When working on writing assignments, students typically start with some form of pre-writing or another. “Brainstorming” can look organized or sporadic, depending on your own learning style. If you’re left-brained, you may prefer outlining your papers with the traditional roman numeral system; if you’re right-brained, you might opt to just freely write as you go. Neither of these methods are the “right” way to pre-write — it’s all about your own individual preferences! Take some time to do right versus left brain quizzes to determine if you are left brain dominant, whole brain dominant, right brain dominant, or somewhere else along the spectrum.
Experiment with different brainstorming strategies. Perhaps you might try asking questions about your topic in the traditional “Five W’s and How” method. You might write a list of ideas to include in your essay. Try idea mapping to see how your thoughts connect if you like visualizes. There are many ways to get your ideas out onto paper or screen and piece together linked material. Do what works best for you!
