Extended Essay Introduction
GROUP 4: Sciences - Chemistry
Students who choose Chemistry for their Extended Essay:
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Enjoy Chemistry – both the scientific and technical issues
Can identify an issue that can be investigated – and argued.
The Chemistry Extended Essay:
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Must be approximately 4000 words in length.
The investigation must allow for critical analysis of material on a debatable
question. This is not simply a summarization of sources on the topic.
The investigation is also NOT an extended IRP – it must provide more
analysis, so the topics need to be more questions.
Can be an experiment- or research-based EE.
EXPERIMENT BASED EXAMPLES:
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Do different varieties of seaweed contain significantly different
amounts of iodine?
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To what extent can the reaction between an iron nail and an apple be
used to provide the recommended daily allowance of iron?
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Can mosquito repellants be extracted from the Papua New Guinea
plant genus Ocimum?
RESEARCH BASED EXAMPLES:
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What is the feasibility of using graphene to filter seawater into
drinking water?
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A comparison between two theories of olfaction on the molecular level.
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A comparison of the effectiveness of xanthene gum and naturally
occurring lipids as food thickeners.
TURNING A TOPIC into a title, research question and approach to
the research
Topic: Iodine quantities in seaweed.
Research Question: Do different varieties of seaweed contain different amounts of
iodine?
Approach:
1. Read about iodine quantities and functions in different types of seaweed.
2. Identify the specific types of seaweed to be studied.
3. Research the nutritional functions of iodine and the cultural aspects of the use
of seaweed – how they are used, when, for which purpose.
4. Trial iodine titration techniques.
5. Trial extracting the iodine from the seaweed and dissolving it into solution in
order to titrate.
6. Trial titrating the iodine extracts and calculating the amount of iodine in each
variety of seaweed.
7. Design more extensive experiments.
8. Collect results
9. Anlayse the results
10. Apply the research related to the cultural aspects to the results.
FAQ’s
1. Do I need to be taking HL Chemistry to do an EE in Chemistry?
No, you do not need to be taking HL Chemistry. It is advisable that you are
currently taking SL Chemistry, if not HL Chemistry
2. Do I have to select an experiment I have studied in my courses?
No, you can select any experiment, as long as it something where you can explain
the science/biology of the experiment.
3. Do I have to do an experiment?
No. Ethical issues and research based EEs are just as valid for an EE.
4. How is the EE different from an IRP in Chemistry?
The EE is not simply a report of an experiment. An important component of the
EE is the analysis, which should be larger than the results.
5. Where can I find appropriate sources?
You can find sources in the ISB Library, the ISB Library On-line databases, your
supervisor and teacher, other on-line sources and materials can be ordered
through the HS Library if you request them early.