Brainstorming

The most important thing to consider when choosing a paper topic is your assignment guidelines.  Use these checklists to make sure you are adhering to your instructor's requirements:

Assignment checklist:

• Double-check the syllabus or assignment document.
• Write out all of the topics or sources that you must cover in your paper.
• Keep that list next to you while writing.

Page length requirement checklist:

• Double-check the assignment's word limit.
• Keep in mind that a standard five to seven-page paper has three to four main points.
• Does your paper require more pages? If so, assume that each main point will likely require about one page of explanation.
• Reserve a full page for your introduction and conclusion combined.

Once you are confident that your topic meets these requirements, think about the scope of your paper.  A short paper should have a topic that is very narrow in scope—a common mistake students make is to tackle too big of a topic in a brief assignment.  For example, it is not a good idea to investigate a broad topic like "diabetes" in a five-page paper.  Instead, you might want to narrow your focus (i.e., "etiology of diabetes in middle-aged Caucasian men with sedentary lifestyles").  If you are unsure if the scope of your topic is appropriate, it is a good idea to ask for input from your instructor.

Once you have narrowed down your paper topic, you may want to try one of the following brainstorming exercises to help you generate further ideas. Review our prewriting resources for suggestions on organization and critical thinking at the start of a writing project. 

Freewrite. In this exercise, sit down and write out anything that comes to mind about your paper topic for about 5 to 7 minutes. These ideas can be full sentences, phrases, topics, quotations, or even single words. Do not consult sources while writing (you will get to those later). When you are finished, review your notes and start organizing your ideas into a logical order.

Visualize.  Use this as an individual exercise or to supplement your freewrite notes. Sit down and draw circles on the page. In each circle, write out one topic or idea related to the topic of your paper. Make it crazy and unorganized—it does not have to look professional.  Use words, phrases, quotations, sources, topics, and anything else that comes to mind. Then, after 5-7 minutes of filling in the circles, draw lines between circles that relate to one another. This exercise will help you to organize a hierarchy of ideas and allow you to visualize the connections among different topics and ideas.

Move. Walk around the room as you consider the topic at hand, but keep a pen and paper nearby for the moment that you stumble upon an idea. If you dislike pacing back and forth, alternate your exercises: Do 10 sit-ups, write one idea, then do 10 push-ups and write another idea. Increasing your blood flow will also boost your creativity!

Talk to Yourself. Purchase a tape recorder and talk to yourself. Go anywhere you want--any place that inspires you. Record yourself as you talk through the main ideas of your paper and remind yourself of what you want to include. Read your notes aloud. Then, back at your computer, write down your ideas as you play them back, focusing on their content rather than their organization.

Create a Full Sentence Outline. In this exercise, write out a topic sentence for each main and subpoint you would like to make in your paper. Put these sentences in an outline format. Now all you have to do is add evidence and analysis to complete your paper. Alternatively, you can make an outline map that assigns squares and circles to each point and subpoint.

The exact prewriting exercise you choose does not matter, so do not assume that you must use every single exercise. Instead, find one that works for you and use it to assist your thought process.