What is a helpful strategy before writing an essay response?

Brainstorming on paper is a valuable strategy before writing an essay response because it allows you to generate and organize your thoughts freely without the pressure of structure. This technique encourages creativity and can help uncover ideas that might not surface through more rigid planning methods. By jotting down your thoughts, you can explore different angles of the topic, identify key points you want to make, and start to see connections between those points. This foundational step leads to a deeper understanding of the subject matter, making it easier to structure a coherent and compelling essay later. Once ideas are on paper, you can refine and filter them into a more organized outline or structure for your essay.