Brain storming ideas

5 w of journalistic question

 What
 Why
 When
 Where
 Why
 And how

Cubic brainstorming ideas

 Describe the topic (what it is?)

 Compare it (what it is like or unlike?)
 Associate it (what does it make you think of?)
 Analyze it (what parts is it made of?)
 Apply it (how can it be used?)
 Argue for it and/or against it (how can you support or oppose it?)

Final thoughts

Allow a specific and detailed approach to brainstorming once a topic is known.

Especially useful for persuasive/argumentative essays as it explores multiple perspectives/angels within

it.

Provides plenty of content to work with or remove once the essay is developed.

Descriptive essay involves all five senses where possible.

 Discussions also help to generate ideas.

Visual connection brainstorming

 Clustering: visually connect related ideas/points in abstract objects (squares, circles etc.)
 Doodling: Using sketching/drawing to generate ideas/points/writing content.
They can be combined or used separately.
Free association brainstorming
 Free writing: Writing whatever comes to mind without stopping.
 Can be done at any process of brainstorming but if you have any specific idea you have less to
sort out later.
 Don’t stop to judge ideas/revise grammar or anything that will keep you from writing.
 Listing: listing topics, terms, ideas, or anything that can be associated to each other or that
comes to mind.
  Can be done at any stage of brainstorming process, but if you have a more specific idea then
there will be less to sort out later.
 Encourages a little more restraint than the free writing but still need to be receptive to the
associations within the brainstorming.

Journaling brainstorming

Any method of recording, writing: mobile devises notepads. Take note where and when ideas come.

Developing writing habits will benefit the most.

Research brainstorming

 Research: using sources of information, ideas, and/or concepts beyond your experience to find
ideas, topics, or other content to write about.
 Research can be watched, read, listened to, or even experienced in person.
 Research brainstorming can happen at any stage of idea generation (such as before a topic is
known or after)

Looping brainstorming

 It is a tool to find patterns after brainstorm technique and focus on those patterns when
brainstorming again with any technique.
 Provides a focus on the patterns found and allows for deeper development of them.
 Most useful after a general brainstorm. In other words, looping works best when needs to get
more specific.
 Applies to any brainstorm as long as the brainstormed content can be made more specific.
 Can be done for essay points or even after drafting to help generate much more content.
 Brainstorming strategies can be changes as long as the points brainstormed on are more specific
each time looping happens.

Clustering outline
 Clustering outline: visually connect related ideas/points in abstract objects (squares, circles,
etc.)
 Can start a brainstorm. To be an outline. It must show the specific relationship of points within
an essay.
 Helps make abstract connections of thought.

Visual outline

 Drawn/visual outlining : visually connect related ideas /points in sketches, drawings and
related objects.
  Can start as a brainstorm. To be an outline, it must show the specific relationship of points
within essay.
 Helps make abstract connections of thought easy to view and easy to rearrange.

Advanced introduction strategies

Purpose of the introduction paragraph

1. Grab the reader’s attention

(known as the ‘’hook’’ or ‘’the attention getter’’)

Location: happens in the first 1-2 sentences

2. Tell the reader what the essay is about

Location: gives a background/context of the topic right after the ‘’attention getter’’

Location: gives the thesis/main idea right after the background/context

1 The context of the essay

Tell the reader more about the topic to help lead into the thesis/main idea and essay easily.

Location: right after ‘’the attention getter’’

The thesis/ main idea

Combines the topic and a controlling idea/slant to clearly and specifically say the rest of the essay
will be about.

Location: right after the background/context.

2 Starting strong: using advanced attention getters

Attention getters: methods for grabbing the reader’s attention in the first 1+ sentences of the
essay.

1 Give interesting, fun or insightful facts/information.

2 Give a well-connected, appropriate quotation.
3 Ask a thought provoking question.
4 Tell a well-connected, appropriate story.
5 Share a profound insight.
Giving a quote: can establish credibility and also contain important and/or insightful ideas that
can help to setup the essay.

Telling a story: people find stories interesting. If you can think of one connected to the essay, it
can get the reader immersed in the essay topic.
 Giving an insight: provide important and/or meaningful ideas to make the reader interested in
reading the essay.
Providing a fact/statistic: provides credibility but can also help to set up a ‘’wow’’ factor if the
static is interesting enough.
Asking a thought provoking question: a detailed and specific question can help to immediately
and meaningfully engage the reader with how you want him or her to think about the essay.
 Think about what draws you into reading. Use it.
 Should meaningfully connect to the essay content.
 Consider using empathy to imagine what the reader might find interesting.
 Multiple strategies can be combined.

The conclusion paragraph

Provides closure in two ways

1 Summarize the essay content briefly

Location: beginning of the conclusion
Purpose: reminds reader about essay content

2 Provide a meaningful final impression.

Location: end of conclusion paragraph
Purpose: provide memorable and meaningful content to impact the reader.

Final impressions: methods for leaving the reader thinking about the writing in essay’s final sentences.

3 Give interesting, fun or insightful facts/information.

4 Give a well-connected, appropriate quotation.
5 Ask a thought provoking question.
6 Tell a well-connected, appropriate story.
7 Share a profound insight.
8 Challenge/encourage the reader to take action.

Giving a quote: can establish credibility and also contain important and/or insightful ideas that remind
and reinforce important ideas of the essay.

Telling a story: stories connected to the essay can help keep the reader thinking about the topic and
reinforce important ideas for the reader to think about even after reading the essay.

Giving an insight: provide important and/or meaningful ideas to connect to the reader that can make
him/her keeping thinking about the essay even after reading the essay.

Providing a fact/statistic: provides credibility and can also help to setup a ‘’wow’’ factor if the
statistic/fact is interesting enough to keep the reader thinking about the essay even after reading it.
Asking a question: give a detailed and specific to immediately and meaningfully engage the reader to
keep thinking about the essay content even after reading the essay.

Taking action: encourage/challenging the reader to action can give the reader something to consider
doing in a more dynamic approach to what the essay ultimately means.

1 Think about what makes you keep thinking about something you’ve read. Use it.
2 Should meaningfully connect to the essay content.
3 Consider using empathy to imagine what the reader might find worth thinking about.
4 Multiple strategies can be combined!
5 Be sure it builds/reflects on the essay content and does not generate brand new content.