# EXPOS 20 BEATstorming


On November 4th, students in Dr. Gold's "Telling Her Story: Narrative, Media, and #MeToo" further developed and communicated ideas for their research projects. Using color-coordinated note cards, students thought critically about how to structure their ideas and the types of sources they might need with the B.E.A.T framework as a guide.

B.E.A.T. stands for Background, Exhibit, Argument, and Theory. This schema allowed students to deeply engage with their topics and the relationships between various sources. The color-coded note cards provided a spatial and graphical mode of organizing ideas that students embraced to explore the nuances of their topics.

Sample exhibits include the activist movement #HandsOffMyHijab, Shonda Rhimes's television show Scandal, and Taylor Swift's album Evermore. Students collaborated in small groups to narrow their arguments and begin drafting the central claims of their research papers.

During one of her class visits, Dr. Gold perfectly encapsulated the students' passions and diligence toward outlining their sources that was evident in the air when she said, "They're just doing some deep, high level BEATstorming. Get it? Like brainstorming..."


Several groups presented their BEATs and practiced streamlining their arguments. They also practiced their skills as performers amd synthesizers of complex arguments into accessible modes of communication, which will be invaluable as students begin to think about their research capstones.