Glossary of Prewriting Strategies

PREWRITING STRATEGIES Handout

BRAINSTORMING: Working as a group or individually, writing down everything that

comes to mind. Do not organize or evaluate ideas at this stage.

BURKES PENTAD: A graphic organizer used to provide a frame for narrative writing or analyzing literature. Allows the writer to focus on one aspect of the text.

CLASSICAL INVENTION: A methodical, orderly deliberate search for ideas as

recommended by Aristotle: definition, comparison, relationship, circumstance, testimony.

CUBING: Technique in which the writer analyzes a subject from six different points of

view. (E. Cowan)

DESCRIBE IT: Describe what you see. (color, size, shapes, and so forth)

COMPARE IT: What is similar to? Different from?

ASSOCIATE IT: What does it make you think of? Remind you of?

What comes to mind?

ANALYZE IT: How is it made? Of what?

APPLY IT: What can you do with it? How can it be used?

EVALUATE IT: Take a stand for or against it.

FREE ASSOCIATION: Writing spontaneously any words or phrases associated with a

specific topic.

FREE WRITING: Writing for a specified time (10-15 minutes) without stopping to

analyze.

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS: Visual aids to organize information. (examples: T Chart,

webbing, Venn diagram,

HEXAGONAL WRITING: An organizational pattern for writing about literature that

ascends the levels of Blooms Taxonomy. The writer analyzes a subject from six aspects: literal, personal association, theme, literary devices, allusions, and evaluation. (Dr. J. Carroll)

PURPOSE

(Why?)

AGENCY

(How did it happen?)

SCENE OF THE

ACTION

(Where?)

ACTOR

(Who?)

ACTION

(What was done?)

TITLE

Glossary of Prewriting Strategies

LISTING: The writer prepares a list of ideas related to a specific topic.

LOOPING: The writer chooses a word or phrase (center of gravity) from their own

prewriting to continue prewriting about and then repeats the process of finding their

center of gravity and continuing to write on the focused word or phrase.

MODELING: Teacher performs and thinks aloud to show how something should be

done.

OUTLINING: Technique that allows the writer to organize information in an orderly

systematic format.

PEER CONFERENCING: Students in cooperative groups of two or four discuss to

generate ideas.

REPORTERS FORMULA: The writer gathers information about a topic by asking and answering: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

T-CHART: A graphic organizer that allows the writer to list pros and cons and

likenesses and differences.

TIMED WRITINGS: Writing non-stop for x amount of minutes just to see what ideas

emerge.

VENN DIAGRAM: A graphic organizer used to compare and contrast two entities or

concepts.

WEBBING: A graphic organizer that allows the writer to use diverse thinking

techniques while exploring possibilities of a topic.

motorcrossing Riding in

mud or in a

rocky area

wear protective

gear

Stand straight in rocks and

slouch in mud

Dirt

trails

Never lose control of

bike

Always be aware

of

dangers

Keep eyes moving to watch

for obstacles

use feet for

balance

jumps/mounds

on the track

keep steady,

flexible position

need balance

in the air

Ready

yourself