IB Extended Essay
“I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done.”
Steven Wright
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What are the main components?
What is it?
The Extended Essay is a
requirement for the IB-Diploma
Programme candidates
IB Requirements
• Over the two- year programme, students:
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Study 6 subjects from the 6 subjects areas.
Complete an Extended Essay (EE)
Complete a TOK course
Complete CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service)
What is the Extended Essay?
• The Extended Essay is a formal, limited in-depth
study of a topic that YOU choose.
• The topic has to fall under one of the IB subject
areas.
• Language A1, Second Language, Individual and
Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and
Computer Science, and the Arts.
What is the Extended Essay?
• YOU develop the Topic and Research Question
• A 4,000 word formal- research paper.
• This is expected to help you prepare for independent
research expected by universities.
• Essay is an analytical answer to the question YOU
develop
What is the Extended Essay?
• A carefully constructed analytical answer to a
very precise question.
• Based on DATA and EVIDENCE from research.
• Evidence is cited as a source.
• 4,000 words comes only from the intro, body
paragraphs, conclusion, and quotations.
• Not including:
• Abstract, Contents Page, Citations, Works Cited, or
Appendices.
The Extended Essay is not!
• It is NOT a review of the literature
• It is NOT a book report or plot summary
• It is NOT everything you ever learned about
your subject
• It is NOT your opinion, your thoughts, or
your beliefs
Main Objective of the Extended
Essay
• Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge.
• Going through a research progress:
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Investigating
Writing
Structure
Coming up with a topic and research question.
• It is required that the school:
• Ensures that the extended essays conform to the
regulations outlined by IB.
• Ensures that students determine the subject for
their extended essay from the approved extended
essay list (in the Handbook of procedures for the
Diploma Programme) before choosing the topic
• Ensures that each student has an appropriately
supervisor, who is a teacher within the school.
• Provides supervisors and students with the general
and subject-specific information, and guideline for
the extended essay.
Responsibilities of the school
• Provides supervisors with recent extended
essay subject reports.
• Ensures that supervisors are familiar with the
IB document Academic honesty.
• Explains to students the importance of the
extended essay in the overall context of the
Diploma Programme.
• Explains to students that they will be expected
to spend approximately 40 hours on their
extended essay.
• It is strongly recommended that the
school:
• Ensures that the students have been taught the
necessary research skills.
• Provides appropriate training for supervisors.
Responsibilities of the Supervisor
• It is required that the supervisor:
• Provides the student with advice and guidance
in the skill of undertaking research
• Encourages and supports the student
throughout the research and writing of the
extended essay
• Discusses the choice of topic with the student
and, in particular helps to formulate a wellfocused research question
• Ensures that the chosen research question
satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards
with regard to health and safety, confidentiality,
human rights, animal warfare, and
environmental issues
• Is familiar with the regulations governing the
extended essay and the assessment criteria, and
gives copies of these to the students
• Monitors the progress of the extended essay to offer
guidance and to ensure that the essay is the
student’s own work (this may include presenting a
section of the essay for supervisor comments)
• Reads and comments on one completed draft only of
the extended essay( but does not edit it)
• Reads the final version to confirm its authenticity.
• Submits a predicted grade for the student’s
extended essay to the IB
Responsibilities of the
supervisor
• Completes the supervisor’s report( if the extended
essay cover is not signed by the both the student
and the supervisor, the essay will not be accepted
for assessment and may be returned to the school
• Provides an explanation in the report in cases where
the number of hours spent with the student in
discussing the extended essay is zero; in particular,
it is necessary to describe how it has been possible
to guarantee the authenticity of the essay in these
circumstances.
• Writes a report and presents it to the school’s
Diploma Programme coordinator if malpractice, such
as plagiarism, is suspected in the final draft.
Responsibilities of the
supervisor continue
• It is strongly recommended that the
supervisor:
• Reads recent extended essay reports for the subject
• Spends between 3 and 5 hours with each student,
including the time of the vive voce.
• Ensures that the chosen research question is
appropriate for the subject
• Advises students on:
• Access to appropriate resources (such as people, a library,
a laboratory)
• Techniques of information-/ evidence- data- gathering and
analysis
• Writing an abstract
• Documenting sources
• Conducts a short vive voce interview with the student
Responsibilities of the
supervisor continue
• It is required that the students:
• Choose a topic that fits into one of the subjects
on the approved extended essay list (in the
Handbook of procedures for the Diploma
Programme)
• Observe the regulations relating to the
extended essay
• Meet deadlines
• Acknowledge all sources of information and
ideas in an approved academic manner
Responsibilities of the
student
• It is strongly recommended that the Student:
• Start work early
• Think very carefully about the research question for
their essay
• Plan how, when, and where they will find material for
their essay
• Plan a schedule for both researching and writing the
essay, including extra time for delays and unforeseen
problems
• Record sources as their research progresses (rather
than trying to reconstruct a list at the end)
• Have a clear structure for the essay itself before
beginning to write
• Check and proofread the final version carefully
• Make sure that all basic requirements are met( for
example, all students should get full marks for the
abstract)
Assessment Criteria
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A. Research Question (0-2)
B. Introduction (0-2)
C. Investigation (0-4)
D. Knowledge of topic (0-4)
E. Reason argument (0-4)
F. Application of Analytical skills (0-4)
G. Use of appropriate language (0-4)
Assessment Criteria
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H. Conclusion (0-2)
I. Formal presentation (0-4)
J. Abstract (0-2)
K Holistic Judgment (0-4)
• TOTAL possible points: 36
• There are other specific assessment criteria for each
subject.
Mark Bands
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29-36
23-28
16-22
8-15
0-7
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Mediocre
Elementary
A
B
C
D
E
Extended Essay’s role/Diploma Points
Extended
Essay
Theory of Knowledge
Excellent
A
Good
B
Satisfactory
C
Mediocre
D
Elementary
E
Not
Submitte
d
Excellent
A
3
3
2
2
1 + Failing
Condition*
N
Good
B
3
2
1
1
Failing
Condition*
N
Satisfactory
C
2
1
1
0
Failing
Condition*(2)
N
Mediocre
D
2
1
0
0
Failing
Condition*
N
1 + Failing
Condition*
Failing
Condition*
Failing
Condition*
Failing
Condition*
Failing
Condition*
N
N
N
N
N
N
N(3)
Elementary
E
Not
submitted
Extended Essay’s role/ Failing
conditions
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If you fail to submit an EE
If you write an EE but fail to meet with your advisor
If you fail BOTH the TOK paper AND the EE
If you fail the EE or TOK, you must earn at least 28
points on the exams to earn the Diploma (instead
of 24)*
Academic Integrity
• Student is responsible for citing sources.
• Work or ideas of others must be fully and correctly
acknowledged.
• The EE must be authentic work of the student.
• Avoid plagiarism and collusion they are forms of
malpractice.
Academic Integrity cont
• EACH fact, idea, quote, chart, graph, picture,
number not your own must be sourced (with
page number)
• The direct or indirect use of the words of
another person MUST be sourced.
• Restating someone’s ideas EVEN IF not
copied is plagiarism!
• The solution: CITATIONS
• Be consistent in citation style
• Manage sources as you do your research:
research notebook
Choosing a Subject
• Must be one of the 6 core subjects.
• Choose a subject that is interesting to you.
Maybe an IB course that you have taken.
• The essay must include specific terminology from
that area so, it can reflect your study. Not
recommended to do an Extended Essay in a
subject you have not studied before.
• Any Extended essay written in language B must be
typed up in that language.
English A1
• An opportunity to explore a writer or topic that
excites or absorbs you
• Do not choose a work that is studied in class
• Conduct an in-depth literary topic
• Engage in independent literary criticism and only
include some establish critical comment if necessary
• Literary works often address philosophical, political
or social questions, so the major focus of the essay
should be the literary treatment of such questions
• The literary work should not be treated simply as
documentary evidence in a discussion of
philosophical, political or social issues
• Always consider how the texts work as literature,
dealing with aspects such as the effects they
achieve, the devices they use, and the way they are
written
Language B
• The extended essay has to be written in either
French or Spanish.
• Has to deal with:
• Language
• Culture and Society
• Literature
Biology
• Your chance to actually be a biologist ; you will actually do
some science
• As an independent researcher you should start with your own
idea
• You have a chance to find out about living organism and
investigating them first hand
• Where? In your garden, on school grounds, your kitchen,
under a stone ...
• Observe the diversity of life forms around you and they way
they change in the environment
• You must incorporate biological theory and emphasize the
essential nature of this subject
• Can be based on data collected by student through
experimentation, survey, observations, fieldwork OR on
data/information obtained from literature from a primary
source that is manipulated or analyzed in an original way
• Most biology EEs that conduct the second kind of research
tend to do poorly because students tend to simply restate
facts or date taken directly from the original source and are of
little value
Chemistry
• Provides an opportunity to investigate a particular aspect of the
materials of our environment
• Chemistry is the science that deals with the composition,
characterization and transformation of substances
• Should incorporate chemical principles and theory, and
emphasize the essential nature of chemistry, relating to the
study of matter and of the changes it undergoes.
• This EE must be characterized by a particular chemical
emphasis within a more general set of research criteria
• Outcome of the research must be a coherent and structured
piece of writing that effectively addresses a particular issue or
research question and arrives at a particular, and preferably
personal, conclusion.
History
• A good history essay has to be well research and
well organized
• Anything that has happened within the last 10 years
is not considered history
• This means looking for and reading a lot of sources
• Keep a list of all sources you find
• Do not summarize general secondary sources
• Primary sources are the key
• Use primary and secondary sources in order to
establish and appraise varying interpretation
• Analyze sources in order to explain changing views
over time of particular happenings or developments
• Collect and analyze oral and written data
Mathematics
• An opportunity to investigate a mathematical idea or application
that you’ve found intriguing
• A mathematics EE means doing math as well as discussing it
• You can do one of the following:
• The applicability of math to solve both real and abstract
problems
• The beauty of math as in, for instance, geometry or fractal
theory
• The elegance of math in the proving of theorems
• The origin and subsequent development of a branch of math
over time
• The link between different branches of math
• The way a branch of math has been born, or flourished, as a
result of technology
Music
• Real music should be at the heart of this EE
• Particular pieces of music, experienced via recordings, live
performances or concerts
• You should strive for a coherent verbal analysis and
interpretation of one or more pieces of music in relation to the
research question
• Choose from a variety of different interests:
• Something in the DP music course
• Local performances or concerts
• Musical cultures that you have encountered that is not your
own
• Personal contact with composers and/or performers
• Direct involvement in actually making music
• Recordings
• Music on the internet, or downloaded from it
Psychology
• This subject is defined as “the systematic study of behaviour and
experience”
• Most important thing is to clearly define your research question so that
it is possible to write an essay within the word limit
• Avoid “pop psychology” or “self help” topics
• A good research question in Psychology is one that promotes
discussion or analysis of a problem and not merely a description
• Find appropriate literature by talking to your supervisor
• Refer to relevant psychology concepts, theories and studies throughout
the EE
• Try to see how you can apply psychological theories and use empirical
research done by psychologists to answer your research question
• Base your argument on existing research – you are not supposed to
collect data yourself for an EE in Psychology
Visual Arts
• Art is a form of expression so focus on this concept
• What drives one to create? What inspires? How does art fit
into society?
• Illustrate your thoughts and findings with images—visual arts
are visual!
• Be sure to source all images and reference materials & refer to
artists correctly
• Be passionate about your topic
• Research may be generated or inspired by your direct
experience of artwork, craftwork or design, or interest in the
work of a particular artist
• Personal contact with artists, curators and so on is strongly
encouraged
• Absolute reliance on textbooks and the internet is discouraged
• You must include visual references
Topic- Places to get inspiration.
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A book, newspaper article, magazine piece that interested you
An author, historical figure, performer who inspires you
A website that looks intriguing
A film, musical performance or play that captivated you
An experiment that captured your imagination
A natural phenomenon that you’d like to know more about
An idea that you heard in class that you’d like to explore
further
A TOK topic that fascinated you
An issue or problem in the local community that irks you
A significant event in your own life or in the life of your
ancestors
Choosing a Topic
•Limited in scope and sufficiently narrow to allow you to examine an issue in
depth
•But big enough so you may collect and/or generate data for analysis
•Science topics are most successful when you conduct an experiment
•Keep Reading:
•Has to fall under one of the core subjects
•Consider all safety and ethical issues.
•There needs to be enough information.
Research Question.
• This is the MOST important section of the Extended
Essay.
• You are circumnavigating around your research
question.
• Must be:
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Narrow
Specific
Can be answered in 4,000 words
Find enough information
Bad Research Questions.
• Language A1: English
• What symbols are employed by F. Scott Fitzgerald?
• Experimental sciences: Biology:
• What causes cancer?
• Individuals and Societies: History
• What was the impact of the civil rights movement?
• The History of …
Good Research Questions
• Language A1: English:
• How does the portrayal of Joan of Arch by Shaw,
Anouilh, and Schiller differ?
• Experimental sciences: Biology:
• An experimental study to determine if Vitamin C levels
in orange differ in supermarkets vs. restaurants.
Format of the
Extended Essay
Title Page
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There are 8 sections:
Provide a concise title that clearly indicates the focus of the essay.
Do not use your research question or hypothesis as your title.
Format
Name
Candidate number
Year of Exams
Subject
Word Count
• Abstract of 300 words. Abstract is NOT an
introduction.
• Write this LAST.
• Abstract should state:
• Research question being investigated
• The scope of the investigation
• The conclusion(s) of the essay
• Should be presented on a separate piece of
paper and placed after the title page.
Abstract
• Place AFTER the abstract
• All pages must be numbered
• It also indicates the structure of
the essay.
• The contents page outlines the
main sections with corresponding
page numbers.
Contents Page
Introduction
• Although not listed as a
criterion of assessment,
an introduction is an
important component of
an extended essay.
Body Paragraphs
• This is the longest and most important
section.
• Write it a form of a reasoned argument.
• Can use sub-headings in this section.
• The organization of the body paragraphs
should be clear to the reader what relevant
evidence has been discovered, where/how it
has been discovered and how it supports the
argument.
Conclusion
• The conclusion pulls the essay together and sums up the
major points that shaped the thesis.
• Remember that last impressions are lasting impressions.
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Bibliography (Works Cited)
Each work cited in the essay must be listed in
the bibliography.
Examiners match the citations to the
bibliography.
Over reliance on limited sources will lose
points.
Bibliography must be in alphabetical order.
Should only list the sources cited.
Documentation Styles
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Math & Sciences: APA
Environmental Sciences: APA
Economics: APA
Psychology: APA
English, Art, French, Music, Film, Dance: MLA
History/Politics: Chicago (footnotes)
“A consistent structure will protect the students from being
penalized.”
Appendices
• Not viewed as essential and examiners are
not required to read. So be careful to include
all relevant information to your Extended
Essay.
• Unless considered essential, complete lists of
raw data should not be included
Vive Voce (MANDATORY)
• The Viva Voce is a short interview (about 10 min)
between the student and the supervisor
• The conclusion of the EE process
• Students who fail to attend the Viva Voce must realize
that a comment to this effect may appear on the
coversheet of the EE and may be disadvantaged.
• Serves:
• A check on plagiarism and malpractice in general
• An opportunity to reflect on success and difficulties
in the research process
• An opportunity to reflect on what has been learned
• An aid to the supervisor’s report.
Create a Clear Argument
• Make sure you :
• Take a position (an argument – How? Why?)
• Present evidence
• Draw a conclusion
“If the arguments aren’t convincing and/or
there are gaps in knowledge, there is room for
an alternative interpretation and the student
will be penalized.”
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Subject specific language (syntax)
Diction, word choice
Are the words used correctly? (affect vs. effect)
No contractions
Avoid passive voice & first person (except for Art)
Abstract can have first person
Definitions whenever necessary
“Communication is vital: the little things are
the things that are going to radically affect
the grade.”
Demonstrate a good command
of the English language
• Organization enhances
the clarity of your thesis.
• Write your essay in a
style that is clear and
smooth and in a tone that
is formal and scholarly.
Structure/ Style
• Use EVIDENCE, DATA not description,
chronological lists.
• This is not a ‘report.”
• It’s an argument with supporting information.
• This is NOT a review of the literature—your voice
must come through loud and clear.
• Use a scholarly, professional style
• No “I” statements (“I think”)
• Use the language and vocabulary of your field
• Keep a research notebook
• Analyze your sources IN your essay
• Primary sources over secondary sources
• No encyclopedia-like sources
Last Detail: Analysis,
Scholar, and Sources
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