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An extended essay (EE) in psychology gives students the opportunity to:

investigate in depth a topic of their choice within the subject

develop their skills in research, analysis and evaluation, and communication

increase their understanding of behaviour from a psychology perspective.

Psychology may be defined as “the study of behaviour”. The subject involves studying the behaviours of humans and non-human animals and has a range of specialist terms, methods and literature. It is therefore essential for students undertaking an EE in psychology to:

have a sound understanding of the subject and its methodologies

choose a topic amenable to psychological investigation and analysis

use secondary sources only - no primary source material is allowed

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Econ begins on page 6

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Isolated I&S info from the 2027 EE Guide

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Psychology begins on page 9.

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Extended Essay (2027): Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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LibGuides: IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

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LibGuides: IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

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Guides @ UF: Zotero: Step by Step Tutorials

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An overview of Zotero: A free and easy to use citation management tool.

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Writing about the Novel: Film Comparison

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Writing about the Novel: Film Comparison

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Writing about the Novel: Film Comparison – The Worry Free Writer: NEW VERSION AVAILABLE http://theworryfreewriter.com

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The Worry Free Writer takes the stress out of academic writing. NEW VERSION AVAILABLE: http://theworryfreewriter.com

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Be aware of the AI usage policy in school, you can use it to specify different aspects of your topics but not generating a research question directly.

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Consensus is an AI academic search engine for peer-reviewed literature—your research OS for finding, organizing, and analyzing science 10x faster.

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Zotero is an excellent tool to help you organize your research notes and generate in-text citation as well as bibliography.

Internal mini workshop for students could be arranged upon request.

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Just need to create a quick bibliography?

Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share research.
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Zotero | Your personal research assistant

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Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.

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Computer Science Sample B - Examiner Commentary

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Computer Science Sample B - Student Work

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Chemistry Sample A - Examiner Commentary

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The research question is the cornerstone of the Extended Essay. The words 'research question' appear in Criteria A-C. What are the characteristics of a good research question? Compare the poor research questions with the good questions in the table below. What improvements have been made? Discuss these improvements with a classmate or colleague and make a list of the characteristics of a good research question, before revealing the word cloud below.

https://philpot.education/mod/page/view.php?id=443

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Research question

The research question is the cornerstone of the Extended Essay. The words 'research question' appear in Criteria A-C. What are the characteristics of a good research question? Compare the poor research questions with the good questions in the table below. What improvements have been made? Discuss these improvements with a classmate or colleague and make a list of the characteristics of a good research question, before revealing the word cloud below.

Subject

Poor RQ

Good RQ

English A, Cat. 3

How racist are Disney's animated films from the 20th century?

To what extent does Disney successfully address its racist history from 'Song of the South' with 'The Princess and the Frog'?

English B, Cat. 1

What kinds of words gained new meaning during the 2020 Corona crisis?

To what extent does the language of Donald Trump during his Corona briefings in 2020 resemble the language of a political campaign?

Business Management

How has Uber disrupted the taxi industry?

To what extent has the introduction of Uber in Amsterdam challenged employment laws in the taxi sector?

Physics

How do dimple patterns on golf balls affect ball flight?

To what extent are hexagon dimple patterns on golf balls effective for high-handicap golfers?

Music

How are modern-day musicals inspired by operas?

To what extent does the musical language of Andrew Lloyd Weber take inspiration from classical opera of the eighteenth century?

Have you made a list of characteristics of a good research question? Which characteristics are most important? Compare your list of characteristics with those that appear in the word cloud below? Click on the cloud to make it appear larger in a new window.

Phrasing your research question

Which phrases and words often appear in good research questions? Here are some phrases to consider and some phrases to avoid when articulating your research question. Discuss how the useful phrases can help you demonstrate the characteristics of a good research question (see word cloud above).

Useful phrases

Phrases to avoid

To what extent / degree...

How effective is...

How have the decisions of... affected...

What is the role and significance of...

What is the best / cheapest / quickest method for....

In light of... how can one understand...

What has been the influence of... on...

Can you prove...

Is... to blame for...

Are we better off without...

What if everyone were to...

Could....possibly be the most....

Is it true that...

What is the history of...

Assessment

Some teachers advise against using the phrase 'to what extent', because it is so popular. It is popular, however, for good reason. It inserts an element of 'why' into a 'how' question, which helps make your essay more evaluative. Watch out for closed questions (which can be answered with a 'yes' or 'no', weasel words (such as 'some people say') or sweeping generalisations (such as 'true artists do not care about financial success.'

Over to you

Below are several mediocre research questions that could be improved. Read each mediocre question (a) and discuss how you would improve it, before revealing the improved version (b). The improved versions are only suggestions, as there are many ways to improve them.

How are the novels Mort and The Book Thief similar and different with regards to death?

For what reasons and to what effects do Terry Pratchet and Markus Zusak employ characterization and narration in Mort and The Book Thief respectively?

Notice how this improved version is more focused on the stylistic features of the primary sources and 'why' ("for what reasons") the authors wrote these works. The phrase "to what effects" also allows the essays to be more evaluative than descriptive.

How are American views on infidelity expressed through language?

Category 2b: How does the use of English by Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton in their confessional speeches reveal America's attitudes toward marriage and infidelity in the 1990s?

Notice how this question has been moved from Category 2a to 2b and now refers to cultural artefacts, namely the speeches of two men. While the original question meets the 2a requirements, 2b essays are generally more focused because they require primary sources (cultural artefacts). Primary sources are a key ingredient in any Group 1,2 or 6 essay because Criterion C: Critical thinking refers to analysis and evaluation of primary sources. In the subject-specific guidance on Group 2 Extended Essays, the word 'analysis' appears, even though this word does not appear anywhere in the subject guide for Language Acquisition. Students are not allowed to write a Language B essay (Group 2) in a language that they are taking as a Language A (Group 1). The above-mentioned research question would also be very appropriate as an English A, Cat. 3 essay on 'language', which is IB-speak for 'non-literary text(s)'.

How were the 'killing fields' in Cambodia similar to or different from the holocaust?

To what extent were foreign influences the main cause in the Khmer Rouge's rise to power in Cambodia in 1975?

Notice how this question cuts out the Holocaust and focuses on foreign influences as the main cause of the Khemer Rouge's rise to power in 1975. Most History essays receive a 'C' (see Statistical Bulletin), because they tend to be too descriptive and not evaluative or argumentative. Good History essay try to identify a causal relationship and persuade the reader (examiner) of the significance of these causes.

What are the effects of temperature on fruit that is ripening by ethylene?

What is the optimal amount of ethylene and the optimal temperature for bananas that ripen in sea containers?

Ethylene makes fruit ripen faster. This process is affected by temperature. These variables are already known and tested. But why do they matter? Every day bananas are transported in sea containers around the world. For grocery stores and their customers, it is important that bananas are not too ripe or unripe upon arrival. What data are available from shipping companies? How can experiments with bananas, ethylene various temperatures and spaces generate useful data for shipping companies? The improved research question puts a much greater emphasis on the significance of the research. Generally speaking, students who conduct experiments do better than students who only analyse other researchers' data.

How do Runs Batted In (RBIs) predict a baseball team's success?

How can the kinds of batting strageties described in the movie Money Ball be used to recruit players and create the optimal batting order?

Students are often told not to write their Extended Essay in Maths, because it is too difficult. Check out the Statistical Bulletin to see that many students do very well in Maths. Applied mathematics is popular for good reason. It addresses the relevance of maths to real-world problems. The 'mediocre' question could be too descriptive, exploring correlations between RBIs and wins in baseball. The 'improved' question does something with an already-proven batting strategy, which is explored in the movie Money Ball). It shows its relevance to the recruitment of players and a team's batting order, which are important responsibilities of baseball managers and coaches.

Why is M.C. Escher an underappreciated artist in his country of origin, the Netherlands?

To what extent and for what reasons have the works of M.C. Escher been received differently in the United States and the Netherlands?

The 'mediocre' question has built-in assumptions that the artist is underappreciated in the Netherlands. The 'improved' question explores how his works have been received differently in two countries. This exploration will require a broad range of secondary sources that review Escher's works, possibly in both English and Dutch. Cross-cultural comparisons are relevant for those who are interested in the artist, the commercialisation of art and what makes art 'art'.

TOK

How do you know what you think you know? This is a guiding question for Theory of Knowledge (TOK), which also has relevance to your Extended Essay. Research questions should go beyond 'what is known' and explore 'how much can be known' about your topic.

Last modified: Sunday, 24 May 2020, 1:47 PM

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The research question is the cornerstone of the Extended Essay. The words 'research question' appear in Criteria A-C. What are the characteristics of a good research question? Compare the poor research questions with the good questions in the table below. What improvements have been made?

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CONSIDERING THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Make sure you use the extended essay assessment criteria to remind yourself of the expected elements of the extended essay. Each of the five criteria (A–E) is accompanied by a guiding question that should be applied to the context of language A. In this way, you can see how the assessment criteria relate to your own essay. It is important that you also refer to the “Generic guidance for the extended essay” section of this guide for more complete advice on using the assessment criteria to inform your writing.

A: Framework for the Essay (6 pts)

Consider whether you have provided an effective framework for your literary or language-based essay. Check that your research question and your choice of texts, research methods and structural conventions are all suitable for your topic and this subject area.

Structural conventions include:

an introduction that explains your topic and the focus of your essay, and informs the reader which texts you will be writing about

body paragraphs that build an argument using textual support from primary and secondary sources

a conclusion that considers your answer to the research question in the light of your close readings of primary and secondary sources

You may organize your essay using sections and subsections, with appropriate headings, although you should take care that sections do not lead to a fragmented essay and that headings are not distracting.

B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 pts)

Consider whether you have used sources, terminology and concepts that are relevant to an essay on literature or language.

Terminology refers to the words that describe the techniques an author uses to create meaning.

In a literary essay on a novel or in a language-based essay on a speech, you might note how metaphors and alliteration are used.

If you are studying poetry, you might comment on how rhyme and enjambment are employed.

If you are writing on drama, you might consider the role of stage directions, props and noises (the “plastics” of theatre).

If you are analysing a film, or even a series of print ads, relevant terminology can include the types of shots used: e.g. high angle, close-up.

Concepts refer to an idea that occurs throughout a work, such as: dystopia; tragic hero; artificial intelligence; intertextuality; appeal to emotion; logic; authority.

C: Analysis & Line of Argument (6 pts)

Focus on literary analysis instead of plot description, and include a line of argument that links your analysis to the research question and the conclusion.

Literary analysis has two components, as follows.

Identification of some characteristic or element in the text

Explanation of the significance or effects of what has been identified

So, when you are analysing a text—whether it is literary, language- based or multimodal—you should first identify something within the text and then explain its significance or effects. This leads to an understanding of the meaning of the text.

Your explanation could also be considered the answer to a “so what?” question. For instance, in an essay about Gothic fiction, you might identify the various ways in which a ghost haunts a character. You would then want to explain the significance or effects of those hauntings.

“So what” that the character is haunted by the ghost in a certain way? What is the effect on the character?

What does that type of haunting say about the ghost?

What is the significance of this haunting in the text as a whole?

How does this haunting illuminate the text?

Identifying elements of a text such as actions, relationships and concepts is not enough: analysis needs to include an explanation of their significance or effects.

D: Discussion & Evaluation (8 pts)

Consider what a balanced discussion of the findings of your essay looks like in a literary or language-based essay, and ensure that the supporting evidence you have used is appropriate. Evaluate your essay by weighing up the strengths and limitations of your essay.

A balanced discussion considers multiple points of view, as well as your own, regarding a text or texts. The discussion is supported using logic and facts obtained through a close reading of both primary and secondary sources. You can also think of balance with respect to a comparative essay as giving equal attention to each of the primary texts you are analysing, instead of privileging the discussion of one text over another.

E: Reflection (4 pts)

See the Reflection tab above for detailed guidance on planning for and writing your reflection.

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EXAMPLE TOPICS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS & APPROACHES

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EXAMPLE TOPICS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS & APPROACHES

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EXAMPLE TOPICS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS & APPROACHES

Note: The following are examples that may help you start to think about your own essay.

However, they should not be interpreted as indicating that a high grade would necessarily be achieved in choosing this particular topic, research question and approach.

Performance in your extended essay is dependent on how effectively your essay combines all three of these in relation to the assessment criteria.

Topic: A critique of social expectations in Victorian drama

Research question: How effectively does Wilde both present and critique social expectations in The Importance of Being Earnest?

Outline of approach: Identify various social expectations in the play, for example, of marriage, manners, religion, duty, gender. Through a close reading of the play and attention to language, investigate how effectively Wilde presents and critiques them. Some background research into Victorian society will provide social context, but the focus should be on the play, using relevant quotations to support the interpretation. Secondary scholarly sources should be consulted to support the argument, but they should be considered critically.

Topic: Human and artificial relationships in Klara and the Sun

Research question: To what extent and to what effect can Artificial Friends emulate humans to build relationships in Klara and the Sun?

Outline of approach: Through close reading, identify the different ways in which Artificial Friends attempt to emulate the human characters around them and build relationships. Through attention to characterization and language, investigate what these relationships show about the possibilities and limitations of technology and humanity. Does Ishiguro privilege one over the other? If so, to what effect? Does he consider them equal? If so, to what effect? Secondary scholarly sources should be consulted to support the argument, but they should be considered critically.

Topic: The role of satire in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Candide

Research question: How and to what effect is satire used in the travels of the main characters in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Candide?

Outline of approach: Investigate how each author creates satire and where it is used in each novel. Do they use satire similarly or differently, for similar or different purposes? What effect is created? Is satire an effective way to communicate the authors’ messages? Secondary scholarly sources should be consulted to support the argument, but they should be considered critically.

Topic: The function of ghosts in American novels

Research question: What is the function and effect of the different approaches to ghosts in Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James?

Outline of approach: Through close reading and contextual research, investigate how Toni Morrison and Henry James use ghosts differently in these two American novels. What kind of ghosts do the authors create and how do these ghosts haunt the characters in each novel? Some background research into the history of slavery, and excited anticipation of the turn of the century (19th to 20th) in the context of “modernism”, should provide the context and the comparative element of the discussion. Secondary scholarly sources should be consulted to support the argument, but they should be viewed critically.

Topic: The effect of sexism in vintage advertisements

Research question: How, and to what effect, do Van Heusen menswear ads (1949–1951) use sexism to promote their clothes?

Outline of approach: Select some Van Heusen print advertisements from the years indicated and investigate how they engage sexism through language and image. Analyse the stylistic features to determine how men, women and clothing are portrayed. What is the effect? How do language and image work together to produce this effect? Sources on rhetoric and visual language should be consulted to support the argument.

Topic: The use of rhetorical techniques in motivational speeches

Research question: How effectively do Steve Jobs and Michelle Obama use rhetorical techniques to inspire their particular audiences?

Outline of approach: Through a careful analysis of the rhetorical and emotive devices in Steve Jobs’s commencement speech at Stanford University (2005) and Michelle Obama’s commencement speech at Tuskegee University (2015), investigate how the speakers make and support their arguments. Some research into the context of the speeches (their settings, people discussed within the speeches) will help illuminate how the speakers use both content and devices to motivate their audiences. Compare and contrast how they use both similar and different strategies. Sources on rhetoric should be consulted to support the argument.

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RESEARCHING AND WRITING YOUR ESSAY

Literary-based scholarly research is an essential part of your language A extended essay and should include both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources refer to the novels, poems, stories, plays or essays by the author(s) whose work is the focus of your research. Secondary sources are materials written about the work of the author(s), including books (e.g. studies and biographies), individual chapters, journal articles, essays about the work of the author(s), reviews of the work(s), studies of the genre you are writing about, and literary theory. You must include in your essay a review of the existing literature on your topic, thereby demonstrating knowledge and understanding.

Be aware that a recently published work may not yet have much critical material written about it, so it may be an unsuitable choice. Also, some “young adult” novels may lack sufficient depth and complexity to allow for a detailed analysis.

When writing your extended essay, take care not to use the essay solely as a vehicle for your personal thoughts and opinions. Instead, first focus your analysis on the ideas within the text(s) as presented by the author(s). Then you can present your considered views of how the author(s) has treated the subject, being careful to ground your analysis in the text(s) and to support it using textual evidence, such as examples and quotes. Writing an essay that simply offers a general overview of the topic or repeats the views of established literary critics will not score well.

Secondary sources provide a framework for a critical analysis of how language, culture and context shape meaning. Summarizing the sources or presenting them without engaging with them critically will not help you to produce a good essay.

Comparative essays need to state clearly what their purpose is, beyond simply identifying similarities and differences between texts. Literary comparisons need to state a compelling and supportable reason for why the texts were selected. Language comparisons need to justify the selection of texts, for example, why certain speeches, advertising campaigns or electronic texts were chosen. The comparative essay also needs to state the temporal boundaries of the texts, that is, which months or years they were published. The essay can briefly discuss how the choice of texts was limited but should not describe the different options considered.

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CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC

Key requirements

The topic of an extended essay in language A must be related to the target literature and/or language, and be based on one or more texts.

You may choose as your topic a social, political or philosophical issue arising from the text(s): the focus must be a literary analysis of how the text(s) treat the issue.

The text(s) should not be used as documentary evidence to support the issue; rather, the issue must be discussed within a literary context.

Choosing a topic that simply applies a generic or theoretical convention to a text is self-limiting, and will not yield the kind of in-depth, critical, literary analysis expected. An example of such a self-limiting topic might be “How does the Harry Potter series reveal the Hero’s Journey?”.

The texts you choose for your topic must have sufficient literary merit. They should be of sufficient stylistic originality and complexity to sustain in-depth analysis of content, themes, genre and literary devices, using subject-specific methods and terminology.

Types of text

Texts can include one or more of the following: novels; poems; stories; plays; pieces of non-fiction; images (like print advertisements or photojournalism); extracts; media texts such as newspaper articles, advertising campaigns, radio and television programmes and their scripts; films; songs; electronic texts such as video-sharing websites and apps, web pages, SMS messages, blogs, wikis and tweets; and oral texts such as readings, speeches, broadcasts and transcripts of recorded conversation. The text(s) must be clearly defined, with temporal boundaries when appropriate, e.g. an individual’s tweets on a specific topic from January to March 2021.

If you are planning an extended essay that focuses on short stories or poetry, ensure that your selection of texts—your body of work—is robust enough to sustain an in-depth 4,000-word essay. There is no precise number of stories or poems that will work best. But remember that the texts should enable you to consider not only what they say but also how they say it, through both the authors’ language and literary devices. The texts should contain enough substance that you can continue to raise and discuss points without overexplaining them or repeating yourself. Determining the best number of stories or poems for your essay will take some effort; rather than focusing on the amount of texts, you might look for complementary texts first—three to four short stories by the same author or three to four poems by the same poet on a particular theme. As you begin to read them analytically, you may realize that three stories yield enough material for an effective comparison and contrast; you may also realize that four poems enable you to deepen your analysis.

If the text is a film, the focus must be clearly on the screenplay (the written or spoken word), its delivery and effect.

You should try to avoid biographical, historical, psychological or sociological topics as they tend to focus away from a literary or language analysis and result in narrative or descriptive essays.

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EE updated website with the new guide and examples

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ISB Libguides: IBDP: Extended Essay: Getting Started

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Resources to support students as they plan, write, edit, and revise their Extended Essays

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample D - Computer Science

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample D - Computer Science

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Thank you, Travis, for letting me share it. Great work!

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal - Sample C - Psychology

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal - Sample C - Psychology

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Thank you, John, for letting me share it!

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample B - English A LAL

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample B - English A LAL

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Thank you, Christina!

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample A-Music

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Dragon's Den Presentation Proposal Sample A-Music

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Thank you, Keven, for letting me share it. It's a great example and topic.

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Interdisciplinary Sample C - Eng LAL&Psych - Student Workpdf

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First Reflection, interim Reflection and Viva Voce Guiding Questions

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An interdisciplinary extended essay should demonstrate clearly that integration of elements of the two subjects has specifically enabled an effective response to the research question.

Your topic should broadly fit within one of the 5 frameworks.

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Dragon's Den: Extended Essay Proposal Event

Goal: To have your Extended Essay (EE) research proposal approved by a panel of teachers ("The Dragons").

Date: December 11, 2025
Time & Venue: To be announced on Managebac by Wednesday, December 3rd.

May 2027 Cohort EE Options

You can also choose your two favorite subjects and do an interdisciplinary EE talk to your supervisors.

Read the guide shared before, but it is also on the EE Padlet and the subject specification in the guide.

For Students: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare Your Pitch (Before December 11th)

Action: Brainstorm and develop your thesis idea. Create a simple outline (see suggested format below).

Action: Identify and meet with potential supervisor teachers over the next two weeks.

Send a professional email to request a meeting.

Book a time on their calendar. CC the DP Coordinator on your email.

Action: Prepare a strict 5-minute presentation to clearly explain your proposal.

Step 2: Pitch at the Dragon's Den (December 11th)

Action: Deliver your 5-minute pitch to the subject teachers and department heads.

Action: Be prepared to receive immediate, constructive feedback. You may take notes or record the session (with permission).

Step 3: Revise and Submit Your Proposal (Within One Week of Your Pitch)

Action: Using the feedback from your pitch, revise and write an improved research proposal.

Action: Submit this final draft of your proposal on Managebac.

Step 4: Respond to the Decision

After submission, you and your supervisor will receive one of three decisions:

Approved: Congratulations! You may proceed.

Revise: Your subject teacher will meet with you to explain the required changes.

Rejected: Your subject teacher will meet with you to discuss the reasons. You then have two options:

Develop a new proposal for the same subject with a different supervisor.

Change to your second-choice EE subject and develop a new proposal.

Important: If you make a new proposal with a different supervisor, you must book a meeting to discuss the new idea before formally submitting it.

Step 5: Finalize Your Proposal

Action: Make all requested changes and ensure your proposal is finalized.

Action: For all official communication, use only the Managebac chat feature with your supervisor.

Final Deadline: Your final, approved proposal must be submitted on Managebac by January 8, 2026.

Extended Essay proposal Presentation

Think about and answer the following questions. Submit this form to your supervisor and discuss your answers before starting the Extended Essay and conducting further research.

1. Topic and subject
In the subject of… I aim to explore the topic of…

2. Motivation and engagement
Because I want to find out and understand why…

3. Research question
This leads to my research question...

4. Method and materials
To answer this question, I will need to…

In particular, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is your investigation doable within the timeframe and in 4000 words?

2. Is the research question significant? Why is it significant? Who might be interested in your research?

3. Can you get all the evidence you need? How? Can you get the materials and equipment, can you do the experiments? Can you contact the people and get the information you need? What other resources do you still need?

4. Have you already read and marked an EE from a former student in your subject area? Have you checked the Choice of Topic and Treatment of the Topic sections of the EE Guide for your subject, to ensure it meets requirements?

5. If you have doubts about any of these, you may need to refine or change your research question. Discuss your doubts with your supervisor in your 1st RPPF session.

For Teachers: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare the Students (Before December 11th)

Action: In your lessons, dedicate time to discussing thesis development and appropriate research methods for your subject.

Action: Re-familiarize yourself with the EE Guide to provide expert advice.

Step 2: Participate in the Dragon's Den (December 11th)

Action: Attend the student pitch sessions for your subject area.

Action: Provide constructive, specific, and actionable feedback to help students refine their proposals.

Step 3: Review and Decide (Within One Week of the Event)

Action: After students submit their revised proposals on Managebac, review them in consultation with your Head of Department (HOD).

Action: Decide on one of three outcomes: Approve, Reject, or Request Changes.

Action: Inform the EE Coordinator of the final decision.

Step 4: Communicate Feedback

Action: If a proposal is not approved, meet with the student directly to discuss the reasons and the specific changes required for resubmission or a new direction.Step 5: Manage the Process on Managebac

Action: Use only the Managebac chat feature for all official communication and feedback regarding the proposal.

Action: Ensure your student's proposal is finalized and marked as approved on Managebac by the final deadline of December 18, 2025.

Suggested Proposal Outline for Students

Your simple outline for the 5-minute pitch should include:

1. Research Question: Your clear, focused, and arguable question.

2. Rationale: Why is this question interesting and worthy of investigation?

3. Proposed Argument/Thesis: What is your initial hypothesis or tentative answer?

4. Methodology: What research methods will you use (e.g., primary source analysis, scientific experiments, data analysis)?

5. Key Sources: Identify 2-3 potential key sources you plan to use.

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Extended Essay Handbook for EE Coordinators

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 Extended Essay Handbook for Supervisors

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An example supervision model

The following supervision model involves three stages, outlined in table 1. The total time permitted for supervision is between three and five hours.

Meetings

The model includes six meetings. The supervisor uses each of the following to guide the student at key moments in the extended essay process.

Three check-ins that involve both student and supervisor input. However, some students may require more check-ins.

Three mandatory reflection sessions, with attendance recorded on the reflection and progress form (RPF).

Preparation

It is vital that the student and supervisor are well prepared for each session. For example, the student may need to send some materials to the supervisor in advance, such as parts of the essay or excerpts from the researcher’s reflection space (RRS).

At stage three of the mandatory reflection sessions, students must submit their full draft to the supervisor in good time for the supervisor to read the essay and provide feedback to the student.

Timing

In the model outlined in table 1 below, the first three sessions take place quite close together, possibly within one month, as they are important in establishing the preliminaries for the essay. This work is essential preparation for the first reflection session.

After this first reflection session, the student should clarify the research question to guide their inquiry in preparation for the interim reflection session.

At this point, there will likely be a period of several months during which the student is researching and writing the essay, culminating in a completed draft ready for the third check-in. IBO.org

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The extended essay is a unique opportunity for student-led, academic exploration of a topic of personal interest. Students demonstrate their intellectual initiative either through an in-depth inquiry within the boundaries of a Diploma Programme (DP) subject, or by investigating a topic using an interdisciplinary approach. The extended essay brings students the excitement of intellectual exploration while helping them to develop important, transferable skills in research, critical thinking, reflection and self-management. Reflection on the research process enables students to gain a deep understanding of their intellectual and personal learning achievements.

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The Extended Essay Handbook for Students

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The Extended Essay Handbook for Students