00:06 Chances are that if you're working on an assignment for class, 00:09 your ultimate vision of success probably includes getting a good grade. 00:13 Let's think about that good grade as a destination. 00:15 And that there are many paths that will get you to that destination. 00:19 This means there there are many things you could do that would potentially get you to that good grade. 00:23 The choices you make about how you will complete your assignment 00:26 are steps you take along these potential paths. 00:29 Of course, It can be hard to see all of your options from the beginning. How do you decide which path to take? 00:35 Choosing your route begins by having some idea of the general topics you will want to consider, 00:39 and then then exploring your options. 00:41 Let's think of an example. 00:43 Meet Bob. Bob is working on a paper on contagious diseases. 00:47 During class, Bob's teacher mentioned avian flu as a potential topic, so Bob went with that. 00:52 He figured it didn't really matter what he chose 00:54 and thought that once he chose avian flu he was finished forming his topic. 00:58 But as Bob started to do research, he got stuck. 01:02 He realized that he didn't know much about avian flu and that he really wasn't interested in learning more. 01:07 Bob has now decided to reconsider his options. 01:10 He pulls out his assignment and looks at the parameters. 01:13 Then he makes a list of the diseases that fit those parameters. 01:17 Bob then goes on to think of anything he already knows about the diseases on his list. 01:21 This helps him establish his knowledge base. 01:24 One, malaria, stands out to him because he remembers 01:27 that his friend contracted malaria during a trip to Africa. 01:32 Bob continues to think about what he already knows about malaria 01:35 about malaria and what he doesn't know about malaria. 01:36 This helps him identify some of the gaps in his knowledge. 01:40 Now Bob has identified some potential directions for his paper 01:44 and has a better idea of what kind of information he needs to move forward. 01:49 Picking a topic effectively involves exploration and consideration of different options 01:54 like exploring different paths towards an ultimate goal. 01:58 Bob found that by considering different options he was able to avoid the dead ends 02:02 brought on by not having enough information or not being interested in his topic. 02:05 He was able to choose a path that will be interesting and productive for him 02:08 and to identify questions that will lead him forward in his research. 02:12 As Bob's example shows, good topics connect to the parameters of your assignment, 02:16 are interesting to you, and spark questions you'd want to answer. 02:20 Initial topic formation should involve exploring and considering potential ideas, 02:25 as well as recognizing gaps in information as a way to move forward. 02:29 This exploration and choice of paths will continue throughout your research and writing process.