Quick Writes

Quick Writes takes two to three minutes and is intended to remove some of the performance anxiety people feel at speaking extemporaneously.

Purposes

• To get people immediately focused on a question or issue
• To write down thoughts so that participants have something to contribute
• To remove some of the anxiety associated with speaking extemporaneously
• To provide an opening for text-based discussions

How It Works

• Participants write a response to a question or prompt about their prior reading of a text such as a report, policy brief, program evaluation, or assigned chapter.
• People have two to three minutes to write their answers as extensively as possible (sometimes called free writes). They keep these for the group discussion.
• Quick writes are then used in a variety of ways in the whole-group conversation. They can be read verbatim in whole or in part, provide prompts for new comments, or be cited as thoughts that get revised as discussion proceeds.

Where and When It Works Well

1. When people are unused to discussion. Quick Writes works especially well with new discussion participants who appreciate the time to think through and write out their contribution.
2. When participants are reluctant to offer a comment. Reading a response often makes people less anxious about contributing to a discussion.
3. In situations when it is important to complete prior reading. Participants are more likely to complete prior reading when they know the reading will be the basis for an opening quick write.
4. When people prefer to express themselves in writing. Many people are more comfortable writing out their thoughts about a text, at least initially. This exercise lets them work from their strengths.

What Users Appreciate

1. Writing before speaking. Many people tell us that they think and speak more clearly about a topic when they write their thoughts down first.
2. Deepens reflections. Some participants say discussion goes deeper when it begins with written reflections.

What to Watch Out For

1. Finding the right place to contribute. For many participants it's difficult to find the right place to read out a quick write. They have to wait until the communicative traffic is relatively light to squeeze their comment in. Facilitators can help by regularly asking groups “Are there any Quick Writes that seem to speak to this issue? Let's hear them.”
2. Someone else has said your comment. Sometimes a member's Quick Write is similar to one already spoken. If that's the case, it's hard to articulate it without seeming redundant.
3. Illiteracy. Doing this in any setting in which some participants may be illiterate can be devastating and lead to unnecessary shame and humiliation. If you don't know the literacy status of potential participants, this technique can put disempowered people into an even more subordinate position.

Questions That Fit This Protocol

• “What are the most important ideas from this presentation for you and why?”
• “What are key lessons from this text and how might you use them in your life?”
• “How would you summarize this conversation for a friend who wasn't here?”
• “Where do we need to go next in dealing with this problem?”