The Value of Prewriting and Organization

Brainstorming Strategies

The purpose of brainstorming is the same as any other type of warm-up. Athletes complete drills to warm up their strokes, shots, or moves. Likewise, writers often need to brainstorm to warm up their creative energy. Sometimes it is best to let your mind wander and purge information. In this interactivity, click the light bulbs to view strategies for brainstorming. Click the player button to begin.

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Developing an Outline

Now that you have the notes you have collected from brainstorming, what will your essay eventually look like? How many paragraphs will it have? Will those paragraphs be balanced? Do the points all support your position on the topic? Are there enough specific examples? What will the thesis statement look like? Unfortunately, brainstorming rarely answers these questions. After brainstorming, you need to organize your thoughts and revise your plan. Remember, writing is a process, and you cannot usually go directly from brainstorming to writing your first draft. Fortunately, an outline can provide the organization and structure to help you succeed throughout the rest of the writing process. In this interactivity, you will examine the benefits of taking the ideas from your brainstorming and transforming them into a balanced and effective outline. Click the player button to begin.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Developing an Outline

It is very natural and common for questions to arise as you begin your outlining process. Answering these questions and tweaking your outline will help to save you time and effort during the drafting stage of writing. In this interactivity, click the questions to view answers to commonly asked questions regarding outlines. Click the player button to begin.

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Prewriting and Organization Review

Now that you have explored different methods for brainstorming as well as how to develop an outline, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the set of directions associated with each question and provide your answer. Click the player button to get started.