IB EXTENDED ESSAY
Gresham High School
THE EXTENDED ESSAY
RELAX
THE EXTENDED ESSAY
It’s just a paper
The myth is worse than the reality
You will spend more time worrying and whining
than working
You will do it all in 1 or 2 weekends, so why not
tackle it THIS semester
It’s like baking a cake – follow the recipe
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
General Time Line
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Due Date: End of first semester
your senior year
This semester: research
Summer: research and rough draft
Next semester: writing the essay
Next fall: College Aps!
REQUIRED DELIVERABLES
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IB Advisor: April 1
Research question: May 11
Annotated Bibliography: June 1
Summer progress report: ~Sept 19*
Detailed outline: ~Oct 1*
1st Complete Draft: ~Dec 1*
FINAL: February 1
+ Monthly notebook checks w/ homework
* Depends on final school calendar
How do we support you?
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Provide you with an EE supervisor
based on your research question
Make appointments – don’t do drive
by drop ins
Use email. Schedule summer contact
The EE Advisor
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Must be a Gresham teacher
YOU are responsible for making
appointments
Will advise and guide you through
the research
Will complete a Supervisor’s Report
at the completion of the essay
IB will not accept an essay w/o an
Advisor.
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 Subject
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Step 1: READ THE GUIDELINES
Must be one of IB subjects
Choose a subject that is interesting
and challenging to you and that you
have taken an IB class in
Do background reading
Essays submitted in Group 2 must be
written in that language
Choosing a Subject
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Your essay must use scholarly
language of the field so it must
reflect your study of the field. It is
not recommended that you do an
essay in a subject you have not
studied
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.
The Research Question
It must be:
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Narrow
Specific
Non-trivial
Answerable in 4000 words
Researchable, not speculative
BAD Research Questions
ECONOMICS:
Does globalization affect Turkey?
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ENGLISH, Group 1:
What symbols are employed by F.
Scott Fitzgerald?
BAD Research Questions
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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?
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BIOLOGY: An experimental study to
determine if Vitamin C levels in
orange 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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See pages 25-31, Blue Book
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
Diploma Points Matrix
TOK/A TOK/B TOK/C TOK/D TOK/E
EE/A
3
3
2
2
1*
EE/B
3
2
1
1
0*
EE/C
2
1
1
0
0*
EE/D
2
1
0
0
0*
EE/E
1*
0*
0*
0*
Failing
Failing Condition for the Diploma
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If you fail to submit an EE
If you write an EE but fail to meet
with your advisor
If you fail BOTH the TOK paper AND
the EE
If you fail the EE or TOK, you must
earn at least 28 points on the exams
to earn the Diploma (instead of 24)*
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.
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 Guidelines
(“The Blue Book”)
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 Gresham 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.
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
What do you do now?
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Review this with family and sign the
Extended Essay contract
Get into the IB Guidelines (The Blue
Book)
Read some Extended Essays –
available in RM 240
Toy with ideas, talk to teachers
Explore!
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