Brainstorming is another word for thinking. Specifically, it is a lot of thinking at one time about a given topic. Some people organize as they brainstorm, others spill out ideas as quickly as they can without worrying about organization.
There are as many different ways of brainstorming as there are people who brainstorm. Human minds all work differently, so different techniques have been developed to help everyone come up with ideas. The following resources offer a variety of brainstorming options.
Try several different techniques until you find one or two that work especially well for you.
This video reminds us that research is not about having the answers at the outset of the process. It is about exploring an idea to learn more about a topic.
The next video provides insight into how to use brainstorming maps to develop ideas and areas where further research can be explored:
NoodleTools is a wonderful online platform that assists students in the writing and research process. This tool is particularly helpful for creating and storing citations and annotations all in one place, with the option to create an annotated bibliography draft based on the material entered or imported onto the platform.
NoodleTools is free for Ivy Tech students (and faculty) to use with a basic sign up process, and additional guidance on how to use it is available from the Library Director.
Audience analysis is a common requirement in writing classes, as well as communication classes.
When you are asked to analyze an audience, you are being asked to consider how your readers (or listeners) bring their own backgrounds, values, thoughts, and opinions of a topic to the table and how these audience elements might affect the way they respond to your own ideas or opinions.
Always refer to your assignment guidelines, but as a general framework, analyzing audience members using these parameters is often a good way to create a deep and thorough consideration of your audience and how these details might influence the way they might embrace--or reject--a subject you want to present to them:
Unless specified otherwise by an instructor, college writing does not involve the use of personal pronouns, especially in persuasive or argumentative writing.
Eliminating these pronouns from an essay is part of audience awareness. When these pronouns are used, the writing becomes about you, the writer--and not about the general essay topic.
The use of these pronouns can also alienate or offend an audience and prevents readers from being persuaded to agree on controversial subjects.
Avoid using the following pronouns in essays:
First Person Pronouns to AVOID USING
Second Person Pronouns to AVOID USING
Here's an example of this writing mistake and how to correct it:
Using the second person "you" pronoun in this way makes assumptions of the reader. Not all people smoke marijuana, and in fact, some people would be very offended by writing that implies that they do.
Note how this sentence is specific (not just "people" but "Indiana citizens") as well as objective. By eliminating "you" from the sentence, it no longer implies that the reader smokes marijuana..
Writing a quality summary response essay requires close reading and annotation skills.
CLOSE READING involves asking questions about the text as you read it (or about a film as you watch it):
See these additional resources regarding how to accomplish college level close reading:
The following documents can also assist in creating and shaping a summary response essay:
1. An in-text citation, which is an abbreviated form of the source citation included in the essay portion of the project
2. A full citation, which is included at the end of the project on a Works Cited page, References list, or whatever type of research format is required for the assignment.
One of your roles as a researcher and writer is assuring this cross-referencing technique is in place and has been used correctly so your readers have a very clear picture of where your research was derived, who provided the research, and how readers can follow your research trail to explore the source material themselves.
Here is an example of cross-referencing in APA 7th edition style:
According to Jones (2022), "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1" (p.24).
This in-text citation tells readers that Jones made this statement in source material published in 2022. But the in-text citation also guides readers to the APA References list at the end of the essay for more information regarding the source material:
Jones, S. (2023). Student research method preferences. Journal of Research Studies, 12(3), 19-24. https://doi.org/12.3210000
Because this source was fully cross-referenced, readers know that the quote from Jones came from this article on page 24 of the publication. And the article can be located using the information provided in the References list citation.
The same source would look like the following in MLA citation style:
According to Jones, "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1" (24).
Jones, Susan. "Student Research Method Preferences." Journal of Research Studies, vol. 12, no.3, 2023, pp.19-24. doi:12.3210000.
The purpose of an Investigation essay is typically to examine a topic from multiple perspectives and then synthesize those perspectives tor the audience.
The Journalist's Questions are often helpful in shaping this type of examination of opinions or ideas. As you look at the sources you have gathered about your topic, ask yourself
Answer these questions for yourself as you examine each source for the essay and you should also be able to express your thoughts in an organized manner for each of the sources you are discussing.
Investigation essays require writers to compare and contrast different perspectives or opinions. These types of essays are also a good time to practice the use of transitional words or phrases to move the writing from one idea to the next. Here are some common transitional words or phrases. Note how these phrases are offset from the rest of a sentence using a comma.
Basic usage example:
Smith believes that service animals should be allowed on airplanes. In contrast, Jones is opposed to service animals in any public space.
