Choosing a topic

The exploration is a significant part of the course. It is useful to think of it as a developing piece of work, which requires particular skills and strategies. As a general rule, it is unrealistic to expect all students to have these specific skills and to follow particular strategies before commencing the course.

Many of the skills and strategies identified below can be integrated into the course of study by applying them to a variety of different situations both inside and outside the classroom. In this way, students can practice certain skills and learn to follow appropriate strategies in a more structured environment before moving on to working independently on their explorations.

Choosing a topic

• Identifying an appropriate topic
• Developing a topic
• Devising a focus that is well defined and appropriate
• Ensuring that the topic lends itself to a concise exploration

These questions may help you to find a topic for your exploration:
 What areas of the syllabus interest me the most?
 What areas of the syllabus have I performed the best in?
 Which mathematical skills are my strengths?
 Do I prefer pure mathematics, or applied mathematics and modeling?
 Have I discovered, either through reading or the media, mathematical areas outside of the syllabus that I find interesting?
 What career do I eventually want to enter, and what mathematics is important in this field?
 What are my own special interests or hobbies? Where is the mathematics in these areas?

These questions will help you decide if your chosen topic is suitable.
 What areas of mathematics are contained in my topic?
 Which of these areas are accessible to me or are part of the syllabus?
 Is there mathematics outside the syllabus that I would have to learn in order to complete the exploration successfully? Am I capable of doing this?
 Can I show personal engagement in my topic, and how?
 Can I limit my work to the recommended length of 6 to 12 pages if I choose this topic?