topic: "The subject of a discourse, argument, or literary composition; a matter treated in speech or writing; a theme" OED

to brainstorm: "To subject to a brainstorm; to analyze in a group discussion of spontaneously arising ideas. Also intransitive. " OED

to brainstorm one's way: to proceed by such a discussion.

Before you begin your project, you'll want to think about your topic (picking a topic) and how you would present your ideas (what's your assignment?). This process is called brainstorming. During the brainstorming phase, it's best when you can try to come up with as many ideas as you can -- don't judge yourself, don't evaluate -- just generate. There are many ways you can document your ideas, organize them, or map them out. You can brainstorm by creating a list of ideas that you came up with, or drawing a map and diagram. 

Learn More:

• 1. Brainstorming strategies
  • Asking questions
  • Broadening your topic
  • Choosing keywords
  • Concept mapping
  • Narrowing your topic
• Brainstorming Tips
• Choosing a topic from scratch
• Choosing a topic from a theme
• Choosing a topic with subject terms
• Developing a research question
• Overcoming Writer's Block
• The Communication Triangle
• Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block - Purdue OWL