Brainstorming Essay Questions
Comparison and Contrast (C/C) – How are the topics the same and different?
How to Tackle C/C:
1) Read and analyze the essay question
2) What are the 2 topics being compared and contrasted?
3) Brainstorm information about the 2 topics (big circles)
4) Categorize the information (Double Bubble or table organizers work well)
Change Over Time (COT) – How has something changed from one time to another?
How to Tackle COT:
1) Read and analyze the essay question
2) What are the two times (and places) being compared and contrasted?
3) Brainstorm information about the 2 times (big circles)
4) Categorize the information (Double Bubble or table organizers work well)
5) What or who brought about this change?
Document-Based Question (DBQ) – Respond to an essay question by using documents as support for your argument.
How to Tackle a DBQ:
1) Read and analyze the essay question
2) Brainstorm information about the question (big circles)
3) Analyze the documents (sticky notes and t-chart)
4) Use your brainstorming and the documents in your organization (Double Bubble or table)
APPARTS A
– Author – Who created this? What is his/her point
of view? P
– Place and Time – Where and when was
this produced? P
– Prior Knowledge – What do you know
about this that will help? A
– Audience – For whom was this created? How does
that affect the reliability? R
– Reason – Why was this produced at the time it was
produced? T
– The Main Idea – What is the point this is trying
to get across? S
– Significance – Why is this
important? So what?
ACAPS A
– Author – Who
created the source? What is his/her point of view? How might this
affect its meaning? C
– Context – When
and where was the source created? How might this affect its meaning? A
– Audience – For
what audience was this source created? How might this affect its
meaning? P
– Purpose –
For what reason was this source created? How might this affect its
meaning? S
– Significance – What
can be learned or inferred from this source? What is its main idea?
Why is it important?
Important Vocabulary Terms:
Analyze – determine the component parts; examine their nature and relationship
For example, “analyze the major social and technological changes that took place in European warfare
between 1789 and 1918.”
Compare – examine for the purpose of noting the similarities and differences
For example, “compare the rise to power of fascism in Italy and in Germany.”
Contrast – examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference
For example, “contrast the ways in which European skilled artisans of the mid-eighteenth century and
European factory workers of the late nineteenth century differed in their attitude toward work.”
Define – give the meaning
For example, “define George Washington’s approach to foreign policy.”
Effect – whatever is produced by a cause; something made to happen by a person or thing; result
For example, “what were the effects of territorial expansion on American society between 1800 and 1860?”
Explain – make clear or interpret the reasons why a situation exists or is happening
For example, “explain why changes took place in the lives of the plains American Indians between 1803
and 1900.”
Possible Organizational Categories:
ESP – Economic, Social, Political
SPEC – Social, Political, Economic, Cultural
PERSIA – Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual, Artistic
G-PERSIA – Geographic, Political, Economic, Religious, Social, Intellectual, Artistic
SPRITE – Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological, Economic
GRIPE – Geographic, Religious, Intellectual, Political, Economic
Economic – of or relating to the production, development, and management of material wealth
Social – of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society
Political – of or relating to the conduct of government (making, administering, and interpreting policy)
Geographic – of or relating to the features of the earth and the interaction of the humans with the earth
Cultural – of or relating to the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group
Intellectual – of or relating to the capacity for knowledge (rational thought)
CGIAR ICTKM PROGRAM—ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES (OLR) PROJECT BRAINSTORMING WORKSHOP
ELEARNING LESSON DIFFRACTION AND INTERFERENCE OF MECHANICAL WAVES BRAINSTORMING
FORCES OF CHANGE BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET THE FOLLOWING TWOPAGE WORKSHEET
Tags: brainstorming essay, your brainstorming, comparison, contrast, questions, brainstorming, essay