Prewriting and Brainstorming

1. Understand the assignment.

Each assignment may come with different instructions. Understanding the requirements is crucial (very important) in making sure that you start out right. Here is a list of questions you should ask yourself to check your understanding of the assignment:

Example: Understand the assignment

Topic: What has been your most interesting experience in learning English? Explain three reasons why you think so.

Purpose?

• To show understanding of planning and writing a paragraph

How?

• • Use the writing process

Who is reading it?

• • My professor and probably some of my classmates

Final product?

• • A paragraph with a title, three supporting sentences with details, a concluding sentences, transitions

Format?

• • indent, double space, font size 12, 1-inch on 4 sides, name/class/date

Due?

• • by 11:59 pm, Monday, Jan. 30

Where?

• • Assignment Dropbox for D2L

2. Choose your topic and narrow it down if necessary; brainstorm by free writing, listing, or mind mapping.

While choosing your topic and narrowing it down,

√ Do:

Write from your heart; consider your own interests and/or knowledge.

Reflect your unique thoughts or experiences.

Ask yourself:

• • 1. 1. Am I interested in this topic? How much do I know about it?

       2. Do I have an interesting experience or perspective that most of my classmates might not have?

       3. Would my readers get to know the topic or me better through my writing?

X Do not:

• • Pick an “easy” topic that you do not know much about or do not have a personal, meaningful experience with.

  • Google search and choose your topic based on how much information you can find on the web.

Brainstorming means that you write down your ideas as quickly as you can for about two to ten minutes, like a storm sweeping through your mind! Do not worry about accuracy in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Do not be overly concerned whether an idea is good or not. Rather, keep the flow of your thoughts going. You may be surprised to discover many new, hidden ideas.

Brainstorming comes in different forms: free writing, making a list, mind mapping, and some others. They may look different, but your thinking process is the same. Here are three common brainstorming examples to show you how to get ideas for a writing assignment on your English learning experience.

Topic: What has been your most interesting experience in learning English? Explain three reasons why you think so.

Brainstorming example 1: free writing

This is my first writing assignment in class. I want to write about my interesting English study. English, English everyday, important, tired. What aspect? Pronunciation? reading? writing? grammar? listening? Language Lab? my grades? I don’t know… well, maybe something about writing. Right now I’m trying not to translate from my native language. This is stressful, but keep trying. What about writing? yes! no translation! My teacher just taught us NSNT, interesting, I’ll try, maybe this topic? different way but I hope it’ll help me. I tried two times already, tried not to stop writing, holding my pen tight, keep writing. Possible not to translate if I keep doing it. The teacher isn’t checking my mistakes, so I’m more relaxed this way. Also fun because focus on my ideas and learn to express in total English. My teacher said, this skill will help me succeed in ESL and college classes. I want to learn. I know it’s important. teacher said translation no good, agree, my language and English very different, think in English, habit, try every day, confidence.

Brainstorming example 2: making a list

English learning experience: Reading, writing, listening, speaking, language lab, international students club

1. reading: interesting stories, new words, dictionary, too many words, hard, useful, in context, guessing first??

2. writing: academic writing, paragraphs, topic sentence, punctuation, NSNT, new, interesting, hard, feel strange, how not to translate? worry my grade

3. listening: news, recordings, hard, too fast, when driving, language lab, good materials, open, helpful stuff, lots of resources, what to choose

4. speaking: international students club, games, prizes, snacks!! new friends, some native speakers, every week, fun, nervous

Brainstorming example 3: creating a mind map

a mind map on English learning experience