Start Assignment: Strategies for Effective Brainstorming and Mind Mapping
Easy brainstorming techniques for university assignments
In this article we deal with how to start a university assignment. The two thoughts we need to expand are “what do we know?” and “what do we need to know”.
So how do you start? Once you know what you know and what do you need to know, then focus on what is important and what is relevant. Lets see how you can make you thoughts clearer with brainstorming and mind maps.
Brainstorming
- Brainstorming is a technique that helps groups think of ideas to solve a problem.
- One approach is to write down as many ideas as possible, without concern.
- Diagram help to see things clearly – so one popular technique is to use a mind map.
This is an example of a great mind map created in class by a pre-sessional English student like you. Do you like it?
Mind Maps
We need to know the following:
- what is a mind map
- how to compete a mind map, and
- see examples of mind maps
- Brainstorming is a technique that helps groups think of ideas to solve a problem.
- One approach is to write down as many ideas as possible, without concern.
- Lets use Mind maps
What is a mind map?
- A mind map is a diagram used to show how ideas are related to a central theme and to each other.
- Each item is given its own circle and linked by a ‘branch’, a line, to the item to which it is most related.
- It is used both to help create ideas and a simple way of grouping these ideas.
Note: The central theme can be a problem, an idea, or a concept.
How to create a mind map
- Using examples helps understand how to make a mind map
- But, here are the instructions in written form
- Draw a circle in the middle of the paper or screen and inside write the central theme of the mind map in one word.
- Now think of any idea associated to the theme and create another circle and attach this topic to the first using a line.
- Continue thinking of ideas and topics and writing them in a circle.
- New and independent topics can be drawn from the central theme, but most ideas can be attached to the most related topic.
- Continue thinking of ideas related to one area or sub-topic and create keywords and link them to that topic circle.
- The ideas do not have to be thought of in any order, or drawn in any place, accept linked by a line showing the relationship between topics.
- The final mind map will have a central theme, a range of associated topics, and these topic circles will have attached circles with supporting sub-topics
Examples of a mind map
Starting your Assignment Exercise 1
Create your own mind map
Background
- You can go anywhere in the world
- Do anything
- Take anyone
What things do you need to think about?
Instructions
- Draw a mind map focused around:
- 1. Your perfect holiday, or,
- 2. A holiday at your home city / country
Example
Here is an example of the place I come from which in the country of Ireland, in the South West, called County Kerry.
In our assignment we need to think about a holiday. what do we want to do, where do we want to go, who will go with us? We can use the mind map to help us put our ideas down.
If you have problems thinking what to do try thinking about your home city and home country. What can people do if they visit? What is interesting about your city and/or your country.
We finish with my example of the county Kerry in Ireland. Her e is an example of a mind map focused on the county of Kerry that is in the South West of Ireland.
Most of the mind map focuses on things that you can do or see in Kerry, although the oldest bar in the world is in another part of Ireland. When you visit a country on holiday you will probably want to go to several places.
What about your country? How about your city, what can visitors do when on holiday in your home?
return to the 9 stages of completing an assignment
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