Brainstorming

Introduction to Essay Writing

• Writing an essay may seem daunting, especially under time pressure.

• It's crucial to begin with a plan to ensure organization and clarity in your writing.

• Planning is essential to combat procrastination and ease the essay-writing process.

The Prewriting Phase

• Prewriting is the first step where you gather information and ideas related to your topic.

• During prewriting, you will encounter various sources of information, including personal experiences and external references.

• The goal is to select essential pieces of information and organize them methodically.

Creating a Brainstorming List

• Brainstorming is an effective technique to generate and narrow down topics.

• A brainstorming list consists of ideas and words that come to mind when thinking about your general topic.

• An example topic for brainstorming could be 'summer break.' It's important to choose topics that are appropriate, informative, and appealing to your target readers.

Decision Making in Brainstorming

• After generating a brainstorming list, choose a topic that is interesting and relevant.

• For example, if the topic is 'food,' you can list various ideas related to food experiences during summer break.

• Look at the ideas and categorize them based on their relevance to your chosen topic. Use symbols to denote connections between ideas and prioritize those that resonate most with the essay's theme.

Finalizing Ideas before Writing

• Cross out irrelevant or less informative ideas to refine your list further.

• This organization creates a clearer structure for your essay and helps you focus on key discussions.

• The last step of brainstorming is free writing for about five minutes on your chosen topic to flush out any additional thoughts.

Examples and Closing Thoughts

• In some cases, you may receive a thesis statement or topic in advance (e.g., "Always begin with the end in mind").

• You can then expand on this with ideas such as goal setting and planning advantages.

• Utilizing a brainstorming list is a helpful technique in organizing your thoughts, ensuring a smoother transition into the writing phase.

• It's important to realize that having a disorganized mind can make writing challenging, but brainstorming can help clarify your thoughts and prepare you for effective essay writing.