Working Together: Brainstorm Supporting Points and Evidence

You can use group brainstorming sessions to help generate supporting points and evidence. You can work in person or online (using chat, instant messaging, or a threaded discussion forum). To carry out the activity, follow these steps:

  1. The writer should describe his or her writing project, main point, and ideas for supporting points.
  2. Each member of the group should make suggestions about the supporting points the writer mentions.
  3. Each member of the group should suggest additional supporting points.
  4. Each member of the group should make suggestions about potential sources of evidence to support each point.

If you are working face-to-face, ask one member of the group to take notes on the discussion. If you are using a chat or instant-messaging program, be sure to record a transcript of the session. The goal of the session is to generate as many potential supporting points as possible. Take care not to rule out any ideas, no matter how trivial or ridiculous they might seem at first. When the exchange is completed, turn to the next writer and repeat the process.