Pre-writing Techniques

Contents

I. Brainstorming

II. Listing

III. Narrowing Down a Topic

IV. Clustering / Mind Mapping

V. Formulating Your Introduction

I. Brainstorming (A)

Source: http://slc.berkeley.edu/you-start-writing-paper-guide-prewriting-techniques-0

Brainstorming refers to quickly writing down or taking inventory of all your thoughts as fast as
they come to you. In this sense, your ideas are like a gigantic storm swirling around in your
brain, and it's your job to get them out of your head. Writing of some kind is very helpful in
brainstorming, as it can often be difficult to keep track of all your thoughts and ideas without
writing them down. However, your writing does not have to be formal. Many writers simply use
bullet points to mark all their ideas; in this sense, brainstorming often looks more like a list,
rather than a coherent piece of writing (which is totally fine at this stage!). When brainstorming,
don't feel pressured to connect, defend, fully articulate, or censor your ideas. If you allow
yourself to simply pour out all the thoughts that are in your head, following them wherever they
lead, you might come up with a really interesting topic, theme, motif, etc. to focus your paper on.

II. Listing (B)

Source: https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/gentopic/pop4b.cfm

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Listing is a brainstorming technique many people find useful. It means doing just what its name
suggests -- listing possible topics and then sublists of things you could say about each topic. A
list could consist of the main topic of regional dialects and then sublists would be regional
dialects you know or have experienced. Additional sublists might be particular words of each of
those dialects, things you have noticed about those dialects (i.e. New Yorkers speak fast), what
you think those dialects sound like, etc.

III. Narrowing Down a Topic (C)

Source: http://ocw.usu.edu/English/intermediate-writing/english-2010/-2010/narrowing-
topics-skinless_view.html

How do I Know If My Topic Needs to be Narrowed?

Most students will have to narrow down their topic at least a little. The first clue is
that your paper needs to be narrowed is simply the length your professor wants it to
be. You can't properly discuss "war" in 1,000 words, nor talk about orange rinds for
12 pages. Preliminary research also helps you determine whether or not you'll even
need to refine your topic.

Steps to Narrowing a Topic

1. First start out with a general topic. Take the topic and break it down into categories by
asking the five W’s and H.
1. Who? (American Space Exploration)
2. What? (Manned Space Missions)
3. Where? (Moon Exploration)
4. When? (Space exploration in the 1960's)
5. Why? (Quest to leave Earth)
6. How? (Rocket to the Moon: Space Exploration)
2. Now consider the following question areas to generate specific ideas to narrow down
your topic.
1. Problems faced? (Sustaining Life in Space: Problems with space exploration)
2. Problems overcome? (Effects of zero gravity on astronauts)
3. Motives (Beating the Russians: Planning a moon mission)
4. Effects on a group? (Renewing faith in science: aftershock of the Moon mission)
5. Member group? (Designing a moon lander: NASA engineers behind Apollo 11)
6. Group affected? (From Test Pilots to Astronauts: the new heroes of the Air force)
7. Group benefited? (Corporations that made money from the American Space
Program)

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 8. Group responsible for/paid for _____ (The billion dollar bill: taxpayer reaction to
the cost of sending men to the moon)
3. Finally, refine your ideas by by considering the S.O.C.R.A.P.R . model.
1. S = Similarities (Similar issues to overcome between the 1969 moon mission and
the planned 2009 Mars Mission)
2. O = Opposites (American pro and con opinions about the first mission to the
moon)
3. C = Contrasts (Protest or patriotism: different opinions about cost vs. benefit of
the moon mission)
4. R = Relationships (the NASA family: from the scientists on earth to the
astronauts in the sky)
5. A = Anthropomorphisms [interpreting reality in terms of human values] (Space:
the final frontier)
6. P = Personifications [giving objects or descriptions human qualities] (the eagle
has landed: animal symbols and metaphors in the space program)
7. R = Repetition (More missions to the moon: Pro and Con American attitudes to
landing more astronauts on the moon)

IV. Clustering/Mind Mapping (D)

Source: http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/cluster.html

Prewriting:Clustering
by Melanie Dawson & Joe Essid

Clustering is a type of prewriting that allows you to explore many ideas as soon as they occur to
you. Like brainstorming or free associating, clustering allows you to begin without clear ideas.

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To begin to cluster, choose a word that is central to your assignment. For example, if you were
writing a paper about the value of a college education, you might choose the word "expectations"
and write that word in the middle of your sheet of paper. Circle "expectations," then write words
all around it --words that occur to you as you think of "expectations." Write down all words that
you associate with "expectations," words that at first may seem to be random. Write quickly,
circling each word, grouping words around the central word. Connect your new words to
previous ones with lines; when you feel you have exhausted a particular avenue of associations,
go back to your central word and begin again.

For example, "expectations" might lead you to consider "the social aspects of college," which
may lead you to consider "career networking." You may then find yourself writing down words
that compare the types of jobs you might get through career networking. You may end up asking
yourself questions such as "What sorts of jobs do I want? Not want?" Have fun with this
exercise; even silly questions can open avenues to explore, such as "What if I ended up waiting
tables at Buddy's?" "Would I rather be a lion-tamer or an accountant?" "What about my brilliant
career as a stand-up comedian?"

Some words will take you nowhere; with other words you may discover that you have many
related words to write. Random associations eventually become patterns of logic as you look
over your work. After looking over the clustering exercise above, you might conclude that you
want an exciting career as a performer of some type rather than a job in the service sector or
behind a desk.

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Now your sample paper about the value of a college education has some focus: how you expect
college to lead to an interesting career that involves creativity, skill, and performance. You might
then want to return to the phrase "Job Skills" and develop that part of your cluster, noting the
skills that you'd need to reach your ideal career.

Clustering does not take the place of a linear, traditional outline; but, as the example shows, it
allows you to explore ideas before committing them to a particular order.

V. Formulating Your Introduction (E)

You can find more details about this point in the book.

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