This document has two parts. The first section gives specific subject
guidelines for the extended essay. The
second session (scroll to page 22) breaks down the general assessment rubric
for the essay. See your advisor for the
subject specific part of the rubric.
I. Subject Guidelines for Extended Essay May ‘08
The
following information from the IB Extended Essay guide gives general subject
information and includes good and bad sample titles. Subjects are listed
alphabetically.
1 Biology 7.Music
2. Business
and Management 8. Physics
3.
Chemistry 9.
Psychology
4. History 10.
Theater
5. English 11.
World Languages
6.
Mathematics
1. BIOLOGY
Introduction
An
extended essay in biology provides a candidate with an opportunity to apply a
range of
skills while researching a topic of
personal interest in the field of biology. The biological
nature of an extended essay is
characterized by a particular biological emphasis within a more
general set of scientific criteria.
Choice
of Topic
It
is important that the extended essay has a clear biological emphasis and is not
more closely
related to another subject. An
extended essay in an interdisciplinary area such as biochemistry
will, if registered as a biology
extended essay, be judged on its biological content, not its
chemical content. A biology extended
essay should therefore incorporate biological theory
and emphasize the essential nature of this
subject.
Although
similar criteria apply to all extended essays in the experimental sciences, for
an
extended essay submitted in biology,
the topic chosen must allow an approach which
distinctly relates to
biology. Where a topic can be approached from different viewpoints the
treatment of the material must be
clearly biological.
Essays
which deal with human diseases represent a particular case in point, as these
can often
be dealt with from a number of perspectives
(biological, medical, social, economic, etc.). In
particular, such essays
should avoid an overly medical treatment and should focus on
biological aspects of the
disease rather than on diagnosis and treatment.
Some
topics may be unsuitable for investigation because of ethical issues.
Experiments likely
to inflict pain on living organisms, have a
harmful effect on health, or those which may
involve access to, or publication
of, confidential medical information should be avoided.
Some
topics may be unsuitable for investigation because of safety issues. For
example,
experiments involving toxic
or dangerous chemicals, carcinogenic substances or radioactive
materials should be avoided unless
adequate safety apparatus and qualified supervision is
available.
The following examples of titles for
biology extended essays are intended as guidance only.
The pairings illustrate that focused
topics (indicated by the first title) should be encouraged
rather than broad topics (indicated by the
second title).
The ozone hole, UV radiation and its possible effect
on the growth of Lepidium sativum is
better than Consequences
of the ozone hole.
The effect of detergent toxicity on certain bacterial
strains is better than Detergents in
the environment.
A study of malnourished children in
period of supervised improved nutrition is better than Malnutrition
in children.
A study of the effect of differing pH levels on the
growth of Phaseolus vulgaris is better
than The
effect of acidity on plant growth.
The competitive and evolutionary nature of the
symbiotic relationship in Paramecium
busaria is better than Symbiosis
in animals.
The detection of tuberculosis in
population of
The effect of banana peel on seed germination is better than Factors
which affect the
germination of seeds.
Gel electrophoresis. The construction of an apparatus
and the separation of proteins in
heat treated cow milk is better than Uses
of the gel electrophoresis technique.
Histocompatibility in organ transplants is better than Organ
transplants.
Treatment
of the Topic
Candidates
should point out early in the essay how the research question was arrived at
and, if
appropriate, how it was
narrowed down, by briefly outlining related aspects which are not
being considered in the essay.
Candidates should be encouraged to formulate one or more
hypotheses based on the
research question. A single well-formulated question may give rise
to several precise hypotheses.
An
extended essay in biology may be based on surveys, theoretical models or
experimental
data. Whichever approach is
chosen, the candidate must ensure that sufficient resources, in
the form of data and information, can be
obtained in order to allow the topic to be effectively
researched.
Essays
in biology may be based on data collected by the candidate through
experimentation,
survey, microscopic observations,
biological drawing, field work or some other appropriate
biological approach.
Alternatively, essays may be based on data obtained from literature,
ideally from primary sources, and
manipulated or analysed in an original way by the
candidate. Essays which simply restate
facts or data taken directly from the sources are of
little value.
Essays
which involve practical work carried out in the laboratory, or field work,
should
include a clear and concise description
of the experimental procedure. Candidates should
attempt to specify how the research
approach and methodology were decided and show any
approaches that were
considered and rejected. Ideally candidates should carry out the research
for the essay solely under the direction of a
school supervisor. Some of the best essays have
been written by candidates
investigating relatively simple phenomena using standard school
apparatus and this approach is to be
encouraged.
Regardless
of where, or under what circumstances, the research is carried out, candidates
must provide evidence in the
essay of their personal contribution to the research approach and
to the selection of the methods used.
Generating
and presenting data should not be an end in itself; analysis using appropriate
scientific techniques is
essential. The main body of the essay should consist of an argument or
evaluation based on the
data or information presented. Here, the candidate should point out
the significance of any graphs, tables or diagrams.
Since this is often the longest single
section of the essay it is essential
that it is well-structured and has an obvious logical
progression. A clear
structure can be imposed on this section by division into numbered and
headed paragraphs. This evaluation
should show an understanding of the results and an
appreciation of their
significance in the light of the literature that has been consulted.
Candidates
should provide some explanation of anomalies or unexpected outcomes but this
should not form a major part of the
discussion. If necessary, modifications to hypotheses
presented earlier in the essay should
be proposed and a research approach for testing these
should be suggested. Some
assessment of the outcomes of the research in a future or wider
context should be made.
Candidates
must be encouraged to undertake a critical evaluation of the work they have
done.
In
this analysis the candidate should describe and explain the limitations imposed
on the
research by factors such as
availability of resources, accuracy and precision of measuring
equipment, sample size, validity and
reliability of statistics. Biological limitations should be
considered, such as those
arising from the problem of repeatability and control when using
living material, as well as the
difficulties of generalizing from research based on a single type
of organism or environment.
2.BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATION
Introduction
An
extended essay in business and organization is intended to provide candidates
with an
opportunity to undertake an
in-depth study of an organizational activity or activities. It allows
the candidate to undertake personal research
and to relate theory learned to the problems
associated with an actual
organization.
Choice
of Topic
Candidates
may use any form/s of organization as the basis of their extended essay. Some
examples are:
school
charity
government body
hospital
business.
In
their choice of a topic, candidates are advised to concentrate on a limited
number of
organizational activities
within one organization. It is important that the research question is
sufficiently focused to allow
adequate treatment within the word limit.
Candidates
are encouraged to choose a topic that will require personal research related to
an
actual organization.
The
topic may be chosen because of an interest in issues raised in the classroom,
aspects of a
candidate’s own experience,
or current events. The treatment of the topic must, however,
meet the subject criteria for
business and organization. An essay in which there is no personal
research, which is dependent on
summarizing secondary sources, and/or which is essentially
narrative or descriptive in nature
should be avoided.
The
title of the extended essay should indicate a specific focus with reference to
an organizational
activity (or activities) and, if
appropriate, an actual organization (or organizations).
The following examples of titles for
business and organization extended essays are intended
for guidance only. The pairings illustrate
that focused topics (indicated by the first title)
should be encouraged rather than broad topics
(indicated by the second title)
.
Communicating corporate objectives to the staff at XYZ
is better than The importance of
communication.
Comparing approaches to social responsibility in ABC
and XYZ is better than Different
approaches to social responsibility.
XYZ: the benefits of effective
leadership is better than Effective
leadership.
New product development at XYZ is better than Development
at XYZ.
XYZ: the relationship between motivation and quality is better than Motivation
at XYZ.
Treatment
of the Topic
Candidates
may need support and advice from their supervisor when undertaking practical
activities in search of
material for their extended essay. In particular, there is a need in all
organizations for tact,
sensitivity to other people, respect of confidentiality, and frequently a
declaration to maintain
secrecy. Health and safety, and even insurance, need to be thought
about before starting the
research.
It
is important that the approach to all aspects of the essay is directly related
to the research
question. Candidates must be careful
to ensure that research carried out addresses the
question, for example, in
questionnaires and in information requested, or elicited in an
interview. The development of the
essay must be related to the question directly and must not
include information that is
unnecessary and not related to the question.
The
extended essay must use selected analytical tools and/or statistical techniques
to support
the discussion. Some examples are:
conventional accounting forms
break-even charts
financial performance ratios
statistical presentations
structured and titled tables, charts and/or diagrams.
The
style and format of the extended essay should be in the form of a useful
working
document which might be valuable to
the decision-makers within an organization.
If
candidates are not able to choose a topic that requires personal research
related to an actual
organization, it is essential
that the extended essay draws on examples from secondary
sources (i.e. documented case
studies). In such a case, it is important that the candidate goes
beyond a simple summary of
secondary source material.
In
most extended essays it will be appropriate to examine the role of both
selected individuals
and groups. However, it is expected that in
some extended essays the examination of both
may not be appropriate.
Candidates
must ask probing questions and look at all relevant factors when considering
the
data obtained. Information cannot
always be accepted at face value, and candidates must look
for trends and patterns that may emerge.
Candidates should indicate unresolved questions or
new questions that might arise from their
study.
3.CHEMISTRY
Introduction
An
extended essay in chemistry provides a candidate with an opportunity to
investigate
personally a particular
aspect of the materials of our environment. Such extended essays must be
characterized by a particular
chemical emphasis within a more general set of scientific criteria.
Choice
of Topic
It
is important that the extended essay has a clear chemical emphasis and is not
more closely
related to another subject.
Chemistry is the science that deals with the composition,
characterization, and
transformation of substances. A chemistry extended essay should
therefore incorporate chemical
principles and theory, and emphasize the essential nature of
chemistry, relating to the study of
matter and of the changes it undergoes.
Although
similar criteria apply to all extended essays in the experimental sciences, for
an
extended essay submitted in chemistry
the topic chosen must allow an approach which
distinctly involves
chemistry. Where a topic might be approached from different viewpoints,
the treatment of the material must be
approached from a chemical perspective. An extended
essay in an interdisciplinary area
such as biochemistry will, if registered as a chemistry
extended essay, be judged on its
chemical content, not its biological content.
The
scope of the topic and the research associated with it should enable all the
criteria,
particularly the subject
specific criteria, to be addressed. A good topic is one where the single
research question is sharply focused
and is susceptible to effective treatment within the word
limit. Perhaps the most important
factor is the depth of treatment that can be given to the topic
by the candidate.
Some
topics may be unsuitable for investigation because of safety issues. For
example,
experiments involving toxic
or dangerous chemicals, carcinogenic substances or radioactive
materials should be avoided unless
adequate safety apparatus and qualified supervision is
available.
Other
topics may be unsuitable because the outcome is already well known and
documented
in standard text books and the candidate may not be able
to show any personal input. An
example might be a study of the
reactions of the alkali metals with water as this is already
covered by the syllabus. However
some care does need to be exercised in deciding whether a
topic is suitable or not; for
example, a few years ago the study of the allotropes of carbon may
have been thought to be trivial
but this would not be the case today.
The following examples of titles for
chemistry extended essays are intended for guidance
only. The pairings illustrate that focused
topics (indicated by the first title) should be
encouraged rather than broad topics (indicated by
the second title).
Spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of
lead in drinking water is better
than Water analysis.
The kinetics of oxidation of iodine ions with hydrogen
peroxide in acidic solutions is
better than Chemical
kinetics.
The analysis of the red dyes present in different
brands of tomato ketchup by thin layer
chromatography is
better than The use of chromatography to
separate materials.
Is it better to use dried animal manure as a
fertilizer or as a fuel? is
better than
Combustion and nitrogen analysis.
The effects of sugar-free chewing gum on the pH in the
mouth after a meal is better
than
Acid-base chemistry.
Treatment
of the Topic
An
extended essay in chemistry may be based on literature, theoretical models or
experimental data. Whichever
category is chosen the candidate should ensure that sufficient
data will be available for
evaluation and that the topic can be researched accurately using
locally available resources.
Candidates
who choose to write an extended essay based on literature and/or surveys should
ensure that their extended essay
clearly shows its chemical basis. Essays written at the level
of a newspaper or news magazine article are
unlikely to achieve a high mark.
Since
chemistry is an experimental science, candidates are strongly encouraged to
undertake
experimental work as part of
their research, although this is not compulsory. Any
experimental work which does
form part of a chemistry extended essay should be described
in sufficient detail to allow the work to be
repeated by others, and candidates are strongly
encouraged to research the
literature first. Where possible, they should consult original
research using scientific journals,
personal communications and, where appropriate, the
Internet. Textbooks should never be
the only source of information.
Data
collected from an experiment designed by the candidate is of little value unless
it is
analysed, using appropriate
scientific techniques, evaluated and perhaps compared with
appropriate models.
It
is possible to produce an extended essay in chemistry in which the candidate
has used data
collected elsewhere as the primary
source. In such cases, the element of personal analysis and
evaluation is important.
In
any chemistry extended essay candidates should be able to demonstrate that they
understand the theory
underlying any experimental work and state any assumptions made.
They
should show an understanding of the results obtained and be able to interpret
them with
reference to the research question
posed. They should be critical of inadequate experimental
design, the limitations of the
experimental method and any systematic errors. Candidates
should be encouraged to consider
unresolved questions in their research, and to suggest new
questions and areas for further
investigation in their conclusion.
4.English
A
group 1 extended essay provides candidates with an opportunity to:
study intensively a literary topic which is suitable in nature
and scope for discussion in
this form
engage in personal critical judgement of literature and to
compare this, where appropriate,
with established critical comment
develop the ability to put forward their views persuasively and
in a well-structured
manner, using a register
appropriate to the study of literature.
Creative
writing and essays based on language, culture and/or society topics are not
currently
permissible as group 1
extended essays.
Choice
of Topic
A group 1 extended essay should be
based on one of the two categories below.
Category
1
The essay should be based on the
literature of countries where the language is spoken
(i.e. all
works discussed will originally
have been written in the language of the essay).
The
following are some examples for guidance only:
Clergymen in Jane Austen’s novels.
A
comparison of Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’
and George Orwell’s ‘1984’.
The
nature and role of comedy in selected plays by Wole
Soyinka.
Category
2
The essay should be a comparison of at
least one literary work originally written in the
language of the essay with a literary work or
works originally written in a different language
to that of the essay and probably studied in
translation.
The
following are some examples for guidance only:
English/French/German:
The portrayal of Joan of Arc by
Shaw, Anouilh and Schiller.
English/German:
A comparison of Gay’s ‘The
Beggar’s Opera’ and Brecht’s
‘The Threepenny Opera’.
French/Russian:
In what ways do the male authors of ‘Anna Karenina’
and
‘Madame
Bovary’ seek to render their heroines
sympathetic
to the reader? How far do they succeed?
English/French/Japanese:
The presentation of innocence in ‘Joseph Andrews’,
‘Candide’ and ‘Wonderful Fool’.
Italian/English:
Themes and stylistic devices from Dante in T S Eliot’s
‘Wasteland’ and ‘Four Quartets’.
English/French:
Portraits of poverty in the 19th century: a comparison
of ‘Nana’ by Zola and ‘Little
Dorrit’ by Dickens.
The
topic chosen must be literary in
nature and could be a particular aspect, or comparative
study, of a work or works, author,
period or genre.
The
extended essay may relate to work studied in class but candidates must take
care in all
cases to demonstrate relevant
wider reading and individual study.
Appropriate
literary works may be chosen from any source; candidates need not restrict
themselves to works on the
IB prescribed book list (PBL) for the language of the essay.
The following examples of titles for
group 1 extended essays are intended for guidance only.
The pairings illustrate that focused
topics (indicated by the first title) should be encouraged
rather than broad topics (indicated by the
second title).
Religious imagery in ‘
Brontës.
The problems of racial conflict as shown through the
works
of James Baldwin is
better than Racial conflict in the 20th
century.
The portrayal of women in the works of Zola is better than
The works of Zola.
Treatment
of the Topic
Literary
works often address, for example, philosophical, political or social questions.
However,
the major focus of the essay should be the literary treatment of such
questions. The
literary works should not be a
pretext for interdisciplinary study.
Candidates
should not use the extended essay solely as a vehicle for their own thoughts
but,
after providing careful analysis
of the author’s ideas, should present their personal views on
the way the author has treated the subject.
There should be a compromise between building