Minutes a day n e w y o r k

L i s t i n g
Listing is similar to freewriting in that it is a timed, flowing exercise meant to elicit many thoughts and ideas on
a given topic. However, instead of putting whole sentences or phrases on paper, this prewriting technique involves
creating a list. It might contain various individual thoughts, ideas that make sense in a particular order, and/or
ideas linked together by association with previous ideas.
Listing is a great brainstorming strategy for collaborative writing projects, which work best when they begin
with the entire group collecting ideas. In addition, unlike freewriting, listing works well in a timed writing situ-
ation. Even within the 25 minutes allotted for the SAT essay, spend a few minutes first listing your ideas before
beginning to write.
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