Brainstorming

Getting Ideas Before You Write

2001 by Ruth Luman

References

Introduction
Getting Started
Writers block is a common problem to many students. This is when ideas for writing do not come very easily. It is easy to get very frustrated when beginning to write. Brainstorming activities can help you get ideas for your essay and help you become less frustrated.

Brainstorming
Three Activities

Clustering

Ch. 16

What is clustering?
Clustering: the process of grouping a set of objects into classes of similar objects
Documents within a cluster should be similar. Documents from different clusters should be dissimilar.

The commonest form of unsupervised learning

Unsupervised learning = learning from raw data, as opposed to supervised data where a classification of examples is given

A common and important task that finds many applications in IR and other places

Clustering

Listing
Freewriting

Brainstorming
Clustering

1. Start with the main topic of your essay. Write that word in the center of your paper. 2. Write down any sub-topics that are connected to that main topic. Draw arrows to the sub-topics from the main topic.
Transportation Alcatraz Museums

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge Fishermans Wharf

Chinatown

Clustering

Listing
Freewriting

Brainstorming
Clustering

3. If you have new ideas, connect those words to the appropriate sub-topic.

Cable Car
Civilian Prison 1934-1963

BART

Bus American Legion

Transportation
Old Military Prison

Modern Art Museum

Alcatraz

Museums

Famous Prisoners

Asian Art Museum

San Francisco
Restaurants Stores Theaters

Chinatown Fishermans Wharf Clam Chowder Ships boats

Golden Gate Bridge

Completed 1937 Scenic View

Clustering

Listing
Freewriting

Clustering
Example #1
View of Trees Yellow Good-Sized

Sunny

View of Sky

Windows

Bedroom

Favorite Room
Soft Bed Rocking Chair

Comfortable Furniture Quiet

Big Closet

Clustering

Listing
Freewriting

Clustering
Example #2
Volleyball Soccer Cleaned Houses

Housewife Waitress

Liked Sports

Went to church

Very Religious Hard Worker

Taught Sunday School Gave to charity

My Mother

Read many books

Intelligent
Had many different interests

A Leader
After-School Club Coordinator President of PTA