Researching for English... and beyond!

The best place to start is with something that interests you!

• Do you have a strong opinion on a topic?
• Did you read or see a news story recently that has piqued your interest?
• Do you have a personal issue, problem or interest that you would like to know more about?

Why don't you try Mind Mapping:

Brainstorming = free thinking and producing ideas

• Write your topic or area of study in the center of a blank page.
• Use colors, pictures, and words to record any ideas, topics, authors, theories or anything else associated with the topic!
• You can put these anywhere on the page.
• Do not filter out ideas; at this point anything and everything is potentially useful!
• Circle the key points or ideas you have identified.

Mind Mapping = identifying relationships and organizing ideas

• Identify gaps in your knowledge, and any questions you have.
• Look at each item and consider, "How does this point relate to the others, and to the topic as a whole?"
• Map the relationships between the ideas or key points using lines, arrows, colors and words to link them.
• Identify the type of relationship between points: contrast / similarity / cause and effect - Write these along the linking lines.
• Use this map to plan/guide your assignment: arrange items in a logical order to create the structure of your assignment.