Introduction to university life and academic writing

List Possible Alternatives

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Brainstorming- to suggest  lots of  ideas for a future activity very quickly 

before considering some of  them more carefully.

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Brainstorming is one way to obtain creative, detailed lists of  ideas. For 

effective brainstorming, follow these basic guidelines:

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Avoid negative feedback

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Strive for the longest list possible

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Strive for creative, unusual ideas.

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Try to build from previously mentioned ideas.         Next slide…..

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Brainstorming

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Avoid negative feedback 

- The only comments allowed should be words of  

praise and encouragement or requests for clarification of  an idea. Negative 

comments usually put an end to creative thinking.

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Strive for the longest list possible

rather than for a high-quality list. The 

leader or a recorder should make a list of  all ideas. The more ideas, the 

better your chances of  finding a really good one. For example, one good 

idea out of  5,000 is common in the pharmaceutical business (Lamb et al., 

2004, p. 321).

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Brainstorming

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Strive for creative, unusual ideas

. It is often the crazy-sounding idea that 

proves to be the best when combined with other ideas. Even if  it would not 

be acceptable to the group, a bizarre or extraordinary suggestion often 

stimulates someone to think of  a valuable idea that may have been 

overlooked otherwise.

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Try to build from previously mentioned ideas

. If  your team is really 

thinking, there should be no long pauses. Effective brainstorming moves 

quite rapidly as one idea stimulates another.

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Electronic Brainstorming

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Instead of  rapidly throwing out ideas around a table with other group 

members, in electronic brainstorming ideas are generated individually by 

typing them and sending them electronically.  E.g. Microsoft teams.

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References

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Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & McDaniel, C. (2004). Marketing. Mason, OH: 

South-Western.