Three Perspectives

Brainstorming multiple perspectives can help you write a dynamic paper. Three such perspectives allow you to look at your topic as it exists, as it has existed over time, and how it exists in relation to the people, places, things, cultures, around it.

Principle

• Static
  Freeze your topic in time and describe it.
• Dynamic
  Talk about your topic through time (in the past and into the future).
• Relational
  Relate your topic to other ideas that are like it.

Example

• Static (stopped in time)
  A dog is a four legged creature.  Very cheerful and active.  Great companion.
• Dynamic (topic through time)
  Dogs evolved from wolves by selective breeding by humans.  There have been many new breeds: labradoodle, etc.
• Relational (view your topic as part of a system, in relation to other things like it)
  Dogs are pets.  People take pets as part of the family.  They are part companion, part property.