Brainstorming is considered one of the most significant parts of academic writing. The following term is defined as the activity that each student should do in order to create an exclusive, original and astounding piece of writing. The term "brainstorming" implies producing as many ideas on a chosen topic or subject as possible, and then selecting and focusing on the main and most important ones. The outcome or result of the process of brainstorming is a huge number of words, phrases, and considerations that are related to the topic or problem chosen by the author.
The Process of Brainstorming
- Prepare yourself for brainstorming ideas. Turn on your computer or laptop, or find a piece of paper, as well as any instrument for writing, such as a pen or a pencil. The next step that you should do is to put down your ideas, considerations, or thoughts. Your workplace should be clean and clear. There should be no mess on your table, as well as in your room. Try to avoid listening to loud music, watching films, eating something, or speaking over the phone.
- Set a time limit. It is advisable to spend about twenty or thirty minutes on brainstorming every day. The following process does not imply that you should spend the whole day or even twenty-four hours on it.
- Focus on the chosen topic, subject, or problem. Put down all the thoughts and ideas about it that dawn upon you. Then, try to do your best in order to organize or sort out your ideas or thoughts accordingly. The following stage requires that you concentrate on plain writing only.
- After you are finished with your ideas or thoughts, have a look at them very carefully as they are the basis of your informative essay or any other piece of writing. Among a huge number of ideas, you should choose the most interesting and valuable ones.
- Brainstorming for an essay implies that you reorganize your ideas or thoughts into several categories, from most to least important.
- If you think that you have a brilliant collection of thoughts or considerations, start writing an outline of your essay.
How to Brainstorm for an Essay
If you do not know how to brainstorm ideas, read the information given below very carefully. Nowadays, there is a great number of different brainstorming techniques that may be used while creating a unique piece of writing. The following techniques are divided into two categories: group and individual. The former implies that a group of people can work on the same problem, subject or topic, whereas the latter means that a single author works on her or his own piece of writing.
The most widely used brainstorming techniques are given below:
- Free writing. This technique implies an uncensored and free flow of ideas. Everything you should do is to write down your ideas. The following technique involves a subconscious approach in the process of creative writing.
- Questions. Ask questions on the topic or problem first and then reply to them.
- Mind mapping. To create a mind map, put down your peculiar idea in the middle of the page and then draw a circle around it. Afterwards, try to write down several ideas related to the first one, thus also making circles around them, and connect them with the key idea. This brainstorming technique can assist you in framing your ideas and finding out their interrelation.
