Question

When you list specific details about the main ideas of your subject in order to choose one list to develop, you are _____.

narrowing your topic

listing sources

generating your topic

gathering details

Answer 1

You are narrowing your topic. Since you already know your main idea, you must list specific details in relation to it. Then, you must choose one and elaborate on that one subject. 

Answer 2

The answer is indeed letter A) narrowing your topic.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the questions, we learn that the person already has a subject/topic. The person has also made a list concerning the main ideas connected to such topic. However, not all of those ideas can or should be developed in their essay. The person, then, lists the specific details of each idea with the intention of choosing one list to develop. That means that person is narrowing their topic, choosing what is worth discussing and developing in order to convey their desired message.

For instance, my topic could be the influence of African slaves in Brazilian culture. Since this topic can be extended to several subtopics, such as food, clothes, religion, music, literature and so on, I should make a list of all the details and decide which ones I wish to discuss further. That will prevent my essay from losing focus and being too long and complex. That is "narrowing your topic".