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How to Brainstorm for an Essay

Once you get going on a paper, you can often get into a groove and churn out the bulk of it fairly quickly. But choosing or brainstorming a topic for a paper—especially one with an open-ended prompt—can often be a challenge.

You’ve probably been told to brainstorm ideas for papers since you were in elementary school. Even though you might feel like “brainstorming” is an ineffective method for actually figuring out what to write about, it really works. Everyone thinks through ideas differently, but here are some tips to help you brainstorm more effectively regardless of what learning style works best for you:

Tip #1: Set an end goal for yourself

Develop a goal for your brainstorm. Don’t worry—you can go into brainstorming without knowing exactly what you want to write about, but you should  have an idea of what you hope to gain from your brainstorming session. Do you want to develop a list of potential topics? Do you want to come up with ideas to support an argument? Have some idea about what you want to get out of brainstorming so that you can make more effective use of your time.

Tip #2: Write down all ideas

Sure, some of your ideas will be better than others, but you should write all of them down for you to look back on later. Starting with bad or infeasible ideas might seem counterintuitive, but one idea usually leads to another one. Make a list that includes all of your initial thoughts, and then you can go back through and pick out the best one later. Passing judgment on ideas in this first stage will just slow you down.

Tip #3: Think about what interests you most

Students usually write better essays when they’re exploring subjects that they have some personal interest in. If a professor gives you an open-ended prompt, take it as an opportunity to delve further into a topic you find more interesting. When trying to find a focus for your papers, think back on coursework that you found engaging or that raised further questions for you.

Tip #4: Consider what you want the reader to get from your paper

Do you want to write an engaging piece? A thought-provoking one? An informative one? Think about the end goal of your writing while you go through the initial brainstorming process. Although this might seem counterproductive, considering what you want readers to get out of your writing can help you come up with a focus that both satisfies your readers and satisfies you as a writer.

 Tip #5: Try freewriting

Write for five minutes on a topic of your choice that you think could  be worth pursuing—your idea doesn’t have to be fully fleshed out. This can help you figure out whether it’s worth putting more time into an idea or if it doesn’t really have any weight to it. If you find that you don’t have much to say about a particular topic, you can switch subjects halfway through writing, but this can be a good way to get your creative juices flowing.

Tip #6: Draw a map of your ideas

While some students might prefer the more traditional list methods, for more visual learners, sketching out a word map of ideas may be a useful method for brainstorming. Write the main idea in a circle in the center of your page. Then, write smaller, related ideas in bubbles further from the center of the page and connect them to your initial idea using lines. This is a good way to break down big ideas and to figure out whether they are worth writing about.

 Tip #7: Enlist the help of others

Sometimes it can be difficult coming up with paper topics on your own, and family and friends can prove to be valuable resources when developing ideas. Feel free to brainstorm with another person (or in a group). Many hands make light work—and some students work best when thinking through ideas out loud—so don’t be afraid to ask others for advice when trying to come up with a paper topic.

Tip #8: Find the perfect brainstorming spot

Believe it or not, location can make a BIG difference when you’re trying to come up with a paper topic. Working while watching TV is never a good idea, but you might want to listen to music while doing work, or you might prefer to sit in a quiet study location. Think about where you work best, and pick a spot where you feel that you can be productive.

Tip #9: Play word games to help generate ideas

Whether you hate playing word games or think they’re a ton of fun, you might want to try your hand at a quick round of Words With Friends or a game of Scrabble. These games can help get your brain working, and sometimes ideas can be triggered by words you see. Get a friend to play an old-fashioned board game with you, or try your hand at a mobile app if you’re in a time crunch.

Tip #10: Take a break to let ideas sink in

Brainstorming is a great way to get all of your initial thoughts out there, but sometimes you need a bit more time to process all of those ideas. Stand up and stretch—or even take a walk around the block—and then look back on your list of ideas to see if you have any new thoughts on them.

For many students, the most difficult process of paper writing is simply coming up with an idea about what to write on. Don’t be afraid to get all of your ideas out there through brainstorming, and remember that all ideas are valid. Take the time necessary to sort through all of your ideas, using whatever method works best for you, and then get to writing—but don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board if a new inspiration strikes.

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Home / News / Academic Writing Tip: 8 Brainstorming Techniques

Academic Writing Tip: 8 Brainstorming Techniques

So, you’ve read and re-read the academic writing assignment that you received from your professor, and now you’re staring at a blank page.

Does your mind feel as blank as the page? Are you Frozen by fear? Rubbing your eyes with exhaustion?

Whether you’re writing an essay for a community college in Boston, Massachusetts or a university in New England, USA, you need to start somewhere. Brainstorming means you use your imagination and prior knowledge to collect thoughts. After gathering a great quantity of ideas, you select the highest quality ideas.

Filling that empty white document can feel like leaping into unknown icy water. Brainstorming is the way to warm up for a deep dive into the EAP topic.

Brainstorming begins with simple questions. What do you know about the topic? What do you want to learn about the topic?

As you brainstorm, you journey farther down the academic writing quest. How do you narrow down a topic into a thesis? How do you gather the examples and evidence necessary for an academic essay?

Here are EAP brainstorming strategies to jumpstart the engine of your creativity.

Brainstorming tip #1: Freewriting

Do you have no ideas? Or the opposite problem—too many ideas?

Freewriting means what it sounds like—you’re free to write whatever comes to mind. The point is not to make it perfect—not even necessarily to make it good—but just to put thoughts on paper—no rules, no revising. You can even write about how you don’t know what to write about.

The only limit you should set for yourself is that you write for a specific period of time—let’s say 30 minutes—or for a specific number of pages—let’s say 2 pages. Non-stop activity gets the juices flowing, and a concrete goal gives you satisfaction. Here’s an example of freewriting:

This essay is supposed to be about the Boston Tea Party but I don’t know anything about US history except that the American Revolution happened a long time ago (when???) somewhere in Massachusetts or maybe I’m wrong. I can’t think of anything else to say and now the clock says two minutes, I’ll keep babbling anyway. Boston, MA, politics, tea. My grandmother used to make tea when I stopped by after my English courses. But that’s not useful for this essay. Or maybe there’s a connection. Hmmm… I remember the professor talked about the taxes in the New English states (colonies?) and my grandmother used to complain about paying high taxes at the market and…

Freewriting stimulates your brain the same way physical exercise wakes up your mind.

Brainstorming tip #2: Making a Cube

Draw a cube in your notebook. Each of the six sides has a task:

Side 1: Describe the topic.

Side 2: Compare the topic.

Side 3: Connect the topic.

Side 4: Classify the topic.

Side 5: Argue for or against the topic.

Side 6: Personalize the topic.

Instead of those 6 tasks, you could replace those verbs with other academic tasks: apply, analyze, question, connect, define, classify, associate, or explain cause and effect—whichever inspire ideas.

Imagine your topic is attending university in the U.S. Next to each point on the cube, you would write words and phrases inspired by the verb at hand:

Side 1: Describe: Exciting, difficult, expensive, growing opportunities, expensive, valuable.

Side 2: Compare: Different from my country. USA = more essay writing, dorms with roommates, critical thinking, fewer standardized exams and lectures, smaller classes.

Side 3: Connect: student visa policies, US immigration law, IELTS, TOEFL iBT, travel restrictions from covid-19, globalization means more English at work.

Side 4: Classify: community colleges (Holyoke, Greenfield), state universities (UMASS Boston), private ivy league (Harvard) graduate schools, MBA, BA, MFA programs.  

Side 5: Argue for : opens doors, better jobs, international workplace, investment in future, social networking, broadens horizons.

Side 6: Personalize: my cousin > engineering degree, MIT internship, campus resources help with culture shock (which worries me.) IELTS stresses me out!!!!  Way to avoid?

This brainy approach works if you like approaching topics from different angles.

Brainstorming tip #3: Clustering

When you cluster, you draw bubbles and connect words and concepts associated with the topic—anything that comes to mind.

This visual method works when you have a lot of random thoughts and you are trying to “see” connections.

Brainstorming tip #4: Bulleting

With this technique, you make bulleted lists with concepts, terms, and ideas. This can help you narrow down from the first list to a second list. The list on the left contains general bullet points, while the list on the right expands on a single bullet to delve deeper.

This method works great if you’re an orderly person who likes making lists.

Brainstorming tip #5: Venn Diagram

  The famous Venn diagram technique works well for brainstorming differences and similarities between two topics. You draw two intersecting circles and write the qualities they share in the middle where the circles intersect and the qualities that are unique in the left and right spaces. For example, let’s say you’re brainstorming differences and similarities between two cities in Massachusetts, Boston and Northampton.

This famous brainstorming method is used in the academic and business worlds because it so clearly shows differences and similarities.

To analyze relationships among three topics, you can make a Venn diagram with three circles. The 3-circle helps visualize and understand complex connections. You brainstorm three basic questions. Which qualities are unique to each? Which traits do any two topics have in common? Which similarities are shared by all three topics?

Brainstorming tip #6: Tree diagram

The tree diagram begins with a central idea that branches off into categories or supporting ideas.

Imagine you’re brainstorming different types of schools in US higher education.

Tree diagrams are perfect for brainstorming classification essays. You could also draw tree diagrams to brainstorm effects, starting with a cause at the top and branching off into increasingly specific downstream effects. Pretty cool, huh?

Brainstorming tip #7: Journalist Dice

Dice aren’t just toys for games and gambling–they can be a tool for writing. Rolling journalist dice is a stimulating way to flesh out narrative essays. Each side of the die corresponds to one of the 6 question words. To make the game fun, roll a die, and write down one answer the question every time you roll. Roll at least a dozen times to write down a variety of details and ideas.

In addition to building a narrative essay, this brainstorming technique can help you develop a compelling story for your college application essay. For the tired and uninspired writer, the game element of rolling dice makes the writing process more engaging and enjoyable. 

Brainstorming tip #8: T diagram

This method works well if you like thinking in terms of opposites.  Can you say “On the one hand” and “On the other hand”? 

What’s next in the writing process?

After your fast and furious brainstorm, the next step is to create an outline. When you outline, you pick your best and brightest ideas. Then you begin organizing them into a coherent, linear argument. You select and sort supporting points, evidence, examples, and elaboration. To learn more about outlining, click here for the next article in our academic writing series. 

The best way to improve your writing is to join an academic or business English course . With guidance from an expert instructor and feedback from a community of peers, you can master the art of academic writing.

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Brainstorming

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses techniques that will help you start writing a paper and continue writing through the challenges of the revising process. Brainstorming can help you choose a topic, develop an approach to a topic, or deepen your understanding of the topic’s potential.

Introduction

If you consciously take advantage of your natural thinking processes by gathering your brain’s energies into a “storm,” you can transform these energies into written words or diagrams that will lead to lively, vibrant writing. Below you will find a brief discussion of what brainstorming is, why you might brainstorm, and suggestions for how you might brainstorm.

Whether you are starting with too much information or not enough, brainstorming can help you to put a new writing task in motion or revive a project that hasn’t reached completion. Let’s take a look at each case:

When you’ve got nothing: You might need a storm to approach when you feel “blank” about the topic, devoid of inspiration, full of anxiety about the topic, or just too tired to craft an orderly outline. In this case, brainstorming stirs up the dust, whips some air into our stilled pools of thought, and gets the breeze of inspiration moving again.

When you’ve got too much: There are times when you have too much chaos in your brain and need to bring in some conscious order. In this case, brainstorming forces the mental chaos and random thoughts to rain out onto the page, giving you some concrete words or schemas that you can then arrange according to their logical relations.

Brainstorming techniques

What follows are great ideas on how to brainstorm—ideas from professional writers, novice writers, people who would rather avoid writing, and people who spend a lot of time brainstorming about…well, how to brainstorm.

Try out several of these options and challenge yourself to vary the techniques you rely on; some techniques might suit a particular writer, academic discipline, or assignment better than others. If the technique you try first doesn’t seem to help you, move right along and try some others.

Freewriting

When you freewrite, you let your thoughts flow as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind. You don’t judge the quality of what you write and you don’t worry about style or any surface-level issues, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you can’t think of what to say, you write that down—really. The advantage of this technique is that you free up your internal critic and allow yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious.

When you freewrite you can set a time limit (“I’ll write for 15 minutes!”) and even use a kitchen timer or alarm clock or you can set a space limit (“I’ll write until I fill four full notebook pages, no matter what tries to interrupt me!”) and just write until you reach that goal. You might do this on the computer or on paper, and you can even try it with your eyes shut or the monitor off, which encourages speed and freedom of thought.

The crucial point is that you keep on writing even if you believe you are saying nothing. Word must follow word, no matter the relevance. Your freewriting might even look like this:

“This paper is supposed to be on the politics of tobacco production but even though I went to all the lectures and read the book I can’t think of what to say and I’ve felt this way for four minutes now and I have 11 minutes left and I wonder if I’ll keep thinking nothing during every minute but I’m not sure if it matters that I am babbling and I don’t know what else to say about this topic and it is rainy today and I never noticed the number of cracks in that wall before and those cracks remind me of the walls in my grandfather’s study and he smoked and he farmed and I wonder why he didn’t farm tobacco…”

When you’re done with your set number of minutes or have reached your page goal, read back over the text. Yes, there will be a lot of filler and unusable thoughts but there also will be little gems, discoveries, and insights. When you find these gems, highlight them or cut and paste them into your draft or onto an “ideas” sheet so you can use them in your paper. Even if you don’t find any diamonds in there, you will have either quieted some of the noisy chaos or greased the writing gears so that you can now face the assigned paper topic.

Break down the topic into levels

Once you have a course assignment in front of you, you might brainstorm:

• the general topic, like “The relationship between tropical fruits and colonial powers”
• a specific subtopic or required question, like “How did the availability of multiple tropical fruits influence competition amongst colonial powers trading from the larger Caribbean islands during the 19th century?”
• a single term or phrase that you sense you’re overusing in the paper. For example: If you see that you’ve written “increased the competition” about a dozen times in your “tropical fruits” paper, you could brainstorm variations on the phrase itself or on each of the main terms: “increased” and “competition.”

Listing/bulleting

In this technique you jot down lists of words or phrases under a particular topic. You can base your list on:

• the general topic
• one or more words from your particular thesis claim
• a word or idea that is the complete opposite of your original word or idea.

For example, if your general assignment is to write about the changes in inventions over time, and your specific thesis claims that “the 20th century presented a large number of inventions to advance US society by improving upon the status of 19th-century society,” you could brainstorm two different lists to ensure you are covering the topic thoroughly and that your thesis will be easy to prove.

The first list might be based on your thesis; you would jot down as many 20th-century inventions as you could, as long as you know of their positive effects on society. The second list might be based on the opposite claim, and you would instead jot down inventions that you associate with a decline in that society’s quality. You could do the same two lists for 19th-century inventions and then compare the evidence from all four lists.

Using multiple lists will help you to gather more perspective on the topic and ensure that, sure enough, your thesis is solid as a rock, or, …uh oh, your thesis is full of holes and you’d better alter your claim to one you can prove.

3 perspectives

Looking at something from different perspectives helps you see it more completely—or at least in a completely different way, sort of like laying on the floor makes your desk look very different to you. To use this strategy, answer the questions for each of the three perspectives, then look for interesting relationships or mismatches you can explore:

• Describe it: Describe your subject in detail. What is your topic? What are its components? What are its interesting and distinguishing features? What are its puzzles? Distinguish your subject from those that are similar to it. How is your subject unlike others?
• Trace it: What is the history of your subject? How has it changed over time? Why? What are the significant events that have influenced your subject?
• Map it: What is your subject related to? What is it influenced by? How? What does it influence? How? Who has a stake in your topic? Why? What fields do you draw on for the study of your subject? Why? How has your subject been approached by others? How is their work related to yours?

Cubing enables you to consider your topic from six different directions; just as a cube is six-sided, your cubing brainstorming will result in six “sides” or approaches to the topic. Take a sheet of paper, consider your topic, and respond to these six commands:

• Describe it.
• Compare it.
• Associate it.
• Analyze it.
• Argue for and against it.

Look over what you’ve written. Do any of the responses suggest anything new about your topic? What interactions do you notice among the “sides”? That is, do you see patterns repeating, or a theme emerging that you could use to approach the topic or draft a thesis? Does one side seem particularly fruitful in getting your brain moving? Could that one side help you draft your thesis statement? Use this technique in a way that serves your topic. It should, at least, give you a broader awareness of the topic’s complexities, if not a sharper focus on what you will do with it.

In this technique, complete the following sentence:

____________________ is/was/are/were like _____________________.

In the first blank put one of the terms or concepts your paper centers on. Then try to brainstorm as many answers as possible for the second blank, writing them down as you come up with them.

After you have produced a list of options, look over your ideas. What kinds of ideas come forward? What patterns or associations do you find?

Clustering/mapping/webbing:

The general idea:

This technique has three (or more) different names, according to how you describe the activity itself or what the end product looks like. In short, you will write a lot of different terms and phrases onto a sheet of paper in a random fashion and later go back to link the words together into a sort of “map” or “web” that forms groups from the separate parts. Allow yourself to start with chaos. After the chaos subsides, you will be able to create some order out of it.

To really let yourself go in this brainstorming technique, use a large piece of paper or tape two pieces together. You could also use a blackboard if you are working with a group of people. This big vertical space allows all members room to “storm” at the same time, but you might have to copy down the results onto paper later. If you don’t have big paper at the moment, don’t worry. You can do this on an 8 ½ by 11 as well. Watch our short videos on webbing , drawing relationships , and color coding for demonstrations.

How to do it:

• Take your sheet(s) of paper and write your main topic in the center, using a word or two or three.
• Moving out from the center and filling in the open space any way you are driven to fill it, start to write down, fast, as many related concepts or terms as you can associate with the central topic. Jot them quickly, move into another space, jot some more down, move to another blank, and just keep moving around and jotting. If you run out of similar concepts, jot down opposites, jot down things that are only slightly related, or jot down your grandpa’s name, but try to keep moving and associating. Don’t worry about the (lack of) sense of what you write, for you can chose to keep or toss out these ideas when the activity is over.
• Once the storm has subsided and you are faced with a hail of terms and phrases, you can start to cluster. Circle terms that seem related and then draw a line connecting the circles. Find some more and circle them and draw more lines to connect them with what you think is closely related. When you run out of terms that associate, start with another term. Look for concepts and terms that might relate to that term. Circle them and then link them with a connecting line. Continue this process until you have found all the associated terms. Some of the terms might end up uncircled, but these “loners” can also be useful to you. (Note: You can use different colored pens/pencils/chalk for this part, if you like. If that’s not possible, try to vary the kind of line you use to encircle the topics; use a wavy line, a straight line, a dashed line, a dotted line, a zigzaggy line, etc. in order to see what goes with what.)
• There! When you stand back and survey your work, you should see a set of clusters, or a big web, or a sort of map: hence the names for this activity. At this point you can start to form conclusions about how to approach your topic. There are about as many possible results to this activity as there are stars in the night sky, so what you do from here will depend on your particular results. Let’s take an example or two in order to illustrate how you might form some logical relationships between the clusters and loners you’ve decided to keep. At the end of the day, what you do with the particular “map” or “cluster set” or “web” that you produce depends on what you need. What does this map or web tell you to do? Explore an option or two and get your draft going!

Relationship between the parts

In this technique, begin by writing the following pairs of terms on opposite margins of one sheet of paper:

Looking over these four groups of pairs, start to fill in your ideas below each heading. Keep going down through as many levels as you can. Now, look at the various parts that comprise the parts of your whole concept. What sorts of conclusions can you draw according to the patterns, or lack of patterns, that you see? For a related strategy, watch our short video on drawing relationships .

Journalistic questions

In this technique you would use the “big six” questions that journalists rely on to thoroughly research a story. The six are: Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?, and How?. Write each question word on a sheet of paper, leaving space between them. Then, write out some sentences or phrases in answer, as they fit your particular topic. You might also record yourself or use speech-to-text if you’d rather talk out your ideas.

Now look over your batch of responses. Do you see that you have more to say about one or two of the questions? Or, are your answers for each question pretty well balanced in depth and content? Was there one question that you had absolutely no answer for? How might this awareness help you to decide how to frame your thesis claim or to organize your paper? Or, how might it reveal what you must work on further, doing library research or interviews or further note-taking?

For example, if your answers reveal that you know a lot more about “where” and “why” something happened than you know about “what” and “when,” how could you use this lack of balance to direct your research or to shape your paper? How might you organize your paper so that it emphasizes the known versus the unknown aspects of evidence in the field of study? What else might you do with your results?

Thinking outside the box

Even when you are writing within a particular academic discipline, you can take advantage of your semesters of experience in other courses from other departments. Let’s say you are writing a paper for an English course. You could ask yourself, “Hmmm, if I were writing about this very same topic in a biology course or using this term in a history course, how might I see or understand it differently? Are there varying definitions for this concept within, say, philosophy or physics, that might encourage me to think about this term from a new, richer point of view?”

For example, when discussing “culture” in your English, communications, or cultural studies course, you could incorporate the definition of “culture” that is frequently used in the biological sciences. Remember those little Petri dishes from your lab experiments in high school? Those dishes are used to “culture” substances for bacterial growth and analysis, right? How might it help you write your paper if you thought of “culture” as a medium upon which certain things will grow, will develop in new ways or will even flourish beyond expectations, but upon which the growth of other things might be retarded, significantly altered, or stopped altogether?

Using charts or shapes

If you are more visually inclined, you might create charts, graphs, or tables in lieu of word lists or phrases as you try to shape or explore an idea. You could use the same phrases or words that are central to your topic and try different ways to arrange them spatially, say in a graph, on a grid, or in a table or chart. You might even try the trusty old flow chart. The important thing here is to get out of the realm of words alone and see how different spatial representations might help you see the relationships among your ideas. If you can’t imagine the shape of a chart at first, just put down the words on the page and then draw lines between or around them. Or think of a shape. Do your ideas most easily form a triangle? square? umbrella? Can you put some ideas in parallel formation? In a line?

Consider purpose and audience

Think about the parts of communication involved in any writing or speaking act: purpose and audience.

What is your purpose?

What are you trying to do? What verb captures your intent? Are you trying to inform? Convince? Describe? Each purpose will lead you to a different set of information and help you shape material to include and exclude in a draft. Write about why you are writing this draft in this form. For more tips on figuring out the purpose of your assignment, see our handout on understanding assignments .

Who is your audience?

Who are you communicating with beyond the grader? What does that audience need to know? What do they already know? What information does that audience need first, second, third? Write about who you are writing to and what they need. For more on audience, see our  handout on audience .

Dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias

When all else fails…this is a tried and true method, loved for centuries by writers of all stripe. Visit the library reference areas or stop by the Writing Center to browse various dictionaries, thesauruses (or other guide books and reference texts), encyclopedias or surf their online counterparts. Sometimes these basic steps are the best ones. It is almost guaranteed that you’ll learn several things you did not know.

If you’re looking at a hard copy reference, turn to your most important terms and see what sort of variety you find in the definitions. The obscure or archaic definition might help you to appreciate the term’s breadth or realize how much its meaning has changed as the language changed. Could that realization be built into your paper somehow?

If you go to online sources, use their own search functions to find your key terms and see what suggestions they offer. For example, if you plug “good” into a thesaurus search, you will be given 14 different entries. Whew! If you were analyzing the film Good Will Hunting, imagine how you could enrich your paper by addressed the six or seven ways that “good” could be interpreted according to how the scenes, lighting, editing, music, etc., emphasized various aspects of “good.”

An encyclopedia is sometimes a valuable resource if you need to clarify facts, get quick background, or get a broader context for an event or item. If you are stuck because you have a vague sense of a seemingly important issue, do a quick check with this reference and you may be able to move forward with your ideas.

Armed with a full quiver of brainstorming techniques and facing sheets of jotted ideas, bulleted subtopics, or spidery webs relating to your paper, what do you do now?

Take the next step and start to write your first draft, or fill in those gaps you’ve been brainstorming about to complete your “almost ready” paper. If you’re a fan of outlining, prepare one that incorporates as much of your brainstorming data as seems logical to you. If you’re not a fan, don’t make one. Instead, start to write out some larger chunks (large groups of sentences or full paragraphs) to expand upon your smaller clusters and phrases. Keep building from there into larger sections of your paper. You don’t have to start at the beginning of the draft. Start writing the section that comes together most easily. You can always go back to write the introduction later.

We also have helpful handouts on some of the next steps in your writing process, such as reorganizing drafts and argument .

Remember, once you’ve begun the paper, you can stop and try another brainstorming technique whenever you feel stuck. Keep the energy moving and try several techniques to find what suits you or the particular project you are working on.

How can technology help?

Need some help brainstorming? Different digital tools can help with a variety of brainstorming strategies:

Look for a text editor that has a focus mode or that is designed to promote free writing (for examples, check out FocusWriter, OmmWriter, WriteRoom, Writer the Internet Typewriter, or Cold Turkey). Eliminating visual distractions on your screen can help you free write for designated periods of time. By eliminating visual distractions on your screen, these tools help you focus on free writing for designated periods of time. If you use Microsoft Word, you might even try “Focus Mode” under the “View” tab.

Clustering/mapping. Websites and applications like Mindomo , TheBrain , and Miro allow you to create concept maps and graphic organizers. These applications often include the following features:

• Connect links, embed documents and media, and integrate notes in your concept maps
• Access your maps across devices
• Search across maps for keywords
• Convert maps into checklists and outlines
• Export maps to other file formats

Testimonials

Check out what other students and writers have tried!

Papers as Puzzles : A UNC student demonstrates a brainstorming strategy for getting started on a paper.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Allen, Roberta, and Marcia Mascolini. 1997. The Process of Writing: Composing Through Critical Thinking . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Cameron, Julia. 2002. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity . New York: Putnam.

Goldberg, Natalie. 2005. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within , rev. ed. Boston: Shambhala.

Rosen, Leonard J. and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

University of Richmond. n.d. “Main Page.” Writer’s Web. Accessed June 14, 2019. http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb.html .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Brainstorm a College Essay

June 10, 2024

Brainstorming often gets a bad rap. Many people either find it completely useless or outright hate it. Quick, try it—what do you think of when you hear “brainstorm”? A group of students sitting awkwardly around a whiteboard, waiting for someone else to share their idea first? Staring at a blank page with ever-increasing bewilderment slash terror? Producing a list of ideas, only to think every single one of them is a dumpster fire? Now, it’s time to write your college essay, and word on the street is that you should brainstorm first—but what does that even mean, and do you have to do it? If you’ve ever wondered how college essay brainstorming works or how to brainstorm college essay ideas, we’ll be getting into all that and more in today’s blog.

What is brainstorming?

In general, brainstorming is the process of producing ideas, whether individually or in a group. Although it can be employed in a number of different contexts, from board rooms to PTA meetings, we’re going to focus on its relevance to the college essay writing process in particular.

Why should I brainstorm college essay ideas?

The goal of brainstorming is not to simply transcribe the ideas you already have but to unlock ideas that you didn’t even know you had.

For example, it’s very likely that your brainstorm will reveal forgotten memories or events. It almost always generates surprising connections. And at the very least, it will help you understand why you want to write about a particular topic, which is an essential piece of information to keep in mind as you move forward.

Brainstorming college essay ideas is also a way to overcome a fear of the blank page, which is a legitimate form of writer’s block. Usually, writers either feel like they have no ideas or so many ideas that committing to just one is causing anxiety. Either way, it’s debilitating. Don’t worry, though—a good brainstorming process will either produce at least a few viable ideas or help you pare down your list.

Finally, brainstorming and writing are creative processes, which means we can better understand what goes on in our brains—and develop new ways to spark creativity during both acts—by delving into literature on the subject. For starters, according to many researchers , creativity is often characterized by an interplay between divergent and convergent thinking, or the process of producing as many ideas as possible in a spontaneous, unfiltered way and then narrowing those ideas down in a logical, evaluative way. Fortunately, both types of thinking can be harnessed during the brainstorming process to help you choose your best possible topic.

Do you always have to brainstorm?

Nope! Some students do enter the college essay process with a very clear sense of what they want to write about. This tends to happen when 1) you have an all-consuming passion or 2) you have undergone a significant challenge or life event. In either case, you just can’t imagine writing about anything else but your topic.

For example, when I wrote my college personal statement, I knew right away that I wanted to write about writing. I spent most of my free time seriously crafting and revising fiction, and it was a part of my life that felt indistinguishable from me as a person. To know me, I felt that admissions readers had to know that I loved to write, what my writing meant to me, and how I wanted it to influence my future. Although I spent many hours refining how the essay would begin and unfold, the topic itself felt non-negotiable.

So if you already know your Common App topic, that’s incredible. Check that item off your to-do list!

That said, students who enter the essay process knowing what they want to write about are few and far between. For this reason, we ask all our students to at least humor us with the brainstorming process, even if only to gather potential ideas for future supplemental essays. Moreover, many students are stuck between 2 to 3 potential topics, and engaging in brainstorming exercises tends to clarify the way forward.

How do I brainstorm college essay ideas?

Have a piece of paper or word processing document ready, and let’s begin!

College Essay Brainstorming Step #1: Set the mood.

Before you try to brainstorm college essay ideas, set yourself up for success by evaluating where and how you work best. Do you like being in a quiet space, listening to instrumental music, or being outside? Do you enjoy physically writing your ideas down on a piece of paper, using a digital mind mapping tool, or speaking your ideas into a voice recorder? Maybe you need to be at your desk in your room with some instrumental pop in your headphones and a snack at the ready, or sitting outside at your favorite café with a coffee. Whatever your ideal set-up is, get it ready!

If you need to center yourself before you sit down, try going for a quick walk, doing a meditation, or listening to some music that makes you feel positive or motivated. Feel free to pause and do this again at any point during your brainstorming process if you begin to feel too unfocused.

College Essay Brainstorming Step #2: Iterate.

To kickstart the creative process, you’ll want to activate your DMN, or default mode network, via divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the process of amassing as many ideas as possible in a spontaneous, non-judgmental way. There is a great deal of freedom at this stage so it’s important not to censor yourself, even if some of your ideas seem far-fetched or unlikely. Why? That far-fetched or unlikely idea will spark even more ideas, some of which may be surprisingly perfect. Bottom line: write down anything (yes, anything!) that comes to mind.

So how do you do this? In our opinion, brainstorming works best when it’s semi-structured. Instead of sitting down in front of a blank Google Doc and waiting for inspiration (spoiler alert: you’ll be there for a while), use targeted brainstorming questions and lists to help, like Nancie Atwell’s Writing Territories or Georgia Heard’s heart maps . Set a timer for each exercise if you’d like–10-15 minutes is usually sufficient, but feel free to go beyond that.

College Essay Brainstorming (Continued)

Still not sure where to start? Try out the following list of questions, inspired by the Common App prompts . Bullet point as many ideas/experiences as possible underneath each, even if they feel silly or “out there.” We also hereby give you permission to doodle, draw, use different colors, go crazy with Post-It notes, or whatever you feel like you need to do to get this first step done.

• When you think of your background (racial, cultural, socioeconomic, family, etc), what comes to mind? What about your background is most important to you?
• When you think of your identity (religious, family, language, sexual, gender, etc.), what comes to mind? What about your identity is most important to you?
• If you had one hobby or interest that you could pursue forever, what would it be?
• Do you have any special talents (artistic, athletic, etc) that you’ve poured a great deal of time and energy into? What are they?
• Have you ever experienced a challenge, setback, or failure? What was it?
• Have you ever questioned or challenged a belief? An idea? Which ones?
• When have you felt deeply happy or thankful? Why?
• What have you accomplished that you are most proud of?
• Have you ever had a realization that made you see the world differently? What was it?
• What topics keep you up at night? What sends you down a Google or Wikipedia rabbit hole? What could you research, write, read, or talk about for hours? Make a list.

Although you might naturally gravitate towards certain types of brainstorming exercises, try to keep an open mind. Sometimes, the strangest brainstorming activities produce the best ideas. In addition, aim to complete more than one exercise—we typically have our students do 2 to 3 exercises in various modalities, such as sketching, drawing, and listing.

College Essay Brainstorming Step #3: Evaluate.

When we underwent Step #2, we eschewed evaluative thinking and tried to let our brains be as “unfiltered” as possible. Now, we want to turn that evaluative thinking back on and start to filter what ideas or topics would be the best possible options for this particular essay. This part of the process stimulates the CCN, or cognitive control network, and is also known as convergent thinking. Before you do this, remind yourself of the point of the Common App essay: t o add dimension to the rest of your application . This will help you evaluate your ideas according to your essay’s purpose.

For example, let’s say you completed Nancie Atwell’s Writing Territories. Under “Pets” you listed “Mr. Sparkles Jr.”, AKA the guppy that made the journey to Fish Heaven when you were seven. This might be a great topic for an essay about a childhood memory, but likely wouldn’t be a good Common App topic. (Unless Mr. Sparkles inspired your love of ichthyology and you now give presentations at your local elementary school about caring for pet fish, in which case, we stand corrected.)

Two ways to engage in evaluative thinking:

• Go back through your exercises and code each of your responses. Circle the responses that you’re most interested in or drawn to. Cross out the responses you don’t want to write about or feel uninterested in. Underline the responses that you’re not sure about.
• Read through your exercises. Highlight your top five ideas. Then, circle your top three.</li></li>

College Essay Brainstorming Step #4: Test your ideas.

When you’ve narrowed your brainstorm down to a few ideas, a great way to decide between them is to do a quick test run. You can do this quickly and easily by freewriting. When freewriting, you write down everything you can think of about this topic—anecdotes, sensory details, connections, people, etc.—for at least 10 minutes without stopping or censoring yourself. You can write in paragraph form or use bullet points. For example, a freewrite about Mr. Sparkles, Jr. might look like this:

Mr. Sparkles Jr was a gift from my godmother. I added him to my tank happily and he soon became my favorite fish because he was different from all the other fish. He was black-and-white striped and I used to sit for hours watching him swim around the tank. I remember coming home from school and my mother told me that he had died, and my dad had already flushed him down the toilet.  Devastated, I cried for hours and my godmother even brought me a backpack with fish printed on it, with one that looked like Mr. Sparkles so that I could remember him. I think I still have that backpack somewhere.

Anyway, it was also the first time that I had thought about death. I wondered if Mr. Sparkles had felt anything when he died, or if the other fish in the tank were sad, or whether there was anything I could have done to help him stay alive longer?

After you finish a freewrite for each topic, see which topic satisfies all three of the below conditions:

• The topic feels interesting and/or exciting to you and gives you room to explore.
• The topic shows the reader something positive about you: a trait, a value, a way of thinking, etc.
• The topic is recent, or you are able to draw recent connections (i.e., the essay does not start in first grade and end in third grade, with no connection to present day).

You can do this a few times—there are no rules!

Keep going until you narrow down to one topic or discover that you can combine more than one topic because they have a hidden connection (this is always exciting).

Okay, seriously…what topic should I pick, though?!

If you’re stuck between a few possible topics, you might be wondering “What does it matter what I want to write about? What topic is the strongest one for my college application?!”

Okay, hear us out—the topic that you are most excited to write about, that presents you in a positive light, and that is recent—IS the strongest one for your college application! Not only will the resultant essay be authentic to you and demonstrative of you (which is the whole point) but research suggests that revision is most effective when you are invested in your topic . So if Person in Your Life thinks it would be the best move for you to write about your extensive hand-sewn collection of mini animals and how it showcases your creativity, but you’re like “eh…” listen to that gut feeling! You like your mini animals, sure. But maybe what you really want to write about is how you overcame the fear of learning to scuba dive .

Neither topic is inherently better or worse than the other, and neither will necessarily strengthen your application more than the other. The topic that will strengthen your application is the one that you are excited to write about and feel committed to working on over an extended period of time.

Final step…write!

You can start by creating an outline or writing a 1-2 page (double-spaced) topic exploration draft. This can also be called a zero draft or a brain dump. Call it whatever you want to make it less intimidating.

Final Thoughts — College Essay Brainstorming

Brainstorming college essay ideas doesn’t have to be overly stressful or intimidating. If you do it right, it can actually be (dare we say) low-stress and enlightening.

Want to work with one of College Transitions’ highly skilled essay coaches? Click here to see available packages or schedule a free consultation.

Need more resources? You might consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• UC Essay Examples
• 150 Journal Prompts
• How to Start a College Essay
• How to End a College Essay
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• Best College Essay Help
• College Essay

Kelsea Conlin

Kelsea holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Tufts University, a graduate certificate in College Counseling from UCLA, and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her short fiction is forthcoming in Chautauqua .

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The Writing Process

Making expository writing less stressful, more efficient, and more enlightening, search form, you are here.

• Step 1: Generate Ideas

Brainstorming

"It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to always be right by having no ideas at all." —Edward de Bono

Most people have been taught how to brainstorm, but review these instructions to make sure you understand all aspects of it.

• Don't write in complete sentences, just words and phrases, and don't worry about grammar or even spelling;
• Again, do NOT judge or skip any idea, no matter how silly or crazy it may initially seem; you can decide later which ones are useful and which are not, but if you judge now, you may miss a great idea or connection;
• Do this for 15, 20, or (if you're on a roll) even 30 minutes--basically until you think you have enough material to start organizing or, if needed, doing research.

Below is a sample brainstorm for an argument/research paper on the need for a defense shield around the earth:

Photo: "Brainstorm" ©2007 Jonathan Aguila

How to Brainstorming Essays with 100+ Ideas in 2024

Anh Vu • 03 April, 2024 • 8 min read

We have all been there. Teachers assign us an essay due next week. We tremble. What should we write about? What problems to tackle? Would the essay be original enough? So, how do we brainstorming essays ?

It's like you are venturing into an unexplored abyss. But fret not, because making a brainstorm for essay writing can actually help you plan, execute and nail that A+

Here's how to brainstorm for essays ...

Table of Contents

Engagement tips with ahaslides.

• What is brainstorming?
• Write ideas unconsciously
• Draw a mind map
• Get on Pinterest
• Try a Venn Diagram
• Use a T-Chart
• Online tools
• More AhaSlides Tools
• 14 brainstorming rules to Help You Craft Creative Ideas in 2024
• 10 brainstorm questions for School and Work in 2024

Easy Brainstorm Templates

Get free brainstorming templates today! Sign up for free and take what you want from the template library!

What is Brainstorming?

Every successful creation starts with a great idea, which is actually the hardest part in many cases.

Brainstorming is simply the free-flowing process of coming up with ideas. In this process, you come up with a whole bunch of ideas without guilt or shame . Ideas can be outside of the box and nothing is considered too silly, too complex, or impossible. The more creative and free-flowing, the better.

The benefits of brainstorming can surprise you:

• Increases your creativity : Brainstorming forces your mind to research and come up with possibilities, even unthinkable ones. Thus, it opens your mind to new ideas.
• A valuable skill: Not just in high school or college, brainstorming is a lifelong skill in your employment and pretty much anything that requires a bit of thought.
• Helps organise your essay : At any point in the essay you can stop to brainstorm ideas. This helps you structure the essay, making it coherent and logical.
• It can calm you: A lot of the stress in writing comes from not having enough ideas or not having a structure. You might feel overwhelmed by the hoards of information after the initial research. Brainstorming ideas can help organise your thoughts, which is a calming activity that can help you avoid stress.

Essay brainstorming in an academic setting works a bit differently than doing it in a team. You'll be the only one doing the brainstorming for your essay, meaning that you'll be coming up with and whittling down the ideas yourself.

Learn to use idea board to generate ideas effectively with AhaSlides

Here are five ways to do just that...

Brainstorming Essays - 5 Ideas

Idea #1 - write ideas unconsciously.

In " Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking ," Malcolm Gladwell points out how our unconscious is many times more effective than our conscious in decision-making.

In brainstorming, our unconscious can differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information in a split second. Our intuition is underrated. It can often produce better judgments than a deliberate and thoughtful analysis as it cuts through all the irrelevant information and focuses on just the key factors. 

Even if the ideas you come up with in essay brainstorming seem insignificant, they might lead you to something great later. Trust yourself and put whatever you think of on paper; if you don't focus on self-editing, you may come up with some ingenious ideas.

That's because writing freely can actually negate writer's block and help your unconscious run wild!

Idea #2 - Draw a Mind Map

Brains love visual communication and mind maps are exactly that.

Our thoughts rarely arrive in easily digestible chunks; they're more like webs of information and ideas that extend forward at any given time. Keeping track of these ideas is tough, but manifesting them all in a mind map can help you get more ideas and both understand and retain them better.

To draw an effective mind map, here are some tips:

• Create a central idea : In the middle of your paper draw a central topic/idea which represents the starting point of your essay and then branch out to different arguments. This central visual will act as visual stimulus to trigger your brain and remind you constantly about the core idea.
• Add keywords : When you add branches to your mind map, you will need to include a key idea. Keep these phrases as brief as possible to generate a greater number of associations and keep space for more detailed branches and thoughts.
• Highlight branches in different colours : Coloured pen is your best friend. Apply different colours to each key idea branch above. This way, you can differentiate arguments.
• Use visual signifiers : Since visuals and colours are the core of a mind map, use them as much as you can. Drawing small doodles works great because it mimics how our mind unconsciously arrives at ideas. Alternatively, if you're using an online brainstorming tool , you can real images and embed them in.

Idea #3 - Get on Pinterest

Believe it or not, Pinterest is actually a pretty decent online brainstorming tool. You can use it to collect images and ideas from other people and put them all together to get a clearer picture of what your essay should talk about.

For example, if you're writing an essay on the importance of college, you could write something like Does college matter? in the search bar. You might just find a bunch of interesting infographics and perspectives that you never even considered before.

Save that to your own idea board and repeat the process a few more times. Before you know it, you'll have a cluster of ideas that can really help you shape your essay!

Idea #4 - Try a Venn Diagram

Are you trying to find similarities between two topics? Then the famous Venn diagram technique could be the key, as it clearly visualises the characteristics of any concept and shows you which parts overlap.

Popularised by British Mathematician John Venn in the 1880s, the diagram traditionally illustrates simple set relationships in probability, logic, statistics, linguistics and computer science.

You start by drawing two (or more) intersecting circles and labelling each one with an idea you're thinking of. Write the qualities of each idea in their own circles, and the ideas they share in the middle where the circles intersect.

For example, in the student debate topic Marijuana should be legal because alcohol is , you can have a circle listing the positives and negatives of marijuana, the other circle doing the same for alcohol, and the middle ground listing the effects they share between them.

Idea #5 - Use a T-Chart

This brainstorming technique works well to compare and contrast, thanks to the fact that it's super simple.

All you have to do is write the title of the essay at the top of your paper then split the rest of it into two. On the left side, you'll write about the argument for and on the right side, you'll write about the argument against .

For example, in the topic Should plastic bags be banned? you can write the pros in the left column and the cons in the right. Similarly, if you're writing about a character from fiction, you can use the left column for their positive traits and the right side for their negative traits. Simple as that.

💡 Need more? Check out our article on How to Brainstorm Ideas Properly !

Online Tools to Brainstorm for Essays

Thanks to technology, we no longer have to rely on just a piece of paper and a pen. There are a plethora of tools, paid and free, to make your virtual brainstorming session easier...

• Freemind is a free, downloadable software for mind mapping. You can brainstorm an essay using different colours to show which parts of the article you're referring to. The color-coded features keep track of your essays as you write.
• MindGenius is another app where you can curate and customise your own mind map from an array of templates.
• AhaSlides is a free tool for brainstorming with others. If you're working on a team essay, you can ask everyone to write down their ideas for the topic and then vote on whichever is their favourite.
• Miro is a wonderful tool for visualising pretty much anything with a lot of moving parts. It gives you an infinite board and every arrow shape under the sun to construct and align the parts of your essay.

More AhaSlides Tools to Make your Brainstorming Sessions Better!

• Use AhaSlides Live Word Cloud Generator to gather more ideas from your crowds and classrooms!
• Host Free Live Q&A to gain more insights from the crowd!
• Gamify engagement with a spin the wheel ! It's a fun and interactive way to boost participation
• Instead of boring MCQ questions, learn how to use online quiz creator now!
• Random your team to gain more fun with AhaSlides random team generator !

Final Say on Brainstorming Essays

Honestly, the scariest moment of writing an essay is before you start but brainstorming for essays before can really make the process of writing an essay less scary. It's a process that helps you burst through one of the toughest parts of essay and writing and gets your creative juices flowing for the content ahead.

💡 Besides brainstorming essays, are you still looking for brainstorming activities? Try some of these !

Tips to Engage with Polls & Trivia

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6 Creative Ways to Brainstorm an Essay

The process of brainstorming destroys the barriers to creativity and allows us to generate ideas, find solutions quickly, and do our best work. Brainstorming helps you deal with much of the uncertainty and anxiety around essay writing.  The following list of brainstorming methods includes both individual and group approaches  that can be applied to choosing an essay pro mpt, developing an essay prompt, establishing a writing approach, and anything else your creative mind can conjure.

Individual Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming may give rise to images of groups shooting ideas back and forth. However, you don’t need anyone else to brainstorm with the following techniques. Note: these techniques are not limited to individuals; they will also work in groups.

The word storm technique is about creating groups of word clouds so you can visualize an idea or encourage the process of creative writing to begin. Feel free to use a whiteboard and a marker or a pen and paper. Start with a simple word in the middle of the sheet or board (usually, the one describing the topic of your essay best) and use association to come up with any other word related to it. Finally, group these together based on some connection between them.

Mind Mapping

Another way to use associations and organize ideas is by mind mapping. This works better than lists as it emphasizes the visual element, which is proven to help us remember better. Start with a single word/idea again and imagine that any other word you write connected to it is the branch of a tree. This is especially useful with complex essay topics, which you can break down into easy to follow steps.

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Group brainstorming techniques.

While all of the previous methods can work for either individual or group brainstorming, these next techniques work best with more than one person.

Brain Writing

Gather 2 or more people together and present to them the same problem (the topic of the essay). Each individual will write an idea on a piece of paper or index card. Then everyone passes the index card to their left or right.

After receiving another’s card, you add a comment or improvement to the idea directly below it. Continue this until everyone has commented on each card. After one or more sessions, collect all ideas and write them on a whiteboard. Let the discussion ensue.

Rapid Ideation

Rapid ideation is an intensive session of idea generation that can produce massive results. Experts in all fields have used it to think of big ideas in a short amount of time, and it might be what you’re looking for to proceed with writing your essay. There are many methods connected to this approach, such as SCAMPER (the technique that uses action verbs to help the idea generation process) and gamestorming (for those interested in gamification).

Figure Storming

Figure storming is an unusual technique that involves thinking of a person from history that all people in the group know and trying to figure out what that person would do to solve the problem you’re discussing. This method encourages individuals to explore outside perspectives in a new, fun way.

Brain Netting

Brain netting, a fancy name for online brainstorming, allows a group of people located in different parts of the world to collaborate (which brings extra opinions and resources to the table). The principles of any other brainstorming session are the same, except you are drawing from a larger and more diverse set of people. There are a wide variety of tools at your disposal such as Google Docs. Get connected and get creative.

Brainstorming is a crucial element in the process of writing a good essay. It is the foundation from which you construct your narrative. Use the above techniques to facilitate your creative process and distinguish yourself from the large pools of essays in your classroom or your admissions process. If you are still struggling with your essay, check out our deconstruction of the notorious Costco Essay that got one student into 5 Ivy League schools.

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College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start

Bonus Material: College Essay Brainstorming Questions  

The college essay is an extremely important component of your college application. Yes, college admissions officers do care about standardized test scores, academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.

All of these application components can help officers assess a student’s academic and professional potential (and much more).

The college application essay, however, gives students a chance to share their unique voice with an admissions officer. It’s like a brief interview, where students can give officers a powerful glimpse of who they are outside of their application in roughly 650 words.

So what do you say in those 650 words? How do you pick the right essay topic?

It’s all about the brainstorming process. In general, the more time you can devote to gathering potential essay topics  before  you start writing, the better. Gathering this material can also be helpful for writing supplemental essays down the road.

In this post, we provide actionable tips for guiding your college essay brainstorming process. After reading this article, students will be well poised to gather topics and eventually select the “right” essay topic .

We also give students access to 30 free college essay brainstorming questions to get started. Grab these below.

Download College Essay Brainstorming Questions

Here’s what we cover:

The Importance of College Essay Brainstorming

• 8 College Essay Brainstorming Tips
• Bonus : 30 College Essay Brainstorming Questions

We define the college essay as a “demonstration of character, values, and/or voice.” It is an introspective, personal essay that (ideally) adds significant value to a student’s overall application.

Many students are not well-versed in writing this kind of essay. Indeed, most students are familiar with the concept of the academic essay, with its neat five paragraphs. Very few have had a lot of time in high school classrooms to write deeply reflective pieces, and concise ones at that. (Remember: you only have 650 words or fewer to craft your response!)

That’s why brainstorming is so essential  to the college essay writing process. It’s your key to pinpointing the right topic, which we define as one with the potential to generate an essay that aligns with these 7 winning qualities .

It can also be valuable for gathering potential topics for supplemental essay responses, which many competitive colleges require.

For these very reasons, we spend a significant amount of time brainstorming in our college essay mentoring programs and summer workshops. Students who are able to gather a lot of material in this time tend to have an easier job down the road choosing the right topic, creating an outline, and eventually writing that first draft.

What’s more, they might surprise themselves in what they are able to pull from their many life experiences! It’s not uncommon for an essay student to choose a certain topic they never would have considered prior to brainstorming.

The tips outlined in the next section reflect this great value of brainstorming, and are the same we offer our college essay students at the start of their process.

8 College Essay Brainstorming Tips

Don’t let that blank page intimidate you! Follow these tips to guide your brainstorming process and remember that this stage should and will take time.

1. Know the standards

Students should feel very comfortable with colleges’ general expectations for the essay  before  they start brainstorming. If you haven’t done so already, please check out the following PrepMaven posts:

• What is the College Essay?

7 Qualities of a Successful College Essay

• 11 College Essays That Worked
• What College Admissions Officers Look For

It can also be helpful to review the Common Application’s essay prompts . While students don’t necessarily have to respond to a  specific  prompt, these provide insight into the type of essay colleges are seeking.

2. No topic is “too small” (but some are “too big”)

Students only have 650 words (or fewer) to write their essays. That’s not a lot of space! For this reason, don’t shy away from seemingly “small” topics as you brainstorm.

One student who earned Ivy League acceptance, for example, wrote about her passion for hot sauce in her college essay!

On the same note, if you come up with “big” topics, such as cultural identity, a long-term extracurricular activity, or a religious belief, do your best to highlight specific components of these topics, or one representative experience. The best college essays don’t say everything there is to say about such large topics. Rather, they focus skillfully on one smaller component of a potentially bigger picture.

3. Write down all the details for every topic

When you land upon a topic, mine it for details. Write down everything you can think of about that experience, idea, or memory. Many of our students like to use bulleted lists in a Google Doc for doing this.

It’s important to squeeze out every possible detail so that you can fully assess a topic’s potential! In many cases, such details will become college essay topics themselves.

4. Work by category

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the possible topics out there–and don’t worry, this is common–gather ideas by category. Here are some sample category examples:

• Travel experiences
• Extracurricular activities
• Family life
• Culture and heritage
• Interests and hobbies
• Challenges (non-academic)

Categories can help you build a general portrait of who you are, at least to start. Once you have a few ideas per category, start diving deeper into those ideas and generating further details about each one.

5. Ask the right questions

It is often easier for students to generate a rich pool of potential topics by answering questions designed to encourage deep reflection and introspection. Of course, this begs the question: what should I be asking myself?

Take a look at these 30 questions  we ask our students in our college essay workshops and mentorship programs at the beginning of their process.

Once you’ve answered these questions fully and to the best of your ability, you’ll be poised for essay topic selection.

6. Keep it to yourself, mostly

Many college essay students risk writing about what their parents, friends, or teachers want them to write about. Others risk writing “what colleges want to hear.” Yet authenticity is one of the most important qualities of a successful college essay!

That’s why we encourage students to brainstorm independently. You are the only one in the world most familiar with your life experiences, after all! Consult family members, friends, or mentors only once you are further along in the essay writing process, or if you need clarification on the details of a specific experience. This will ensure you gather topics that are true to you first and foremost.

7. Maintain orderly notes

Brainstorming can be messy. Establish a system early on for maintaining orderly notes! Some tools that can come in handy:

• Bulleted or numbered lists
• Index cards
• Color-coding (digital or manual)
• Google Docs

8. Consider takeaways for each topic

As you compile topics, save time and start thinking in terms of “takeaways” for each. This will allow you to assess a topic’s potential for demonstrating your character, values, and/or voice.

Ask yourself for each topic : What values does this showcase? What does this say about me specifically? What meaningful reflections does it invite? What aspect of my voice is apparent here?

Download 30 College Essay Brainstorming Questions

You can jumpstart your college essay brainstorming process right now by downloading our college essay brainstorming questions.

With this free download, you’ll get:

• 30 of the best brainstorming questions we ask our students
• Guidance for next steps

Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Generate Topic Ideas For an Essay or Paper | Tips & Techniques

Published on November 17, 2014 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023 by Shona McCombes.

If you haven’t been given a specific topic for your essay or paper , the first step is coming up with ideas and deciding what you want to write about. Generating ideas is the least methodical and most creative step in academic writing .

There are infinite ways to generate ideas, but no sure-fire way to come up with a good one. This article outlines some tips and techniques for choosing a topic – use the ones that work best for you.

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Table of contents

Understanding the assignment, techniques for generating topic ideas, tips for finding a good idea, other interesting articles.

First, you need to determine the scope of what you can write about. Make sure you understand the assignment you’ve been given, and make sure you know the answers to these questions:

• What is the required length of the paper (in words or pages)?
• What is the deadline?
• Should the paper relate to what you’ve studied in class?
• Do you have to do your own research and use sources that haven’t been taught in class?
• Are there any constraints on the subject matter or approach?

The length and deadline of the assignment determine how complex your topic can be. The prompt might tell you write a certain type of essay, or it might give you a broad subject area and hint at the kind of approach you should take.

This prompt gives us a very general subject. It doesn’t ask for a specific type of essay, but the word explain suggests that an expository essay is the most appropriate response.

This prompt takes a different approach to the same subject. It asks a question that requires you to take a strong position. This is an argumentative essay that requires you to use evidence from sources to support your argument.

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Getting started is often the hardest part. Try these 3 simple strategies to help get your mind moving.

Talk it out

Discussing ideas with a teacher, friend or fellow student often helps you find new avenues to approach the ideas you have and helps you uncover ideas you might not have considered.

Write down as many ideas as you can and make point form notes on them as you go. When you feel you’ve written down the obvious things that relate to an idea, move on to a new one, or explore a related idea in more depth.

You can also cluster related ideas together and draw connections between them on the page.

This strategy is similar to brainstorming, but it is faster and less reflective. Give yourself a broad topic to write about. Then, on a pad of paper or a word processor, write continuously for two or three minutes. Don’t stop, not even for a moment.

Write down anything that comes to mind, no matter how nonsensical it seems, as long as it somehow relates to the topic you began with. If you need to, time yourself to make sure you write for a few minutes straight.

When you’ve finished, read through what you’ve written and identify any useful ideas that have come out of the exercise.

Whichever strategy you use, you’ll probably come up with lots of ideas, but follow these tips to help you choose the best one.

Don’t feel you need to work logically

Good ideas often have strange origins. An apple fell on Isaac Newton’s head, and this gave us the idea of gravity. Mary Shelley had a dream, and this gave us her famous literary classic, Frankenstein .

It does not matter how you get your idea; what matters is that you find a good one.

Work from general to specific

Your first good idea won’t take the form of a fully-formed thesis statement . Find a topic before you find an argument.

You’ll need to think about your topic in broad, general terms before you can narrow it down and make it more precise.

Maintain momentum

Don’t be critical of your ideas at this stage – it can hinder your creativity. If you think too much about the flaws in your ideas, you will lose momentum.

Creative momentum is important: the first ten in a string of related ideas might be garbage, but the eleventh could be pure gold. You’ll never reach the eleventh if you shut down your thought process at the second.

Let ideas go

Don’t get too attached to the first appealing topic you think of. It might be a great idea, but it also might turn out to be a dud once you start researching and give it some critical thought .

Thinking about a new topic doesn’t mean abandoning an old one – you can easily come back to your original ideas later and decide which ones work best.

Choose a topic that interests you

A bored writer makes for boring writing. Try to find an idea that you’ll enjoy writing about, or a way to integrate your interests with your topic.

In the worst case scenario, pick the least boring topic of all of the boring topics you’re faced with.

Keep a notepad close

Good ideas will cross your mind when you least expect it. When they do, make sure that you can hold onto them.

Many people come up with their best ideas just before falling asleep; you might find it useful to keep a notepad by your bed.

Once you’ve settled on an idea, you’ll need to start working on your thesis statement and planning your paper’s structure.

If you find yourself struggling to come up with a good thesis on your topic, it might not be the right choice – you can always change your mind and go back to previous ideas.

Write a thesis statement Make an essay outline

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If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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How to Brainstorm

Last Updated: February 21, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW . Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR). This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 639,480 times.

Brainstorming is one of the most common types of informal idea invention. Brainstorming comes in handy in many situations where creative, cognitive thinking is required. Whether you're coming up with an idea for a new product for your business or you want to come up with a concept for your next oil painting, this wikiHow article can help you get those creative juices flowing.

Creating Your Road Map

• Do you want to brainstorm for your business?
• Are you trying to make a big decision or life change?
• Are you trying to come up with an idea for your next work of art?
• Maybe you're trying to come up with an idea for an article you have to write?

• For example, do you need to keep to a certain budget?
• Do you need to use only certain materials?
• Does the project need to be done by a certain time?
• Do you need to do more research to better understand the needs and limitations of the project?

• For example, with an art project, we might assume that people are looking for a particular color scheme that fits with the theme of a gallery show.
• For a business project, we might assume that customers are wanting a particular something that our competitor's product does not provide.
• If you are focusing on making a life change, list out the things you want to change and why. This may help you get to the heart of what you really want or need.

• What kind of tools do you have to use?
• What materials or people have you not made use of in a long time?
• What was something you tried last year and how could it be better?
• Ask others for their opinions.

Getting Inspiration

• Try having a healthy snack, catch up with a coworker, or do a quick chore (such as cleaning up your mess from dinner).

• If you're brainstorming with other people, you might need to remind some people to keep negative opinions to themselves until the brainstorming activity is done.
• Try to frame your brainstorming as your time to collect new ideas and materials. You can and should sort through them later, but allow your brainstorming time to be dedicated simply to taking them in.

Brainstorming Techniques

• http://ideagenerator.creativitygames.net/

• Why do I want to paint with oils?
• Why does my customer want this product?
• You can even incorporate these questions into your mind map. You won't have all the answers yet because you're just starting your project, but you will be able to chart your thoughts.

Expert Q&A

• Try brainstorming with a friend or peer. They might have different ideas and your collaboration could end up with the perfect result and you could help them too. If you work well together, keep doing it. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Save your brainstorming papers, as you never know when you may need them. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Play the imagination game in your free time. Look at something and try to associate something else with it. And then something else with the second thing. For example, apple → banana → banana-peel → comedy → funny → clown → circus → lion, and so on! Let's play. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

• Brainstorming is not guaranteed to break the toughest writers' block , but it should give you a mental warm-up and an idea of where you are going with your writing process. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Brainstorming can be very frustrating at times, so remember to take a break every so often. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/03/05/4-steps-to-successful-brainstorming/#7f8a19325992
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_your_work_environment_influences_your_creativity
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/201704/how-do-work-breaks-help-your-brain-5-surprising-answers
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-teen-doctor/201811/8-secrets-handling-criticism-well
• ↑ https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/writing-center/wilmer-writing-center-online-writing-lab/drafting-a-document/freewriting/

About This Article

To brainstorm ideas, spend some time free-writing to get your idea juices flowing. If you're not sure what to write about, ask yourself questions that relate to the topic you're brainstorming about, and then try to answer them. Alternatively, you can make a mind map but writing down an idea and then branching off from it by writing down any other ideas that come to mind when you look at it. Whichever brainstorming method you use, always keep your end goal in mind so you don't get sidetracked. To learn how to get inspired while you're brainstorming, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The International Student Blog

How to brainstorm when writing an essay.

Learning to speak English as a second language is not easy- especially when introduced to idioms like “who spilled the beans” or “she let the cat out of the bag.” If you’re trying to write an essay and keep hearing that you need to first “brainstorm” this idiom might be keeping you from putting paper to pen.

Brainstorming is simply when you stop to think about the topic you will be writing about, then write down each idea or though that comes to mind. When writing your essay you must be deliberate with the way you roll out information. However, before you even begin that first draft, the time in which you’re gathering your thoughts, you should write or type as quickly as possible to jot down each thought that comes to mind.

To brainstorm when writing an essay there are two ways you can approach the brainstorming process depending on which you feel will be more beneficial for you.

1. Fill the Page Grab a pen and paper or your computer and start writing. Any key words or sentences that pop into your mind you should add to your paper. This process might get messy but it’s an effective way to quickly gather your thoughts without the pressure of creating an actual draft.

2. Stay Organized If the idea of throwing your thoughts onto paper makes you cringe or draw a blank mind- don’t worry. There are a few more “orderly” ways that you can brainstorm- using a diagram can help you quickly gather your thoughts but also keep them organized at the same time. Here are two diagrams commonly used when brainstorming:

Venn Diagram: Most students don’t use a Venn diagram on a daily basis but it can be helpful when brainstorming. If you’ve never used a Venn diagram for the purpose of brainstorming, here’s an example: Perhaps you have an essay in which you’re addressing the benefits vs. the harmful effects of Styrofoam. You could then title the left circle “benefits” and the right circle “harmful effects” the middle shape would then be able to include each item that is not specifically a positive or a negative to Styrofoam- each thought that falls somewhere in the middle. After your diagram is labeled you can then list items that below in each category.

Spider Diagram: When creating a spider diagram start by writing down 3-5 key topics that you want your essay to include. Once again using the Stryofoam essay example, perhaps you would write down “Non-biodegradable,” “Cheap to produce,” and “Useful material.” After you have your main topics that you wish to cover you can branch off of those topics with supporting ideals- and maybe even link your key topics together. In the end, it should resemble a spider web.

Collecting Ideas

After you have brainstormed it’s then time to turn your thoughts into your essay . Read through your thoughts and establish where each will fit within your essay. Your essay should include the following parts:

• Introduction
• 1st body (strongest support)

Your brainstorming session then allows you to create an outline using each thought you want to convey in your essay. You’re now ready to view essay samples and start writing!

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 9th, 2015 at 8:40 am and is filed under International Student , Study in the USA . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site.

Written by Bryanna Davis

Bryanna joined EIC in 2011 after returning to the United States from teaching English in China. Her interest in international education, sparked initially by her own study abroad experience in Wales, led her to the company. Bryanna is originally from Missouri and is a graduate from the University of Central Missouri.

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15 Responses to “How to Brainstorm when Writing an Essay”

I like the “organized” approach. The idea of throwing different thoughts onto a paper also sounds reasonable, but for me this would make the whole process very slow. I usually start my work with thinking about a general idea – the basic thing which I am going to support or argue. Then I build all my smaller thoughts around this basic idea. It usually helps to speed up the writing process.

this really helped me a lot thank you

French teacher , it was so usefull

Great! Thank you for the comment!

Nicely done. Superb!

Thanks for reading!

This helped me sooo much, I have a very very hard time focusing, so my mom and teacher thought it would be better to get a fidget spinner or something like that, what do you expect im only a freshman who is 14 It’s very hard to focus in high school.

Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for the comment!

Glad to help!

Hello there, You’ve done an incredible job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this website.

Hi Marni! We’re so glad you enjoyed this blog post. For more helpful essay writing tips, you should check out our Essay Writing Center !

This post is very helpful.

Hi Francisca! We’re glad to see that you found this post helpful. For more tips and tricks, check out our Essay Writing Center .

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I was taught the topic of an essay is like a “how” question. “How has VR Technology evolved since its creation?” “How does The Great Gatsby represent the failure of the American Dream?” Once you have the headline, you can start turning out pages like a printer. The tricky part is finding the right question to ask.

While I don’t have a comprehensive list of essay topics for every subject, I do have a list of tactics for coming up with your own! I’ve used several of these methods myself and can’t praise them enough. If you don’t know where to start, pick a tactic and prepare to write!

Write What Speaks to You

The best essays come from the heart. For a topic you’ll feel invested in, write about what you know or what you’d like to know. If you have experience or a unique view on the subject, put it in the spotlight. This gives your essay credibility since you have the inside scoop.

Even if you’re not particularly acquainted with the subject, you should try to write yourself into your essay. This assures that you’re doing more than just regurgitating another person’s research. Just be aware that the word “I” is often illegal in the essay world. Instead, incorporate yourself by bringing new evidence to the table, or making new connections.

If you can’t think of anything to add to the subject, ask yourself what stands out. Do you have an unanswered question? What about the subject bothered or intrigued you? Have an opinion! Say a book you were assigned pushes a theme throughout the reading that you strongly disagree with. This could make for a unique and interesting argumentative essay you’ll feel personally engaged in. As a bonus, if you feel passionate about your topic, the reader (aka your teacher with the grading pen) will feel it too!

Forget What You Know

This tactic throws the one above out the window. Instead of writing what you know or what is commonly known about the subject, flip it on its head. Look at things from a different perspective. What’s often ignored about the subject? How might someone other than a bored student forced to write an essay view it? You’re not dictated to take a certain stance. Rid of your biases and be open to exploring new points of view.

Search for Context

There’s often more to a story than what’s been told. For example, in history class, we’re given the highlights. There were other playwrights than Shakespeare! Hitler might have been a professional painter if he had passed the entrance exam to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. We miss out on much of the story if we only focus on what we’re taught.

Taking things out of context can also affect how we perceive the subject. Reading a classic, such as To Kill a Mockingbird , you may not understand the weight of its themes or the effect it had on society taken out of the time it was written and placed among modern works and clones.

When you’re assigned a subject, dive deeper. Ask the important questions. What’s the background on the subject and why are you expected to write an essay on it? You’ll find the crazier stories and lesser-known facts are often left out of the textbooks.

Jot it Down

If you’ve been staring at a blank page for the past hour, it’s time to switch things up. Try freewriting (a.k.a. writing without constraint). As soon as something pops into your head, put it down on paper. It doesn’t matter if it’s useful or if it even makes sense.

You can also make a mind map. Start with the subject in a bubble in the middle. Branch off into new bubbles by making connections or using word association. For example, break a book into themes, characters, relationships, etc.

If you’d rather jump into action, start writing a rough draft. Develop your focus as you go, simply writing about the subject as you know it. Sure, it will be garbage, but you might find a diamond in the rough! Form a topic based on what you’re drawn to while writing about the subject. At the very least, you’ll know what you need to research.

The only restraint you should put on yourself is to stick to a single subject. Focus on narrowing it down and exploring it deeper!

Unconventional Brainstorming

Sometimes it takes stepping out of the box to free your creativity. If you feel under pressure of coming up with the perfect topic, try writing a list of bad ideas instead. This utilizes reverse psychology, and soon you’ll be coming up with more good ideas than bad. Ask questions, such as: “how have my views of the subject changed since being exposed to it in class?” You can also try focusing on what you want the reader to get out of your essay. This helps you set the tone and know what to look for in a topic.

Apply an Abstract Noun

Applying an abstract noun to a subject opens up new ideas to explore. For example, how does the subject address fear, love, or freedom? This method is especially useful in book reflections. Instead of writing a general summary of the book, you’re questioning the deeper meaning of the work and having the reader reflect on what they’ve read. Abstract nouns focus down on a single element of the subject and make for a deeper, more focused essay.

Sure, you could just google essay topics. That is if you want something overused and that you’ll struggle to stay awake while writing. Instead, enter a few keywords and let Google autofill in ideas. You can also type in one of those abstract nouns you came up with in with the subject for unique search results. You might find discussions that have already been made on the matter, which you can use as research for your essay. This is a quick way to find research and an amazing topic idea at the same time!

Two heads are better than one. If your friend’s also struggling to come up with a concept, have a group discussion. Get together and simply talk about the subject. Maybe they know something you don’t. Start an argument and pick sides. You might find inspiration through your opposing or shared viewpoints.

Take a Break

While it might seem counterintuitive, partaking in mindless activities helps stimulate creativity. It also gives your mental batteries a chance to recharge. Your mind can go blank if you stare at a project for too long. Focusing on something else, an idea might find its own way into your head.

Go with the Generic

If you can’t think of anything original and exciting, don’t sweat it. In the end, this is a college essay, not the Declaration of Independence. You can still make it amazing through good research, writing, and a thoughtful perspective.

You have some potential topics. My final tip to you is this: use your third idea. I don’t mean this literally, just that you should go for the less obvious choice. Your first topic is what everyone comes up with. Your second is what more experienced writers might choose. However, your third idea is completely yours.

Using these brainstorming methods, you’re sure to come up with some amazing essay topics. Let’s just hope your writing doesn’t disappoint… but we’ll save that for another article!

https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/4-ways-to-think-of-a-great-essay-idea/#aId=97423547-860d-4adf-aadc-944c3bd04813

https://www.easybib.com/guides/10-tips-to-help-brainstorm-awesome-paper-topic-ideas/

https://www.nysaenet.org/resources1/inviewnewsletter/archives/20111/january2011/inview12011_article8

Bailey Werner

Mild-mannered student by day, writer by night... but typically by day, I’m Bailey Werner, current junior and graphic design major at Fort Hays State University. With a passion for storytelling that stemmed from 3rd grade writing hour, I’ve been crafting worlds and characters as a hobby for over a decade. Now, as a part-time content creator for the school, I’m living out my dream of writing professionally. If I’m not in my room reading, gaming, or making art, you can find me at the lake. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling, and I’ll continue to use my writing skills after graduation, in my work as a graphic designer.

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How to Brainstorm for an Essay

Brainstorming for an essay is an essential stage of gathering ideas for an essay. It is one of the prerequisites how to make the paper well-organized and logically structured. If you are interested in getting some valuable tips for brainstorming essay ideas, read the article presented below.

Brainstorming and How to Do It Properly

Brainstorming is vital when you start writing your paper. It does not matter whether you feel that writing is not your passion or consider yourself a super writer, brainstorming helps in creating a brilliant paper. Generally speaking, brainstorming means generating certain ideas on a given subject in order to sort and choose the main concepts. The result of brainstorming is a number of phrases, words or even concepts that are related to the chosen subject or topic . 

The Process of Brainstorming for an Essay

• You have to get ready for it. Take a pen and a piece of paper or simply turn on your PC as you will have to write down all your ideas and thoughts. Pay attention to your workplace as it plays a crucial role for the process of brainstorming ideas. Thus it has to be comfortable and clean.   
• Setting a deadline is also important. At first, it may seem that if you spend more time on generating ideas, brainstorming will be more effective. However, 20 minutes are usually enough.   
• Focus on your topic or subject and try to write down every thought and idea that comes up in your head. Do not try to organize your ideas and thoughts at this stage. It will only have a negative impact on the process. Plain writing has to be done at this stage.
• After you feel that all your thoughts are written down, go through the list. Now you are free to reorganize all your written ideas and thoughts. Select the most important ideas that can help you write an informative essay. Then you have to structure the selected ideas according to their level of importance.  
• In case you are sure that the list of ideas and thoughts is sufficient for writing an A-grade essay, begin creating an outline of your future paper.

How to Brainstorm for an Essay?

Still do not know how to brainstorm ideas? We can help you with that as there is a number of techniques used for brainstorming. They help to make the writing process easier. Such techniques are usually divided into those used by a team who work on the same topic or by an individual writer who writes a paper on his/her own. The following are some of the popular brainstorming techniques:

• Mapping the mind. The technique organizes your ideas through using pre-generated thoughts. In order to create a mind map, one has to write down the main idea in the center and circle it around. After that, ideas that refer to the main one should be written down in little circles and connected to the main circle. The same should be done with each smaller idea. Mapping the mind helps in framing all your ideas and identifying their connection. 
• Techniques of free writing. While using this method, start writing all your ideas in a free and uncensored way. Stop thinking where your thoughts can lead you. The only task you have to do is to write down everything that comes to your mind. Free writing technique involves writer’s subconsciousness during the creative process.  
• Start asking questions. Asking questions about the topic or subject instead of writing on the topic is another useful technique. Ideas for writing the paper will start generating when you answer all your questions.
• The technique of role storming. Try to imagine that you are a different person. It will help you think about the required topic from a different point of view. Sometimes, such technique can be useful for brainstorming strong ideas.

Even though this article mainly deals with team brainstorming, you may still find some effective strategies of brainstorming for an essay. For example, when gathering ideas for the paper, ask yourself what would make the paper appealing to the audience – and then write a list of ideas that might make the paper interesting. Afterwards, ask yourself where you are heading with the idea and try to collect further ideas for making the topic even more engaging. In this way, the brainstorming strategies work. When brainstorming, be sure not to rely merely on books, articles, and other scholarly sources but also on ideas of other people, so do not be afraid or shy to ask about others’ ideas or opinions. After you have gathered the necessary number of ideas, take a break and then switch over to the process of organizing them into a coherent paper.

Remember that brainstorming for an essay is not about perfection, so do not expect to provide an impeccable draft at first. You may just write the ideas into your notebook even when they seem to be illogical. Once you write them all down, you will be able to draw connections between them and find out how they match the paper topic. Some of them may initially seem silly to you but it does not mean that you should stop and wait for some perfect ideas. On the brainstorming stage, write down everything that comes to your mind.

Five Essay Brainstorming Strategies for Writers

Brainstorming writing is effective when you cannot gather enough ideas for your essay writing or, on the contrary, when you have too many ideas to fit them all and develop them in a paper. With the help of brainstorming, you can get a clear and vivid picture of all ideas you have, you can organize them properly, and also decide which of them are worth consideration and which are not. Still, you should remember one of the core brainstorming methods – not just to evaluate the ideas but also enumerate. Read more about the strategies of brainstorming for students:

Just like the cube has six points, you have to explore the paper topic or central idea from six main perspectives or viewpoints. First, provide a description of the topic and define what it is like. Second, compare it with the other subject areas and pinpoint to the differences and similarities between them. Third, provide associations you have with the topic, i.e. what the topic makes you think of. Fourth, provide the topic analysis, for example, what the topic constitutes of. Fifth, pinpoint to the practical application of the topic. Sixth, provide an argument for or against it, i.e. whether you support the topic or oppose it.

Cubing technique for brainstorming is a kind of critical thinking analysis that was developed for students as a means of expressing their opinions in essays. Still, this strategy can also be adjusted to general writing.

A similar technique to cubing is the one that explores only three perspectives:

• description of the topic, its constituents, challenges, and features, as well as its comparison and contrast with the other topics;
• exploration of the topic background or history (i.e. the topic evolution or development);
• analysis of similar topics or the topics that closely relate to your essay topic.

2. Free writing

This is one of the brainstorming steps that is particularly effective when you do not know where to start or what to write about in general. You just need to write anything that comes to your mind even if you do not know how it sounds. When practicing free writing, make sure you have quantitative goals, for example, to write down ideas without stopping for 3 or 5 minutes or to write 300 or 500 words without a pause, etc. When free writing, do not intend to write everything in a flawless way – in other words, do not pay attention to grammar, punctuation or spelling mistakes – just write.

3. Provide lists

If you are working on an essay or a review, you may also use lists as means of gathering ideas. If you are working on creative writing, such as a story, provide a list of ideas or chapters you would like to include. Sometimes, it can be enough to provide a list of keywords and then return to them – they will serve as a notification for the idea you want to develop. If you are working on some creative fiction story, you may jot down names of people, places, ideas or emotions that will enable you to recall the necessary information in the process of writing.

This brainstorming step is also known as webbing or clustering. Unlike the other brainstorming methods, this brainstorming for writing relates to graphic means of gathering ideas. So, take a board or a piece of paper and list the ideas separately. Afterwards, think of what connections they may have between one another. You may use different colors for grouping ideas, circles, underlining, etc.

The process of producing a map depends on your creativity, original thinking, and design skills. The visual representation of the map may differ but make sure that you list down all the possible ideas for your paper.

5. Researching

After you have got the topic for writing, you might as well gather ideas from researching or reviewing literature. Therefore, be sure to devote yourself sufficient time in order to browse through the online libraries and databases. Pay consideration to both primary and secondary sources. Be sure to outline the key points of the topic you plan to look up further.

If you plan to produce some kind of fiction writing, be sure to investigate more information about the place, where the story would take place, the culture, the country, traditions, etc. If it is a historical novel or story, pay specific attention to history, social structure, and general atmosphere. Pay attention to how people dressed, what transport they used, how they looked overall, etc.

Thesis Brainstorming Techniques for Students

When brainstorming for an essay, it is essential to find out what part of brain is active – right or left.

1. Brainstorming for right brains

When it comes to right-brained thinkers, they find it easier to perceive creatively presented information. For example, they like patterns, shapes, diagrams, and tables more than plain text. So, the best brainstorming technique for right-brain thinkers is mind mapping. Therefore, to start the process, it is necessary to take different stickers, pieces of paper, tape, glue, colored pens, highlighters, etc. The process of brainstorming for right brains takes the shape of an artistic performance.

Start brainstorming ideas by putting the central idea in the center of the paper. Afterwards, write down ideas relating to the central issue or topic. Do not try to follow a specific pattern – just jot down the ideas. If it seems to you that there is nothing to write about, start asking yourself specific questions, such as “what,” “who,” “when,” “why,” and “how.” When you do so, it will be more likely to gather a few more ideas. When you gather ideas, do not worry that you may repeat them – just go on with jotting them down. Only when you feel that your brain is really empty for ideas, you may take a break from writing. It is advisable to take a break after brainstorming and return to the writing process later – you will be surprised how the ideas form in some regular patterns. When you notice that a few ideas are repetitive, highlight them in one color – you will definitely know that these ideas are worth considering for the topic sentences as subtopics. When you notice some other repetitive or related ideas, draw them in the other color. Be sure to come up with a specific pattern and use one color for one group of ideas.

In this way, you will form the basis for the paper. Now you can start crafting a well-organized paper from the bunch of disorganized ideas.

2. Brainstorming for left brains

If you have read the description of the brainstorming above and it made you sweat, then you are definitely not a right-brain thinker. Nothing to worry about – it is just that the above-mentioned brainstorming techniques do not work for you. If you are not comfortable with visuals and the chaos that is brought with them, you need to search for some other brainstorming techniques.

So, start with writing down the title of your paper at the top of a piece of paper. Now think of the three or four major topic constituents that can serve as the main arguments for this paper. These ideas can also be chosen as subtopics. If the ideas are to broad, think of the subtopics and the ways of breaking them into smaller sections.

Provide titles of the subtopics and leave space between them. When gathering ideas for each of subtopic or argument, be sure to list them in a numbered or bullet-pointed list. So far, do not worry about the logical connections and transitions between the ideas and paragraphs. Think of the coherence and logical connections within the paper only after you finish collecting the ideas and take a break from work. When you feel that you have written down all ideas, be sure to take a break and only afterward start working on the smooth and coherent essay. This is actually how you produce an outline for your paper.

3. Brainstorming strategy for everyone

Some students like to use the Venn diagram for organizing ideas and thoughts. To follow this brainstorming strategy, you have to draw two circles that intersect. Each circle should be entitled with the name of the topic/ subject that you would like to compare. Afterward, fill the circles (below the title) with the words relating to the ideas that each of the compared subjects possesses. In the intersecting field, please provide words that refer to the mutual characteristics.

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Brainstorming

Ai generator.

Often, great ideas are the product of great efforts pushed by multiple people under the same group. Brainstorming is a great way to create a team of individuals that can push and create ideas with one another.

What Is a Brainstorming?

Brainstorming is the act of creating or ideating ideas and concepts of a specific topic or with a group of people. This method is a group problem-solving method that creates a conducive environment for the creation of ideas. If you need Brainstorming templates or need a brainstorming checklist you may use any of the links on the list above.

Brainstorming Examples for Students

• Theme Development: Students brainstorm themes for an upcoming school festival, including activities, decorations, and promotional strategies.
• Project Ideas: Brainstorm potential topics for a science fair, considering interests, available resources, and innovative approaches.
• Group Assignments: Generate ideas for a group project in history class, focusing on less-known historical events or figures.
• Essay Writing: Come up with different thesis statements for an English assignment on contemporary social issues.
• Study Techniques: Brainstorm various study methods that cater to different learning styles to improve understanding and retention.
• Club Activities: Develop a list of possible events or activities for a school club, aiming to boost membership and engagement.
• Fundraising Ideas: Generate creative fundraising ideas for a school trip or charity event, considering budget and impact.

Brainstorming Examples for Writing

• Character Development: Brainstorm unique traits, backgrounds, and motivations for a protagonist in a novel.
• Plot Twists: Generate surprising plot twists for a short story to keep readers engaged.
• Setting Exploration: Explore different settings for a fantasy world, including the physical environment, culture, and laws.
• Dialogue Scenarios: Create engaging dialogue exchanges for key scenes in a screenplay.
• Conflict Resolution: Brainstorm various resolutions to a central conflict in a narrative essay.
• Opening Lines: Develop intriguing opening lines that immediately capture the reader’s interest.
• Title Ideas: Generate catchy titles for a series of blog posts related to personal development.

Brainstorming Examples in Business

• Product Innovation: Brainstorm ideas for new products that meet emerging market needs.
• Marketing Strategies: Develop unique marketing strategies for launching a new service.
• Customer Engagement: Generate ideas to increase customer engagement through social media.
• Operational Efficiency: Explore ways to improve operational efficiency in manufacturing.
• Brand Expansion: Discuss potential markets for brand expansion and the strategies to enter them.
• Employee Wellness: Create initiatives to enhance employee wellness and work-life balance.
• Sustainability Practices: Brainstorm sustainable business practices that could be implemented to reduce environmental impact.

Brainstorming Examples for in School

• Interactive Learning: Develop interactive learning activities that can be integrated into various subjects.
• Peer Teaching: Brainstorm methods for implementing peer teaching sessions in math classes.
• Technology Use: Explore innovative ways to incorporate technology in classroom lessons.
• Field Trips: Generate ideas for educational field trips that complement the curriculum.
• Classroom Layout: Discuss different classroom layouts that facilitate active learning.
• Learning Games: Create educational games that can be used to teach complex subjects like chemistry.
• Student Feedback: Brainstorm methods for collecting and using student feedback to improve teaching practices.

Brainstorming Examples for in Real Life

• Home Organization: Brainstorm ways to maximize space and organize a small living area.
• Travel Plans: Generate ideas for budget-friendly travel itineraries.
• Meal Prep: Discuss various meal preparation strategies for busy weekdays.
• Community Events: Brainstorm community event ideas that encourage local participation.
• Personal Goals: Generate a list of achievable personal goals for the year with steps to accomplish them.
• Fitness Routines: Develop fitness routines that can be done at home with minimal equipment.
• Budgeting Techniques: Explore different budgeting techniques to manage personal finances more effectively.

Brainstorming Examples for in Healthcare

• Patient Education: Brainstorm methods to improve patient education on chronic diseases.
• Health Campaigns: Generate ideas for public health campaigns that promote vaccinations.
• Wellness Programs: Discuss wellness program ideas for hospital staff to reduce stress and burnout.
• Technology Integration: Explore ways to integrate new technologies into patient care for better outcomes.
• Community Health: Brainstorm strategies to address health disparities in underserved communities.
• Preventive Measures: Develop preventive measures to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.
• Mental Health: Generate initiatives to enhance mental health services within the community.

How to Brainstorm?

• Define the Problem : Clearly define the problem or challenge at hand. Make sure everyone understands the main focus and the objectives of the brainstorming session.
• Set the Rules : Before starting, establish ground rules. Common rules include withholding criticism, welcoming unusual ideas, combining and improving ideas, and aiming for quantity over quality during the brainstorming phase.
• Warm-Up Session : Conduct a short warm-up exercise to get the creative juices flowing. This can be a simple game or a fun question unrelated to the main topic.
• Idea Generation : Begin the session. Use techniques like mind mapping or free writing to generate ideas. Encourage participants to build on or combine ideas from others.
• Record Ideas : Make sure to capture all ideas without evaluation. Use whiteboards, sticky notes, or digital tools to record everything.
• Encourage Everyone to Participate : Ensure that all participants have the opportunity to contribute. The facilitator should encourage quieter members to share their ideas too.
• Time Management : Keep the session timed to maintain focus and energy. Typical brainstorming sessions last from 15 minutes to an hour.
• Review and Analyze Ideas : Once the brainstorming is complete, group similar ideas, eliminate duplicates, and evaluate the ideas based on the criteria set for the solution.
• Follow-Up : Decide on the next steps. This could involve taking some ideas to a more detailed evaluation phase or assigning tasks for further research.

Tools and Techniques

• Mind Mapping : This involves creating a visual diagram of ideas around a central concept. It helps in visualizing the relationships between ideas.
• Brainwriting : Participants write down their ideas on paper or sticky notes before sharing them with the group. This method can reduce the influence of louder voices and gives time for individual thinking.
• Role Storming : Participants take on different roles or personas and generate ideas from these perspectives. This can unlock new viewpoints and solutions.
• Online Collaboration Tools : Use digital platforms like Miro, Google Jamboard, or Trello for virtual brainstorming sessions. These tools allow remote teams to contribute and visualize ideas synchronously or asynchronously.

Brainstorming Ideas

• Photo Documentary : Start a photo documentary on a local interest, like the evolution of a neighborhood or a community project.
• Short Film : Write and direct a short film based on a local legend or personal story.
• Art Installation : Create an interactive art installation that involves community participation.
• Pop-Up Shop : Launch a pop-up shop to test a business idea, such as eco-friendly products or handmade crafts.
• Subscription Box Service : Start a subscription box service focused on a niche interest, like local artisan foods or DIY craft kits.
• Mobile App : Develop a mobile app that solves a local problem, like finding available parking spots or connecting local freelancers.
• Skill Swap : Organize a community skill swap where people can trade skills like cooking, photography, or coding.
• Meditation Retreat : Plan a weekend meditation retreat that focuses on mindfulness and mental health.
• Language Exchange : Set up a language exchange meet-up to help people learn new languages through conversation.
• Community Garden : Start a community garden to encourage local food production and provide a space for community gathering.
• Recycling Drive : Organize a recycling drive to help educate the community about environmental sustainability.
• Mentoring Program : Establish a mentoring program linking professionals with local students to foster career development.
• Tech Workshops : Conduct workshops on new technologies like blockchain or artificial intelligence for beginners.
• Maker Faire : Host a local maker faire to showcase inventions and DIY projects from the community.
• Hackathon : Organize a hackathon to address local issues like traffic management or public health.
• Fitness Challenge : Start a community fitness challenge to promote health and wellness, with activities suited for all ages.
• Healthy Eating Workshop : Conduct workshops on healthy eating, including cooking demonstrations and nutritional education.
• Yoga in the Park : Organize free yoga sessions in a local park, encouraging physical activity in a peaceful setting.
• Outdoor Movie Nights : Set up a series of outdoor movie nights that feature classic films or local filmmakers.
• Board Game Café : Open a board game café where people can socialize and play a variety of board games.

Why do we Use Brainstorming?

• Idea Generation: Brainstorming encourages the free flow of ideas from all participants, fostering creativity and innovation.
• Problem Solving: It helps groups identify and solve complex problems by leveraging diverse perspectives and approaches.
• Team Building: The collaborative nature of brainstorming can strengthen team cohesion and improve communication among members.
• Overcoming Biases: Brainstorming can help reduce individual biases as ideas are freely shared and collectively refined.
• Flexibility: It adapts to various contexts, whether for business strategy, product development, or academic research.
• Encourages Participation: It ensures everyone has a voice, promoting equal participation among team members.
• Stimulates Critical Thinking: By evaluating and building on ideas, participants enhance their analytical and critical thinking skills.

How does Brainstorming Work?

Brainstorming is a creative group activity designed to generate a broad range of ideas or solutions around a specific problem or topic. During a brainstorming session, participants are encouraged to freely express their thoughts and ideas, no matter how unconventional, without fear of criticism or judgment. This open and inclusive atmosphere helps to foster creativity and can lead to a diverse set of solutions. Typically, the session is guided by a facilitator who ensures that the conversation stays on track and that all participants have an opportunity to contribute. The goal is to collect a wide variety of ideas, which can later be refined and analyzed to determine the most viable solutions.

Types of Brainstorming

Traditional brainstorming.

Traditional brainstorming involves generating ideas freely in a group setting without criticism. Participants are encouraged to think broadly and contribute as many ideas as possible, often building on each other’s suggestions.

Silent Brainstorming

Silent brainstorming, also known as brainwriting, involves participants writing their ideas down privately before sharing them with the group. This method helps to avoid the influence of dominant personalities and encourages contributions from all participants.

Online Brainstorming

Online brainstorming uses digital tools to gather ideas from participants who may be in different locations. This method is particularly useful for remote teams and can include tools like shared documents, specialized brainstorming software, or online whiteboards.

Round Robin Brainstorming

In round robin brainstorming, participants take turns sharing ideas one at a time in a circular fashion. This systematic approach ensures that everyone has a chance to contribute.

Starbursting

Starbursting focuses on generating questions rather than answers. Participants brainstorm questions about the topic, which helps to explore different aspects and ensures a thorough understanding before seeking solutions.

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming involves thinking about the opposite of what you want to solve or improve. For example, instead of brainstorming ways to improve customer satisfaction, you would brainstorm ways to make customer experience worse, and then reverse those ideas to find positive solutions.

Stepladder Technique

The stepladder technique starts with a core group discussing ideas, then gradually introduces additional members one at a time. Each new member adds their ideas before hearing the group’s previously discussed points, allowing fresh perspectives to enter the conversation.

Strategies for Brainstorming

This is the classic approach where all participants gather and share ideas spontaneously. The key principles include:

• No Criticism : All ideas are welcomed without immediate judgment to encourage open communication.
• Quantity Over Quality : The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, refining them later.
• Freewheeling is Welcome : The wilder the idea, the better; it can lead to more creative and innovative solutions.
• Combination and Improvement : Building on others’ ideas can lead to unique and refined solutions.

Brainwriting

Brainwriting involves writing ideas down on paper instead of speaking them out loud. This can be particularly useful for introverted team members. Here’s how it typically works:

• Each participant writes down their ideas on paper.
• Papers are exchanged among the group, and others can build upon or modify the ideas presented.
• After several rounds, the papers are reviewed, and the best ideas are chosen for further discussion.

With the rise of remote work, online brainstorming has become more prevalent. It uses digital tools to mimic traditional brainstorming sessions:

• Digital Whiteboards : Tools like Miro or Microsoft Whiteboard allow participants to post and manipulate ideas visually.
• Collaboration Platforms : Platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams can facilitate brainstorming sessions with features like polls, threads, and shared documents.

In a round-robin session, participants share ideas in a sequential order, ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute:

• Each person in the circle contributes one idea at a time.
• The process continues until ideas are exhausted or time runs out.
• This method ensures that all voices are heard, especially in groups where some members may dominate the conversation.

Starbursting focuses on generating questions rather than answers. This method helps in thoroughly understanding the problem before jumping to solutions:

• The central idea or challenge is placed at the center of a star diagram.
• Each point of the star represents a question about the “what”, “who”, “when”, “where”, “why”, or “how” of the idea.
• This method helps in uncovering aspects of the problem that might not have been considered earlier.

This method involves thinking about what could cause the project or idea to fail, rather than how to make it succeed:

• Participants identify potential problems or failures.
• Solutions are then developed to avoid these pitfalls, effectively strengthening the overall plan.

SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. It is a checklist tool that helps think about a problem or product in different ways:

• Each letter prompts users to think about how they could improve a product, service, or process.
• This method encourages looking at existing elements in new ways.

How to Conduct a Brainstorming Session

A good brainstorming session will brainstorm ideas and have various brainstorming techniques used in the whole session. These sessions can be divided into a couple of days spanning one topic or subject.

1.) Choose a Topic for the Brainstorming Session

Begin by selecting the topic the brainstorming session will tackle. This topic should be a relevant subject, problem, or issue the group needs to discuss. The more complex the topic, the greater the need for a brainstorming session.

2.) Set the Date for the Brainstorming Session and Invite the Right People

After you have selected the topic of the brainstorming session, you will need to set the date when the brainstorming session will occur. You must make sure that the right people are accounted for and will be present during the brainstorming session. This means that you will need to find the best time for the brainstorming session. You may use any brainstorming software or tools to help with the brainstorming method.

3.) Select a Facilitator for the Brainstorming Session

The facilitator may not be the same person who will schedule and start the brainstorming session. If you do not want to be the facilitator and have someone else in mind, ask if they can be the facilitator of the brainstorming session. Just be sure that before the day of the brainstorming session, you have assigned a facilitator to the brainstorming session.

4.) Conduct the Brainstorming Session

When the set day has started, begin the brainstorming session with the group you have invited. Be sure to conduct brainstorming activities and ideation exercises within the brainstorming session. While sharing your ideas, be sure to properly document all the ideas and thoughts brought about by the brainstorming session through a brainstorming report .

5.) Close or Conclude the Brainstorming Session

Finish the brainstorming session and have the facilitator conclude the whole session with a concluding statement. Be sure to wrap up the session and create a call to action based on what was discussed.

What is a Brainstorming Tool?

A brainstorming tool refers to any instrument, software, or methodology that facilitates the brainstorming process. The primary goal of these tools is to enhance creativity, generate ideas, encourage participation, and organize thoughts in a collaborative environment. They can be used in various contexts, such as business planning, educational activities, problem-solving sessions, and creative projects.

Types of Brainstorming Tools

• Mind Mapping Tools : Applications like MindMeister or XMind help users visually organize information, connecting thoughts and ideas around a central concept.
• Idea Management Software : Tools like Miro and Trello allow teams to generate, categorize, and prioritize ideas. They often include features for voting and commenting to facilitate collaborative decision-making.
• Real-time Collaboration Platforms : Software like Microsoft Teams or Zoom can be used for live brainstorming sessions, integrating video conferencing with real-time document editing.
• Whiteboards and Sticky Notes : Traditional tools where participants write ideas on sticky notes and place them on a whiteboard. This method is excellent for visualizing and grouping concepts.
• Flip Charts or Paper Sheets : Often used in face-to-face settings, these tools provide a space for drawing and noting ideas as they are discussed.
• Brainwriting : In this approach, participants write down their ideas on paper or cards before discussing them with the group, reducing the influence of dominant personalities.
• Round Robin : A structured method where each participant contributes one idea at a time in a circular fashion, ensuring everyone has a chance to participate.

Four Rules of Brainstorming

1. withhold criticism.

One of the foundational rules of brainstorming is to withhold any form of criticism. During the brainstorming phase, the goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, regardless of their feasibility or practicality. This rule helps participants feel open to suggesting any and all ideas without fear of judgment or immediate rejection.

2. Welcome Wild Ideas

Encouraging wild and unusual ideas can lead to creative and innovative solutions. By allowing the imagination to run free, participants might stumble upon genius ideas that a conventional approach would never yield. This rule supports the creation of a creative environment where anything is possible.

3. Aim for Quantity

The principle of aiming for quantity over quality in the initial stages of brainstorming is vital. The more ideas generated, the greater the chances of finding a truly effective solution. High volume thinking pushes boundaries and uncovers unexpected solutions.

4. Combine and Improve Ideas

Brainstorming is also about collaboration and building on existing ideas. Participants are encouraged to combine, refine, and improve upon the ideas of others. This not only increases the quality of ideas but also promotes a collaborative team spirit.

What is the golden rule of brainstorming?

There are a couple of golden rules that we should monitor when we are a participant in a brainstorming session. The first rule that should be at the forefront of brainstorming is that all ideas matter and should be considered even if said ideas are bad or small. Everyone participating in the brainstorming session should be open to sharing their ideas and have enough space to create said ideas. The second rule of brainstorming sessions is to find new ways to ideate and create ideas in a specific amount of time. This could include different brainstorming exercises and programs used to refine the ideation process and give space for the person to ideate. The third rule should be to document all the ideas generated by the brainstorming session, even if the idea is shot or brought down. This is because some good ideas may be skimmed or skipped, doing this will ensure that the missed ideas are properly documented and tracked.

Benefits of Brainstorming

• Encourages creative thinking and idea generation.
• Fosters collaboration and team building.
• Helps identify multiple solutions to a problem.
• Promotes open communication and diverse perspectives.
• Reduces the risk of groupthink.
• Enhances problem-solving skills.
• Increases engagement and participation.
• Facilitates a deeper understanding of the topic.
• Provides a platform for all voices to be heard.
• Can lead to innovative and unconventional solutions.

Alternatives to Brainstorming

• Mind Mapping : Visualizing ideas and their connections in a diagram.
• Brainwriting : Writing ideas on paper and then sharing with the group.
• Reverse Brainstorming : Focusing on negatives or opposites of the desired outcome.
• Rapid Ideation : Setting a time limit to generate as many ideas as possible.
• Starbursting : Developing questions instead of answers about the topic.
• The Stepladder Technique : Adding team members to the discussion one at a time.
• Role Storming : Adopting different personas to generate ideas.
• Six Thinking Hats : Using different perspectives, symbolized by colored hats, to explore ideas.

Tips for brainstorming activities

• Set Clear Objectives : Before starting, clearly define the goals and objectives of the brainstorming session.
• Choose the Right Environment : Select a comfortable, distraction-free environment that encourages creativity.
• Establish Ground Rules : Set rules like “no idea is a bad idea” to create a safe space for sharing.
• Encourage Open Communication : Make sure everyone feels comfortable and encourage participants to build on each other’s ideas.
• Use Visual Aids : Utilize whiteboards, sticky notes, or digital tools to visually map out ideas.
• Limit Time : Set a time limit to keep the session focused and productive.
• Diversify the Group : Include participants from various backgrounds to enhance creativity.
• Assign Roles : Designate a moderator to guide the session and a scribe to take notes.
• Warm-Up Activities : Start with a simple exercise to get creative juices flowing.
• Review and Follow Up : Summarize the session’s outcomes and plan steps for implementing the best ideas.

Why is brainstorming important?

Brainstorming encourages diverse ideas, promotes creative solutions, and involves team members in problem-solving.

How do you prepare for a brainstorming session?

Prepare by defining the problem clearly, choosing a diverse group, setting rules, and arranging a conducive environment.

What are the main rules of brainstorming?

Key rules include withholding criticism, welcoming unusual ideas, aiming for quantity over quality, and combining ideas.

What are the best techniques for effective brainstorming?

Techniques include brainwriting, round-robin, starbursting, and the stepladder technique to enhance idea generation.

How long should a brainstorming session last?

Optimal sessions last between 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the issue.

Can brainstorming be done individually?

Yes, solo brainstorming allows for flexibility and uninterrupted idea flow but may lack diverse perspectives.

What tools can enhance a brainstorming session?

Use whiteboards, sticky notes, online collaboration tools, and mind mapping software to boost creativity.

How do you evaluate ideas from a brainstorming session?

Evaluate ideas based on relevance, feasibility, and potential impact, often through follow-up sessions.

What are common mistakes to avoid in brainstorming?

Avoid dominating participants, rushing the process, and overlooking the implementation of feasible ideas.

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How can I develop ideas on the Task 2 essay? 

Trên trang này, relax essay topics are things we all know about , brainstorming techniques , ielts is a language test, not a knowledge test .

Chủ đề được đề cập

“I need to write a 250-word essay. I only have 40 minutes. I can’t search ideas on the internet or ask anyone for help. Are you CRAZY!?” Does this sound like you when preparing for the IELTS writing test? You’re not alone. True, some things are not too hard to learn in writing. There are definitive guides for essay and paragraph structure. Vocabulary can be learned with a little bit of hard work. Grammar just takes practice and paying attention to rules. But then there's content. Content is the information or ideas you include in your writing. So, how can you prepare for ideas in the essay if you don’t know the test question? What if the essay question is about nuclear physics or the history of Rome? How can test-takers deal with this?

According to the IELTS public  scoring guide , to score higher than a 6 in task response, you 'll need a well-developed answer to the question, with well-supported ideas. What does this mean? As you probably know, your writing score will be based on four criteria – Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each one of these requirements is worth 25% of your writing score.

The first criteria, Task Response, is what we're focusing on here. This means, to answer the question well. In other words, explain all parts of the essay question fully, thoroughly, and while staying on topic. Ok, you get my point. So, where do these ideas come from? How do you know what to write? Have a look below for some tips and tricks to help your  5 or 6, turn into a 7 , 8 , or 9 !

IELTS is one of the largest and most well-developed language tests in the world. They have a huge staff who research the best questions to ask on the tests. The questions are chosen because they're topics that 99.9% of people know about. IELTS doesn’t want to ask you a question you can’t answer. They want to ask you something that will allow you to show all the English you know. For example, they would ask you to write about how to eat healthily, but they wouldn’t ask you to write about why eating healthy is essential for people with cancer. They would ask about the benefits of public transportation, but they wouldn’t ask you about why public transportation in Europe is better than Canada.

If you've taken a writing class , you probably know the word brainstorm. A brainstorm, also known as a mind map, is a technique used to get ideas for a piece of writing. The key to success in brainstorming is to open your mind and write down everything you can think of in a short period. For example, if the essay question is: How can people stay warm in winter? On a blank piece of paper, you might write ideas like fireplaces; moving to Florida; wool sweaters; and electric heaters. The critical thing to remember about brainstorming is that any idea is OK. Just write everything you can think of.

Then, after you have all your ideas on paper, do some organizing. Cross-out the crazy ideas, keep the good ideas, then group them into paragraphs. Try it out!

It’s not what you write; it’s how you write it. I've seen some crazy ideas in IELTS essays, and they still received very high marks. The point is, it isn’t your idea alone - it’s how you present the idea. Let’s look a little closer at this. Imagine the essay question is What are the best ways to lose weight?  Then you decide to write three main solutions - eat only bananas; go skydiving every day, and massage your stomach. These sound like really strange ways to lose weight, but as long as you support them with clear and organized examples, you will still meet the requirements for a high score. Let’s look at an example paragraph for the above question.

Eating only bananas every day is a sure way to help overweight people slim down. Firstly, bananas don’t have any salt. This can help reduce inflammation in the stomach. In turn, this helps you digest faster and will lead to more fat loss throughout your body. Second, bananas have a magical power called potassium. This magic element cleans out the tiny fat cells in your muscle tissue by chemically latching on to them. The super-power potassium fat balls travel deeper and deeper into your tissues and…

Looks crazy, doesn’t it? The ideas are not science. However, the response language is very clear and is supported with full examples and full explanations. So, even though it is a crazy idea, it can still receive high marks because it met the criteria.

So, in the end, remember this when you practice the Task 2 writing. The IELTS essay is not a mysterious monster. Start by taking some time to relax and read the question carefully. Do some brainstorming before you start to write. Organize your ideas well into groups. Then explain those ideas using good examples. With some diligent practice writing, and by reviewing some example essays, success will be just around the corner!

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How Much Time Should You Spend on Each Component of Your College Application?

Whats Inside?

What is the importance of balanced time management, what components are involved in the college application timeline.

Applying to college can be difficult because there are so many considerations. Standardized test scores, personal essays, and other parts of your application demand careful attention and significant time. Effective time management is compulsory for submitting a strong application. Sufficient time for each component is vital to improving your academic and personal achievements. 

You can ensure a polished and competitive application by devoting the right amount of time to each aspect. A well-planned approach helps you highlight your strengths and demonstrate your passions and potential. By prioritizing your time wisely, you can confidently present your best self to potential colleges and universities, increasing your chances of acceptance.

The college application process is varied, with each component playing an important role in representing a well-rounded and capable candidate. Effective time management is essential to ensure no part of your application is neglected. According to a 2023 survey by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), 78% of college admissions officers consider time management skills an important quality in applicants.

Understanding how much time to allocate to each component allows you to maximize efficiency and present a strong application. This balanced approach allows you to show your academic achievements, personal growth, and extracurricular activities, ultimately increasing your chances of standing out in a competitive applicant pool.

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By understanding each component's specific requirements and deadlines, students can create a personalized timeline to stay organized and on track. The college application timeline typically includes various components that require careful planning and time management to ensure a successful application submission. 

Standardized Test Preparation

Standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT, often hold significant weight in college admissions. While the exact time commitment can vary based on individual needs and goals, it's generally recommended to begin preparing well in advance. SAT Tutoring can help you improve your scores efficiently through test preparation, making it an essential aspect of the college application. 

Many students benefit from enrolling in SAT Tutoring programs several months to a year before their desired test date. Consistent practice and familiarity with the test format are key to achieving optimal scores. Additionally, if necessary, students should factor in time for retakes, as many colleges consider the highest score obtained.

Preparing Your Essay

The personal essay demonstrates your personality, experiences, and aspirations to the admissions committee. Allocate 1-2 weeks for brainstorming topics, 3-4 weeks for drafting, and 2-3 weeks for revisions. Seek teacher, mentor, or editor feedback to ensure a clear, compelling, and error-free essay highlighting your strengths.

Gathering Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation provide valuable insight into your academic abilities and character. Request them from teachers and mentors 2-3 months in advance. Spend 1-2 weeks identifying and approaching recommenders, then allocate 1-2 weeks for follow-up and timely submission. Effective communication and much time are essential for securing strong letters.

Completing the Application Form

The application form requires attention to detail and accuracy. Spend 1-2 weeks filling out basic information and compiling a list of activities and achievements. Then, review and edit for accuracy and completeness, ensuring all sections are filled out correctly and reflect your accomplishments.

Preparing for Interviews

Preparation is key to making a positive impression in interviews. Spend 2-3 weeks researching common questions and practicing responses. Then, allot time for fake interviews with teachers, mentors, or friends to build confidence and improve presentation skills . This preparation will help you stand out and leave a lasting impression.

Final Review and Submission

Before submitting your application, conduct a thorough final review to prevent mistakes and ensure a polished application. Allocate 1-2 weeks to proofread every component, use a checklist to ensure completeness, and submit the application a few days before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

How far in advance should I start my college application process?

It's advisable to start the college application process at least six months to a year before the application deadlines. This timeline allows ample time for test preparation, writing essays, gathering recommendations, and completing all necessary forms.

Can SAT tutoring significantly improve my test scores?

Yes, SAT Tutoring can provide personalized guidance, strategies, and practice to help improve your test scores. Tutors can identify your weaknesses and tailor their teaching methods to address your specific needs, leading to better performance on test day.

What should I do if I don’t have enough time for all the application components?

If you’re short on time, prioritize the components that carry the most weight in the admissions process, such as standardized test scores, personal essays, and letters of recommendation. Desire help from teachers, mentors, or professional services to manage your workload effectively.

Guiding the college application process requires careful planning and time management. By understanding how much time to devote to each component, you can ensure that every aspect of your application is given the attention it deserves. From standardized test preparation and personal essays to letters of recommendation and interviews, each part plays a vital role in your overall application.

Start early, stay organized, and desire help when needed to present a compelling and well-rounded application. Remember, the effort you invest in each component can significantly impact your chances of admission to your dream college.

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4 Things to Know About AI’s ‘Murky’ Ethics

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Overworked teachers and stressed-out high schoolers are turning to artificial intelligence to lighten their workloads.

But they aren’t sure just how much they can trust the technology—and they see plenty of ethical gray areas and potential for long-term problems with AI.

How are both groups navigating the ethics of this new technology—and what can school districts to do to help them make the most of it, responsibly?

That’s what Jennifer Rubin, a senior researcher at foundry10, an organization focused on improving learning, set to find out last year. She and her team conducted small focus groups on AI ethics with a total of 15 teachers nationwide as well as 33 high-school students.

Rubin’s research is scheduled to be presented at the International Society for Technology in Education’s annual conference later this month in Denver.

Here are four big takeaways from her team’s extensive interviews with students and teachers:

1. Teachers see potential for generative AI tools to lighten their workload, but they also see big problems

Teachers said they dabble with using AI tools like ChatGPT to help with tasks such as lesson planning or creating quizzes . But many educators aren’t sure how much they can trust the information AI generates , or were unhappy with the quality of the responses they received, Rubin said.

The teachers “raised a lot of concerns [about] information credibility,” Rubin said. “They also found that some of the information from ChatGPT was really antiquated, or wasn’t aligned with learning standards,” and therefore wasn’t particularly useful.

Teachers are also worried that students might become overly reliant on AI tools to complete their writing assignments and would “therefore not develop the critical thinking skills that will be important” in their future careers, Rubin said.

2. Teachers and students need to understand the technology’s strengths and weaknesses

There’s a perception that adults understand how AI works and know how to use the tech responsibly.

But that’s “not the case,” Rubin said. That’s why school and district leaders “should also think about ethical-use guidelines for teachers” as well as students.

Teachers have big ethical questions about which tasks can be outsourced to AI, Rubin added. For instance, most teachers interviewed by the researcher saw using AI to grade student work or even offer feedback as an “ethically murky area because of the importance of human connection in how we deliver feedback to students in regards to their written work,” Rubin said.

And some teachers reverted to using pen and paper rather than digital technologies so that students couldn’t use AI tools to cheat. That frustrated students who are accustomed to taking notes on a digital device— and goes contrary to what many experts recommend.

“AI might have this unintended backlash where some teachers within our focus groups were actually taking away the use of technology within the classroom altogether, in order to get around the potential for academic dishonesty,” Rubin said.

3. Students have a more nuanced perspective on AI than you might expect

The high schoolers Rubin and her team talked to don’t see AI as the technological equivalent of a classmate who can write their papers for them.

Instead, they use AI tools for the same reason adults do: To cope with a stressful, overwhelming workload.

Teenagers talked about “having an extremely busy schedule with schoolwork, extracurriculars, working after school,” Rubin said. Any conversation about student use of AI needs to be grounded in how students use these tools to “help alleviate some of that pressure,” she said.

For the most part, high schoolers use AI for help in research and writing for their humanities classes, as opposed to math and science, Rubin said. They might use it to brainstorm essay topics, to get feedback on a thesis statement for a paper, or to help smooth out grammar and word choices. Most said they were not using it for whole-sale plagiarism.

Students were more likely to rely on AI if they felt that they were doing the same assignment over and over and had already “mastered that skill or have done it enough repeatedly,” Rubin said.

4. Students need to be part of the process in crafting ethical use guidelines for their schools

Students have their own ethical concerns about AI, Rubin said. For instance, “they’re really worried about the murkiness and unfairness that some students are using it and others aren’t and they’re receiving grades on something that can impact their future,” Rubin said.

Students told researchers they wanted guidance on how to use AI ethically and responsibly but weren’t getting that advice from their teachers or schools.

“There’s a lot of policing” for plagiarism, Rubin said, “but not a lot of productive conversation in classrooms with teachers and adults.”

Students “want to understand what the ethical boundaries of using ChatGPT and other generative AI tools are,” Rubin said. “They want to have guidelines and policies around what this could look like for them. And yet they were not, at the time these focus groups [happened], receiving that from their teachers or their districts, and even their parents.”

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