v. topic refinement.

I found the pitch exercise helpful during the process of trying to figure out a particular way to explore my topic. It pushed me to work through my swirl of ideas, and narrow them down to a particular one. This is important because when it comes to subjects like the one I am covering (the Nigerian civil war), the various issues that are tied into it are often linked so inextricably that it is very easy to digress--war is complicated. But as I wrote draft after draft of my pitch, it helped me work through my ideas until a reasonable approach to my subject began to take shape. However, in terms of refining my topic, I found the Initial Research Plan more helpful. It gave me the extra push I needed to get a sense of what information was available, and forced me to find the right question to navigate through that information with. While working on my Initial Research Plan, I was able to settle on a tight and specific enough question for the podcast assignment. 

I think the pitch exercise will definitely be helpful with other assignments as it forces you to develop a concrete (or seemingly concrete) plan, even when you are not entirely sure. Part of the reason why this is the case is because it is a pitch, and it is intended for an audience outside of yourself; this forces you to look at it from different angles. Therefore, the pitch exercise solidifies the decision-making process of how to tackle a certain topic, and it helps you gain perspective as you have to take a step back from your typical way of viewing things to know how to best sell your idea.

My refined show idea: I will discuss, in my podcast episode, ways in which the collective identity of the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria is still haunted by the Biafran War.