1. A journey in research and writing!
Extended Essay
A journey in research and writing!

2. What is it? Independent research supervised by a LHS teacher
In a subject you choose (from one of our IB subject areas)
On a question you develop
Presented in 4,000 words
In accordance with the requirements stated in your IB Extended Essay Guide

3. Writing the Extended Essay
Extremely precise structure – you will have to choose a style (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian, etc)
Begin with the body paragraphs
Include only relevant sources with consistent citation formatting
Must be evaluative

4. How much research?
7/8 = Research Phase (3-5 hours of work) Student & Supervisor work together to: Explore and discuss ideas Locate appropriate resources Discuss readings and ideas Develop an appropriate research question Create an annotated bibliography 1/8 Writing Phase Student works independently to: Write EE Outline Write EE Rough Draft REVISE EE after conference and prepare final copy

5. Relationship between EE and TOK
Aligned with TOK for points
Both require interpretation / evaluation of evidence and formation of reasoned arguments
EE places emphasis on research and outcome

7. Difference in TOK & EE Topics
TOK Topic How can the different ways of knowing help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true? EE Topic JRR Tolkien has been criticized for the seemingly exclusive masculinity of his Lord of the Rings trilogy. To what extent is The Lord of the Rings an empowering work for the female?

8. Grading Criteria
A: research question (2 pts) B: introduction (2 pts) C: investigation (4 pts) D: knowledge and understanding of the topic studied (4 pts) E: reasoned argument (4 pts) F: application of analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the subject (4 pts)
G: use of language appropriate to the subject (4 pts)
H: conclusion (2 pts)
I: formal presentation (4 pts)
J: abstract (2 pts)
K: holistic judgment (4 pts)

9. Mark Bands
29 – 36 points EXCELLENT A 23 – 28 points Good B 16 – 22 points Satisfactory C 8 – 15 points Mediocre D 0 – 7 points Elementary E*
* Failing Condition

11. Your EE Supervisor
Must be a LHS teacher, but does not have to be a current IB teacher
Must be certified to teach the subject you choose to research

12. Your EE Supervisor will…
Provide you with advice & guidance in the skills of research
Encourage & support you throughout the research & writing of the essay
Discuss the topic choice and, in particular, help you formulate a well-focused research question
Read and comment on one completed draft of the EE
Read final version and confirm authenticity
Complete the supervisor’s report

13. Your EE Supervisor will not…
Contact you to set up meetings – YOU make the appointment
Give you copies of the forms you need – YOU bring those with you
Hand you any papers that he/she has written comments on – YOU take notes over your supervisor’s suggestions
Edit any part of your essay
Sign off on your essay if you have not met with him/her

14. Down to Business Step 1: Choose a subject.
Your choices are English, History, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Math, Foreign Language, or Music

15. Choosing a Subject
READ THE EE GUIDE information on the different subjects to make sure you understand all of the requirements.
Talk to 3 different teachers about what an EE in their subject would look like.
It has to be a class that you have taken or will take at LHS High School. We have our reasons. 
Do some background reading.

16. Get a Little Closer Step 2: Choose a topic within your subject.
By now, you will have a supervisor. If you are having trouble (or if you think you are good), go talk to him/her about your ideas before your meeting. The idea is that he/she is an expert in that subject and can tell you if you’re on the right track.

17. Choosing a Topic
Needs to be limited in scope & sufficiently narrow to allow you to examine the issue in depth
Should be broad enough that you can find enough research for analysis
Reading (skimming) helps a great deal if you are floundering
Supervisors and Librarians are ridiculously helpful!

18. Topic Choice: Places to Start
IB Course Companions have EE suggested topics
Books, newspaper articles, magazine articles that you found interesting
Authors, historical figures, or performers that inspire or confound you
Experiments or natural phenomena that captured your imagination
Significant event in your life or family
Issues or problems in local community (past or present)

19. All of that comes down to…
Step 3: The Research Question
Most important part of the essay
Has its own criterion on the rubric
Must have a question mark
Must be answerable in 4,000 words
Needs to create the “so what?” element

20. The Research Question
You should not move forward without a research question
Your research question MUST be approved by your supervisor
The research question will be a part of the final copy of your EE

21. Suggestions from IBO Read the rubrics before choosing a subject
Read graded essays before choosing a subject
Start work early and stick to deadlines
Maintain a good working relationship with your supervisor
Record sources as you go (even before you choose a subject)
Let your interest and enthusiasm show

22. IBO says…
You cannot recycle topics/papers you have written for IB classes
You must follow the ethical guidelines in design of experiments (Science EEs require an experiment)
The research question must be yours and only yours
To write a History EE all events discussed must have taken place 20 years (or longer) ago – NOTHING from 1994 A.D. – 2015 A.D.
Group 2 EEs must be written in that language (A Spanish EE is 4,000 words in Spanish.)

23. Off the record, IBO says…
Quality is important, but so is quantity. Getting as close to the 4,000 word- count is extremely important…
…except in Math. A great Math paper can be 3,500 words.
Just reporting others’ experiments for a Science EE tends to score very low. Do your own experiment and NOT just a copy of someone else’s experiment.

24. Biology/Chemistry/Physics
Yes, you will do an experiment, but you need research, too. It is imperative that you spend a great deal of time with your supervisor. Plan for your experiment to go wrong. Make sure you begin early, so you have time to try again. Bad R.Q.: What causes cancer? Good R.Q.: Can common kitchen appliances, frequently exposed to gluten, be cleaned through customary sanitation techniques to prepare gluten-free food?

25. History
It’s not as easy as it sounds. You can’t just relate an event or give biographical info on a person. You must complete a critical analysis of source material and an evaluative argument on the importance of the event, person, or group. Bad R.Q.: What was the impact of the civil rights movement? Good R.Q.: To what extent did the fall of communism in Romania improve the lives of Romanians in the 1990s?

26. English (Group 1)
Again, not as easy as you might think. This paper must include very specific textual analysis of one (or more) work that was originally written in English. You can only discuss a translated work IF you are comparing it to an English piece. Bad R.Q.: What symbols are employed by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Good R.Q.: To what extent does J.K. Rowling use blood as a complex literary device in the Harry Potter series to demonstrate the negative impact of racism?

27. Math
This EE should involve scholarly analysis of a mathematical formula, theory, or issue. Good R.Q.: What was the role of mathematics, and geometry in particular, in navigation when sailors relied on the stars? What is the legacy of Archimedes’ calculations of circular and parabolic areas in today’s methods of integration?

28. Music
You may only write a Music EE if you are in IB Music. Students should strive for a coherent verbal analysis and interpretation of one or more pieces of music in relation to the chosen research question. As with Visual Arts, reliance on textbooks and the internet, solely, is discouraged. Good R.Q.: What is the influence of Edgard Varèse on the musical output of Frank Zappa? Is Jesus Christ Superstar a modern classical opera?