The Extended Essay Overview – Class of 2008

THE EXTENDED ESSAY CRITERIA:

The Extended Essay criteria require a student to:

1. define a suitable topic and research question.

2. devise an outline plan for the research.

3. choose and utilize appropriate and adequate resources.

4. do an analysis and critical evaluation of all aspects of the subject.

5. present a coherent and well articulated argument.

6. establish pertinent and justified conclusions.

7. organize the EE within the 4000 word limit.

8. include a bibliography which identifies sources consulted by the candidate.

THE RESEARCH QUESTION:

The research question of the EE is the specific issue under investigation. For the majority of EE, the specific issue to be investigated will be phrased in the form of a question, but exceptions to this are acceptable. Questions which are too vague or broad will not get full marks. Check the EE guide for examples.

THE TITLE:

The title of the EE should provide a clear indication of the specific issue to be investigated. The title is not usually a question. See guide for examples

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ESSAY:

General

Unlike other papers you may have written the EE should require different sections that reflect the research process. In general most papers should be broken up into the following sections:

1. Introduction

2. Research Questions and Hypothesis

3. Methodology or Plan of Action

4. Data

5. Discussion and Analysis

6. Conclusion

Remember that the organization of academic papers varies according to discipline. Humanities papers do not adhere to this strict “science” model. It is strongly suggested that diploma candidates read formal research papers in their area of knowledge so as to develop a greater understanding of the conventions of their area of study. DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

SOURCES

The sources for the EE must be accurate and credible. Be very careful about the use of on-line sources. Do not use Wikipedia, etc. If a source is biased, acknowledge that bias—and make sure you have a good reason for using it. Your advisor can help you here.

Specific information

TITLE PAGE—a separate sheet, contains title, your name and IB number, and word count

THE ABSTRACT

Although the Abstract is the first thing the reader sees beyond the Title Page, it is the last thing that you will write. An Abstract must be included. The length of the Abstract must not exceed 300 words. The Abstract does not serve as an introduction. The inclusion of an Abstract is intended to encourage candidates to examine closely the development of an argument within the EE and the pertinence of any conclusions that are reached. It is also designed to allow subsequent readers to understand quickly what the EE is about.

The Abstract presents a synopsis of the EE and therefore should be written last.

The minimum requirements for the Abstract are to state clearly:

• the topic;

• the research question or specific issue being investigated;

• the scope of the investigation;

• the conclusion(s) of the EE.

The Abstract should be typed or word processed onto one side of a sheet of paper separate from the EE and placed immediately after the title page. IT IS NOT PART OF THE 4000 WORD COUNT.

CONTENTS PAGE

A contents page must be provided at the beginning of the EE and all pages should be numbered. An index is not required. Indicate various sections, including appendix if needed.

INTRODUCTION

Indication should be given as to why the topic chosen is interesting, important or worthy of study. The topic should be described in a way that focuses on a research question or issue of manageable proportions. The research question or issue should be clearly stated and then developed through statements that place the investigation in an appropriate context. It may be appropriate for candidates to state their own view in relation to the research question or issue without prejudging the outcome of the investigation.

BODY

The EE should examine background information and, if relevant, theoretical aspects of the study.

Where appropriate:

• Methodology/Plan of Action. An account of the method by which information/data is collected or generated should be given.

• Data/Evidence. Information/data should be selected which may allow for differing interpretations of the issue under discussion;

• Discussion/Analysis. Information/data should be evaluated as well as analyzed.

The use of clearly labeled and relevant diagrams, statistics, illustrations, sketches, maps, tables or graphs is of particular importance in some subjects and is encouraged.

The EE should be written in an objective, formal style.

CONCLUSION

The conclusion must:

• be clearly stated;

• follow directly from the question and the plan of action;

• be relevant to the issue being investigated;

• substantiate the evidence presented;

• clearly indicate issues, unresolved questions and new questions that have emerged from the research.

A complete summary of the EE is not required.

THE USE OF OTHER MEDIA AND MATERIALS:

Video cassettes as supporting material for an EE is not permitted. Audio cassettes as supporting material is permissible, but is not encouraged. Specimen materials used in or produced by investigations do not form part of the EE and must not be submitted. Photographic evidence should be submitted in place of such material.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EXTENDED ESSAY:

Presentation and overall neatness are important, and it is essential that illustrative material is well set out and used effectively. Graphs, diagrams, tables and maps are only effective if they are well labeled and can be interpreted with ease. All such material which is incorporated into the EE must be directly related to the text.

The use of photographs and other illustrations is only acceptable if they are captioned and/or annotated and are used to illustrate a specific point made in the EE.

The use of a word processor is required for all EE.

REFERENCES:

Candidates must always ensure that they acknowledge fully and in detail the words and/or ideas of another person. A candidate’s failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as plagiarism, and will therefore be treated as a case of malpractice. An accepted form of referencing, used consistently according to a standard format, must be used to acknowledge the source of all information.

WORK CITED:

The work cited page should only include those works (such as books and journals) consulted by the candidate. It should specify: author(s), title, date and place of publication, and the name of the publisher, following consistently one standard method of listing sources. Check MLA.

APPENDICES (if included):

Examiners are not required to read appendices, therefore care should be taken to include all information of direct relevance to the argument/ in the main part of the essay. Unless considered essential, complete lists of raw data should not be included in the EE. An EE should not constantly refer to material presented in an appendix as this may disrupt its continuity.

LENGTH:

The upper limit is 4000 words for all EE. The advisory minimum number of works is 3500 (math is an exception. See guidelines). The upper limit includes:

• the main part of the EE

• any quotations

This upper limit does not include:

• any acknowledgments,

• the contents page,

• the references,

• any maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and

tables;

• the bibliography,

• the appendix (if included),

• the Abstract.

Candidates are required to indicate the number of words at the end of the EE.

ASSESSMENT:

All EE are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IBO. All EE are graded on a scale from 0 to 36. General assessment details are available online in the EE Guide. See your advisor for subject assessment.