Expository Essay: Brainstorming and Beginning Research
Attention: Please make sure to complete the Navigating the GCU Library worksheet BEFORE completing this worksheet.
Before you begin any writing assignment, it is often necessary to complete several “pre-writing” activities. This worksheet will assist you with several of the pre-writing activities necessary for completing your expository essay including selecting a topic, brainstorming, research strategies, and research. Follow the instructions to complete these pre-writing activities. Make sure you complete all 4 sections of this worksheet.
Part 1 of 4: Select a Topic
Below are lists of possible essay topics to use for the expository essay you will create in this course in week 4. Please highlight/boldyour topic choiceso your instructor will know your selection.
Note: If you do not see a topic that interests you, please contact your instructor for further direction.
- Describe national security concerns and their impact on the American people.
- What are some ways to address the needs of military veterans transitioning into civilian life?
- How does deployment affect the family and loved ones of military servicemen?
- What challenges do schools face when dealing with budget cuts?
- Explain the kinds of security measures currently available to ensure school safety.
- How does class size affect learning in the classroom?
- What effect does bullying have on children?
- What are some ethical guidelines counselors should follow when treating their patients?
- How are faith and spirituality used in pastoral counseling?
- How does globalization affect the local community?
- What are some characteristics of a good leader?
- How do wellness programs affect the workplace?
- How do advertisers use psychology to sell products?
- Describe the effects pollution has on health.
- What are the dangers of extreme diet or exercise?
- What effects will an aging baby boomer generation have on the health care system?
- Describe the effect a prison sentence has on an inmate’s reintegration into society.
- How has the usage of DNA in forensics affected the court system?
- In what ways can a Christian church help the local community?
- How does technology affect interpersonal communication?
- How has social media affected relationships?
- What effects does multi-tasking have on a person?
Part 2 of 4: Brainstorming Strategies
Read: Topic 1 Lecture.
Review: “Invention: Finding Your Ideas” section of “The Writing Process” media piece:
https://lc.gcumedia.com/unv104/the-writing-process/index.html
Complete:Based on the information you learned from the Writing Process media piece “Invention: Finding Your Ideas,” complete the Brainstorm Method 1 & 2 sectionsbelow. In box 1, use the brainstorming method of “Questioning”. In box 2, choose one other method that you would like to use to brainstorm on the topic you selected from part 1 of this assignment.
| Brainstorm Method #1:Questioning (Use the “Questioning” brainstorming method to brainstorm the topicyou chose in part 1.) Who: Affected relationships of all types What: How has social media affected relationships? When: The age of social media now, affecting relationships between couples, friends, family and colleagues Why: There are both negative and positive reasons why and how social media has affected all types of relationships Where: within relationships of all types whether at home, school, work, outings How: Social media has most times consumed peoples time which in return has affected relationships personal time and attention. Social media has also been a positive influence by connecting friends and family who live apart. |
| Brainstorm Method #2:Your Choice Organized Brainstorming, Mapping Use one of the other brainstorming methods described in the Writing Process media piece “Invention: Finding Your Ideas” to brainstorm the topic you chose in part 1. If you choose to use Cubing or Mapping, copy and paste your completed brainstormusing that method directly into this box.
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Part 3 of 4: Research Strategies
Step 1: Pull keywords that were generated from your brainstorming activity in part 2. These keywords need to pertain to the topic selected from part 1.
Step 2: Come up with synonyms (word/phrase that means nearly the same thing) for those keywords.
Step 3: Combine keywords/synonyms to come up with Boolean search terms. Boolean search terms utilize AND/OR phrases. This is covered on page 15 of the course ebook.
An example table is provided below to demonstrate how you should complete this. Please do not use any part of the example as part of your own table.
Example Tables
| Keyword pulled from brainstorming | Synonym (word with same or similar meaning) |
| 1. Online Learning | 1. Non-traditional learning |
| 2. Education | 2. School |
| 3. Higher Education | 3. College |
| 4. Academic Achievement | 4. Student Success |
| 5. Learning Strategies | 5. Study Skills |
Boolean Search Possibilities:
| 1. Online Learning AND Education | 4. Online Learning OR Non-traditional Learning |
| 2. Academic Achievement AND College | 5. Study Skills OR Learning Strategies |
| 3. Online Learning AND Student Success |
| Keyword Pulled from Brainstorming | Synonym (word with same or similar meaning) |
| 1. | 1. |
| 2. | 2. |
| 3. | 3. |
Boolean Search Possibilities:
| 1. | 4. |
| 2. | |
| 3. |
Part 4 of 4: Gather Resources
Step 1: Go to the library website and start a search for peer-reviewed journal articles through Academic Search Complete (see the Navigating the Online GCU Library worksheet for help with this). Please use your keywords/synonyms or Boolean search terms from Part 3 to locate five resourcesto support your essay topic.
Note: The resources or articles you find should be about the topic you chose when completing Part 1 of this worksheet; this will help you work smarter, not harder.
Step 2: Complete the table below using the 5 most relevant peer-reviewed journal articles you found on the topic chosen from part 1.
Note: For help navigating the Library, please refer to the Navigating the Library worksheet and the Library Tutorials provided in Course Materials:
An example table is provided below to demonstrate how you should complete this portion. Please do not use any part of the example as part of your own table.
Example
| Source: 5 Your Topic | Title of Resource | Boolean terms/ Keywords Used | |
| Adults and Online Learning | Factors influencing adult learners’ decision to drop out or persist in online learning. | Online Learning AND Student Success | |
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| Abstract | The number of adult learners who participate in onlinelearning has rapidly grown in the last two decades due to onlinelearning’s many advantages. In spite of the growth, the high dropout rate in onlinelearning has been of concern to many higher education institutions and organizations. The purpose of this study was to determine whether persistent learners and dropouts are different in individual characteristics (i.e., age, gender, and educational level), external factors (i.e., family and organizational supports), and internal factors (i.e., satisfaction and relevance as sub-dimensions of motivation). Quantitative data were collected from 147 learners who had dropped out of or finished one of the online courses offered from a large Midwestern university. Dropouts and persistent learners showed statistical differences in perceptions of family and organizational support, and satisfaction and relevance. It was also shown that the theoretical framework, which includes family support, organizational support, satisfaction, and relevance in addition to individual characteristics, is able to predict learners’ decision to drop out or persist. Organizational support and relevance were shown to be particularly predictive. The results imply that lower dropout rates can be achieved if online program developers or instructors find ways to enhance the relevance of the course. It also implies that adult learners need to be supported by their organizations in order for them to finish online courses that they register for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] | ||
| APA References | Park, J., & Hee Jun, C. (2009). Factors influencing adult learners’ decision to drop out or persist in online learning. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 12(4), 207-217. | ||
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