University English majors’ perceptions of using collaborative brainstorming to facilitate their argumentative essay writing

Abstract

Academic writing necessitates the presence of captivating ideas, which are presented clearly and persuasively through well-organized analysis. Within the context of Dong Nai Technology University, numerous English majors frequently encounter difficulties in generating ideas in their argumentative essays. Although there is no prescribed method for creating ideas, collaborative brainstorming can be a useful pre-writing activity to support the generation and organization of students’ ideas. The current study seeks to investigate 80 English major students' perceptions on the use of collaborative brainstorming during the initial stage of their essay-writing process. The data were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis, which was reinforced by the use of closed-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The majority of students expressed their enthusiasm for this pre-writing activity and highlighted numerous benefits associated with the usage of this method. This study shows the need for group brainstorming as a typical activity in English classes.