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Posted Jan. 29, 2013

How to Effectively Brainstorm for Postgraduate Study

Need to break out of stale patterns of thinking? Brainstorming should do the trick!

This popular process is a great way to generate new ideas, build or expand on existing ideas, and to capture all the thoughts around the brainstormed topic. This relaxed and informal approach to problem solving aims to get people unstuck from their normal way of thinking, and come up with creative ideas that can then be crafted into original solutions.

So what's the best way to go about brainstorming for your postgraduate study ? Check out our advice below...

Be Prepared You don't want to stop and start the brainstorming process unless absolutely necessary. This means you need to be well prepared. Paper, pens, rubbers, reference materials, dictionary, snacks, drinks, the works! Get everything you need in one place, and you'll be good to go.

Optimism Be optimistic. Before starting, take a deep breath, smile, and believe that you have the ability to come up with great ideas. For some added motivation keep some inspirational quotes or positive affirmations at hand.

Zone Out For the most successful postgraduate brainstorming session you'll need total peace and quiet. Turn off anything that might distract you, including your phone, TV, and Facebook, and embrace the solitude. Getting away from noise is the key.

Quantity vs Quality Brainstorming is all about working fast. Don't get hung up on producing quality results. Even if what you are writing sounds silly, crazy or just plain weird, go with it. The faster you work the more ideas you will create. The more ideas you create, the more avenues to develop.

Write It Don't Type It Unless typing feels more natural to you, always write rather than type. There is just something about writing that helps to drive creativity. Plus you won't interrupt your flow when your laptop decides it's going to do an automatic restart without your knowledge!

Don't Edit Yourself One of the biggest no-no's of any creative brainstorming session is editing yourself. No matter what you come up with, no matter how ridiculously wacky it sounds, do not edit it. EVER! Everything that is produced during a brainstorm is important. Everything has a role to play.

Have A Rest Yes you are allowed to take a rest if you're feeling like you simply can't do anymore. Whether you take ten minutes or a week, brainstorming is an ongoing thing that you can return to at anytime.

Don't Stop When You Hit a Good Idea Just because you hit upon an awesome idea, doesn't mean that it is your cue to stop. Keep going. Why settle for a B when an A plus might be right around the corner.

Mind Map It If you really want to enhance your idea flow then consider creating a mind map. Mind maps can make a world of difference to your creativity. They are super simple and easy to use.  Not 100% sure what they are or how they work? Check this video out: How to Mind Map .

Organise and Filter This final step should only be undertaken after you have completely and utterly exhausted your brain. You should have a whole bunch of ideas to work with. Narrow down what you've got, pull out any useful information, and make something usable.

Have you tried brainstorming for your postgraduate study in the past? How did it work out?
 

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