Question

What are your methods for brainstorming before writing a paper?

Answer 1

SMOKE WEED ERRYDAY

No lol, probably take care of the things that might stress you that you can currently take care of.

It wouldn't do to write a paper with your house/dorm/apartment on fire.

Answer 2

if your looking for a topic, a good way to start is to 'spiderweb', basically start with one idea in the middle of the page and work outwards by using related ideas/topics. Once the page is mostly full, or when the ideas seem sufficient, you can pick and choose the ideas that you like best.
Depending on the project, for research a good idea is to start with a topic that really interests you or one you are passionate about. You could also look at some of your favorite writers/researchers and see if there is new evidence or more depth that could be taken with an idea.

Answer 3

2 methods
1. 'spiderweb' (or mindmap) as Stanley mentioned - this helps enrich the content by thinking more
2. write down the key words and start thinking the pros and cons or something like that .. just like writing a debate speech

Answer 4

1
Set your timer. It can be any time that you feel would put your brainstorming sessions to their full potential. One suggestion would a topic word or a thought that you would like to explore at the top of your paper. Maybe use words such as 'education' or 'government.' Continue writing words or phrases in list form down the page until your time has run out.
2
Never stop writing. Even if you have to write down an idea that's completely stupid and wouldn't work, it's better than stopping and interrupting the creative flow. Keep working, and if you can't think of anything, continue to write "I don't know, I don't know" in a continuous loop. This will get so boring that your idle brain will come up with something.
3
Assume that no word is self-explanatory. Continue to focus on one topic word until you cannot describe it with any further detail. In other words, take a deeper look at an individual or minute part of a larger whole.
4
As your thoughts slow or become stagnant, begin to review your lists periodically. Previous terms may need further explanation, or may bring forth new ideas to the surface.
5
When you are finished brainstorming, re-organize your words and phrases into sequential categories.
6
If you have a sufficient collection of good ideas, begin to work on the rough draft. If more ideas are needed, try other informal invention techniques such as freewriting or mapping.
7
Utilizing a dictionary, search for random words. Close your eyes and place your finger on the page or choose the most attractive word as you scan through the pages. Write these words down as well as any other thoughts that may be in relation to these words. Another good tool for selecting random words can be found here

Taking Your Brainstorming Further...

If you're still not getting the ideas you want, try using these approaches to increase the number of ideas that you generate:

The Stepladder Technique - This improves the contribution of quieter members of the group, by introducing ideas one person at a time.
Brainwriting - Brainwriting uses a written approach to brainstorming to generate and develop ideas. This helps you get ideas from all individuals, and develop these ideas in depth.
Brain-netting - This is similar to Brainwriting, but uses an electronic document stored on a central server.
The Crawford's Slip Approach – The Crawford's Slip Approach helps you get plenty of ideas from all participants in your session, and gives you a view of the popularity of each idea.

The techniques below help you in specific brainstorming situations:

Reverse Brainstorming – This is useful for improving a product or service.
Starbursting – Starbursting helps you brainstorm the questions you need to ask to evaluate a proposal.
Charette Procedure – This procedure helps you brainstorm effectively with large groups of people. (Conventional brainstorming is cumbersome and increasingly ineffective when more than 10 to 12 people are involved.)
Round-Robin Brainstorming – This technique helps you ensure that people will contribute great ideas without being influenced by others in the group.

Answer 5

Get some sticky notes, write down ideas that you think you might want to explore for a topic. Stick them on your mirror or a wall. As you get ideas or resources to expand an idea, write them on sticky notes and put them around the idea sticky note they refer to. Keep adding till on of the ideas gets the most and/or best stickies around it.

Now take all the stickies for that idea, and put them in a column and sort them into the order they might appear in your paper.

You now have an outline, start writing and researching (to fill in any holes)