Still ignorant

Thanks for the quick and helpful responses. Her topic would be working with more primary sources than mine, but both are quite primary-source oriented. Her topic is actually very interesting and exciting. My only reluctance is that I've been reading too much into the idea of not using my own topic and also the extra work that it would involve since I've done my preliminary research for my topic already along with a tentative bibliography. However, with hers I already have the methodology while mine would require additional work in finding the right method(s). Also, my topic may not warrant a full 20-25 page research project (unless if I elaborate on my methodology) while hers can go well beyond that page length. I emailed and asked her what she thought. I think at this point my main criterion is relevance to scholarship in hopes to get something published. But I always feel apprehensive about making my aim for publication so transparent to professors. Am I again reading too much into this weird apprehension?

So I am a first year PhD student in my first semester of coursework. I am taking a course in an area that is outside my discipline, and my professor has been very kind toward me for whatever reason. She sees that I am enjoying the class but that it is not easy for me. I've articulated both in private and during class discussion about some of the methodological challenges that I'm facing. But she thinks that I am actually doing well based on our class discussions and some small assignments that we've done so far. Anyway, she knows that I'm struggling to find a paper topic, so she offered one to me that I might like. I am definitely thankful for her thoughtfulness, but what does it mean when a professor offers a paper topic? Does it mean that she doesn't think I am competent to come up with one on my own? Incidentally, I came up with my own paper topic at the same time, but I don't know if it's a good one. I think hers will gain some traction as she mentioned that the ultimate goal of these papers is for journal submission, and she is one of the experts in her field. Should I just take her topic? Or would it be better for me to go with my own topic? Personally, both are very interesting so I don't have a preference. Hers will require much more work whereas I'm not sure if mine will be substantial enough for a full fledged journal article. But hers is basically an application of her dissertation, whereas mine would be a nuanced way of interacting with an ongoing discussion that seems to be reaching a scholarly (and, in my opinion, a myopic) consensus.