Including opportunities for students to conduct independent investigations is a mainstay of gifted education programs and services. When carefully designed and skillfully facilitated, students' interest-based, independent study experiences result in increased intrinsic motivation, growth in 21st-century critical and creativity skills, greater self-efficacy toward research and creative productivity, and authentic learning experiences. Successful and meaningful investigations occur when teachers guide students through four stages of the independent study process: interest focusing, problem focusing, product focusing, and audience focusing. Progression through these stages leads to real-life learning experiences with lasting effects for students.