Brainstorming is a method of spontaneously generating ideas through word association, topic mapping, or Internet browsing using search engines and directories. Brainstorming works—it is a structured and effective way to identify topic ideas in a relatively brief period of time.

Word Association

To brainstorm by word association, write down one topic that might interest you and your listeners. Then jot down the first thing that comes to mind related to it. Repeat the process until you have a list of fifteen to twenty items. Narrow the list to two or three, and then select a final topic.

Topic Mapping

Topic mapping is a brainstorming technique in which you lay out words in diagram form to show categorical relationships among them (see Figure 7.1). Put a potential topic in the middle of a piece of paper and draw a circle around it. As related ideas come to you, write them down as shown in Figure 7.1. Keep going until you hit upon an idea that appeals most to you.

Internet Tools

Popular Internet search engines such as Google (www.google.com), Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com), and Bing (www.bing.com) offer a wealth of resources both to discover topics and to narrow them. For example, each search engine offers options for specialized searches within particular categories of information sources, such as books, news, blogs, finance, and images. You can further narrow topics by limiting searches to within a range of dates (e.g., 1900–1950), to a geographic region (e.g., Europe), or in a particular language.

Another online tool you can use to find (and narrow) a topic is a library’s portal, or its home page. If you’ve already chosen a topic, consult the library’s online databases, such as Academic OneFile, to locate credible sources (see Chapter 9).