IB EXTENDED ESSAY
What makes a good RQ?
THE EXTENDED ESSAY
RELAX
THE EXTENDED ESSAY
“A study in depth of a limited topic”
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Independent research supervised by
a teacher
In a topic YOU choose from one of
the IB subject areas
On a question YOU develop
Presented in 4000 words
In accordance with IB requirements
WHAT IS IT?
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Prepares you for independent
research expected by universities
Format is a formal research paper –
scholarly journal
Written in a scholarly voice
Essay is an analytical answer to a
question YOU develop
WHAT IS IT NOT?
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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
THE EE IS……..
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A carefully constructed analytical
answer to a very precise question
Based on DATA and EVIDENCE from
your research
Data cited as to source
The EE Advisor WILL NOT
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Tell you what to do
Give you a RQ
Give you research resources
Edit your work
Remind you of the deadlines
Chase you down
Getting to the Research Question
S-T-Q
Subject….
Topic….
Question….
Getting to the Research Question
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Choose a SUBJECT
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Choose a TOPIC within that subject
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Choose a narrow RESEARCH
QUESTION that will focus your
research and argument.
Choosing a Topic
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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
Consult your advisor and Librarian
Choosing a Topic
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If you’re not confused, you haven’t
spent enough time on it yet.
Keep reading.
If you haven’t changed your mind,
you haven’t spent enough time on it
yet.
Read some more.
The Research Question
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The MOST important part of the
essay. There are NO good essays
with BAD research questions.
Think of the RQ as the map for the
essay – don’t create a map to
nowhere.
Questions have “question marks”
No ??, no research question.
Good Research Questions
Should relate two things (Like
variables in a grade 10 science fair)
 These factors should be
“cause and effect” related
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Good research questions
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Is it too easy? Is an answer easily
found?
Is it “unanswerable”? Ghosts do not
exist. Cannot look everywhere!
Is there a clear cut answer?
Is there no real answer?
Does enough evidence exist to argue
this?
Good research questions
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Can an argument be developed for or
against an aspect of this?
Is the question speculative? What if?
Could a reasonable person disagree
with the argument?
Good research questions
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Is it narrow enough?
Can it be done in 4000 words?
How can it be narrowed?
• Geographically
• By era
• By example
• With real world example
• To one work
Good research questions
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Are ones for which information is
available
Relate to the real world or have
practical applications
Deepen the question
• Has the “So what?” factor
• Includes a possible solution
• The issue is not trivial
Good research questions
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Avoid
• vague words (interesting, best, difficult)
• inflammatory words (evil, all, every,
best)
• using too many words of others –needs
to be your own words
Research Question Analysis
ECONOMICS:
Does globalization affect Turkey?
ENGLISH, Group 1:
What symbols are employed by
F. Scott Fitzgerald?
BAD Research Questions
BIOLOGY:
What causes cancer?
HISTORY:
What was the impact of the civil rights
movement?
The History of _______________
GOOD Research Questions
ENGLISH:
How does the portrayal of Joan of Arc
by Shaw, Anouilh, and Schiller differ?
BIOLOGY: An experimental study to
determine if Vitamin C levels in
orange juice differ in supermarket
vs. restaurants
GOOD Research Questions
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ECONOMICS:
What is the impact of international
coffee prices on the standard of living
in Guatemala?
IB Prohibitions
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Cannot recycle topics/papers you
have written for IB classes.
Ethical considerations in design of
experiments – no experiments that
cause pain or stress to living
organisms.
IB Prohibitions
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The RQ MUST be yours. Beware of
off-campus interning projects.
One student per Research Question –
this YOUR question
Know the 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)
Know the Criteria (con’t)!
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H. Conclusion (0-2)
I. Formal presentation (0-4)
J. Abstract (0-2)
K Holistic Judgment (0-4)
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TOTAL possible points: 36
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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
It’s all about analysis
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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.
Using Evidence
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Like in English…Point; Proof;
Explanation!
State your claim. Include your
evidence and relate it to your claim.
Comment on the evidence to show
how it supports your claim.
Include counter-argument evidence.
Evidence
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Without a claim…
Evidence is not persuasive!
Without evidence…
A claim is not persuasive!
Example
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To support an RQ: “do teens who
multi-task perform less well
academically in high schools in
Ontario?”
Evidence Example
Claim: students who listen to music
while studying do less well on tests.
(this is my thought based on what I
have read and it supports my thesis)
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It is nothing without some evidence.
Evidence
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Find an expert or a researcher who
has studied this.
Use databases…you know like
Questiaschool or the Virtual Library
DAFR4553@hwdsb.on.ca
Pw: Ancaster (case sensitive)
Evidence to support
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Although many students may believe they can switch back and forth
between different tasks with no serious consequences to their academic
performance, multitasking has been shown to dramatically increase the
number of memory errors and the processing time required to "learn"
topics that involve a significant cognitive load (Rubenstein, Meyer, and
Evans, 2008). Found on Questiaschool
Critically evaluate:
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Who are these people?
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Have they written on it before?
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Are they experts?
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The study is older? Has research changed since?
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Was this a peer-reviewed journal?
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Can their findings be related to my topic? Is it externally valid?
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Was the study well done?
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If I get satisfactory answers to these questions, then I move on with this
as a piece of evidence.
Evidence to support
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The older, but still important study by Rubenstein
et al. (2008) of university students and their
abilities to focus while using laptops at the same
time, clearly showed evidence that students are
not effectively able to switch between tasks and
still perform at their highest level. This study,
published in the Journal of Experimental
Psychology, while looking at university-aged
students, was performed under conditions
currently found in Ontario high schools and
therefore, is evidence that similar limitations
exist in our high school students attempting to
multi-task.
Scholarly Writing
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Scholarly writing is hard…
You have to have the best evidence
You have to analyse it
You have to tie everything together
to make a compelling argument
around your thesis
Your voice has to shine through
It has to be supported by expert
evidence
It’s about being a scholar
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Use a scholarly, professional style
No “I” statements (“I think”)
Use the language and vocabulary of
your field
Keep a Research Diary/Portfolio
It’s about the rules!
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Read the Guidelines (“The Blue Book”)
Make sure your RQ is in the right
Subject – your essay will be submitted
to an examiner in YOUR subject
This is NOT the place for
interdisciplinary topics
Did we mention? Read the EE Guide
It’s about the sources!
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Do not rely uncritically on Internet sources
Analyze your sources IN your essay
Primary sources over secondary sources
No encyclopedia-like sources
No textbooks
No Wikipedia!!
Range and balance of sources
Let’s talk plagiarism
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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.
(paraphrasing doesn’t mean no citation)
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
Pitfalls: The Research
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Plan for science experiments to go
awry – they always do
Data may be unavailable for your
topic
RQ may be too broad
You may not have enough
background to complete the research
Be flexible and willing to change
directions in the beginning
APPENDIX: The Presentation
How to put it all together
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Title page (Title is NOT the RQ)
Abstract of 300 words
Table of contents with subheads
Body of essay with subheads
Bibliography (ONLY works cited and
in alphabetical order)
Page numbers
Candidate number on every page
Pitfalls: Word Count
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Word count must be on title page
4000 words max for paper
This does not include
acknowledgements, table of contents
charts and tables, annotated
illustrations, bibliography or any
appendices.
Pitfalls: Word Count
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Word count must be on title page
4000 words max for paper
This does not include
acknowledgements, table of contents
charts and tables, annotated
illustrations, bibliography or any
appendices.
PRESENTATION: TITLE PAGE
The Impact of Bicycle Paths on
Land Use in Portland, Oregon
Susie Q. Student
Candidate 0517-123
Environmental Systems and Societies
Word Count: 3922
December 16, 2010
ABSTRACT
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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
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Place AFTER the abstract
All pages must be numbered
Body of essay must have
subheadings that are reflected in the
TOC
Index is not required
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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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
APPENDICES
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Not viewed as essential and
examiners are not required to read
Unless considered essential,
complete lists of raw data should not
be included