In Philip Gerard’s interview, I found great meaning in the idea of ignorance being advantageous  in writing. Sometimes biases and prior knowledge of the subject can prevent a writer from, in the words of Gerard, “…unlocking something really important and exciting.” Contrary to belief, nobody knows everything. This became apparent when I looked over the blog post that listed several possible research topics. It included some topics that I’ve thought of and several that left me curious. One topic that caught my attention and spoke to my curiosity pertained to the death penalty. I only know that the death penalty exists in some states for adults, so I decided to focus on how the death penalty affects juveniles both physically and mentally. My opinions on the death penalty definitely vary from case to case and whether the person is an adult or a child. Because I have a rather neutral stance on the topic, I’m hoping that through my research I’m able to gain more information that I can use in  providing both aspects of the death penalty, ultimately giving an all encompassing perspective. My approach going into my research is just to remain open-minded and explore all avenues that are available. By doing so, I hope that my paper will be informative and have the ability to uncover and excite new ideas.