Putting together two or more familiar things in an unfamiliar way› Tell yourself to come up with an idea

Then completely relax› Play: enjoying the ideas and images

“carnival” idea of Bakhtin› Suspending all judgment

“creator” and “editor” hats› Trick: turn off or cover monitor

We all naturally have creativity› that is often destroyed by social pressure

“Playing is for children” “You must be correct the first time” “Only idiots make mistakes” “You have to do it my way” Etc…

We use what we already know› Comfortable and saves time

but blocks creative thinking› Logic, conventionality, etc. box in ideas

Creativity accepts and feeds on the odd, random, etc.

We also need “Tolerance for ambiguity”› Exploring means loosening control

Do things small in totally different ways› The order you put on clothes, having

breakfast in a different room, going into a place you walk by but never investigate, use a different staircase, greet someone differently

This will tell your brain to accept change and variety

Write down every idea Embrace the random

› Especially new connections› Follow anything unusual to where it leads

Recognize the best› maybe connect a few of the best

Focus on what excites or intrigues you

Linking Lists› Create two columns

E.g., one of people, one of theory elements› Randomly link one in a) to on in b)

Note the ideas of each in a third column› Mark the most interesting

Read related but different research

Put central 1 – 3 ideas on a sheet Free-associate secondary points

› Then characteristics, etc. Connect different sets

Decide on a topic of interest List “what we knows” about it

› List the opposite of each › vividly imagine it being true

Write the implications of each

Find a few studies on a topic› Ideally, with very different approaches

Write a few words about each: the› Topic› Method› Conclusions, etc.

Shuffle your phrases› Maybe rearrange small sheets of paper

Pick a study you like Transform any aspect of each major

step› Method: quantitative to qualitative› Different theory› Different focus: audience to producers

Put in a key term › Randomly find a totally unrelated word› E.g., from a dictionary

Search for the two/three together What is the result or image of these?

Take one or parts of several studies Change the levels of each

› Large to small sample› Group to individual › Cause to effect

Go “blind” through a dictionary › Write down any word you point to› 5 – 20 words

Print them large and stick on your walls › Daydream › Associate each with any idea, object or

action related to the media› Write down any associations that interest

you

Take only the strongest ideas› Imagine the theory, method, etc. for each

Decide your goals› Basic/applied, exploratory/confirmatory,

etc. Find a similar model study and follow it Select the best elements

› try to have a logical thread run through it See “thread of positivistic inquiry”

“Think, Pair and Share” Get into groups of about 3 Think about any interesting media

topic What the group wants to learn about it

› Variables, research question, What kind of method might work best Tell the class in a few sentences