Brainstorming to create an idea.

1. Think about the assignment and make an appointment with the Writing Center!
2. oWhat you are allowed to write about?
2. Start listing different ideas.
3. oWrite down the first ideas that pop into your head. Do not worry about if they are “good ideas.” What matters is that you write them down.
3. Pick one or more ideas that interest you.
4. Break the ideas down into smaller parts. What are a few aspects of the topic that you find interesting?
5. oFor example, if you chose "nature," then what aspect do you want to write about? Climate change? Deforestation? Endangered animals?
5. Break it down again and again!
6. oIf you chose deforestation, are you focusing on the loss of forests in North America? Asia? Africa?
7. oNow, be even more specific. Are you focusing on the Congo Basin? The rainforest of Xishuangbanna? Tongass National Park in Alaska?
6. Land on a specific idea and move on to choosing a topic within your idea.
7. oFor example, deforestation in Tongass National Park is a good idea but too broad to be a topic.
7. Other strategies for brainstorming include:
8. ofreewriting, lists, “book reports” (problems, history, arguments), make a visual (word map, graphs, tables)

Creating research questions to turn your idea into a topic.

1. First, do some basic research on your idea, finding any source you can.
2. Then, ask the journalist's questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how?
3. oWho is affected? Who is involved?
4. oWhat are the current problems and debates? What is the history?
5. oWhen do we need to take action?
6. oWhere is it taking place?
7. oWhy does it matter? Why is it happening?
8. oHow do we respond? How have others responded?
3. Make these questions more specific.
4. oKeep them clear, focused, concise, and arguable (not yes/no).
5. How are black and brown bears affected?
6. ■ Where and why is the deforestation mainly taking place?
7. ■ What can we do to reduce logging in Tongass National Park?
4. Use these questions to discover a specific topic, what you believe, and what you think should be done.