![]() Here's an example of what this might look like:īackground/history of issue/problem/topic This will help you to demonstrate the relationships between the ideas, facts, and information within the paper. Sometimes you may be required (or you may want) to develop a more formal outline with numbered and lettered headings and subheadings. If you work on telling a story in the paper, it will help you to structure it in a way that the reader can easily follow and understand. Remember that all writing - even academic writing - needs to tell a story: the introduction often describes what has already happened (the background or history of your topic), the body paragraphs might explain what is currently happening and what needs to happen (this often involves discussing a problem, the need for a solution, and possible solutions), and the conclusion usually looks to the future by focusing on what is likely to happen (what might happen next, and whether a solution is likely). An outline can be very informal you might simply jot down your thesis statement, what the introduction will discuss, what you'll say in the body of the paper, and what you want to include in the conclusion. ![]() You'll want to work on an outline after you've completed some of the other exercises, since having an idea of what you'll say in the paper will make it much easier to write. This is a great way of identifying the parts within your topic, which will provide content for the paper, and it also helps you discover how these parts relate to each other.Īn outline is a plan for the paper that will help you organize and structure your ideas in a way that effectively communicates them to your reader and supports your thesis statement. Repeat this process with each new circle until you run out of ideas. Then think of other ideas, facts, or issues that relate to each of the main parts/subtopics, circle these, and draw lines connecting them to the relevant part/subtopic. Circle each of these, and then draw a line connecting them to the main circle in the middle. Then in a ring around the main circle, write down the main parts or subtopics within the main topic. First draw a circle near the center of a blank piece of paper, and in that circle, write the subject of your essay or paragraph. This will help you when you are mapping or outlining your ideas, because as you use an idea, you can cross it off your list.Ĭlustering: This is another way to record your thoughts and observations for a paragraph or essay after you have chosen a topic. Listing: In this exercise, you'll simply list all of your ideas. This will help you to identify your most important ideas, and you'll often be surprised by what you come up with. Continue until your time limit is up, and when it's time to stop, read over what you've written and start underlining the most important or relevant ideas. ![]() Don't worry about grammar or spelling, and if you get stuck, just write whatever comes to mind. Write anything that comes to your mind and don't stop. Using a blank piece of paper or your word-processing program, summarize your topic in a sentence and keep writing. Are there patterns or ideas that keep coming up? These are often clues about what is most important about this topic or issue.įreewriting: A time limit is also useful in this exercise. Ask yourself questions as you write: Why am I doing this? Why do I like this? Why don't I like this? What is the most interesting thing about this field or issue? How would my audience feel about this? What can we learn from this? How can we benefit from knowing more? When time is up, read over your list, and add anything else that you think of. You'll start with a blank page, and you'll write down as many ideas about your topic as you can think of. This is especially helpful when you're still trying to narrow or focus your topic. This will help you focus and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Prewriting Exercisesīrainstorming: It's often helpful to set a time limit on this plan to brainstorm for ten minutes, for example. Prewriting exercises can help you focus your ideas, determine a topic, and develop a logical structure for your paper. After all, your audience is counting on a well-organized presentation of interesting facts, a storyline, or whatever you are required to write about. Just as you would prepare to give a public speech on note cards, it is also necessary to write ideas down for a rough draft. Using prewriting strategies to organize and generate ideas prevents a writer from becoming frustrated or stuck. Prewriting exercises provide structure and meaning to your topic and research before you begin to write a draft. Get tips on developing and outlining your topic.
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