Ex. 4. Methods of Brainstorming
Choose one of the following brainstorming methods to generate (create) ideas for the in-class assignment.
Method 1: Listing ideas is one way to brainstorm. First, list the ideas as they occur to you.Example:
| self-respect | get exercise | don't argue |
| care about self | eat well | be assertive |
| polite behavior | follow the rules | accept criticism |
| respect for others | attend class | like yourself |
| take care of appearance | arrive on time | obey the laws |
| avoid bad habits | do homework | self-regard |
After that, organize the lists. Put related ideas together.
Example:
| Self-respect | Care about self | Respect for others |
| 1. self-regard | 1. take care of appearance | 1. polite behavior |
| 2. like yourself | 2. get exercise | 2. follow the rules |
| 3. confidence | 3. eat well | 3. obey the laws |
| 4. self-worth | 4. avoid bad habits |
Method 2: Clustering. If you are a visual learner, you might want to "cluster."
 |
Method 3: Charting
Charts are useful if you know your main points and you want an informal way to move from general to specific.
Example Self-Respect
| General | → | Less General | → | Specific | → | More Specific |
| Care for my well-being | Care about appearance | Cleanliness dress appropriately | Laundry, bathing Work: formal School: informal | |||
| Care about my health | Eat well Sleep well No bad habits | Balanced diet 6-8 hours/night No drinking, smoking, drugs | ||||
| Show others respect | Sociability | Polite behavior | Conducting daily business, making friends | |||
| Cooperation | Follow rules/laws/ customs | Driving, time commitments, work style |
Be careful as you are planning the chart. Do not begin with ideas which are too general; otherwise, it will be difficult for you to find specific support. Notice that the last column (the one on the right) has specific information, such as "get eight hours of sleep a night" and "balanced diet." Finally, all of the points in the chart, even the specific ones, should be explained in the paper.
Listening
Script 10
Ex. 5. Listen to the tape. In which order are the ground rules in brainstorming enumerated?
| a. original ways of thinking b. maximum ideas c. new perspectives d. reserving criticism | 1. 2. 3. 4. |
Script 11
Ex. 6. Kate North gives her advice on brainstorming session conduction. Listen to the tape and complete these extracts.
Session conduct
The facilitator leads the brainstorming session and ensures that ground rules are followed. The steps in a typical session are:
1. A…….. …... to expose novice participants to the …….. …….. .. A simple problem is brainstormed, for example: What should be the CEO retirement present? Or: What can be improved in Microsoft Windows?
2. The facilitator …….. …….. and gives a further …….. if needed.
3. The facilitator asks the brainstorming group for their …….. .
4. If no ideas are forthcoming, the facilitator suggests a lead to …….. ……...
5. All participants…….. their ideas, and the idea collector …….. them.
6. To …….. …….., participants may …….. their ideas.
7. When time is up, the facilitator organizes the ideas based on the topic goal and …….. …….. .
8. Ideas are ……...
9. The whole list is …….. to ensure that everyone understands the ideas.
10. ……… …….. and obviously …….. …….. are removed.
11. The facilitator thanks all participants and gives each a token of…….. .
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming)
Ex. 7. Watch video aided instructions «Prewriting», fulfill the given tasks.