The Writers Toolbox thoroughly explains five different brainstorming techniques that can be useful in creating and refining new ideas for group projects. These four brainstorming techniques are: The Mind Map, The Concept Map, Freewriting, Brain Writing, and Word Lists. The Writer’s Toolbox emphasizes that writing and notetaking can lead to better understanding and clearer communication among group members in a large project. It can also help work through problems in the project and lead to better solutions.
The Mind Map is best used for large projects that need an organized, complex system of info in order to complete the project. On a large piece of paper, group members should write one word in the middle of the page that describes the subject as a whole. Then six to seven words describing the subject should branch off of the central word. This technique can lead to new ideas about the central subject.
The Concept Map is different than a mind map because it allows more thorough investigation of conceptual relationships and meanings. To create a concept map, group members should write the concept they want to explore at the top of a piece of paper. Then below that write another concept and connect the two with prepositional phrases. (Ex: The concepts of “water” and “living things” can be connected by the phrase “needed by.”) A concept map is an initial way of analyzing complex info.
Freewriting is similar to journal writing and is a good way to work out questions that group members might have about their project. It can also help make initial thoughts about the project more concrete. Group members should take 10-15 minutes to continuously write about their project. Afterwards they should read over their freewrites, pick a sentence that seems the most interesting, and start another 10-15 min. freewrite with that sentence. This technique is also called Looping.
Brainwriting is where group members split the group in half and each half writes about three ideas for five minutes. After five minutes, members pass their paper to the other half of the group and write about those ideas for five minutes. After both writing sessions the group should discuss any similar ideas that arose among both halves of the group during the writing session.
Word Lists can be good in diverging the ideas of a project into distinct categories, and can distill a problem down to its essential elements. First, start with a general concept word, then list more descriptive, metaphoric, or oppositional words. After several lists group members should identify any words that stand out or repeat themselves.
