Purdue University North Central Writing Center Handout

Prewriting Techniques--A Heuristic

Read and answer each question thoughtfully.  If you get stuck, move to the next question.  This is to be taken as a model.  Feel free to experiment with your own questions.

Definition

1.       How does the dictionary define _________________?

2.       What earlier words did __________ come from?

3.       What do I mean by ___________________?

4.       What group of things does ________________ seem to belong to?  How is ________________ different from other things in this group?

5.       What parts can __________________ be divided into?

6.       Does ______________________ something now that it didn’t years ago?  If so, what?

7.       What other words mean approximately the same as _________________________?

8.       What are some concrete examples of  ______________________?

9.       When is the meaning of __________________________ misunderstood?

Comparison

1.       What is ____________________ similar to ?  In what ways?

2.       What is _______________________ different from?  In what ways?

3.       ________________________ is superior to what?  In what ways?

4.       ________________________ is inferior to what?  In what ways?

5.       ________________________ is most unlike what?  (What is it opposite to?)  In what ways?

6.       ________________________ is most like what?  In what ways?

Relationship

1.       What causes ______________?

2.       What are the effects of __________________?

3.       What is the purpose of __________________?

4.       Why does _________________________________ happen?

5.       What is the consequence of ____________________________?

6.       What comes before ________________________________?

7.       What comes after ________________________________?

Testimony

1.       What have I heard people say about _________________________?

2.       Do I know any facts or statistics about _______________________________?  If so , what?

3.       Have I spoken with anyone about __________________________________?

4.       Do I know any famous or well-known saying (e.g. , “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush”) about _______________________?

5.       Can I quote any proverbs or poems about _______________________________?

6.       Are there any laws about _____________________________________?

7.       Do I remember any songs about ______________________________?  Do I remember anything I’ve read about ____________________________________ in books or magazines?  Anything on movies or television?

8.       Do I want to do any research on _____________________________?

Circumstance

1.       Is _________________ possible or impossible?

2.       What qualities, conditions, or circumstances make  _______________________ possible or impossible?

3.       Supposing that _____________________ possible, is it also feasible?  Why?

4.       When did ___________________ happen previously?

5.       Who has done or experienced _______________________________?

6.       Who can do __________________________________?

7.       If _______________________ starts, what makes it end?

8.       What would it take for __________________________ to happen now?

9.       What would prevent ______________________________ from happening?

Excerpted from pp. 82-83 of A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers, second edition, Oxford University Press, 1987.