Persuasive Essay: Brainstorming Worksheet

Brainstorming Strategies

Pre-write Brainstorm : There are several different approaches or options a person can take when doing a pre-write brainstorm:

1) Doing a free write.

2) Breaking a topic down into subtopics.

3) Listing everything known or available about a topic.

4) Approaching the topic from different perspectives (e.g., description, history, relationship).

5) Webbing or mapping out interconnected ideas and subtopics.

6) Using journalistic questions.

The media piece on brainstorm includes examples of these different approaches or options. Located below are some additional examples that also contain “thinking aloud,” occurred during the creation of these examples.

Option 1—Doing a Free Write:

There are 7 or 8 species of rattlesnakes in Arizona and almost all of them can be found in the Sonoran Desert that stretches from Central Arizona south into the Mexican state of Sonora and down the Baja peninsula. Most bites from rattlesnakes occur as a result of trying to handle a snake.

When hiking in the desert it is important to be cautious about encountering rattlesnakes. As a general rule of thumb, never place your hand or foot anywhere that you cannot see. This is because snakes, including rattlers, often sun themselves in places that are hard to see. They also will hide out under rocks and piles of debris where it is almost impossible to see them because their markings camouflage them well.

Rattlesnakes are sensitive to vibration; therefore, if you encounter a rattlesnake that will not move off the trail and there is no safe way around it: stomp your feet and they will usually move away from the vibration. That is why it is unusual to see a rattlesnake while riding on horse back. The snake can usually feel the vibration created by the horse’s hooves and will be retreating down a convenient hole.

Option 2—Breaking Down the Topic Into Subtopics:

Topic—Facing Down a Rattlesnake

Subtopic 1—Rattlesnake Facts

Sub-subtopic a—Rattlesnake Habitat

Sub-subtopic b—Physical Characteristics

Sub-subtopic c—Types of Rattlesnakes

Subtopic 2—Cautions and Preventive Measures

Sub-subtopic a—What should a person wear/not wear when going into rattlesnake country?

Sub-subtopic b—What should a person do/not do while in rattlesnake country?

Sub-subtopic c—What if worse comes to worst?

Option 3—Listing Everything Known or Available About the Topic

Facts and Figures	Personal Knowledge and Experience	Advice	Folklore/Myths
There are 7 or 8 different species of rattlesnakes and most can be found in the Sonoran Desert. Snakes hibernate during the winter. During the summer, snakes are more active in during the morning, evening, and at night.	Horses are afraid of snakes and things that sound or look like snakes.	Never place hands or feet where you cannot see. Avoid walking in the desert in sandals or open-toed shoes. Stomp feet to create vibration to scare off snake.	If bitten by a rattlesnake, take a knife to cut into the wound so you can suck the venom out of the wound.

Option 4—Using Three Perspectives—Description, History, Relationships

Description: Describe the topic in detail. Break it down into its parts. Describe what is interesting about the topic, why it was chosen. Connect the topic to the prompt.

Describe the types of rattlesnakes—their physical characteristics and what their habitats are like, including similarities and differences. Share information about their anatomy and life cycle, including things like their fangs, striking postures, and what happens when they shed their skin. Describe the cautions and preventative measures people should take when in rattlesnake territory as well as what to do if bitten by a rattlesnake.

History: Delineate the history of the topic. Show how historical events shaped topic or changed or impacted the topic over time. If so, explain why?

Relationships: How does topic relate to other topics? What are some of the influences related to the topic? How is it related to other fields of study? Who is/are the stakeholder(s)?

Close Encounters: Since I both hike and go horseback riding in the desert, I can write about some of my own close encounters with rattlesnakes, including the reactions of two different horses—one who ran away and another who instead chased the snake into a bush.

Option 5—Webbing and Mapping —Webbing involves connecting ideas together by showing relationships among them; central idea would be your thesis and the surrounding ideas would be your supporting ideas

Option 6—Using Journalistic Questions (5 W’s):

Who—Who are the people that study rattlesnakes? What type of education is required for a career as a herpetologist? Who collects rattlesnake venom?

What—Under what circumstances should someone be most concerned if they encounter a rattlesnake? What should they do in those types of situations?

Where—Where can rattlesnakes be found? In what type of habitats do they live?

When—When are rattlesnakes most active—what time of the day or season of the year?

Why—Why are rattlesnakes important members of their ecosystem? What would happen if rattlesnakes became threatened or endangered? Why is rattlesnake venom collected?

How—How does a person protect themselves when in rattlesnake country?

.

Most of the information I was able

to locate fell into the category of description.

I did not find very much information about rattlesnakes from a historical perspective.

I found a little bit of information about rattlesnake habits as they relate to the season of the year and time of the day (e.g., rattlesnakes usually hibernate once the weather turns too cold).

I came up with another perspective and labeled it close encounters.

Rattlesnake Shedding Skin

Types of Rattlesnakes

Physical Characteristics of Rattlesnakes

How to Face Down a Rattlesnake

Rattlesnake Habitat

Snakebite First Aid

Rattlesnake Facts

Rattlesnake Myths

Cautions When Hiking Through Rattlesnake Territory

Each of the pre-write brainstorm options allowed me to see a wide variety of ways to think about my topic. I think I will take the webbing and mapping option, which shows relationships and introduce each section using journalistic questions.