Before you write or speak you must know what you are going to say about your topic. You will need to give it direction, to limit it, or to modify it in one way or another. Here are six steps to help you refine or limit your topic. 1. Read everything on the page very carefully.
2. Begin to look for connections, for pairs or groups of ideas that fit together.
3. Discard any items which do not seem to fit.
4. On a separate sheet of paper, begin putting together related pairs or groups.
5. Look for one focus, one idea or one approach which seems to stand out over the others.
6. Take an aspect of the topic which you can cover in two minutes (about 500 words).
After completing the six above steps, articulate a precise topic that you will address.

Example: The Migratory Flights of Canadian Geese