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Final Project: Brainstorming

Due April 5 — Submit in Canvas

Before You Start

First, read the following readings from the class website:

  • Literary Theory — Read the full page.
  • Literary Terms — This is a reference list. Skim it to familiarize yourself with the terms; you don't need to memorize anything.

The Brainstorming Assignment

The goal here is to start generating as many ideas as possible — not to pick your final topic. Cast a wide net. The more directions you brainstorm now, the more you'll have to choose from later.

Choose one of the following brainstorming methods. You can do this on paper or digitally — whatever gets your thinking flowing. If you work on paper, just take a photo to submit.

Option 1: Freewrite

Set a timer for 10 minutes and write without stopping. Don't worry about grammar, organization, or whether your ideas are "good enough." Start with a prompt like:

  • What readings from this semester stuck with me, and why?
  • What questions do I still have about something we read?
  • What connections did I notice between readings, or between a reading and something outside of class?

Let yourself follow tangents — that's where the good ideas usually hide.

Option 2: Lists

Make a few quick lists to get your thinking on paper:

  • Readings or moments that stood out to you (and a few words about why)
  • Topics, themes, or questions you'd be curious to research
  • Possible angles — historical, cultural, thematic, or theoretical — that interest you

Don't filter yourself. Write down anything that comes to mind, even if you're not sure it would work as a project yet.

Option 3: Mind Map

Start with a reading, theme, or question in the center and branch out. Connect ideas as they come to you — themes, other texts, historical events, questions, things you'd want to look up. Let the map get messy. The point is to see what clusters together.

What to Submit

  • Your brainstorming work

    Whatever you produced — freewrite, lists, mind map, or a combination. If you did this on paper, a photo is fine.

  • A short summary (a few sentences)

    Where is your thinking landing? Tell me about the directions you're considering and why they interest you. You should have at least two, but more is great — you'll narrow down later.

After You Turn This In

Before the next step (the Topic Proposal), spend some time doing preliminary online searching around the topics you're considering. You're not committing to anything yet — you're seeing what's out there. This will help you figure out which direction has enough material to work with and which one genuinely interests you.

Try things like:

  • Searching for your topic in the library databases to see if scholarly sources exist
  • Looking up historical or cultural context on reputable websites
  • Watching a few videos or documentaries related to your ideas
  • Seeing if anything surprises you or shifts your thinking

If a direction turns out to be a dead end, that's useful information — cross it off and focus on the ones that have material to work with. You'll narrow things down to a single topic in the Topic Proposal.