time to pick apart key details that relate to your topic, and put them together.

Example: Florida orange production (How much? To where?), plantation history (How long have they been there? How much have they produced?), Have oranges always grown in Florida?, What sets Florida oranges apart from others?, How did oranges become a Florida staple?

In this freewriting example, specific questions about the topic can be picked apart and used as a basis for beginning research or expanding on the topic.

Listing is a brainstorming technique that can help a writer get a better understanding of their topic, expand on certain parts of their thesis, or even aid in choosing a topic to begin with.

Step 1: Listing can start whether you already have a topic in mind, or no topic at all when it comes to the main idea.

Example: I need to write a paper on one of the major conflicts of literature found in Homer’s The Odyssey , but I don’t know what to choose!

Step 2: Start by listing out 4-5 topics under the main idea (or if you have a topic in mind already, write about aspects of that topic).

• Person vs Person
• Person vs Nature
• Person vs Self
• Person vs Society

Step 3: Of those, select 3 that you like the most, and write about them using bullet points or paragraphs. Get detailed and do some research if you can. 

Example of one of the topics: Person vs Self:

• Odysseus’ pride and ego
• Odysseus’ struggle with temptation
• Odysseus’ perseverance and determination

At the end of the writing session, you’ll be able to see which topic or aspect had the most ideas, and from there you can formulate what your research could be about.

Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping is a type of brainstorming activity that can help with picking out a general topic or argument or expand on the details for the paper.

Step 1: Get a piece of paper. Put one element in the center of the page. This could be the topic or topic question of your paper, part or all of your argument, or any detail you intend to go in depth on.

Step 2: Create a web of associations around the element. They can represent broadly related ideas or categories. 

Step 3: Each main branch can have smaller subcategories or questions.  

Your Mind Map can give you an idea of where you can start your research or what else you could include on your paper. No matter how detailed Mind Maps can get, the points will be able to relate back to the main element.  

Revision Brainstorming

It’s never too late to brainstorm! Even in revision stages of your project, you can brainstorm ways to make it even better.  

Here are some suggested methods: 

Post/Reverse Outline

In this brainstorming method, you use what you’ve already written, and break down what parts could use revision. 

Step 1: Read through your paper again. Write down the main idea of each paragraph either on a different piece of paper or in the margins. 

Step 2: Now analyze the content of your paper after you outline. Ask yourself questions like: Did I dedicate too much space on one topic? Did I write too little about other ideas? Does the order of ideas make sense? Did I leave out any important ideas or get off track? 

Step 3: Move things around: Add on to your paper or cut irrelevant information out. 

By the time you finish this brainstorming method, you should have a good roadmap to follow as you revise your work. 

Visual Brainstorming

Visual Brainstorming are methods used to see your paper from different perspectives. These mostly involve the process of revising structure or the way ideas on the page are organized. 

Step 1: Write on post-it notes or cut up a physical copy of your paper based on sections such as main claim, ideas or sub-sections. You can cut/write based on paragraphs or even single sentences.  

Step 2: Now rearrange and reorganize them.  

When you have an order you like, focus on your topic sentences and transitions to guide your reader through your paper. 

Back To Tools

Works Consulted  

UNC Writing Center

Florida State University Writing Center Resources

Stay in Touch

[email protected]  ,     @fsurwc |    @fsurwc        .

What is brainstorming in writing? (Tips & Examples)

Use this strategy to become an idea machine.

Ideas are the lifeblood of creative work. Whether you're a writer, an artist, or any similar role, your job relies on providing a steady stream of original output. This is where the practice of brainstorming comes into play.

Brainstorming is a type of idea generation activity that enables people to produce a large number of ideas quickly.

This article will dive into how it works, explain the different types you can use, and end with a few examples to guide your work.

How does brainstorming work?

Think about the last time you solved a problem in your head. It probably went something like this: you encountered the issue, immediately thought of 1-2 clear solutions, considered each briefly, and then chose the best option.

If the above process includes four steps, brainstorming focuses exclusively on step #2 where the goal is to think of possible solutions to a problem.

However, it differs from normal problem-solving because participants are not supposed to validate or choose an option. All the energy goes towards a single goal: identifying as many ideas as possible within the time and creative constraints.

What types of brainstorming are there?

There is an endless variety of ways you could ideate, but my favorites tend to be the simplest. Here are a few of the most common ones.

• Freewriting — Writing down related and unrelated words allows your brain to make new connections. No need for good grammar or punctuation; just get those words onto a page!
• Clusters — Start by writing down 3-6 “topics” on a page, leaving ample space between each, and freewrite around each one to see what new ideas spring up.
• Diagrams and charts — Instead of using words to explain your ideas, draw pictures illustrating how an idea could work. Whiteboards are an excellent tool for this.
• Worst idea — An inverse of traditional brainstorming where you list out "bad" ideas. The goal is to eliminate these options while being open to unforeseen opportunities.

Any of these activities can be done in a group or alone. Although, research shows that the best method is to have individuals brainstorm independently first and then come together to share and ideate further as a group. Psychologists have proven this reduces groupthink .

Another nuance I like to point out is that my suggestions don't include activities like making pros and cons lists or SWOT tables. That's because these tend to push people to evaluate their ideas, which is not the goal of brainstorming. There will be room for that later, but when we try to analyze and refine our ideas too early, we limit our efforts.

Examples of brainstorming

To help bring these ideas to life, I want to share the following video with you. In it, the illustrators highlight six brainstorming tactics you can try right away.

The examples shown in the video include:

• Mind mapping
• Right braining
• Provocative action
• Break and build
• Pessimist versus optimist

Brainstorming tips for new writers

Finally, let’s close with a few strategies you can use to make brainstorming an integral part of your writing process.

• Keep a dedicated notebook. It's easy for ideas to get scattered. My solution is to keep a ruled notebook near my desk for all my ideas. I avoid using it for anything else and divide it into project-related sections to keep it organized.
• Use the Notion app . For those who prefer a digital solution, Notion is an excellent alternative to a physical notebook.
• Throw away old notes. During my first few years as a writer, I was terrified of losing a good idea. So, I kept every notebook and scrap of paper in the hopes of keeping every random idea within arm's reach. As you might imagine, this wasn't helpful at all, and I carried around a low level of cognitive overload for no reason. Now, I throw away all of my notes at the end of every year, and I've yet to run out of ideas!
• Create a commonplace book. My one exception for keeping old notes is if you're working on a large project that will take more than a year to complete (like a book). I've personally found Ryan Holiday's commonplace book to be a satisfactory middle ground.
• Practice regularly. Brainstorming is a muscle, and like any muscle — the more you use it, the stronger it will get!

If you found this article helpful, subscribe for more tips on how to improve and monetize your writing work. Happy brainstorming!

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6.7: Brainstorming and Freewriting

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Learning Objectives

• Explain how brainstorming and freewriting can help you start writing

As you begin thinking about a topic, before you begin your official draft, you’ll want to write down ideas and concepts associated with your assignment to develop your ideas. This is a critical step in helping to shape and organize your paper. Brainstorming and freewriting are two great ways to get started.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming allows you to quickly generate a large number of ideas. You can brainstorm with others or you can brainstorm by yourself, which sometimes turns into freewriting. To effectively brainstorm, write down whatever ideas come to mind.

To brainstorm, let your thoughts about a specific topic flow, and list those thoughts.

Example: squirrels

• How to get them out of the garden
• How to get rid of them ethically (without killing)
• Squirrel traps
• Repellents for squirrels
• Types of squirrels
• Brown vs. black vs. red squirrels
• Flying squirrels
• What they eat
• Different types of play
• Training squirrels
• Hunting squirrels
• Squirrels and cats
• How they nest
• Build nests in the same place each year

So, what happens once you’ve brainstormed a topic? Look over the list. Are there items that group together? Are there items that catch your interest as a thinker, researcher, and writer—items you want to know more about? Are there items that seem unrelated or not useful? Use your list as a starting place; it creates ideas for you, as a writer, to work with.

Sometimes it works better to write down each idea on a separate piece of paper. It also helps to ask yourself some questions:

• What do I care about or what am I interested in?
• What do I know that I could teach others?
• What irritates or annoys me about this issue?

In order to capture more of your thoughts, you may want to brainstorm a few times until you have enough ideas to start writing.

Brainstorming Assignment Example

Imagine you are in a class. Your instructor says you will have to write a paper on your favorite freetime activity , and that you must also persuade your reader to try it.

• ice skating
• writing poetry
• playing the piano
• swimming lessons

Let’s think of another example. How about the common situation in which the instructor wants you to write about “something you care about” or an “issue you have” ?

• An example of something small that’s irritating could be people in your dorm who leave trails of toothpaste by the sink and never clean up after themselves. A personal example can be useful as a bridge to a larger issue that will be your topic—in this case it could be community living and personal responsibility.
• In academic writing with a less personal slant, the source of irritation is often another writer/theorist with whom you disagree. Your “irritation” then would lead to an effective piece about why you have a better conception of what’s really going on.
• A less direct version of this would be a writer/theorist who makes some good points but lacks something in his/her argument that you can add to the “conversation.”

This video demonstrates that writers of all levels and experiences value the process of brainstorming. This clip shows how writers brainstorm ideas for the show, Bernie Mac, which aired in the early 2000s.

Freewriting

Freewriting is just what it says—writing freely, whatever comes into your mind, without caring about spelling, punctuation, etc. It’s a way to free up your thoughts, help you know where your interests lie, and get your fingers moving on the keyboard (and this physical act can be a way to get your thoughts flowing).

Try a series of timed freewritings. Set a timer for five minutes. The object is to keep your fingers moving constantly and write down whatever thoughts come into your head during that time. If you can’t think of anything to say, keep writing I don’t know or this is silly until your thoughts move on. Stop when the timer rings. Shake out your hands, wait awhile, and then do more timed freewriting. After you have a set of five or so freewritings, review them to see if you’ve come back to certain topics, or whether you recorded some ideas that might be the basis for a piece of writing.

Freewriting Example

Here’s a sample freewrite that could yield a number of topics for writing:

I don’t think this is useful or helpful in any way. This is stupid, stupid, stupid. I’m looking out of my window and it’s the end of may and I can see that white cotton stuff flying around in the air, from the trees. One of my aunts was always allergic to that stuff when it started flying around in the spring. Don’t know offhand what type of tree that comes from. That aunt is now 94 years old and is in a nursing home for a while after she had a bad episode. She seems to have one now every spring. It’s like that old tree cotton triggers something in her body. Allergies. Spring. Trying to get the flowers to grow but one of the neighbors who is also in his 90s keeps feeding the squirrels and they come and dig up everyone’s flowerbed to store their peanuts. Plant the flowers and within thirty minutes there’s a peanut there. Wonder if anyone has grown peanut bushes yet?

Don’t know . . . know . . .

Possible topics from this freewrite:

• Allergy causes
• Allergies on the rise in the U.S.
• Consequences of humanizing wild animals
• Squirrel behavior patterns and feeding habits
• Growing your own food

https://assessments.lumenlearning.co...essments/20254

Contributors and Attributions

• Video: Writers' Room. Authored by : TV411. Located at : http://www.tv411.org/writing/creative-personal-writing/video-writers-room . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Brainstorming. Authored by : Marianne Botos, Lynn McClelland, Stephanie Polliard, Pamela Osback . Located at : https://pvccenglish.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/eng-101-inside-pages-proof2-no-pro.pdf . Project : Horse of a Different Color: English Composition and Rhetoric . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Brainstorming. Provided by : Excelsior College OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/prewriting-strategies/prewriting-strategies-brainstorming/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Freewriting. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/writing-process/prewriting-strategies/prewriting-strategies-freewriting/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

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College admissions

Course: college admissions   >   unit 4.

• Writing a strong college admissions essay
• Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

• How formal should the tone of your college essay be?
• Taking your college essay to the next level
• Sample essay 1 with admissions feedback
• Sample essay 2 with admissions feedback
• Student story: Admissions essay about a formative experience
• Student story: Admissions essay about personal identity
• Student story: Admissions essay about community impact
• Student story: Admissions essay about a past mistake
• Student story: Admissions essay about a meaningful poem
• Writing tips and techniques for your college essay

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Video transcript

• SAT BootCamp
• SAT MasterClass
• SAT Private Tutoring
• SAT Proctored Practice Test
• ACT Private Tutoring
• Academic Subjects
• College Essay Workshop
• Academic Writing Workshop
• AP English FRQ BootCamp
• 1:1 College Essay Help
• Online Instruction
• Free Resources

College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start

Bonus Material: College Essay Brainstorming Questions  

The college essay is an extremely important component of your college application. Yes, college admissions officers do care about standardized test scores, academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.

All of these application components can help officers assess a student’s academic and professional potential (and much more).

The college application essay, however, gives students a chance to share their unique voice with an admissions officer. It’s like a brief interview, where students can give officers a powerful glimpse of who they are outside of their application in roughly 650 words.

So what do you say in those 650 words? How do you pick the right essay topic?

It’s all about the brainstorming process. In general, the more time you can devote to gathering potential essay topics  before  you start writing, the better. Gathering this material can also be helpful for writing supplemental essays down the road.

In this post, we provide actionable tips for guiding your college essay brainstorming process. After reading this article, students will be well poised to gather topics and eventually select the “right” essay topic .

We also give students access to 30 free college essay brainstorming questions to get started. Grab these below.

Download College Essay Brainstorming Questions

Here’s what we cover:

The Importance of College Essay Brainstorming

• 8 College Essay Brainstorming Tips
• Bonus : 30 College Essay Brainstorming Questions

We define the college essay as a “demonstration of character, values, and/or voice.” It is an introspective, personal essay that (ideally) adds significant value to a student’s overall application.

Many students are not well-versed in writing this kind of essay. Indeed, most students are familiar with the concept of the academic essay, with its neat five paragraphs. Very few have had a lot of time in high school classrooms to write deeply reflective pieces, and concise ones at that. (Remember: you only have 650 words or fewer to craft your response!)

That’s why brainstorming is so essential  to the college essay writing process. It’s your key to pinpointing the right topic, which we define as one with the potential to generate an essay that aligns with these 7 winning qualities .

It can also be valuable for gathering potential topics for supplemental essay responses, which many competitive colleges require.

For these very reasons, we spend a significant amount of time brainstorming in our college essay mentoring programs and summer workshops. Students who are able to gather a lot of material in this time tend to have an easier job down the road choosing the right topic, creating an outline, and eventually writing that first draft.

What’s more, they might surprise themselves in what they are able to pull from their many life experiences! It’s not uncommon for an essay student to choose a certain topic they never would have considered prior to brainstorming.

The tips outlined in the next section reflect this great value of brainstorming, and are the same we offer our college essay students at the start of their process.

8 College Essay Brainstorming Tips

Don’t let that blank page intimidate you! Follow these tips to guide your brainstorming process and remember that this stage should and will take time.

1. Know the standards

Students should feel very comfortable with colleges’ general expectations for the essay  before  they start brainstorming. If you haven’t done so already, please check out the following PrepMaven posts:

• What is the College Essay?

7 Qualities of a Successful College Essay

• 11 College Essays That Worked
• What College Admissions Officers Look For

It can also be helpful to review the Common Application’s essay prompts . While students don’t necessarily have to respond to a  specific  prompt, these provide insight into the type of essay colleges are seeking.

2. No topic is “too small” (but some are “too big”)

Students only have 650 words (or fewer) to write their essays. That’s not a lot of space! For this reason, don’t shy away from seemingly “small” topics as you brainstorm.

One student who earned Ivy League acceptance, for example, wrote about her passion for hot sauce in her college essay!

On the same note, if you come up with “big” topics, such as cultural identity, a long-term extracurricular activity, or a religious belief, do your best to highlight specific components of these topics, or one representative experience. The best college essays don’t say everything there is to say about such large topics. Rather, they focus skillfully on one smaller component of a potentially bigger picture.

3. Write down all the details for every topic

When you land upon a topic, mine it for details. Write down everything you can think of about that experience, idea, or memory. Many of our students like to use bulleted lists in a Google Doc for doing this.

It’s important to squeeze out every possible detail so that you can fully assess a topic’s potential! In many cases, such details will become college essay topics themselves.

4. Work by category

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the possible topics out there–and don’t worry, this is common–gather ideas by category. Here are some sample category examples:

• Travel experiences
• Extracurricular activities
• Family life
• Culture and heritage
• Interests and hobbies
• Challenges (non-academic)

Categories can help you build a general portrait of who you are, at least to start. Once you have a few ideas per category, start diving deeper into those ideas and generating further details about each one.

5. Ask the right questions

It is often easier for students to generate a rich pool of potential topics by answering questions designed to encourage deep reflection and introspection. Of course, this begs the question: what should I be asking myself?

Take a look at these 30 questions  we ask our students in our college essay workshops and mentorship programs at the beginning of their process.

Once you’ve answered these questions fully and to the best of your ability, you’ll be poised for essay topic selection.

6. Keep it to yourself, mostly

Many college essay students risk writing about what their parents, friends, or teachers want them to write about. Others risk writing “what colleges want to hear.” Yet authenticity is one of the most important qualities of a successful college essay!

That’s why we encourage students to brainstorm independently. You are the only one in the world most familiar with your life experiences, after all! Consult family members, friends, or mentors only once you are further along in the essay writing process, or if you need clarification on the details of a specific experience. This will ensure you gather topics that are true to you first and foremost.

7. Maintain orderly notes

Brainstorming can be messy. Establish a system early on for maintaining orderly notes! Some tools that can come in handy:

• Bulleted or numbered lists
• Index cards
• Color-coding (digital or manual)
• Google Docs

8. Consider takeaways for each topic

As you compile topics, save time and start thinking in terms of “takeaways” for each. This will allow you to assess a topic’s potential for demonstrating your character, values, and/or voice.

Ask yourself for each topic : What values does this showcase? What does this say about me specifically? What meaningful reflections does it invite? What aspect of my voice is apparent here?

Download 30 College Essay Brainstorming Questions

You can jumpstart your college essay brainstorming process right now by downloading our college essay brainstorming questions.

With this free download, you’ll get:

• 30 of the best brainstorming questions we ask our students
• Guidance for next steps

Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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You've done the brainstorming. Now how do you choose the college essay topic that will result in a successful piece? Our 6 tips will help.

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Importance of Brainstorming in Writing

Brainstorming is all about generating ideas. It prepares the minds of individuals to consider different alternatives when looking for solutions for problems. It’s a ‘thinking up’ process to open gateways for new notions.

When discussing brainstorming, people often think about it as a group practice. However, it’s more common to sit together and discuss a situation or a topic. The overall discussion is beneficial in boosting and generating new ideas. However, the practice of individual brainstorming is also valuable. It involves a person sitting, thinking, and creating a set of ideas.

Brainstorming can help in becoming better writers. It helps organize the content better and ensures that it’s more engaging and satisfying. So, if you want to study more about this method, read on.

What is Brainstorming in Writing?

Are you preparing to write anything? Are the directions clear? Or do you have any thoughts in your mind? So, whether you’re trying to bring together the jumbled ideas or want to nail down that essay, focus on brainstorming.

For ages, brainstorming has been touted as a beneficial technique that helps writers and professionals generate ideas. In addition, it is valuable in solving problems creatively. Through brainstorming, an individual or a group gathers and records new ideas. Its process is carried out in a free-flowing manner.

Mostly, writers claim that guessing what you want to write about is one of the toughest parts. Also, if you have a topic, the ideas are often too disorganized to proceed with them. It leads to a hard struggle, both time-consuming and tiring.

In writing, brainstorming can help in the following ways:

• Picking a topic or idea.
• Develop ideas and alternatives.
• Create a plot or an outline.
• Focus on the topic and address each aspect of it.

If you want to brainstorm ideas for writing, you need to choose the right tools and techniques. The internet offers many free tools. However, you can also devise your strategies considering the strengths and capabilities of your team. Overall, the brainstorming writing process can help develop some great pieces of content.

How Do You Use Brainstorming in Writing?

Brainstorming is crucial for writers. It doesn’t matter if you are writing a story or a business plan; you must cultivate thoughts. So, brainstorming is a significant part of creative, academic, and professional writing. It’s identified as a preliminary stage for writing. It boosts ideas and ensures the development of well-organized and well-planned content.

Brainstorming in writing helps gain multiple perspectives. Also, it ensures avoiding bias towards viewpoints and ensures the development of new ideas in a short period. Through brainstorming, it becomes easier to identify and create new opportunities.

Overall, the brainstorming in writing approach allows people to think freely. It helps generate ideas and enables us to conclude by choosing one of the best ideas. Also, it benefits in fostering stronger teams that work together to achieve strategic goals. It’s an important process that allows people to think freely without the fear of judgment.

Read on to find out what is brainstorming in writing and how it can help the writers:

• It encourages open and ongoing collaboration.
• Allows the individuals to think and share their thoughts.
• It promotes creative exploration.
• Brainstorming also opens room for new and unexpected ideas.
• It leads to achieving potential opportunities.

The brainstorming writing process is commonly used to refine and polish the content. The technique highlights the importance of creativity and thinking out of the box.

Some people believe that brainstorming can be a total waste of time. They believe that some team members participate rather than share ideas and develop solutions. In contrast, others don’t say anything; it indicates that they have failed to understand what brainstorming is.

For effective brainstorming, it’s essential to make the overall session meaningful by promoting brainstorming ideas for writing. It requires boosting the team members to chip in. Also, it’s necessary to make them feel comfortable and confident, so they don’t filter out the great ideas with the fear of rejection. 

Why is Brainstorming Important in Writing?

Writing is all about putting down thoughts and ideas into words. However, the writers know it’s not as easy it sounds. Once you have a title, you need to think and explore it. Then, it leads to the step of generating ideas. For this, people use a process known as brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a practice that aids in producing and improving as many ideas as imaginable. It is supposed to be done quickly. However, you cannot rely on only one idea; you need many. That is where brainstorming helps. It might take some time before writing, but it saves your time and effort in the long run.

Imagine you start writing on a topic, and after a while, you don’t know what to add to it. Your ideas often get lost when putting things into black and white. So, as the word ‘storm’ suggests, brainstorming leads to a flood of ideas. It gives energy and power to the writers. It will warrant that you don’t get trapped for notions halfway through.

Here are some of the reasons that reflect the importance of brainstorming in writing:

• Brainstorming helps in producing a variety of ideas to work on.
• It improves the overall quality of content by providing a guideline to the writers.
• It also ensures higher creativity in writing.
• Through brainstorming, the writers can stay more focused on the topic.
• Also, it aids in reducing the cutting and editing of writing.
• Using this technique benefits in reducing the overall anxiety.
• Additionally, the brainstorming technique aids in paying more attention to the words, phrases, and grammar.

For brainstorming in writing, you need to know how it should be managed. So here are some fundamental principles of the brainstorming writing process:

• Welcome to crazy and creative ideas. It’s paramount to reassure yourself and your team to reason out of the box.
• Avoid criticism and save feedback until the end of the session.
• Give priority to quantity over quality. The more ideas you have, the more you can refine, merge, and develop them. Eventually, it helps in ensuring quality too.
• Once you have the list of ideas, combine and refine them. Then, focus on improving these by drawing the connection that helps in identifying the right solution.

Moreover, focusing on brainstorming ideas for writing eases the tension for writers. It makes the job a lot easier.

Brainstorming Writing Process

Now that you understand the importance of brainstorming in writing, it’s important to focus on its process.

The overall process to brainstorm ideas for writing involves the following three steps:

1. Idea Capture

The first stage of the brainstorming writing process is based on generating ideas. It involves sharing the topic or the problem so that the group members can share their ideas. It’s best to encourage the team to develop innovative and creative ideas.

The leaders can use different techniques and ideas like mind mapping, role plays, or storyboards in this stage. It motivates the team to think out of the box. It also boosts their confidence to share ideas without any fear.

2. Discussion and Analysis

After the idea generation, a few ideas are selected from the pool. At this point, it becomes essential to discuss and analyze these ideas. Hence, the team must be encouraged to share their perspectives and views. It helps in developing a better understanding of the problem and its solution.

For the analysis, a comparative method can be used. Here, it’s important to brainstorm ideas for writing and understand the need for selecting one of the ideas.

3. Selection

Lastly, the writers are required to select one of the ideas. It’s essential to ensure that the idea or solution meets the requirements. Also, the selection must be justified effectively. Finally, it must offer a solution for writing a good piece of content and ensure that the content can be improved from time to time.

The selected idea must reflect on-the-spot creativity. Overall, great brainstorming is the key to the best solutions. Whether creating a professional website or writing a blog or essay, you cannot ignore the relevance of brainstorming.

Even if you’re working individually, emphasize brainstorming. Either discuss with someone or focus on brainstorming individually. Here, you can use the free online tools and techniques that benefit the process and help in generating some great content.

3 Types of Brainstorming

Being a writer requires you to be an effective brainstormer too. Why? Because it helps in writing more engaging content with unique and creative ideas. It can be done individually or in a group.

Here are three types of brainstorming:

1. Quiet Brainstorming

The quiet brainstorming is mostly managed online. It occurs when the team members cannot meet, so they use the internet as a medium to share their ideas. It benefits the collaboration and eases the process.

2. Analytics Brainstorming

The second type of brainstorming is based on analyzing the situation from different perspectives. It commonly involves using different tools like reverse brainstorming, gap filling, SWOT analysis, diverse analysis, and mind mapping—these help in conducting an in-depth analysis of the scenario that benefits in developing better solutions.

3. Role Play Brainstorming

Role-play brainstorming is quite different from the other types. It involves thinking from the perspective of others by playing their role. For instance, thinking like a competitor or a buyer helps assess the product differently.

For this type of brainstorming, the individuals use reverse thinking, figure storming, or role storming techniques.

Brainstorming Techniques for Writing

The process of brainstorming is carried out in different ways. During this path, you’ll find different useful techniques. It’s essential to choose one that helps apply the principles of brainstorming. It’s best to give priority to quantity over quality during brainstorming sessions. It will eventually lead to enhancing the overall quality of the writing process.

As a writer, you must know and understand different brainstorming techniques. These help you write and keep the audience engaged and motivated to read the content. Using these to brainstorm ideas for writing can help in achieving the objective of creating a large pool of ideas. Then, once done, you can pull out the best one.

Here are some of the common brainstorming techniques for writing that can help new and professional writers:

1. Clustering

Clustering is one of the visual brainstorming techniques, also known as mind-mapping. It allows organizing all the ideas on a page. It works like an outline or a framework. For example, if a writer needs to write the pros and cons of the internet, they can create a cluster map that includes all the good and bad points separately. Once done, it will become easier to elaborate on each point.

When it comes to brainstorming, the listing is another important technique for writers. It involves generating a list of ideas and thoughts. Additionally, this helps in generating more ideas. Also, it’s a quick process as the writers don’t need to follow any order or pattern. Instead, they can list down everything.

3. Freewriting

Freewriting is more of an activity of brainstorming rather than a technique or tool. It involves writing pointers or anything about the topic. As a result, one idea leads to another, which helps plan the writing process.

Freewriting is beneficial for generating ideas when other methods don’t work for the writer. However, it’s a time-consuming process. Also, the ideas can be more disorganized. So, use this technique only when writing on simple topics.

4. Storyboards

For years, storyboards have been used by writers and presenters. These benefit in creative brainstorming using visual techniques to present ideas. Whatever you imagine, you can write it on the board.

The storyboard can build a scenario around the product for brainstorming in writing. It not only helps in conveying ideas but also gives them a perspective. The writers can experience this firsthand.

5. Rapid Ideation

The rapid ideation technique involves some sessions for brainstorming. During this, it’s best to keep track of the time, or else these sessions can run for hours. The professionals claim that rapid creativity is best for creative brainstorming. It helps in getting immediate solutions.

Using the rapid ideation technique, the individuals in a team must write down the words that come to their minds. They aren’t allowed to overthink. Through this, the team can snowball into some of the best ideas.

Free Brainstorming tools

Today, the internet provides a vast range of tools for different purposes. If you’re looking for free brainstorming tools, you’ll come across many. However, it’s important to choose the right one to achieve the purpose of brainstorming.

Some of the free tools are listed below:

1. EdrawMind

Edraw Mind is one of the free brainstorming solutions available that works without downloading anything. It’s software that easily runs on different platforms. The online version features more than 700 different clip art. Also, you can take advantage of the readily available templates and themes. These can save your time and ensure that you and your team members can easily share their ideas in one place.

2. Visual Thesaurus

The Visual Thesaurus is also a free online brainstorming tool that provides a visual representation of your ideas. You can use it to create the visual link between your words automatically. In addition, it generates a spider map, which acts as a framework or a quick guide for the writers. Through this, you can also share the word map with your team.

3. Google Docs

Google Docs is one of the most commonly used tools. It serves different purposes. For brainstorming, it offers different basic mind maps. The document can also be integrated with Google Sheets, which helps incorporate the correct data. It’s a free tool, which makes it perfect.

Additionally, Google Docs allows automatically uploading the file on Google Drive. The easy sharing features are highly beneficial.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that brainstorming in writing has always been a beneficial technique to ensure great ideas. It helps in effectively expressing the ideas and improves the content. So, whether you are completing a college project or working as a content developer in a firm, you cannot ignore the importance of brainstorming ideas for writing.

Before taking advantage of the brainstorming writing process, it’s best to understand what is brainstorming in writing. Then, you can select any of the brainstorming techniques for writing.

What Is Brainstorming in Writing? [Explained For Writers & Authors]

Your initial idea is not always the one you end up writing about. In addition, you might have a vague idea of what you want to write, but nothing specific. This is where brainstorming comes in.

Brainstorming is a great way to explore ideas and uncover new ideas. It involves generating as many ideas as possible, without worrying about whether they are good or bad. This can lead to more creative thinking, which can be helpful in developing your argument or writing your book.

In this article, we’ll discuss what is brainstorming in writing, some brainstorming techniques, tips for successful brainstorming, and how to make the most of the writing process .

👉 New to brainstorming and prewriting? See our simple guide on Prewriting for other prewriting techniques!

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What Is Brainstorming In Writing?

Brainstorming is a part of prewriting where you come up with as many ideas as you can. It doesn’t matter if many of the ideas are unreasonable, difficult, or not 100% related to your topic. The main aim here is to generate as many ideas as possible. Relax and don’t worry about being accurate yet.

Brainstorming involves generating a lot of ideas in a short period of time. You can use it to come up with solutions to problems or new ways of thinking.

You can start your brainstorming session as a discussion or dialogue between you and someone else. You can do it in small groups or large ones. But you can also do it alone—just start by writing down any ideas that come to mind. Once you have some ideas, then it’s time to start exploring them further. Ask yourself questions about each of the ideas, such as: How does this idea relate to the topic? What advantages and disadvantages does this idea have?

Fiction authors might for instance brainstorm various endings for the same short story . Here are some guidelines you can follow when brainstorming:

• Be in an environment that is most conducive for work.
• Grab a paper and pen. Text editing software will also do.
• Set a timer.
• Write down anything that comes to mind.

Brainstorming is not compulsory. It might not be your cup of tea. That said, writers who don’t brainstorm are more likely to get stuck when their single idea doesn’t turn out to be as good as they thought it would be. In addition, some of the ideas you generate during this process can easily become subtopics and subheadings in your final piece.

Categories of Brainstorming In Writing

Before you start brainstorming, it can be helpful to identify which category your topic fits into. Brainstorming techniques are often categorized into three main groups: creative, analytical, and lateral thinking.

• Creative thinking involves using imagination to come up with new ideas or solutions. It’s a great technique for fiction authors who are stuck on how to create a unique story .
• Analytical thinking is the opposite of creative thinking. It involves using logic and facts to come up with answers. This type of thinking can be used to solve problems or develop arguments.
• Lateral thinking , also known as divergent thinking , involves taking existing ideas and altering them slightly. This can be useful for coming up with new solutions that might have been overlooked if you were to just start from scratch.

Brainstorming for individual vs Group

Brainstorming can be done both individually and in a group, but which is better? That depends on the situation.

Brainstorming with a group can be beneficial in terms of generating more and better ideas. However, individual brainstorming is also valuable. It’s important to try out both so that you can get the most out of your process.

As an individual writer or author, try to have a clear goal in mind when you brainstorm Ask yourself what kind of ideas you want to generate and why. It can also help to structure the session with a timer so that you stay focused. When brainstorming in a group, give everyone the chance to contribute and come up with ideas. Encourage people to explore different angles and offer input to the discussion.

What are the various brainstorming techniques In Writing?

When it comes to brainstorming, can be done either individually or as part of a group and there are many different techniques you can use. Here’s a look at some of the more popular ones:

• Rapid ideation
• Brainwriting
• Figure storming
• Ideafishing
• Mind-mapping
• Eidetic image method
• Brainstorming games
• Online brainstorming, aka brain netting
• Round-robin brainstorming
• Step-ladder technique
• Brainwalking.

These are just some of the techniques you can use for brainstorming. Experiment with different techniques until you find the one that gives the best results.

How to use brainstorming in the prewriting process

Before you start the prewriting process , it’s important to establish a timeline for yourself so that you don’t get too overwhelmed. First, think about the topic you want to write about. Then, take some time to brainstorm. After you’ve got a list of ideas, you can then narrow it down until you find the one that works best for your book or paper.

Once you have done this, it’s then time to start researching and gathering information. This is where the ideas that you came up with during your brainstorming session will be really useful. They can help guide your research process and make sure that it is relevant and in-depth.

Brainstorming Examples In Writing

Let’s look at an example of how we can brainstorm the topic “digital currencies”. Here are some random ideas associated with digital currencies:

• Internet money
• Online trading
• International trading
• Government control
• Crypto apps
• Exchange rate
• Blockchain technology
• Cryptocurrency wallets
• Fraud protection
• Security measures
• Smart contracts
• Decentralized currency

Now that we have a list of ideas related to digital currencies, it’s easier to draw connections between them and come up with a structure for our book.

For example, blockchain technology could be used to discuss the security and fraud protection of digital currencies. Exchange rate can be used to talk about international trading, while smart contracts could be used to discuss how they are used in online trading.

After we do this, we can then proceed to structure our work in terms of chapters and subtopics. For instance, we could start by discussing what digital currencies are and how they work, then move on to the different types of digital currencies available, followed by the risks associated with investing in digital currencies, and finally finish off by looking at the potential benefits of digital currencies.

So, you can see that by brainstorming the topic, we have come up with a rough structure for our work which will help us stay focused while writing. This saves us time and energy in the long run, as it is much easier to write when you already know the structure and flow of your argument.

Brainstorming Exercises In Writing

Now it’s your turn to try out a brainstorming exercise. Think of a topic or story that you are interested in and then write down as many ideas related to it as you can. Thereafter, take some time to look through the list and draw connections between them so that you can come up with a structure for your book.

Let’s see some exercises for our next brainstorming practice:

Set a timer for ten minutes. Brainstorm the following until each timer goes off:

• The national unemployment rate.
• Your country’s president.
• Disney World
• Your favorite film.
• Game of Thrones

Final Notes on Brainstorming In Prewriting

Brainstorming is an important part of the prewriting process and should not be overlooked. It helps generate a wealth of ideas which can then be used to create a structure for your book. Moreover, it saves time in the long run by providing you with a roadmap for your book. Experiment with different techniques until you find the one that yields the most results.

Chioma Ezeh is an author, digital marketer, business coach, and the founder of chiomaezeh.com, a blog that teaches how to build successful online businesses. Get in touch.

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Why Brainstorming is Important: Ideas for Opinion Writing

We are going to make a  bold  statement: BRAINSTORMING is the most important part of the writing process.

We’ve been teaching writing for a long time, and we see a ton of success with our students who know how to brainstorm ideas for opinion writing. 

But we’ll be honest , it can be a challenge to help students brainstorm . After all, you can’t see inside anyones head, and the moment you start offering ideas, students will try to grab them or say no to EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

We always love (insert eye roll here) when students respond to our writing idea with “That’s good, I’ll write that. What did you say again?” Arg!

Now, we make it a point to teach students HOW to brainstorm their own writing ideas.

You may ask,  “Why is brainstorming important?”

The goal is not only for your students to generate their own ideas, but also learn how to expand on those ideas so they end up with a strong and clear opinion essay topic.

Starting   with strong ideas for opinion writing will make the rest of the writing process go much more smoothly for students. 

What does brainstorming mean?

When we talk about brainstorming for writing, we think of it as  the process of generating and thinking up topics and ideas to write about .

This sounds like a simple concept, but a lot of students struggle!  This often  happens with writing   because the initial question is too open ended-  like “What are your opinions about something important to you?” There are several times when our students can’t come up with anything or have so many ideas, they can’t narrow it down to just one. 

To overcome the “I don’t know what to write about” hurdle with opinion essays,  we start with this:  Have students jot down a list of things they care a lot about or know a lot about.

Kids love talking about their interests, but to ensure this first step is a breeze, we  give them general topics to start with . This makes the open ended starting question a lot less overwhelming. Topics could be interesting places, sports teams, foods, etc. This gives all of our students a starting point. We like to call this process a  brain dump . Students find this term funny and when you add in a gesture of dumping things from our brain, it can  lighten up the writing period.

We have found that asking kids to brain dump about specific, familiar topics takes away some of the pressure of those open-ended prompts.

How to model brainstorming for an essay?

Before we throw our students into brainstorming on their own, we need to do some modeling. You might think,  “How am I supposed to model brainstorming? It’s in my head!” 

Trying to map out the crazy chaos of brainstorming is like herding cats – near impossible! But fear not, for we have a solution.

It’s time to let those all of those wacky, fun, interesting ideas loose from the confines of your cranium and onto the page. Yes,  you will endure your very own brain dump, for your whole class to enjoy!  🧠⃕ 🗒️

To model brainstorming, you want to go through the same exact process that your students would…but out loud…while the class is all together…listening intently of course.

So before you begin, you need to decide what your expectations will be from your students

• How do you want them to show their brainstorming? On a graphic organizer or plain sheet of paper?
• What are you expecting them to write –  five ideas? two ideas? How many topics will they be given?

After you have decided these things, you need to  model the expected behavior using the tools  (like a graphic organizer) that they will be using.

Then, you will simply go through the process.  Everything going on in your head – share it out loud!  Narrate the process for them.

You can project anything you write, or  write it on the board. You want students to be able to see your brainstorming notes and process. You can get students involved during the modeling, but  the   ultimate goal is that they see brainstorming in action. If you aren’t sure how you want brainstorming to look yet, here is the model we use with students.

The Brainstorming Process

Step 1: listing topic ideas.

The first step for brainstorming is listing ideas about a set of given topics or question prompts, as we discussed earlier.

Students will use these to begin their brain dump. You can set a timer, and give students quiet time to write down a list of ideas that connect to the topics or prompts. To get their brains flowing, try these question prompts:

• What is something you really enjoy?
• What do you like to do outside of school?
• What is something you want to change about school?
• What is something you enjoy/don’t enjoy learning about?
• What is your favorite animal?

Of course, some students can generate ideas for opinion writing independently, but we know that’s not an accessible option for every student. For those students, we recommend breaking down the topics or questions even more.  For example, with the question prompt,“What do you enjoy learning about” – you may say, “Think about things you enjoy learning in math, social studies, or art.”

Step 2: Expanding Topic Ideas 

Once your timer is up, and your students have a few topics to choose from, you want to move onto expanding.  This is where students take a larger idea from their list, and expand it with more information to make it defined.

To do this step, students will begin to think about what they think, feel, or believe about some of their topic ideas.  For example, they may have written “video games” as a topic for what they like to do outside of school. To expand, they could write “video games are fun” or “I can talk with my friends on video games.”  To help your students expand their topics, try some of the following prompts:

• What are the pros and cons of your topic?
• What do you like about your topic?
• How does the topic make you feel?
• Describe your topic. What do you know about it?

Step 3: Pick and Write an Opinion

We have arrived at the last step of brainstorming! Students will pick the expanded topic ideas they are most interested in or feel they could write the most about. Then they take that and form it into a complete opinion sentence. 

For example, the student writing about video games might write, “Everyone should play video games because they help you be social.” It’s likely that students will need some help going from their expanded idea to a complete sentence, so you can provide some examples or sentence stems to help out. Here are a few sentence stems:

• Everyone should/should not do _____.
• _____ is the best
• ______ is boring / fun / exciting

If you’re ready to turn your students into confident opinion writers but feeling overwhelmed by all the planning and preparation, fear not!

Look no further than our  COMPREHENSIVE Opinion Writing Unit for 4th grade –  your one-stop-shop for all your opinion writing needs.

We have created a complete standards-based Opinion Writing Unit for 4th grade that has EVERYTHING you need to teach a  comprehensive  and  differentiated   unit on opinion writing . With:

• Lesson plans with scripts
• Graphic organizers
• Anchor charts
• Mentor texts
• Comprehension activities 
• And more…

You’ll have  all the tools you need to guide your fourth-grade students through the writing process from brainstorming through publishing!

But that’s not all – our  teaching videos  will bring the learning to life , making the experience fun and engaging for your students.

With differentiated activities and materials, you can be confident that you’re meeting the needs of all your learners. And with a  grading rubric and checklists , assessing your students’ writing has never been easier.

After using this resource, your students will become experts at writing cohesive and persuasive opinion essays.

Say goodbye to endless hours of lesson planning and searching for materials and hello to a stress-free teaching experience. Grab this must-have resource today and make opinion writing a breeze for you and your students!

Need some time to brainstorm whether or not this unit is for you? No problem- check out this  Opinion Writing Unit for 4th grade freebie  for an inside look at parts of this unit. 

Excuse our digital dust! We’re busy renovating this website to make it even more fabulous. Stay tuned!

• Read more about: Opinion Writing , Writing

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Tips on essay planning and writing

What is an essay, brainstorm your topic by creating a mind map, check you understand what your essay question is asking you, academic writing style, signposting, building an argument and summarising other people's ideas, what is paraphrasing, essay structure, useful links.

Traditional academic essays are pieces of writing which are designed to demonstrate the following points:

• that you understand a particular subject
• that you have undertaken some kind of research
• that you can produce a clear and coherent argument

This means that you have to combine important ideas, examples, and interpretations from other writers with your own. All of these have to be put together in a linear, written format (making one point, then moving on to the next), which persuades the reader that your line of argument is a convincing one.

Note : There may be variations in the approach you need to take depending on the discipline you are studying. Check with your tutor/department for discipline specific guidelines.

When you choose, or are assigned, an essay question, you are asked to focus on something very specific. It's not just a case of writing down everything you know about the subject. An essay question instructs you to do something with the knowledge you have, and to put it into a certain context, which will allow you to demonstrate the range of your critical thinking.

Essay questions therefore have  instructional verbs  to determine what your approach should be. These are words such as: discuss, analyse, argue, compare, review, evaluate, examine, outline, illustrate .... These tell you how to answer the question and what your essay should do. It is important that you understand exactly what these words mean so that you don’t misinterpret a question.  

• For more examples check 'Terms that may be used in essays or examinations'

You will usually be expected to write using academic language and specialist vocabulary from your subject area. Academic writing normally contains these features:

• Formal writing in an impersonal or objective style and often takes the 'passive' voice.  Passive constructions can be used to avoid using 'I' in essays, e.g. 'It can be argued...'
• Vocabulary appropriate for particular academic contexts is used which may include technical and specialist words. 
• Contains references to other writers’ publications which are used to support the arguments in the text
• You may notice that cautious language is frequently used in reporting research and making claims.  'Cautious language' indicates reservations or tentativeness about the conclusions that may be drawn from the evidence presented. Useful phrases are:  'it may be concluded', and  'we can assume'. 

Major Signposting

Major signposting is used to signal the introduction of key sections or aspects of the work. These might include the aim, purpose, or structure.

In the introduction:

• This essay will…
• The aim of this essay is to…
• The major issue being discussed is…
• This essay will define and describe…
• This essay will critically examine…
• This essay will first define…then discuss…before making recommendations for…
• This essay is organised in the following way;

In the conclusion:

• To conclude,
• In conclusion,
• To summarise,
• It is evident that

Minor Signposting

Minor signposting are linking words and phrases that make connections for your reader and move them through the text.

• They may be as simple as: First, second, third, next, then, last, lastly, finally
• To offer a counterpoint: However, although, though, yet, alternatively, nevertheless
• To indicate an example: For example, notably, for instance, in this case

Linking words and phrases help give your writing more fluidity. Linking words and phrases will help the flow of your academic writing.

Linking words are particularly useful for use in comparing and contrasting ideas and to move from one idea to another.

Check these resources for examples of linking words and phrases:

• Examples of linking words and phrases (University of Reading via Future Learn)
• Transitional devices (Purdue University)
• Signposting (Queen's University Belfast)

Source: Academic Writing Skills by Patricia Williamson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0

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Often the clearest way to combine different points of view and to show that you have understood those points of view is to summarise them. Each summary of a different viewpoint can include direct and indirect quotations of key points, plus your understanding of what they mean and a comment on the weaknesses and strengths of the idea or viewpoint. Having described, interpreted and analysed other people's ideas, you can then go on to describe your own point of view and explain why you have chosen it.

Writing which ignores any of the parts described above, can become unbalanced. For example, if there are none of your own ideas, the piece becomes a review of everyone else's work. In these circumstances you could be accused of being uncritical. If the writing does not refer to other people's ideas (directly or indirectly), there is a problem of being too personal and non-academic (this partly depends on your subject). Neither of these would be persuasive arguments.

Paraphrasing is expressing someone else’s writing in your own choice of words, while keeping the same essential meaning. As Pears and Shields (2019, p. 15) explain, it is ‘an alternative way of referring to an author’s ideas or arguments without using direct quotations from their text’.

Paraphrasing is generally more highly valued by academics than direct quoting because it allows you to demonstrate a greater understanding of your source and helps you to maintain your personal writing style and the smooth flow of your essay.

Don’t forget to include in-text citations (author and date) in the text of your assignment and full references at the end of your assignment every time you paraphrase someone else’s words or ideas.

• Paraphrasing - an overview A guide on paraphrasing, academic writing, citing and referencing
• Introduction
• The main body
• Bibliography

The introduction is the official start of the essay and it usually includes some or all of the following:

• a statement introducing the topic
• an explanation of why it is important
• a brief mention of work on the same topic written by other writers
• a gap or problem in previous related work which will be solved or answered in this essay
• an outline of the structure of the essay
• definitions of key terms
• an anecdote or vignette (short story) which highlights the main point of the essay

The body is the largest part of your writing and this is where you guide your reader through your main ideas and arguments. These ideas and arguments come from your brainstorming and research. It is therefore a mixture of other people’s ideas and your own. These points should be organised into a logical order which allows your reader to follow your train of thought. 

The balance of discussion between your own ideas and information and those from external sources is crucial to the development of your argument. Without this balance, the writing can become either a summary of other people's ideas and theories, or a description of your personal ideas and experiences with no evidence of research. Both of these would lack analysis, a core component of a good essay. It is therefore vitally important to ensure that a mixture of positions are presented.

Each main point will be described, supported and analysed using examples from your own experiences, and information and theories from external sources (books, journals, websites, lectures, etc.). The main points should be clearly organised by using paragraphs. 

In short pieces of writing (< 3,000 words), there will be groups of paragraphs which together form one part of your argument. Usually these sections in "short" essays do not have specific headings. However, they can be clearly identified by using linking phrases which show for example:

• how many elements the section consists of:

There are four main reasons why ...

• the connection of additional points:

Another important point to consider is ...  A further issue of importance is ...  Moving on the the issue of ...

• or the introduction of a contrasting point:

On the other hand, ...  In contrast to the above, ...  An alternative understanding of the issue is ...

Longer pieces of writing and dissertations

In long pieces of writing (> 3,000 words) it is sometimes useful to identify clear sections by using sub-headings. Each section (or chapter of a dissertation or thesis) with a sub-heading is like a short essay which could stand alone. The sub-headings may come from your brainstorm and/or your research. However, the best order for the sections in long essays may only become clear after you have started writing them. When the best order becomes clear, chapter introductions and conclusions can be written in each section.

A short chapter introduction should briefly outline the contents of each section and where possible, should also refer back to the sections before and explain how they are related. Similarly, each section needs a conclusion. This should summarise what has been written in this part and should again make connections to other sections. In particular, it should describe the relationship between this part and the next. These are crucial in order to tell the reader what each part is about and how it fits with the other sections. It is like tying knots between separate pieces of string in order to make a single, stronger cord: your argument. 

The conclusion is the closing part of the essay and, like the  i ntroduction, connects the body of the essay to the title. However, whereas the introduction often starts generally, becomes more focussed and often includes an outline of the main points; the conclusion attempts to summarise the main ideas and arguments, then leads to a final statement.

It should not include new ideas which have not been mentioned before, although you can join ideas you have mentioned in a new way. You may also want to restate questions which you could not answer in your essay, but which you think deserve further study. As the final part of the essay, the conclusion is the last thing which the reader sees. Therefore, it should tie together the different points you have made.

Conclusions often include the following elements:

• language 'markers' showing that this is the conclusion (e.g. to conclude, in summary, this essay has given an account of...)
• a summary of the ideas in the main body
• a comment about the limitations of the scope of the essay / study
• a glance to the future: a prediction, recommendations for action, suggestions for further research, implications for future policy

A bibliography (or reference list) comes after the conclusion (or appendices and final figures) and includes all the information about the sources you have mentioned in the essay. For more information on referencing please see the Write it Right guide.

• Academic Writing Basics (Author: Megan Robertson)
• Academic Writing Essays in English (© 2021 UEfAP)
• Academic Writing Handbook
• OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab
• The Writing Process by English Language Studies group at the MIT Understanding and using the information on this site should make writing not only less anxiety-provoking and more efficient and effective for you, but ultimately it should also help you feel more creative and more satisfied with the products of your writing efforts and learn more in your classes as well.
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Why Brainstorming is Crucial Before Writing an Essay

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There is a compulsory Essay Paper in the UPSC Civil Services Main Exam . It carries 250 marks out of the total 1750 in written exam or UPSC Main Exam .  Essay paper plays a crucial role in determining the final selection and rank of the candidate. The essay paper tests the personality of the individual and how he approaches any topic. The Essay Topics are very dynamic in orientation. One can write a good essay only when he can comprehend the idea of the topic.

Subtle glance at the topics of essay writing may make us feel rushed to begin writing it right away but it’s important to take some time to go through brainstorming step to make sure you have a clear knowledge of main idea and plenty of supporting points. In this step after having a good grasp of what the topic is asking, you should figure out how you will respond in a structured way.

Brainstorming is a method of generating ideas over a particular topic in a creative manner. It includes to thinking over a topic in maximum possible ways. It provides free environment to present individual ideas, without attracting criticism from any one. Every generated idea is recorded and considered as solution to a problem. There are certain brainstorming rules such as novel and innovative ideas, the quantity of ideas over the quality and uniqueness of ideas. This helps to consider all the possible dimensions of the topic or the theme. Then these dimensions are critically analyzed to by giving supportive or counter arguments and example. we will discuss it thoroughly in the brainstorming section.

After brainstorming over the dimensions, we may move towards the critical thinking or analyzing each section or point noted down.

After Brainstorming , we critically analyse each and every dimension.

Let’s see how to do it.

How to Brainstorm for an Essay?

• Develop a goal for our brainstorm , we can go into brainstorming without knowing exactly what we want to write about, but we should have an idea of what we hope to gain from brainstorming sessions so that we can make of writing more effective.
• To start with, we should brainstorm many ideas. We won’t necessarily use all of the ideas we come up with, but it’s helpful to have lots of ideas to choose from when planning our essay.
• Starting with bad or infeasible ideas might seem counterintuitive, but one idea opens up the possibility of another one. Make a list that includes all of your initial thoughts, and then we can go back through and pick out the best one later.
• Passing judgment on ideas in this first stage will only slow us down. So, let our thoughts unleashed. Students usually write better essays when they’re exploring subjects that they have some personal interest in. but what If UPSC presents us with an open-ended prompt, take it as an opportunity to delve further into a topic we find more interesting. The question is how? And the answer is the right rough work approach.
• Do you want to write a thought-provoking piece? An informative one? an engaging one? Think about the end goal of writing while we go through the initial brainstorming process.
• During brainstorming you just jot down any concepts that come to your head linked to the given topic, in note form, and in random order. Let us look at a simple example. The question may be:
• The Internet has revolutionized the modern world, but it has also created new problems and inequalities. Do you agree?
• We need to find ideas for both parts of the question the revolutionizing effect of the Internet, and also its problems.

We might come up with the following:

From above points it is clear that brainstorming helps you to come up with a concrete idea and points that helps a candidate to develop a contour around which the entire essay is written. The basic or central idea helps a candidate to evolve a structure and hence writing the essay without any distraction or swaying away from central idea.

Verifying, please be patient.

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Dec 31, 2022 | 0 comments

Dec 31, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments

Brainstorming is a creative process that involves generating and organizing ideas. It is often used to develop new solutions to problems or challenges or generate ideas for a specific writing task.

Brainstorming is an essential part of the writing process that helps writers generate and organize ideas. Whether you’re working on a simple blog post or a complex research paper, brainstorming is a valuable tool that can set you up for success in your writing endeavors. This article will explore the importance of brainstorming in writing essays and discuss different techniques and approaches for brainstorming and organizing ideas.

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Why is brainstorming important?

Here are ten reasons why brainstorming is important in the writing process:

• It helps writers generate new and innovative ideas.
• It allows writers to explore different perspectives and approaches to their writing.
• It helps writers organize their thoughts and ideas, creating a more coherent structure for their essays.
• It helps writers overcome writer’s block or other challenges that may be hindering their progress.
• It promotes collaboration and teamwork, allowing writers to bounce ideas off each other and develop new solutions.
• It helps writers to identify and clarify their writing goals and objectives.
• It helps writers generate a larger pool of ideas, increasing the chances of finding the best solution or approach.
• It helps writers to see connections and patterns between their ideas, leading to a more logical and cohesive essay.
• It can be a fun and enjoyable process, helping writers to stay motivated and engaged in their writing.
• It can improve the overall quality and effectiveness of a writer’s work.

Techniques for brainstorming and organizing ideas

There are many different techniques writers can use to brainstorm and organize their ideas. Some popular methods include:

• Freewriting: This involves writing down all the ideas that come to mind without worrying about grammar or structure. It can be a useful way to get started with brainstorming and can help writers overcome writer’s block.
• Mind mapping: This involves creating a visual map of ideas, with the main idea in the center and branches representing related ideas. Mind maps can be a helpful way to represent and organize ideas visually.
• Flow charts: Similar to mind maps, flow charts allow writers to visually represent their ideas in a way that is easy to understand and follow.
• Listing: This involves simply listing all the ideas that come to mind. Lists can be a quick and effective way to brainstorm and easily organize and rearrange.
• Outlining: This involves organizing ideas into a hierarchical structure, with main ideas at the top and subpoints underneath. Outlining can help writers see the logical structure of their essays and make the writing process more efficient.

The benefits of collaborating in the brainstorming process

Collaborating with others during the brainstorming process can have a number of benefits. Some of the key advantages of working with a group include the following:

• New perspectives: By working with others, writers can gain new perspectives and approaches to their writing that they may not have considered.
• Increased creativity: Collaborating with others can help writers think more creatively and develop new and innovative ideas.
• Improved problem-solving skills: Working with a group allows writers to bounce ideas off each other and come up with solutions to problems or challenges that may be hindering their progress.
• Shared knowledge and resources: Collaborating with others can give writers access to a wider range of knowledge and resources, which can be helpful in the research and writing process.
• Enhanced teamwork and communication skills: Working with a group can help writers to develop their teamwork and communication skills, which can be valuable in other areas of their lives.

Using graphic organizers to represent ideas visually

Graphic organizers are visual tools used to represent and organize ideas. They can be particularly useful in the brainstorming process as they allow writers to visually represent their thoughts and ideas in a way that is easy to understand and follow. Some popular types of graphic organizers include:

• Mind maps: A mind map is a visual representation of ideas, with the main idea in the center and branches representing related ideas. Mind maps can be a helpful way to brainstorm and organize ideas, particularly for writers who are visual learners .
• Flow charts: Flow charts allow writers to represent their ideas logically and sequentially. They can be particularly useful for outlining the steps in a process or the structure of an argument.
• Venn diagrams: Venn diagrams compare and contrast ideas or concepts. They consist of two or more circles that overlap in the middle, representing the similarities between the ideas being compared.
• Concept maps: Concept maps are similar to mind maps but focus on the relationships between ideas rather than the ideas themselves. They can be a helpful way to represent complex concepts and ideas.

Integrating brainstorming into the overall writing process

Brainstorming is an essential part of the writing process and should be integrated into the overall writing process. Some tips for integrating brainstorming into your writing process include:

• Set aside dedicated time for brainstorming: It’s important to set aside time for brainstorming rather than trying to fit it in between other tasks. This will allow you to focus on generating and organizing your ideas without distraction.
• Use various brainstorming techniques: There are many different techniques for brainstorming, and the best approach will depend on your personal preferences and needs. Experiment with different techniques to find what works best for you.
• Collaborate with others: Collaborating during the brainstorming process can be a valuable way to gain new perspectives and develop new ideas. Consider working with a group or seeking feedback from others.
• Incorporate graphic organizers: Graphic organizers can be a helpful tool for visually representing and organizing your ideas. Consider using mind maps, flow charts, or other visual tools to help you brainstorm and organize your thoughts.
• Please make it a regular part of your writing process: Brainstorming should be a regular part of your writing process rather than something you do only when you’re stuck. By making it a regular part of your routine, you can always have a wealth of ideas to draw upon when you sit down to write.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, brainstorming is a crucial step in the writing process that can help writers organize their ideas, generate new and innovative ideas, and work more effectively with others. By taking the time to brainstorm, writers can set themselves up for success in their writing endeavors.

With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques

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