extended essay atch?v=ejoo8jx8opi the unique benefits of the dp

Extended Essay

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The unique benefits of the DP

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Aquaints diploma candidates with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected by universities


What does the essay represent to a student?

The opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest

A way to add breadth A way to deepen

studies: selecting a topic in one of his or her courses


Why Extended Essay?

Allows student to research a special interest Skills of independent study and writing Creative Research skills Critical and analytical writing Universities are impressed!


What is the Extended Essay?

A 4000 word(10 page) research paper on a topic in a subject that the IB offers

Usually one of the 6 subjects that a student takes Compulsory part of the diploma


How much time and when?

40 hours in total 4000 words Over 6 months When to start? When to end?


Internal deadlines

March 22, Form I• Subject & topic chosen & supervisor

April 22, Form II• Resarch question, main sources,

May 31• Specified reseach question, sources, literature list,

method and outline September 9, First draft to supervisor October 21, Second draft to supervisor

December 2, Deadline for completed essay


Deadline May 31

Non-experimental subjects Detailed outline Introduction with research question The beginning of the body Bibliography 500-1000 words (or more)

Group 4 subjects where experimental work is carried out Detailed outline Introduction with research question A detailed plan for practical work Bibliography


Deadline September 9

Non-experimental subjects Body References (footnotes) have to be there from the

outset 1500-2000 words (or more)

Group 4 subjects where experimental work is carried out Introduction with research question and more Result from practical work if possible but otherwise a

detailed plan.....


Supervisor

Must be a teacher in school

Spend some 2-3 hours with student

Help with research skills

Check academic honesty


Advice – DO……. Start and end early Involve the librarian to help with research skills Produce your own internal deadlines Ensure that you have a suitable research question Meet regularly with the supervisor Keep all notes


Advice – DON’T…..

Spend too much time on the EE Ignore assessment criteria!!!! Do all research on the web Break deadlines


How to choose a research topic I Decide which subject interests you the most. Without personal curiosity and interest, it’s impossible

to do research. In that subject, make a list of the topical areas in the

subject that interest you the most. What investigations need to be carried out to answer

the research question Discuss this list with

• your teacher• your friends • your parents and/or • anyone else who you think may be able to give you

advice or be interested.


How to choose a research topic II

Choose an area from this list, and read more in this area - if possible, with advice from your supervisor

Keep a research diary!

Ask yourself what data you might need to answer these questions whether you will have access to the data whether you will need to find other sources of data See whether there has been any research by others in

this area.


How to choose a research topic III

Ask what methods you will need to adopt to answer the questions you have in mind. Brainstorm

Draw spider diagrams of questions and issues and connections between them.

Narrow down the number and scope of your questions as you proceed.

Consult your supervisor at each stage, and in case of difficulty.

EXPECT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE YOU FINALLY SETTLE ON A TOPIC.


What is a good research question?

One formulated by the student out of his/her own curiosity or interest

Non-trivial (i.e., substantial, not speculative or too limited in scope, not self-evident)

Sharply enough focused so that the student can answer it in 4,000 words.


Bad research questions?

ECONOMICS Does globalization affect Sweden?

BIOLOGY What causes cancer?

HISTORY What would have happened to Turkey if the last

Sultans had been more powerful?


Common problems with extended essay Students discover too late that there is too little data, or data is

inaccessible. Bad pacing of the research and writing process

PLAGIARISM The use of the work of other authors (texts, data, creative

productions, oral statements OR ideas) without proper acknowledgement, with the effect that it appears to be the plagiarist’s own work or idea.

Over-reliance on web-based sources Students discover too late that their knowledge of the subject is

not deep enough. Ethical issues regarding gathering of data or performing of

experiments No contribution by the student – the extended essay is a

compilation of information from other sources.


What you SHOULD NOT do if you are not there

DON’T PANIC! Don’t give up. No extended essay means NO IB

DIPLOMA. Don’t PROCRASTINATE and DELAY, or pretend that

the problem will go away.


Tips and pits

Tips: • Make sure your question is narrowly focused.• It helps to exceed by about 20-30% the word

limit in the first few drafts, and cut it back to the maximum of 4,000 for the final.

• Keep assessing each draft of your essay against the General and Subject Criteria in the Extended Essay Guide.

• Record ALL sources that you consult and use, and cite them carefully.


Tips and pitsMore Tips:

• Keep a Research Diary or Journal or Notebook, especially a pocket-sized one that you can carry about and record any ideas that occur to you anywhere.

• Frequently draw spider diagrams to get the bigger picture, and make links that you know of, and look for other possible links that you may have missed.

• Make sure that you present, analyze and interpret data – not just present them!

• Use the technical vocabulary and concepts of the discipline in which you are working - don’t write like a journalist.


Tips and pits STILL more tips:

• Complete the essay as best you can, even if you run into problems. That way you will have learnt something valuable!

• Write the Introduction LAST, so that you can give the reader a clear statement of the research question, and how you have addressed it (a “roadmap” of the essay).


Tips and pits

Pitfalls: • Don’t neglect to refer to BOTH sections of your

Extended Essay Guide FREQUENTLY. • DON’T leave everything till the last. The

deadlines for drafts are there to help you pace your work. They are not a monument to my alleged sadism!

• Do NOT rely entirely or mostly on web based resources because of they often tend to be unreliable.


Tips and pits!

Pitfalls:• KEEP BACK-UPS (note the plural) OF ALL

YOUR WORK. You will be surprised how well your computer knows when to crash.

• BEWARE OF PLAGIARISM (especially the unintentional kind)! The consequences are UNPLEASANT


Marking

Assessment criteria A-K Same for all subjects Interpretation –individual for all subjects Total = 36 points


Assessment – out of 36

A- work of an excellent standard B- work of a good standard C- work of a satisfactory standard D- work of a mediocre standard E- work of an elementary standard


Keep it simple

Only worth max. 1.5 points TOK worth 1.5 points Most candidates get 1 or 2 points


Citation

If in doubt cite! Need to keep careful notes Use websites with care and remind the student to log

their use


What you student needs Time Determination Organisation A correctly focused research

question


Three Points

A B C D E

A 3 3 2 2 1

B 3 2 1 1 0

C 2 1 1 0 0

D 2 1 0 0 FAIL

E 1 0 0 0 FAIL

Extended Essay

TOK


Possible Problems at Stage 1

You have not focused your research question appropriately for the size of the essay or the discipline.

The direction of your research may be contrary to the guidelines.

You have not identified resources for answering your research question.

You have not completed readings or experiments or the gathering of data for your research.


You find it difficult to organize, analyze or interpret the material or data required for your research.

You find the material is insufficient or inconclusive for your research.

You feel you don’t know enough in the discipline to be able to complete your research.

Possible Problems at Stage 2


If you have not focused your research question appropriately for the size of the essay or the discipline…

Remember that your research question needs to be addressed in 4,000 words.

Remember that the essay has to be firmly in one of the disciplines taught in the IB, e.g., English, History; but not Cultural Studies, Mathematical Economics, etc.

Seek your supervisor’s guidance. Relate your essay to a specific thing, such as a novel,

country, time, effect, law. The Ecology of Snails in the… area is better than The Ecology of Sweden.


If the direction of your research is contrary to the guidelines…

Check carefully from the Extended Essay Guide what the criteria for your essay are.

Refocus the question and start again. (It may be too late to do this, so…)

Complete the essay as you have started to the best of your ability, and hope for the best!

Remember that NO ESSAY MEANS NO IB DIPLOMA.


If you have not identified all necessary resources…

Tell your supervisor, and ask for advice. Seek help from the librarian to find various

sources of information and/or ideas. Find people or institutions outside school that

may be able to help you, and approach them.


If you find it difficult to organize, analyze or interpret the material or data required for your research…

Seek your supervisor’s advice. Consider whether you need to re-word or re-

think your research question. Look for theoretical frameworks or tools in your

discipline that can help you analyze or interpret the material you have available.


If you find the material is inconclusive for your research…

Speak to your supervisor. Re-examine the material and see whether you

are missing something. Re-examine the theoretical “spectacles” with

which you are viewing the material. Examine why it is inconclusive as part of the

analysis and discussion in your essay.


If you feel you don’t know enough in the discipline to be able to complete your research…

Seek help from your supervisor to find out what ideas, concepts, frameworks, tools or techniques will help you address the research question.

Read more in the discipline in which you are doing the research.

Seek help from professors or graduate students at universities to teach you what you need to know. (Your supervisor will probably not teach you, but may help you teach yourself. )

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