Ancaster High School
Extended Essay
2013-2014
3
Researching and Writing your EE
Let’s see where you are at…
 Read the EE Guide regarding the subjects you are interested in to determine the
requirements of an EE in that subject
 Examine the topics and AIMS and objectives of the subject area you are
interested in
 Pick your subject (September of your Grade 11 Year)
 Have a Supervisor assigned
 Do some preliminary research to narrow the subject to some possible topic(s)
 Meet with Supervisor
 Do some more research based on recommendations from Supervisor
 Choose a topic
 Develop possible research questions on your topic
 Research the questions
 Meet with Supervisor to get feedback on your questions
 Create and choose the research question
 Answer the research question with your thesis statement
 Research your RQ; find reputable sources (expert opinion, statistics etc.) that
provide quality evidence to support your thesis. Use databases like Questia and
Virtual Library and look for books on your topic in all libraries available to you)
 Continue to research; look at contrary views and evidence
 Take notes and record all bibliographic information
 Complete experiments and collect results (better if done earlier)
 Create an outline showing evidence and identify any gaps in your evidence
(points you need to make for which you have no evidence)
 Begin writing (May-June)
 Use evidence in an effective manner in text; paraphrase, direct quotes and use
proper in-text citing method appropriate to the citation style you are using for
the subject)
 Complete Rough draft
 Submit rough draft to turnitin.com
 Get and review the Originality report with your Supervisor.
 Meet with Supervisor to give them your rough draft
 Meet with Supervisor to record their comments and suggestions on your rough
draft (they may not edit it)
 Have others read your draft (not illegal for others you know to read and
comment)
 Revise, revise, revise (may require some more research)
 Proofread
 Create Bibliography (use the correct Style for your subject area)
 Check the format requirements for the EE you are writing (Table of Contents;
Title Page; Spacing and font; # of copies needed; abstract; word count)
 Write Abstract
 Appendices (if required)
 Submit final product to turnitin.com
 Submit final product to EE Coordinator with originality report
 You are Done! (December of your Grade 12 year)
Extended Essay Calendar
Date
September to
December
December to
May
Task
Doing preliminary research; meeting
with Supervisor to choose a topic,
and develop a focused research
question (RQ)
Submit FORMS 1, 2, and 3 and
Honour Code by December
Research and collect evidence to
support thesis
Hand in Form 3A and Form 5







By end of June
Have all your research or data
collection completed
Develop a formal outline for your
paper



June - August
Begin to draft your essay
Complete rough draft by summer’s
end



Sept. 6
Submit rough draft to turnitin.com
and print an Originality Report.
Hand in the first draft of your whole
EE to your supervisor by 4 p.m. and
electronically to the EE IB
Coordinator (in case it goes missing)
Edit, polish and refine your final
version

September,
October
Dec 2
November
Hand in your final version of your
Extended Essay by 4 p.m.:
electronic copies to your supervisor
and the IB EE Coordinator (three
printed off versions to Library by 3
p.m with a copy of the Originality
Report)
Vive Voce Interviews








What do I do next?
Meet with Supervisor when you have
questions.
Submit forms on time
Continue to research the focused RQ
Use From 4 to record session times for
meetings with Supervisors
Use school, public and university libraries to
find sources
Use databases like Questiaschool to find
quality sources
Outline your project to see where you still
need evidence or better evidence
Determine if you are missing any evidence
Read the Assessment Criteria again carefully
Discuss with Supervisor; what style to use for
citing sources and ensure you know how to
paraphrase, cite quotes and create a correct
Bibliography
Write up your report
Keep the Assessment Criteria in mind
Arrange time to meet with your supervisor to
discuss the first 2,000 words
Arrange meeting with supervisor before end of
Sept. to discuss draft of whole EE
Check you are following the Assessment
Criteria and the criteria for essays in your
subject
Meet with Supervisor to receive their
comments on your paper
Finish final version
Now the writing is done, congratulate yourself
Start thinking about the vive voce
Relax. It is all over now.
Think how you can use the EE in your
application and interviews for Universities
Your Supervisor will read your final paper,
sign off on it if they feel it is your own work,
and complete the Supervisor’s Report
Student Responsibilities and the EE
Responsibilities of the student
It is required that students:
• choose a topic that fits into one of the subjects on the approved extended essay list (at Ancaster
High we recommend that it be a subject that the student is taking)
• observe the regulations relating to the extended essay
• meet deadlines
• acknowledge all sources of information and ideas in an approved academic manner.
It is strongly recommended that students:
• 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).
Your Supervisor
Responsibilities of the supervisor
It is required that the supervisor:
• provides the student with advice and guidance in the skills 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 well-focused
research question
• ensures that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards with
regard to health and safety, confidentiality, human rights, animal welfare and environmental issues
• is familiar with the regulations governing the extended essay and the assessment criteria, and gives
copies of these to the student
• 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 comment)
• reads and comments on one completed draft only of the extended essay (but does not edit the
draft)
• reads the final version to confirm its authenticity
• submits a predicted grade for the student’s extended essay to IB Cardiff
• completes the supervisor’s report (if the extended essay cover is not signed by 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 such 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.
It is strongly recommended that the supervisor:
• reads recent extended essay reports for the subject
• spends between three and five hours with each student, including the time spent on the viva 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, concluding interview (viva voce) with the student before completing the
supervisor’s report.
The student may work with or consult external sources, but it remains the responsibility of the
supervisor within the school to complete all the requirements described above.
You must develop a relationship with your supervisor and provide them with adequate information
for them to judge that the work of the essay is your own.
The Research
What is the point of my research?
 You will need primary and secondary research.
 Think of your research as like an iceberg.
In icebergs, about 80% is not seen as it lies below the water-line.
However that huge mass below is what allows a great deal to be
sticking up above the water. In the same way your essay will need
to ‘float’ on a mass of research which is not explicitly visible in the
essay.
 The point of your research will depend on the subject and topic you have chosen.
Science papers are investigations to prove an hypothesis and are in report form with
headings; English papers are essay style and prove a thesis. In any subject the papers
are investigative and argumentative in nature. State what your paper is trying to prove
and then find quality sources to supply the evidence to support your points.
 Your paper is only as good as the evidence on which it is based.
 Mathematics and experiment-based Science topics may need less secondary research
than Group 3 topics.
 Your research should seek to provide with you with a depth and range of knowledge so
that you:
o
o
o
o
understand the background and academic context of your topic
assemble an appropriate variety of viewpoints and evidence
know your topic back to front
keep a paper and e-trail, including all bibliographic information about your
sources e.g. page numbers and urls
o show evidence that you critically evaluated every source and chose the best
experts and evidence to support your ideas.
o develop your interest in your topic and question
How do I choose a topic and develop a good research question?





Look at course outlines for topics you are or will be studying. Topics from course
outlines are posted on D2L under Course Outline Topics.
Remember, you may not do an EE on a topic you have submitted a piece of work to IB
for assessment.
Browse the library in the subject area. Look at indexes in books in areas of interest.
Google search a subject directory like http://www.dmoz.org/ which lists good websites
on topic areas.
Read examiner reports for topics that are not suggested.
What makes a good Research Question?
From the IB EE Guide:
Students should not work with a research question that is too broad or too vague, too narrow, too
difficult orinappropriate. A good research question is one that asks something worth asking and that
is answerable within 40 hours/4,000 words. It should be clear what would count as evidence in
relation to the question, and it must be possible to acquire such evidence in the course of the
investigation. If a student does not know what evidence is needed, or cannot collect such evidence, it
will not be possible to answer the research question.
Criteria for good questions:
1. It meets the requirements for the subject under the EE guide (will tell you how the RQ should be
phrased…question, hypothesis, thesis)
A: research question
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
This criterion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the
aim of the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the
“research question”.
However, certain disciplines may permit or encourage different ways of formulating the research task.
Can it be asked and answered (Is there an answer? Can info be found to answer?)
Can sources be found in English? (Shouldn’t be translated)
Will you find experts whose words and work will support this? It can’t be about how you feel or
think…it is about what you can prove!)
Is it worthwhile to answer? Does it add to the discussion in the field?
Is the topic focused? Can it be answered in only 4000 words?
Is the topic broad enough to discuss in up to 4000 words? Not trivial or already answered.
Can the topic be objectively treated? Not just conjecture or in “pseudo” areas
Does the question fit squarely in the area of study
Does the topic avoid hypothetical discussion? (No, what if ….didn’t happen?)
Are all terms in the question clearly defined and understood by all in the field
Try an on-line tool to help develop a question:
Thesis Builder
http://www.tommarch.com/electraguide/thesis.php
Check out the Examiner reports and the Subject Criteria on D2L
for more suggestions.
Here are some typical errors EE students make when choosing a
topic:
History:
•
•
•
Selecting a Topic with limited resources in the English language
– Mozambique Independence, resources are mostly in Portuguese, Swahili,
Makhuwa
Selecting a Topic not studied in class
– New Zealand Aboriginal History
• Maori voting rights (difficult to find resources)
Selecting a Topic without creditable historians
– Website resources only; Wikipedia not an acceptable source
– Need to know that there are reputable historians who are studying the field
Biology or Chemistry:

Experiment is too complex, or too simple.
English:
•
Studying an over-selected book (Examiners have read too many essays on
these)
– 1984
– Harry Potter
– Wuthering Heights
– Lord of the Rings
– To Kill a Mockingbird
– The Handmaid’s Tale
– The Grapes of Wrath
– The Great Gatsby
– Frankenstein
– David Copperfield
– Robinson Crusoe
– Pride & Prejudice
– Jane Eyre
– Heart of Darkness
– Moby Dick
When do I do my research?





Do lots of preliminary research to narrow your topic and investigate various questions
that may be of interest.
Once your research question (RQ) has been agreed upon by you and your Supervisor,
then start researching.
The IBO expect your EE to be the result of at least 40 hours of work on your part. This
includes time for the research, meetings, writing and re-writing.
If you are doing an experimentally based Group 4 EE, then you need to start speaking
to your Supervisor as soon as possible (i.e. now), about when you can do the lab work.
You must be supervised in the lab at all times.
You must have completed all your research and/or data gathering before end of June.
How should the assessment criteria influence my research?





Of the 11 assessment criteria, there are a number which you should keep in mind as
you research:
Investigation (criterion C) – you have gathered an imaginative range of appropriate
sources or data and carefully selected what appears in the essay; your investigation
should be well planned.
Knowledge and understanding of the topic studied (criterion D) – you demonstrate
a very good knowledge and understanding of the topic studied; where appropriate, you
have precisely located the investigation in its academic context.
Reasoned argument (criterion E) – you present ideas clearly and in a logical and
coherent manner; you develop a reasoned and convincing argument in relation to the
research question.
Holistic judgment (criterion K) – your essay shows intellectual initiative, depth of
understanding and insight.
Here are all eleven Assessment Criteria:
Some are easy to get the points in…others more difficult.
A: research question
This criterion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the aim of
the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the “research
question”. However, certain disciplines may permit or encourage different ways of formulating the research
task.
B: introduction
This criterion assesses the extent to which the introduction makes clear how the research question relates to
existing knowledge on the topic and explains how the topic chosen is significant and worthy of
investigation.
C: investigation
This criterion assesses the extent to which the investigation is planned and an appropriate range of sources
has been consulted, or data has been gathered, that is relevant to the research question. Where the research
question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which the essay is registered, the
maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2.
D: knowledge and understanding of the topic studied
Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which the
essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2. “Academic context”, as
used in this guide, can be defined as the current state of the field of study under investigation. However, this
is to be understood in relation to what can reasonably be expected of a pre-university student. For example,
to obtain a level 4, it would be sufficient to relate the investigation to the principal lines of inquiry in the
relevant field; detailed, comprehensive knowledge is not required.
E: reasoned argument
This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay uses the material collected to present ideas in a
logical and coherent manner, and develops a reasoned argument in relation to the research question.
Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which
the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2.
F: application of analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the
subject
Refer to the Aims for the subject you are writing the paper on. The skills of the subject area are expected to
be demonstrated in the investigation done in an Extended essay.
G: use of language appropriate to the subject
H: conclusion
This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay incorporates a conclusion that is relevant to the
research question and is consistent with the evidence presented in the essay.
I: formal presentation
This criterion assesses the extent to which the layout, organization, appearance and formal elements of the
essay consistently follow a standard format. The formal elements are: title page, table of contents, page
numbers, illustrative material, quotations, documentation (including references, citations and bibliography)
and appendices (if used).
J: abstract
The requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly the research question that was investigated, how
the investigation was undertaken and the conclusion(s) of the essay.
K: holistic judgment
The purpose of this criterion is to assess the qualities that distinguish an essay from the average, such as
intellectual initiative, depth of understanding and insight. While these qualities will be clearly present in the
best work, less successful essays may also show some evidence of them and should be rewarded under this
criterion.
How do I find the evidence I need?



Find evidence for every point; remember it is not about what you think but what you
can prove.
Find quality evidence.
How do you determine if a source is worthy of being used in your work?
Here are some findings of research on student research skills:
• Students appear to value immediacy over quality in online research, The ease with which “the
answer” may be found online places sites such as Wikipedia, homework help sites, answer sites, and
other social and content sharing sites to the top in terms of source matches.
RESEARCH IS HARD WORK AND WILL TAKE TIME. YOU NEED TO FIND THE BEST
RESOURCE TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE, NOT THE FIRST RESOURCE.
• Students often use cheat sites and paper mills as sources Less a research competency issue than a
moral and ethical one, the significant number of sources that match to cheat sites and paper mills
suggest that for students there is a bias towards immediate outcomes and results rather than towards
concerted effort to meet assignment goals.
ESSAYS FROM PAPER MILLS ARE NOTORIOUSLY POORLY WRITTEN AND WOULD BE
CAUGHT BY TURNITIN.COM. IT WOULD ALSO BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO DISCUSS WITH
YOUR SUPERVISOR, A PAPER YOU HAVE NOT REALLY WRITTEN. DURING THE EXIT
INTERVIEW, OR VIVA VOCE YOU WILL HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PAPER.
• There is an over reliance on the “wisdom of the crowd”
Students appear to demonstrate a strong appetite for crowd-sourced content in their research. Though
it is not immediately evident why students seek these sources out, the strong reliance on these types of
sites indicate difficulty assessing the authority and legitimacy of the content these sources present.
YOU NEED TO FIND EVIDENCE FROM EXPERTS. TO DO THIS YOU WILL NEED TO
IDENTIFY EXPERTS IN YOUR FIELD.
• Student “research” is synonymous with “search” The frequent and uninhibited use of sites with
limited educational value (as defined by the quality and authority of content) in student work
underscores a preference for “searched,” rather than “researched content”.
USE DATABASES AND SCHOLARLY OR ACADEMIC SOURCES; OR OTHER SOURCES OF HIGH
QUALITY. EVALUATE ALL SOURCES FOR THEIR CREDIBILITY.
•Existing student source choices warrant a need for better search skills In addition to a preference
for immediacy, the popularity of crowd-sourced content online indicates that a majority of students are
engaging in cursory or shallow searches for content. At play may be an absence of awareness of
how search engines work and how to effectively conduct searches to find appropriate content. What
also appears to be absent is the use of criteria (whether internally—or externally—defined) to judge
that content.
What is evidence?

Evidence can be of many types:
 FACT
 OPINION
 STATISTICS
 EXAMPLE, ANECDOTE OR TESTIMONIAL

Facts stand on their own if they come from reputable sources. Always verify all facts
you are using in your paper with several sources.
Opinions; also known as expert opinions are only as good as the reputation of the
author. You must check the background of authors before using their words.
 Do a Google search of their name
 Read book reviews of sources which usually talk about the author
 Read a book jacket or biography in a book
 Check out their credentials. What makes them qualified to speak on this topic?
 How do you find experts in a field?
 Examine bibliographies of articles and books that are useful to you. Who
do these people cite? Do you see the same names?
 Google “experts in the field of …”
 Do searches of the specific topic on Google or using a database and see
what authors are in the list of results.
 Look up local universities and find out the names of professors whose
research is in the field. Contact them politely through email to see if they
will help.
 See if your Supervisor knows any experts in the area in which your
research falls.



Quality evidence needs to come from a credible type of source; e.g. Scholarly journals
(peer-reviewed) are the highest quality type of source; good quality magazines are
okay if the authors are reputable; books (ebook or print) are excellent if the author is
reputable and qualified.
Social media, like blogs and twitter, newspaper articles (written at low language level),
personal websites are not considered academic sources.
What is the difference between popular and scholarly articles?
Popular (Magazines)

Are often written by journalists or professional writers for a general audience

Use language easily understood by general readers

Rarely give full citations for sources

Written for the general public

Tend to be shorter than journal articles
Scholarly (Journals)

Are written by and for professors, researchers or scholars (chemists, historians, doctors, artists, etc.)

Uses scholarly or technical language

Tend to be longer articles about research

Include full citations for sources

Are often refereed or peer reviewed (articles are reviewed by an editor and other specialists before
being accepted for publication)

Book reviews and editorials are not considered scholarly articles, even when found in scholarly
journals

Check out this source on “ a Tour of a Scholarly Journal Article”
http://liblearn.osu.edu/movies/articletour/overview.html
And check out this prezi that discusses what is meant by “Scholarly Publishing”
Examples of Scholarly Journals:
Evaluating Sources
The following rubric for evaluating sources was put out by turnitin.com:
SEER, the resulting interactive rubric, is designed to
analyze and grade the academic quality of Internet sources used by students in their
writing. Instructors and students who use SEER can quickly evaluate a website and arrive at a single
score based on five criteria scaled to credibility:





Authority: Is the site well regarded, cited, and written by experts in the field?
Educational Value: Does the site content help advance educational goals?
Intent: Is the site a well-respected source of content intended to inform users?
Originality: Is the site a source of original content and viewpoints?
Quality: Is the site highly vetted with good coverage of the topical area?
Or there is the ABCDs method:
ABCDs of Website Evaluation
Name of site:
URL
http://www.domainname.com/subject/folder/htm
E.g. http://www.aip.org/history/climate/pdf/20ctrend.pdf
Protocol: http://
Domain: www.aip.org (look up domain; watch for type of domain)
Directory: history
File: climate
Filetype: pdf
Title of file: 20ctrend.pdf
ABCDs
Analysis of URL of
site:
Consider using this site if:





A
Authorship


Who created this site?
B
Bias
What is the purpose of this site?
C




Content
How accurate or trustworthy is
this page?
Is it at my reading level?



D
Date
Is the information current
enough?
When was this page created or
updated?




Evaluation
complete
Question this site if:
You search for the domain and
determine it is for a valid reliable
organization or person. Use Domain
Tools
The type of domain is more reliable:
.gov (government)
.edu (college or university)
.org (organization as long as you check
it out and find it to be reliable)
Author seems to be an expert in the
field or subject
Organization is governmental or nonprofit and is a respected organization
in this field.

Accurate Information (check that
same info is on another site)
News
Scholarship




Advocacy (Promotes a point of view)
Personal interest
Advertising
Entertainment
Previously published in a book,
newspaper, magazine or academic
journal and has been subject to peer or
other editing
This page or site has a works cited list
or bibliography
Information is consistent with other
sources
It is at a reading level I can understand

This is a continuously updated page or
site
Links to information work
You can find a date updated or posted

Editing needed. Mistakes in spelling
or grammar throughout this site
This page or site has no works cited
list or bibliography
Information is not consistent with
other sources
This site is too difficult for me to read
with understanding
Not all aspects of the topic are
covered
This site was last updated more than a
year ago
Links to other information are broken
I am comfortable that the
information on this site is reliable












.com (commercial; someone paid for
this)
.net (network)
.k12 (school; may be a grade 5
student)
Geocities, yahoo, etc. (personal)
Has a country code you are unfamiliar
with
Author does not seem to have
relevant qualifications
Organization has commercial interest
in this subject
I probably should not use this site for
academic work

Author
 Search for information on the author(s) to ensure they have the credentials to
speak on the topic of the source you are citing
(what are their degrees in? What else have they written? Are they cited by other
authors in the field?)
 If no author is available, use only sources where reputable organizations are
responsible for the production of the material

Bias
 It is neither good nor bad. It just is. All writing tends to show a bias.
 You may need to find and use articles that address a topic from opposite sides to
make your point, or to refute a counterpoint in your argument.
 Make sure you use credible authors to do this. You can always find someone to
support your way of thinking, but they may not be deemed credible by your
reader.
 Check out this resource on recognizing and using biased information properly.
http://liblearn.osu.edu/movies/bias.htm

Content
 Always ensure that your content is written at an appropriate language level (this
is similar to a university paper); and that all of your facts can be validated in other
sources than the one you cited.
 Is the content cited by others in the field?

Date/Currency:
 You should judge the currency of the source and make sure that what is being
said has not been super-ceded or improved, changed or rejected since the
source was published.

Specific concerns about website sources:
 Analyze the URL
 Use this tool to analyse the “domain” of the site http://www.gleanwhois.org/
 It will tell you who “owns the site”
 Use .gov; .org (if a valid and credible organization); and .edu if a university of
college. Avoid .com and personal sites.
 Do not use Wikipedia…essays submitted with Wikipedia citations tend to be
marked lower than other essays citing higher quality sources.
Or use the CRAAP Test
When you search for information, you're going to find lots of it . . . but is it good information? You will have
to determine that for yourself, and the CRAAP Test can help. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to help
you evaluate the information you find. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your
situation or need.
Evaluation Criteria
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
When was the information published or posted?
Has the information been revised or updated?
Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
Are the links functional?
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
Who is the intended audience?
Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?
Authority: The source of the information.
Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?
examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.
Where does the information come from?
Is the information supported by evidence?
Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?
Purpose: The reason the information exists.
What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?
How do you find good sources?
 Try the school library ipac to search for books in the school library. Try the
Public or University Libraries as well in the area.
 Use the databases
ID: secondary
PW: library
These two are the highest quality, but many others are specific to the topic you may have.
Bought specifically for our IB students. International in focus. Has access to 77 000
text sources.
ID: firstclass email (first two letters of your first name; first two letters of your last
name; four digit login number; @hwdsb.on.ca
PW: Ancaster (capital A)
Resources for history:
 History relies on primary sources and secondary sources.
 Secondary sources should be evaluated using OPVL to
judge their quality.
 Use book reviews to help judge the quality and usefulness
of sources.
Here is a summary of OPVL




Origin – In one or two sentences state the origins of the source.
o What type of document is it?
o When and where was it produced?
o Who produced it?
Purpose – In one or two sentences state the purpose of the source.
o The purpose of the source…
o Who was the intended audience?
o For what purposes was it written?
Value – In one or two well-written paragraph(s) explain the value of the document for
historians. Provide and explain specific evidence from the document to support your
answers. A minimum of two values must be proven.
o With reference to the origin and purpose, what is the value of the document
forhistorians studying this event?
Limitations – In one or two well-written paragraph(s) explain the limitations of the
document. Remember to make specific references to the document in your response.
o A minimum of two limitations must be proven.
o With reference to the origin and purpose, what are the limitations of the
document for historians studying this event?
How do I get my research done on top of all my other work?


If you do not spend an average of 2 hours a week, you will make it more difficult for
yourself, not easier, because if there is a week where you are unable to spend 2 hours,
then the next week you will have to increase the amount of time you spend on it.
As you will need to keep up to date with your other academic responsibilities, it is wiser
to do regular small amounts, rather than irregular large amounts.
The secret to juggling your work?
 Lists
 Do something for each
subject every other day
 Lists
 Conscious effort
 Lists
Use the diagram below to judge task you have to do and make
sure you are spending your work on the essay falls in the Urgent
and Important quadrant and you spend adequate time on things
in that area.
How do I keep a record of the research I have done?



From the start keep a record of the books, magazines and journals you have
consulted, including the page numbers.
Use the Library note-taking sheets for all sources or an index card method where each
piece of information you may use gets its own card. This method helps you to visualize
the organization of the paper.
Ask your supervisor’s advice for techniques and strategies which may work best in
your particular discipline.
How can my supervisor help me with the research?
 It is important to maintain a good working relationship with your supervisor and follow
their advice.
 Be polite when requesting time from your Supervisor and show up prepared and on time
for all meetings.
 Keep all of the required forms you have completed to show progress and to get
guidance through the process.
 While your supervisor has taken on the role of supervisor as a voluntary, additional
responsibility, he or she can:
o provide you with advice and guidance in the skills of undertaking research.
o encourage and support you during the research of the EE.
o discuss your choice of topic and, in particular, help you formulate a well-focused
research question.
o Suggests possible useful resources
o ensure that the chosen research question meets the requirements of the IBO
and satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards .
o monitor the progress of your essay to offer you guidance and to ensure that the
essay is your own work
o and must submit a predicted grade for your EE to IBO and a Supervisor’s report
vouching that the work in the essay is your own..
Who else can help me with my research?





Academic research is never an entirely solitary pursuit. The best research uses, and
acknowledges, other people, experts and professionals.
Use not just libraries but also librarians: school, city, national, University
Use weekends and holidays. Use University libraries like McMaster
Use the IB EE Coordinator and, if you wish, ask other teachers with relevant
knowledge for any hints or tips they can give you.
There may be University professors or academic authors who you can email. The
worst they can do is not reply and if you are polite and show enthusiasm for their
subject, they will probably send you some reply. There have been occasions when a
fruitful email correspondence has developed.
How is my paper structured?

Before you start to write, make an outline of your paper. Thesis/hypothesis and then
major points you want to make. Try a graphic organizer.
Try an on-line tool for essay planning
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/essaymap/
The essay is an argumentative or persuasive essay. Here is a
suggested structure.
Argumentative Paper Format
*Please note that this is only a sample format. There are multiple ways to organize an
argumentative paper
INTRODUCTION
 1-2 paragraphs tops
PURPOSE: To set up and state one’s claim; thesis and reason for the essay. EEs should always
include the conclusion in this section. There should be no surprises in the end as to what the
outcome of the paper is.
OPTIONAL ELEMENTS
 Make your introductory paragraph interesting. How can you draw your readers in?
 What background information, if any, do we need to know in order to understand your
claim? If you don’t follow this paragraph with a background information paragraph,
please insert that info here.
REQUIRED ELEMENTS
 Always state your full thesis.
 Include information to make people understand the importance, significance or realworld application for this work and argument.
 If you’re arguing about a literary work—state author + title
 If you’re arguing about an issue or theory – provide brief explanation or your of
issue/theory.
 STATE your claim/thesis/hypothesis at the end of your introductory paragraph
BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH
 1-2 paragraphs tops; Optional (can omit for some papers). Also, sometimes this info is
incorporated into the introduction paragraph (see above).
 Include enough information for the reader to understand the context of your question
and argument.
PURPOSE: Lays the foundation for proving your argument. Will often include:
 Summary of works being discussed
 Definition of key terms
 Explanation of key theories
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE PARAGRAPH #1
 PURPOSE: To prove your argument. Usually is one paragraph but it can be longer.
 Topic Sentence: What is one item, fact, detail, or example you can tell your readers that
will help them better understand your claim/paper topic? Your answer should be the
topic sentence for this paragraph.
 Explain Topic Sentence: Do you need to explain your topic sentence? If so, do so here.
 Introduce Evidence: Introduce your evidence either in a few words (As Dr. Brown states
―…‖) or in a full sentence (―To understand this issue we first need to look at statistics).
 Include powerful signal verbs and information that shows you have critically evaluated
the source before using it.
 State Evidence: What supporting evidence (reasons, examples, facts, statistics, and/or
quotations) can you include to prove/support/explain your topic sentence?
 Explain Evidence: How should we read or interpret the evidence you are providing us?
How does this evidence prove the point you are trying to make in this paragraph? Can be
opinion based and is often at least 1-3 sentences.
 Concluding Sentence: End your paragraph with a concluding sentence that reasserts how
the topic sentence of this paragraph helps up better understand and/or prove your
paper’s overall claim.
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE PARAGRAPH #2, 3, 4 etc.
 Repeat above
COUNTERARGUMENT PARAGRAPH
 PURPOSE: To anticipate your reader’s objections; make yourself sound more objective
and reasonable.
 Optional; usually 1-2 paragraphs tops
 What possible argument might your reader pose against your argument and/or some
aspect of your reasoning? Insert one or more of those arguments here and refute them.
 End paragraph with a concluding sentence that reasserts your paper’s claim as a whole.
CONCLUSION PART 1: SUM UP PARAGRAPH
 PURPOSE: Remind readers of your argument and supporting evidence
 Restates your paper’s overall claim and supporting evidence
CONCLUSION PART 2: YOUR “SO WHAT” PARAGRAPH
 PURPOSE: To illustrate to your instructor that you have thought critically and analytically
about this issue.
 Your conclusion should not simply restate your intro paragraph. If your conclusion says
almost the exact same thing as your introduction, it may indicate that you have not done
enough critical thinking during the course of your essay (since you ended up right where
you started). Here you can indicate any changes you had to make to get to the
conclusion.
 Your conclusion should tell us why we should care about your paper. What is the
significance of your claim? Why is it important to you as the writer or to me as the
reader? What information should you or I take away from this?
 Your conclusion should create a sense of movement to a more complex understanding of
the subject of your paper. By the end of your essay, you should have worked through
your ideas enough so that your reader understands what you have argued and is ready
to hear the larger point (i.e. the "so what") you want to make about your topic.
 Your conclusion should serve as the climax of your paper. So, save your strongest
analytical points for the end of your essay, and use them to drive your conclusion
 Vivid, concrete language is as important in a conclusion as it is elsewhere--perhaps more
essential, since the conclusion determines the reader's final impression of your essay. Do
not leave them with the impression that your argument was vague or unsure.
 WARNING: It's fine to introduce new information or quotations in your conclusions, as
long as the new points grow from your argument. New points might be more general,
answering the "so what" question; they might be quite specific. Just avoid making new
claims that need lots of additional support.
Point Proof Explanation…or how to integrate evidence into a
research paper:
Evidence can be integrated in several ways. To use evidence effectively, follow this pattern:
 State your claim (Introduction)
 Give your evidence and relate it to your claim (cite this sentence)
 Comment on the evidence to show how it supports the claim
 Without a claim, evidence is not persuasive, but instead is only a summary of facts or the ideas
of others. Without any evidence, a claim is not persuasive, but only a subjective personal
opinion.
 May know it as Point/Proof/Explanation
 Never just drop a quotation into a paper
A piece of evidence inserted in a paper requires an introduction and, “needs to include a smooth
progression from your own words to those of another source.”
To smoothly embed evidence
 Signal phrases are used to avoid “announcing” a quotation is coming
 Avoid attaching a series of quotes and citations.
 Include author’s name & expertise
 Can include background important to support the source
Signal phrases:
 May contain the author’s name
 Contain an active verb
 The verb can introduce
• Without judgement
• With comment and judgement either for or against
Signal verbs:
E.g. Neutral, pro or con?
 Well-known Canadian environmentalist, David Suzuki informs us in his book that, “native
rights have been ignored for too long, and a price will be paid for this neglect” (2012).
 Well-known Canadian environmentalist, David Suzuki identifies the problem for us in his book:
“native rights have been ignored for too long, and a price will be paid for this neglect” (2012).
 Canadian environmentalist, David Suzuki wrongly alleges in his book: “native rights have been
ignored for too long, and a price will be paid for this neglect” (2012).
So much better than:
Native rights are being ignored. “Native rights have been ignored for too long, and a price will be paid
for this neglect (Suzuki, 2012, p. 234).
Or worse:
Native rights have been wrongly ignored by governments in Canada for decades and it will cause
governments to lose upcoming elections (Suzuki, 2012, p. 234)
Too much of the writer’s own thinking intertwined with the quotation. A citation means that the
thought preceding it is that of the person cited. You must keep your own thoughts separate so the
reader knows the meaning of the citation.
Do you know how and when to paraphrase or quote…
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/01/
Watch the following tutorial on using evidence in a paper.
https://www.wou.edu/provost/library/clip/tutorials/incorp_sources.htm
Citing in-text; to quote or paraphrase?
The ideas and words and opinions you use in the body of your work, are cited as either direct
quotations (for powerful language) or paraphrases (others’ ideas in your own words).
Everytime you make a point, you must insert a piece of evidence that supports your thoughts. That
evidence can be either a paraphrase or a quotation.
You choose the method that makes your information flow the best.
To paraphrase:
 Only try to paraphrase one or two sentences
 Keep main thoughts and context
 Change key words and sentence structure
 Keep length approximately the same
 Do not inject own thoughts so that it is clear from the citation what thoughts are not your own
Check out this YouTube video that looks at paraphrasing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgMJ16WUEPg&feature=related
 Synonyms (change key words) war with conflict
 Antonyms (change to the opposite) (building is architecturally ugly; building is not attractive)
 Phrasal verbs (replace a verb with a two word verb) accelerates with increases speed
 General verbs (replace a specific verb with a more general one) lists, alphabetizes and files with
“organizes” or “sorts”
 Phrases (add a phrase instead of a word) (instead of rich; use “well to do”)
 Change order of word (subject/predicate reversal)
Citation and Plagiarism
Types of Plagiarism
Anyone who has written or graded a paper knows that plagiarism is not always a
black-and-white issue. The boundary between plagiarism and research is often unclear.
Learning to recognize the various forms of plagiarism, especially the more ambiguous
ones, is an important step in the fight to prevent it.
I. SOURCES NOT CITED
1) “The Ghost Writer”
The writer turns in another’s work, word-for-word, as his or her own.
2) “The Photocopy”
The writer copies significant portions of text straight from a single source, without alteration.
3) “The Potluck Paper”
The writer tries to disguise plagiarism by copying from several different sources, tweaking the
sentences to make them fit together while retaining most of the original phrasing.
4) “The Poor Disguise”
Although the writer has retained the essential content of the source, he or she has altered the
paper’s appearance slightly by changing key words and phrases.
5) “The Labor of Laziness”
The writer takes the time to paraphrase most of the paper from other sources and make it all
fit together, instead of spending the same effort on original work.
6) “The Self-Stealer”
The writer “borrows” generously from his or her previous work, violating policies concerning
the expectation of originality adopted by most academic institutions.
II. SOURCES CITED (but still plagiarized!)
1) “The Forgotten Footnote”
The writer mentions an author’s name for a source, but neglects to include specific
information on the location of the material referenced. This often masks other forms of
plagiarism by obscuring source locations.
2) “The Misinformer”
The writer provides inaccurate information regarding the sources, making it impossible to find
them.
3) “The Too-Perfect Paraphrase”
The writer properly cites a source, but neglects to put in quotation markstext that has been
copied word-for-word, or close to it. Although attributing the basic ideas to the source, the
writer is falsely claiming original presentation and interpretation of the information.
4) “The Resourceful Citer”
The writer properly cites all sources, paraphrasing and using quotations appropriately. The
catch? The paper contains almost no original work! It is sometimes difficult to spot this form of
plagiarism because it looks like any other well-researched document.
5) “The Perfect Crime”
Well, we all know it doesn’t exist. In this case, the writer properly quotes and cites sources in
some places, but goes on to paraphrase other arguments from those sources without citation.
This way, the writer tries to pass off the paraphrased material as his or her own analysis of
the cited material.
Document provided by Turnitin.com and Research Resources. Turnitin allows free distribution and nonprofit
use of this document in educational settings.
Citation
 You will need to in-text cite all direct quotations and paraphrases as
well as create an accurate Bibliography.
 You must be consistent in your use of the Style.
Which style should you use?
MLA – History; English
APA – Sciences, Math, ITGS
OWL Purdue has plenty of sources to help you with citation
APA http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
MLA http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Also check out Citation Help on the Ancaster High Library
Website for links to Knight Cite and Citation Machine.
http://schools.hwdsb.on.ca/ancasterhigh/library-2/citation-help-2/
Extended Essay Framework
Title
Provide a concise title that clearly indicates the focus of the essay. Do not use your research question or
hypothesis as your title.
Abstract
An abstract is not an introduction, although there is some overlap. An abstract is a synopsis of the
essay. It also sets the tone of the essay.
Table of Contents
The contents page outlines the main sections with corresponding page numbers. It also indicates the
structure of the essay.
Introduction
Although not listed as a criterion of assessment, an introduction is an important component of an
extended essay. The research question or purpose of the essay should be clearly spelled out and the
thesis or argument should be succinctly stated.
Body and Development
This is the longest and most important section. Its sole function is the development and substantiation
of the thesis or argument. Eliminate all irrelevant descriptive, narrative, biographical and anecdotal
details.
Conclusion
Remember that last impressions are lasting impressions. The conclusion sums up the major points that
shaped the thesis. The body paragraphs should not be made relevant by your conclusion.
Quotations
Use quotations judiciously and integrate them smoothly into the text of the essay. They are frequently
used to excess and parachuted into the essay as space fillers.
Structure
Organization enhances the clarity of your thesis. Plan the structure of your essay carefully and ensure
that your paragraphs reflect your plan.
Style
Write your essay in a style that is clear, smooth and in a tone that is formal and scholarly. Precise,
articulate expression has persuasive power.
Subheadings/chapters
Longer essays in certain subjects, like the sciences, might require section headings. However, headings
can fragment the flow of the argument. Effective paragraphing will often eliminate the need for
subheadings and chapters.
Documentation
Whether you are citing a quotation, an idea, an illustration or Internet information, you must document
the source. Ensure that you use a major documentation style that is pertinent to the subject from which
your topic is drawn.
Length
The most successful essays are in the 3000 – 3500 word range. Prune and cut your rough draft as you
revise and edit so that your final copy is crisp, clear and cogent piece of writing. Remember that words
should be weighed, not counted.
Formal Presentation
Proofread your essay meticulously from the title page to the bibliography. Use computer technology to
enhance the layout. An error-free and attractively laid out essay will have a positive impact on the
examiner.
Appendix
All material placed in the appendix must be directly relevant to your thesis. This material must be
cross-referenced to the development of the thesis.
Technology
The computer is simply a tool and its effectiveness as a tool is determined by how you use it. Evaluate
and filter Internet information with caution. Mindlessly downloading data and pasting it into essay
format does not constitute critical thinking and may be plagiarism.
What is an abstract?
The Abstract And How To Write One
Definition and Purpose
It is the “Executive Summary” or synopsis of your Extended Essay (EE)
It gives the examiner an overview of the facts that will be laid out in full in your essay and should entice
him/her to read it
IB Requirements
The minimum requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly:
· the research question
· the scope of the investigation
· the conclusion(s) of the extended essay.
The abstract should be typed or word processed on one side of a sheet of paper, and placed immediately
after the title page (IB Handbook)
Assessment Criteria Or How Your Abstract Will Be Marked!!!
Criteria J: Abstract
(Objective 5)
The requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly the research question that was investigated, how
the investigation was undertaken and the conclusion(s) of the essay.
Achievement
Level
Descriptor
0
The abstract exceeds 300 words or one or more of the required
elements of an abstract (listed above) is missing.
1
The abstract contains the elements listed above but they are not
all clearly stated.
2
The abstract clearly states all the elements listed above.
(IB Handbook)
Every student is capable of achieving 3 points for their abstract.
Characteristics
It’s short and to the point! It must meet the word count limitation
It must make sense all by itself
Even though it is the first thing read by the examiner, it is the last thing you should write
Think of the criteria above and below as you write your abstract.
Motivation
Why should the reader care about the topic of your EE and the results/conclusions you found?
Problem statement
What problem are you trying to solve?
Approach
How did you go about solving the problem or answering the question?
What is the extent of your work? Did you compare/contrast the work of two
historians or authors or genre? Did you use particular methodologies or variables?
If the abstract describes a science experiment don’t forget to include a brief description of the design of the
experiment; the hypothesis it will test and what
literature are you drawing on?
Results
What’s the answer?
Conclusions
What are the implications of your answer/result?
Examples
Have a look at abstracts contained on the DVD ’50 Excellent Extended Essays’. It is
located in the IB Section of the library.
Science Abstract
This study’s objective was to determine the strangeness measurements for red, green, and blue quarks. The
Britt-Cushman method for quark analysis exploded a
quarkstream in a He gas cloud. Results indicate that both red and green quarks
had a strangeness that differed by less than 0.453 x 10-17 Zabes/m2 for all
measurements. Blue quarks remained immeasurable, since their particle traces
bent into 7-tuple space. This study’s conclusions indicate that red and green
quarks can be used interchangeably in all He stream applications, and further
studies must be done to measure the strangeness of blue quarks.
(Source: http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter/abstracts.html)
English Abstract
This abstract is somewhat ‘technical’ in the language it uses. However, do you
think it contains the criteria listed above?
There’s Something About Harry:
Representation of Females in J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” Series
The “Harry Potter” series—like all children’s literature—reflects the ideologies of the society of its time,
including attitudes about women’s roles. The object of my research is to examine (1) the evolution of the
traditional female characters Rowling draws from; (2) the ways in which Rowling’s use of female archetypes
in her works acts as a retrograding agent; and (3) the reasons why traditional representations of women
continue to appeal to the general audience. Even though late 20th – early 21st-century society encourages
female empowerment and gender equality (as demonstrated in recent movements in children’s literature
which have attempted to construct bolder, more contemporary female figures, such as the “Girl Power”
and “Feminist Fairy Tale” movements of the late 1990s), Rowling has
met critical, popular, and commercial success by reverting to traditional,
stereotypical characterizations of women. Thus far, I have traced the origin of
many of Rowling’s female characters and have done preliminary research into the
psychology of children’s reading habits. Through a close analysis of popular
children’s literature, I have discovered ways in which female characters have
evolved over time to suit the ideas of society in and for which they were
written. Through further research, I hope to discover how authors of children’s
literature can create modern female characters that appeal to the young reader
with equal success as traditional representations.
(Source: http://urc.ucdavis.edu/howtowriteanabstract.html)
Checklist - Abstract
The abstract should:
____ Strive for an impersonal, non-critical, and informative account.
____ Give a clear, grammatically accurate, exact, and stylistically uniform treatment of the subject.
____ Provide rationale or justification for the study. The statement should give a brief account of the
purpose, need, and significance of the investigation (hypothesis or how the present work differs from
previous work).
____ State the objectives clearly as to what is to be obtained.
____ In Paragraph One, provide the Research Question, Thesis and Scope. Be specific.
____ In Paragraph Two, outline the Purpose and Method of the Investigation, detail key sources/references.
____ In Paragraph Three, state the Conclusion reached throughout the Extended Essay.
____ Use specific figures whenever possible to avoid use of general terms, especially in presenting the
method and reporting the results. For example, if two rates of a treatment are used, state what they are.
____ Never cite references.
____ Contain about 250 to 300 words for an Extended Essay.
How toWrite an Abstract
An abstract is a concise, stand-alone statement that conveys the essential information contained in an
article, book, research paper, or document. Written in a direct non-repetitive style, the abstract should:
 Identify the problem (research question of thesis) investigated.
 Describe the scope or method of investigation.
 Summarize the results.
 State the conclusion(s).
Writing the Abstract:
1. Highlight the sentences in the paper that detail the problem (objective) investigated.
2. Highlight the research question (or thesis).
3. Identify information (phrases, key words) that shows the scope and sequence of the investigationidentify but do not explain.
4. Condense the conclusion into a few concise sentences.
Words of Advice:
1) For the first draft, don’t worry about length. Just try to cover all the important components that are
required in the abstract. Use all the information that highlighted and identified as you read through the
essay (or article).
2) Take a word count before you begin to edit.
3) Begin editing by deleting words, phrases and sentences that are less important or provide more
explanation than necessary.
4) Look for places where sentences can be combined to omit extra words or condense idea.
5) Delete unnecessary background information.
6) Do not use jargon, abbreviations, direct quotes or citations.
7) Avoid writing in the first person (I). Rather than saying. “In this essay I discuss…”, try a more
formal approach by starting your abstract with an opening similar to:
This essay discusses the effects of… Specifically, this paper investigates (restate research
question)…”
“This essay examines how …It attempts to answer the question…”
8) Write to the required word count. If a 300 word abstract is required, get as close to the required
number of words as possible.
Extended Essay: WHAT IS AN ABSTRACT?
An abstract is a short information or descriptive summary of your essay. It is written after the essay is
completed but it is intended to be read first.
It should be written on a separate page and placed immediately after the title page and before the
contents page.
The abstract states clearly the question that is being investigated, the areas to be covered and a brief
summary of your conclusions. It is in effect an extended statement of purpose or scope. It defines the
organization of your essay rather than detailed content.
ABSTRACTS AND INTRODUCTIONS COMPARED
At first glance, it might seem that the introduction and abstract are very similar because they both
present the research problem and objectives as well as briefly reviewing methodology, main finding
and main conclusions. However, there are important differences between the two:
An introduction should be short, but does not have a word limit and its main purpose is to introduce the
research by presenting its context or background. Introductions usually go from general to specific,
introducing the research problem and how it will be investigated
An abstract has a maximum word limit and is a summary of the world research. The main purpose is to
summarize the research (particularly the objective and the main finding / conclusion ), NOT to
introduce the research area.
WRITING AN INFORMATIVE ABSTRACT
Be orderly, succinct, and concrete. Use active verbs such as ”report”, “propose”, and “analyse” rather
than static verbs such as “is”, “are” and “appears to be”. Do not hedge or equivocate. Abstracts should
be no more than 300 words.
 Objective: State the core issue, research question, or objective of the research.
 Methods: Briefly describe the methods, including the population, sampling method, sample size, study
design (e.g., survey), and the date of the collection.
 Results: Describe the results.
 Conclusions: Interpret the results as supporting or supporting the theory or hypotheses. Draw
conclusion and implications.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD ABSTRACT
An effective abstract has the following qualities:
• Uses one or more well developed paragraphs: these are unified, coherent, and concise and able
to stand-alone.
• uses an introduction/body/conclusion structure, which presents the essay’s purpose, results,
conclusions, and recommendations in that order.
 follows strictly the chronology of the article, paper, or report.
 provides logical connections ( or transitions) between the information included.
 adds no new information, but simply summarizes the report.
Writing the Abstract
The primary purpose of an abstract is to guide readers.
An abstract concisely highlights or reviews the major points covered along with the content and scope of
the writing. An abstract can also be a useful tool for writers to check that they have a clear grasp of their
thesis and argument. If the writer can state the thesis and argument clearly in a few sentences—and in such
a way that someone who doesn't know the subject will still be able to understand the main idea—then the
writer knows he/she has a good grasp of the ideas he/she is trying to express. An abstract says everything of
central importance in a way that gives the reader a clear overview of what is contained in the essay.
Essential elements of the abstract are:
Maximum word count 300 words – DO NOT GO OVER!!!
Three paragraph format
st
1 Paragraph
• 75 to 100 words in length
• Must include the Research Question & Thesis
• Must outline the purpose and method of the paper
nd
2 Paragraph
• 100 to 125 words in length
• Cover the scope of the investigation
• Detail limits and boundaries of your research
• What are you going to prove in your EE
• Outline key resources consulted
rd
3 Paragraph
• 50 to 75 words
• Outline the conclusion reached in your EE
An abstract should include the few things you would like your reader to remember long after the
details of your paper may be forgotten.
Qualities of a Good Abstract
• Well developed paragraphs are unified, coherent, concise, and able to stand alone
• Uses an introduction/body/conclusion structure which presents the extended essay
• Follows strictly the chronology essay
• Provides logical connections (or transitions) between the information included
• Adds no new information, but simply summarizes the report
• Is understandable to a wide audience
• Oftentimes uses passive verbs to downplay the author and emphasize the information
Steps to Writing Effective Abstracts
Reread your extended essay with the goal of abstracting in mind. Look specifically for these main parts of
the essay. Write a rough draft without looking back at what you're abstracting. Don't merely copy key
sentences from the extended essay: you'll put in too much or too little information. Don't rely on the way
material was phrased in the extended essay: summarize information in a new way.
Revising
If you notice differences between the latest version of your abstract and your latest draft of your EE, but are
not sure how to reconcile the two, speak to your mentor. If you have a clear and coherent abstract, and if the
paper actually corresponds to it, then you can be confident that your extended essay is probably clear and
coherent as well.
Revise your rough draft to
• Correct weaknesses in organization.
• Improve transitions from point to point.
• Drop unnecessary information.
• Add important information you left out.
• Eliminate wordiness.
• Fix errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Voice
Students have grappled for years over the appropriate way to talk about their extended essays: should it be
"We measured ion concentration in the blood"
Or
"Ion concentration in the blood was measured"?
Markers prefer the active voice. Abstracts are often an exception, but only if the passive voice reduces the
total number of letters and words.
Don’ts
• Do not commence with "this paper…”, "this report…" or similar. It is better to write about the
research than about the paper.
• Do not explain the sections or parts of the paper.
• Avoid sentences that end in "…is described", "…is reported", "…is analyzed" or similar.
• Do not begin sentences with "it is suggested that…” "it is believed that…", "it is felt that…"or similar.
In every case, the four words can be omitted without damaging the essential message.
• Do not repeat or rephrase the title.
• Do not refer in the abstract to information that is not in the document.
• If possible, avoid trade names, acronyms, abbreviations, or symbols. You would need to explain them,
and that takes too much room.
The abstract should be about the research, not about the act of writing.
When do I start writing up?





You start writing your EE in June of Grade 11 and continue over the summer.
Once you have completed all your research and/or experimental data gathering you
should begin writing.
You must hand in the first draft of your whole EE to your Supervisor (and the IB EE
Coordinator) by Sept. 6, 2013 at 4 p.m.
If you miss these deadlines your Supervisor will not have time to give you proper
feedback. This will affect your ability to produce a good EE.
You must hand in your final version of your EE in the fall by the deadline in the
calendar.
IB Extended Essay --- Checklist for submission
Review your Extended Essay for the following:
1. Is your essay within the 4000 word limit?
2. Is there a Table of Contents?
3. Are all pages numbered?
4. Are all diagrams, charts and graphs indexed and labeled and sources referenced
where applicable?
5. Are all necessary terms defined/explained?
6. Is every reference cited in a footnote?
7. Are your references cited consistently and correctly?
8. Does your Bibliography include all the works you have consulted?
9. Does your Bibliography specify author(s), title, date of publication and
publisher for every reference?
10. Are your Bibliographic sources cited consistently and correctly?
11. Does the Appendix contain only relevant information?
12. Are all references to the Appendix clearly cross-referenced and labeled?
13. Is your research stated in your Introduction?
14. Is your research question stated in your Conclusion?
15. Does your title relate to your research question?
16. Does your Conclusion address unresolved questions?
17. Does your Conclusion address new questions that have emerged?
18. Are your Introduction and Conclusion titled?
19. Is your Abstract within 300 words?
20. Does your Abstract contain the research question, the scope of the
investigation and the conclusion reached?
Also check out the following site for a good checklist
http://www.turnerfentonib.com/DP/EE/Files/6_Final/1_Fi
nalAssessmentCriteriaChecklists.pdf
Final Submission Requirements
The Essay Cover Sheet
http://schools.hwdsb.on.ca/ancasterhigh/files/2010/06/ExtendedEssayCover.pdf
Formatting
IB EXTENDED ESSAY FORMAT / FORMAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
The following are some basic guidelines to achieving the highest possible score on your extended essay. As
the official rubric offers, the formal presentation criterion:
Assesses the extent to which the layout, organization, appearance and formal elements of the essay
consistently follow a standard format. The formal elements are: title page, table of contents, page numbers,
illustrative material, quotations, documentation (including references, citations and bibliography) and
appendices (if used).
Formal presentation counts for a total of four (4) possible points. This could add or detract up to 11% from your
final score … meaning the difference between a full letter grade. Formal presentation is also one of the easiest
areas to max out your points.
Here is what you need:
Times New Roman font, 12-point.
Standard margins and letter spacing.
Double spaced lines except when utilizing block quotes.
Tabs are 5 spaces. Double-tabs for block quotes are 10 spaces.
Pages numbers on all content pages.
Page breaks between major sections.
Do not hole-punch the paper. It will be bound by a Treasury Clip.
A title page consisting of a centered title (see guide for title development), author name (you), IB candidate
number, school name, session (May 2014), and finally word count.
 Title
 Should provide a clear idea of the focus of the essay
 Does not have to be in the form of a question
 Candidate name
 Candidate number
 Ancaster High School
 Examination Session: May 2014
 Subject
 Word count (see next slide)
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
It should include all of the following:
• Research Question
• Thesis
• Introduction and page number
• Arguments and related page numbers
• Sub-headings and related page numbers
• Conclusion and page number
• Appendix and page numbers
• Bibliography and page number
Format and structure will depend on subject
From the EE Guide
Formal presentation of the extended essay
The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal academic style, appropriate to
the subject from which the topic is drawn.
The length of the extended essay
The upper limit is 4,000 words for all extended essays. This upper limit includes the introduction,
the body, the conclusion and any quotations, but does not include:
• the abstract
• acknowledgments
• the contents page
• maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and tables
• equations, formulas and calculations
• citations/references (whether parenthetical or numbered)
• footnotes or endnotes
• the bibliography
• appendices.
Essays containing more than 4,000 words are subject to penalties and examiners are not required to
read material in excess of the word limit.
Title
The title should provide a clear indication of the focus of the essay. It should be precise and not
necessarily phrased in the form of a question.
Details—all essays
Abstract
An abstract not exceeding 300 words must be included with the essay submitted. It does not serve
as an introduction, but presents an overview of the extended essay, and should, therefore, be
written last. The inclusion of an abstract is intended to encourage students to examine closely the
development of an argument within the extended essay and the pertinence of any conclusions that
are reached. It is also designed to allow readers to understand quickly the contents of the extended
essay.
The minimum requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly:
• the research question being investigated
• the scope of the investigation
• the conclusion(s) of the extended essay.
The abstract should be typed or word processed on one side of a sheet of paper, and placed
immediately after the title page.
Contents page
A contents page must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all pages should be
numbered. An index is not required.
Illustrations
Presentation and overall neatness are important, and it is essential that illustrative material, if
included, is well set out and used effectively. Graphs, diagrams, tables and maps are effective only
if they are clearly labelled and can be interpreted with ease. All such material that is incorporated
into the extended essay must be directly related to the text and acknowledged where appropriate.
The use of photographs and other images is acceptable only if they are captioned and/or annotated
and are used to illustrate a specific point made in the extended essay.
Bibliographies, references and citations
An extended essay must reflect intellectual honesty in research practices and provide the reader
with the exact sources of quotations, ideas and points of view through accurate bibliographies and
referencing. Producing accurate citations, referencing and a bibliography is a skill that students
should be seeking to perfect. Documenting the research in this way is vital: it allows readers to
evaluate the evidence for themselves and it shows the student’s understanding of the importance
of the sources used.
Your abstract should be on its own page and follow the proper guidelines. Please post a word count at the
bottom of your abstract.
Your table of contents should list separate sections for introduction, major body sections, conclusion, works
cited, appendices.
Section headings in your paper should be set apart (spatially and visually) from related content. Use either bold
or underline. Double space between heading and content.
Do not have extra line spaces in your paper. Double space only except for block quotes.
Make sure your quotes are cited properly.
Make sure all ideas and content is cited properly.
You must cite.
Sample Title Page
Ancaster High School
Extended Essay
Sample Extended Essay Title Page
John A. Smith
1003-159
History
Total Word Count: 3794
How do I get the writing done on top of all my other work?

As with all large tasks, break it down into smaller chunks and take each one at a time.
What drafts can I hand in to be looked at?










Your supervisor can only comment on one draft, so make sure this is a full draft
(Bibliography and citations and all) and that, before you hand it in, you have checked it
through against the assessment criteria. It is a waste of your supervisor’s expertise to
have them pick up on obvious problems which you could have identified yourself.
They may only give you general comments and suggestions and will not be passing
back a “marked up” copy. YOU MUST TAKE NOTES AT A MEETING TO REVIEW
THE DRAFT PAPER.
A Dropbox will be set up in D2L for you to submit a rough draft for analysis by
turnitin.com. You will be able to access the Originality Report there. Do not worry
about the score. It will tell you the % of similarity of sections of your paper to sites it
finds elsewhere. Pay more attention to the sections of your paper that are found to be
“similar” and make sure you have cited them appropriately.
You can also upload it directly to turnitin.com
To turnitin.com
class ID: 5724364
class name: EEClass2014
enrollment password: EEssay
You can speak to your supervisor about what you are writing and show them the
structure to get their advice.
You may ask others to review your work. Their time and expertise does not count
against your efforts.
Turnitin.com
All Extended Essays must be uploaded to the off-site software called
turnitin.com
It checks your work with on-line sources and identifies areas where
citations need to occur but did not.
You need to use the feedback from this sheet to help improve your paper.
You should share this information with your supervisor as well as they are
the ones who must decide that the paper is your work and does not reflect
plagiarism.
How can my supervisor help me with the EE?
 It is important to maintain a good working relationship with your supervisor and follow
their advice.
 While your supervisor has taken on the role of supervisor as a voluntary, additional
responsibility, he or she can:
o encourage and support you during the writing of the EE.
o read and comment on the first draft only of the EE (but not edit the draft).
o monitor the progress of your essay to offer you guidance and to ensure that the
essay is your own work; read the final version of your essay to confirm its
authenticity.
o submit a predicted grade for your EE to IBO.
o complete the supervisor’s report (if the EE cover sheet is not signed by both you
and your supervisor, the essay will not be accepted for assessment and may be
returned to the school).
o write a report and present it to the school’s IB Coordinator if malpractice, such
as plagiarism, is suspected in the final draft.
Analyse and evaluate
rather than describe
or narrate
How should the assessment criteria influence how I write my EE?






You must take into account the guidance given by the IBO and the assessment criteria
Marks are awarded for analysis and evaluation, not for description or narrative.
You must have a front cover with the research question as a title, a table of contents,
an introduction, main body, conclusion, abstract and a bibliography. The official
guidance and assessment criteria will help you work out what to include in these
different sections.
You must have used a consistent Citation Style throughout and cited all sources
actually quoted in your paper.
You need to include an Abstract as well.
You must follow the appropriate format and use formal, academic language.
Who marks my EE?




All EEs are sent for marking to IB examiners who are specialists in the subject. Your
EE will be marked by such an examiner, who may be anywhere in the world.
The EE is not returned to you and, on submission, becomes the intellectual property of
the IBO i.e. you assign copyright to the IBO of anything that you submit unless you fill
in a form requesting that you retain copyright.
The examiner will use the same assessment criteria which you have been using
through out the research and writing process.
You can achieve a reasonable score by just following these simple rules:
o State your research question


o Analyse your results
o Evaluate your results
o Have an introduction and conclusion
o Write a 300 word abstract
o Do not go over 4,000 words
o Present it well
o Cite all sources appropriately
o Have a bibliography, properly laid out
The maximum mark for an EE is 36. The marks are put into grades A-E.
Your ToK essay and presentation are also marked and the grade bands you achieve
are put into the Diploma points matrix to calculate your bonus points. Failure to submit
a ToK essay and do a presentation or submit an EE means you will get N which is no
award of Diploma. An Elementary grade for either creates a failing condition.
Cover Sheet & Supervisor’s Report
http://schools.hwdsb.on.ca/ancasterhigh/files/2010/06/ExtendedEssayCover.pdf
Extended essay cover
Candidates must complete this page and then give this cover and their final version of the extended essay to their
supervisor.
Candidate session number
Candidate name
School number
School Name
Examination session (May or November)
Year
Diploma Programme subject in which this extended essay is registered: _________________________
(For an extended essay in the area of languages, state the language and whether it is group 1 or group
2.)
Title of the extended essay: ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Candidate’s declaration
If this declaration is not signed by the candidate the extended essay will not be assessed.
I confirm that this work is my own work and is the final version. I have acknowledged each use of the
words or ideas of another person, whether written, oral or visual.
I am aware that the word limit for all extended essays is 4000 words and that examiners are not required
to read beyond this limit.
Candidate’s signature: _________________________________________ Date: ________________
IB Cardiff use only
A:
B:
Supervisor report
The supervisor should complete the report below and then give this cover, enclosing the final version
of the extended essay, to the Diploma Programme coordinator. The supervisor must sign this report;
otherwise the extended essay will not be assessed and may be returned to the school. Name of
supervisor (CAPITAL letters) _________________________________________________________
Comments If appropriate, please comment on the candidate’s performance, the context in which the
candidate undertook the research for the extended essay, any difficulties encountered and how these
were overcome. These comments can help the examiner award a level for criterion H. Do not
comment on any adverse personal circumstances that may have affected the candidate.
EXTENDED ESSAY CHECKLIST
Use the following checklist to help you meet the IB General Assessment Criteria. Hand this checklist
in with the final draft of your Extended Essay.
Criteria
A -- The Research Question
__My research question is clearly and precisely stated in the early part of the essay.
__My research question is sharply focused and not a broad generalization.
__My research question lends itself to a systematic investigation that can be effectively dealt within the
context and word limit of an extended essay.
B -- Approach to the Question
__My essay develops my specific research question.
__The approach I have chosen is appropriate to the type of research question I have developed.
C -- Analysis/Interpretation
__I have included relevant materials, sources, data and evidence in my essay.
__I have not included irrelevant information in my essay.
__I have effectively analyzed the evidence/material/sources/data in my essay.
D -- Argument/Evaluation
__My essay is a convincing argument that addresses my research question.
__My essay is well organized into paragraphs, sub-headings/sub-topics.
__My evaluation of sources and/or data is appropriate and fully substantiated.
__I have, through the use of proper grammatical forms, clearly expressed my ideas.
__I have proof read my essay and have used proper essay formatting.
E – Conclusion
__I have written a conclusion that restates my question and is consistent with the argument and
explanation presented in my essay.
__Where appropriate, I have included in my conclusion any new or unresolved questions that arose
during my investigation.
F – Abstract
__My abstract is within the 300-word limit.
__I have clearly stated my research question in my abstract.
__I have clearly stated the scope of my investigation in my abstract.
__My abstract contains the conclusion I reached in my essay.
G - Formal Presentation
__I have a title page clearly stating my research question, the subject of my extended essay, my name
and candidate number.
__A table of contents is immediately after my abstract.
__Each page of my essay is correctly numbered and includes my candidate number either in the header
or footer.
__I have accurately and consistently cited all my sources in an accepted format.
__I have included either a bibliography or a works cited page in an accepted format.
H - Holistic Judgement
__My essay reflects my best effort.
__I have shown insight in my essay.
__I have demonstrated depth of understanding of my chosen subject and topic.
__I have demonstrated inventiveness and flair through my writing style.
In addition--Be sure to review the specific criteria for your selected subject.
For example Group 1—Literature
 J. Knowledge and Understanding of the literature studied, and where appropriate,
reference to secondary sources.
 K. Personal response justified by literary judgement and/or analysis
 L. Use of language appropriate to a literary essay
Plan so you
avoid this
Diploma Points Matrix
for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge
Extended Essay
Theory of Knowledge
Not
submitted
A
B
C
D
E
(Excellent)
(Good)
(Satisfactory)
(Mediocre)
(Elementary)
A (Excellent)
3
3
2
2
1 + Failing
Condition
N
B (Good)
3
2
1
1
Failing
Condition
N
C (Satisfactory)
2
1
1
0
Failing
Condition
N
D (Mediocre)
2
1
0
0
Failing
Condition
N
E (Elementary)
1 + Failing
Condition
Failing
Condition
Failing
Condition
Failing
Condition
Failing
Condition
N
Not submitted
N
N
N
N
N
N
N grades and Failing conditions
A student who fails to submit an Extended Essay will be awarded N for EE, will score no points, and will not be awarded an IB Diploma.
Performance in both Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay of an elementary standard (i.e. E) is a failing condition for the award of
the Diploma.
From 2010 onwards, 28 points overall will be required to be eligible for the Diploma if a student attains an “E” grade in either the extended
essay or theory of knowledge. A grade “A” in one of the requirements earns an extra point even if the other is a grade “E”. Attaining a grade
“E” in both the extended essay and theory of knowledge continues to represent an automatic failure.