Discussion Board: Should The U.S. Government Provide Universal Health Care?

Prewriting Strategy

After you have selected a topic and have thoroughly looked at it from both sides of the issue, it is time to begin collecting your thoughts on how the essay will proceed and what shape the essay will take. To get started, you will use a crucial component of writing called prewriting. Prewriting can take one of several forms: brainstorming, freewriting, mind mapping, outlining, or journaling. This discussion thread will allow you to consider one of these prewriting strategies and then expand on why you believe it would work best for your topic and selected audience.

1. Analyze and identify your audience. Write a paragraph to explain who you will address in your paper and how they could benefit from your topic.
2. Review the list of the prewriting strategies:
   • Brainstorming
   • Freewriting
   • Diagraming
   • Mind mapping 
   • Outlining
   • Journaling
3. Choose 1 of the prewriting strategies to try for your essay.
   • Provide an explanation of the strategy in your own words. Explain why you think it will help you develop ideas.
4. Of all of the prewriting strategies you did not select, which do you feel would be the least help to you? Explain why.
5. Revise your introductory paragraph from last week to apply feedback from your instructor, and share it in this Discussion Board to obtain feedback from your peers.