Step
5: Clustering
Clustering is a mapping strategy that is popular in the United States. Clustering helps the student to prepare for the writing task, provides an easy way to jot down new ideas as you think of them and provides an “idea bank” to refer back to during your writing process. To create a cluster, you simply draw a circle in the center of the page and write the topic, main idea or subject of your paper in the middle. Then you quickly write down all the other things you can think of that come to mind that. A cluster diagram for our essay on “Qualities Of A good teacher” might look something like this: (Imagine that there ate lines connecting each idea or quality to the main subject in the middle.)
Ability to maintain order Honesty
Ability to explain Subject knowledge
Empathy QUALITIES OF A Ability to inspire Patient GOOD TEACHER
Uses common sense A sense of humor
impartial and fair Appearance and cleanliness
Good personality
Consider the advantages of using a mapping scheme like this. Firstly, you start out with a mini-outline that instantly lets you plan your writing strategies and the order of the ideas or sub-topics you want to discuss. Other advantage aids you in the writing process itself. During the writing process, you will regularly experience “writer’s block”, meaning your mind will go blank and you wont be able to think of anything to say. When this happens, you can go back to your cluster diagram and reorganize your ideas. This is an easy way to quickly get the writing process going again. A third advantage is that the cluster diagram provides you with an expandable idea notebook. Have you ever been writing a sentence when you suddenly thing of a great idea you want to add in a different section? Usually, you forget the great idea and then you can’t think of it again. Keep your cluster diagram handy while you are writing and you can jot down that great idea. It will only take a second, and it will be there when you need it later on. Cluster diagrams help you plan your essay, and planning is what makes your paper a success.