You are now ready to start some formal brainstorming on your research topic. At this point, some writers find it helpful to mind map, draw diagrams, create outlines, or list ideas. Develop a method that works best for you. Remember, at this point, you are not looking for polished sentences and paragraphs, but strong ideas, connections, and formatting. You may feel you are getting nowhere in actually writing a paper; however, realize that half of the work is now almost complete.