… as well as World Studies, an interdisciplinary topic combining two or more subjects from the Diploma Programme that explores one of the following global themes:
- Language, culture and identity
- Science, technology and society
- Equality and inequality
- Conflict, peace and security
- Economic and/or environmental sustainability
- Health and development
For more information, please see pages 360 - 369 in the
The supervisor-student working relationship is probably the most important one in the Extended Essay process. The EE supervisor will advise students during the entire process such as confirm research questions, read final draft and give comments for revising it and submit a predicted grade to the IBO. It is the student's responsibility to select the appropriate supervisor for their EEs. While selecting supervisor, students are advised to consider the following issues: S/he
is interested in the topic and available to work with
What supervisors can do:
What supervisors cannot do:
If students give
Tips on choosing a supervisor...
If you are not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, I would start by creating a list of your top three choices. Next, create a list of pros and cons (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).
For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher, and we get along really well, but he teaches English, and I want to conduct an experiment to compare the efficiency of American Hybrid Cars to Foreign Hybrid Cars. Ms. White teaches Physics, I had her a year ago, and she liked me. She could help me design my experiment. I am going to ask Ms. White!
Do NOT just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor. They may be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. I would not suggest asking your Biology teacher to guide you in writing your English EE.
EXCEPTION: If you have a teacher who is passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my Theater topic), you can ask that instructor. Consider all of your options first before you do. There was no theater teacher at my school, so I could not find a theater-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.
Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form. Make sure you ask your IB coordinator if there is any required paperwork. IBO does not require any paperwork. If your school needs a Form signed, make sure you bring it with you when you ask a teacher to be your EE advisor.
Some teachers may just take on students because they have to and may not be passionate about reading drafts and may not give you a lot of feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make the draft better.
Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have no connection to; a teacher who does not know you is unlikely to push you.
Note: The IBO only allows advisors to suggest improvements to the EE, but they may not be engaged in writing the EE. The IBO recommends that the supervisor spends approximately 3-5 hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.
Source: PrepScholar, available at https://blog.prepscholar.com/complete-guide-to-ib-extended-essay-tips-grading-guideline-and-sample-essays
After choosing the subject for your extended essay, the next step in the research process is to define what your research is going to focus on - the topic.
At this stage you need to explore:
Your research topic:
Tips to choose a research topic:
Details tips on how to choose a Research Topic
[Developing a Topic video by Oregon School Library Information System]
[“Writing a Research Paper.” World News Digest. Infobase Learning, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. ]
The research question (RQ) derives from the title and is expressed as a question that is intended to be answered through researching and writing the EE. It appears on the title page and could also be visible as a header throughout the essay. It should:
• be clear and focused
• provide a path through which you can undertake achievable research
• use keywords that connect with the topic, the title, and the DP subject or world studies area of study
• support the development of an argument
1. Cannot Google the answer!
2. It should be broad enough to explore (40 hours) and narrow enough to be manageable (4000 words)
3. It does not repeat what is already known
4. It adds value to the existing knowledge
5. It expands on existing knowledge or frames it in a new context
Sample Research Questions
What is the history of Chinese theater? | How does the legacy of Mei Lan Fang contribute to modern Jingju? |
What was the impact of Ho Chi Minh’s allegiance to Lenin? | To what extent was nationalism the guiding factor in Ho Chi Minh’s adoption of Leninism in 1920? |
How important is chlorophyll to plant life? | What is the effect of different concentrations of kinetin on leaves aging and the biosynthesis of chlorophyll? |
How has grooming products changed over the time? | How has the portrayal of men in male grooming products changed from the 1980s to date? |
Five steps to developing a research question
1. Choose a topic within a subject that is of interest
2. Carry out preliminary reading.
3. Consider the emerging questions
4. Evaluate the question
5. Consider research outcomes
Note: Sometimes students may need to revise their research question; therefore, a research question should always be considered provisional until they have enough research data to make a reasoned argument.
The following video and pictorial presentations may guide you on how to formulate a research question:
Lekanides , Kosta . Extended Essay Course Book: Oxford IB Diploma Programme . OUP, 2016.
Working on a specific area of research and engaging with different sources of information and data, you may expose to different and new perspectives on issues and topics. At this stage, you need to construct a r esource Plan, identifying all the resources needed to complete the essay. You should also produce a schedule indicating when each resource will be used and note any assumptions and constraints made during the resource planning process. IB suggested that students should use both primary and secondary sources for their research. However, students should use secondary data as the basis of their EE, supported where appropriate by primary research. The sole use of secondary sources is permitted and will allow students access to all levels of the EE assessment criteria (IB EEG, p.146).
Primary vs Secondary Sources
Whether conducting research in the social sciences, humanities (especially history), arts, or natural sciences, the ability to distinguish between primary and secondary source material is essential.
Primary sources are materials that are direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or as close to the original source as possible. | Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. analyzes based on primary sources. |
Example: | Example: *Please note that a book is simply a format. You can find primary and secondary sources published in book form |
Note: Often secondary and primary sources are relative concepts. Typical secondary sources may be primary sources depending on the research topic.
How can I find and identify scholarly sources/resources?
Not very easy! but following some strategies/ methods, one can justify the scholarly resources. The following presentation may guide you on how to search and justify scholarly resources online!
Subscribed Dat abases at ICS, Zurich
Open Access Dat abases at ICS, Zurich
These are highly recommended Open Access databases. To search your desired resource click on the selected database and explore…
DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
ScholarWorks (Indiana University)
HighWire (Stanford University)
BASE ( Bielefeld University Library, Germany)
Google Scholar
IB Research Database
Digital Common Networks
World Digital Library
CORE (Open Access Research Papers)
FreeFullpdf
List of Digitized Magazines
It is recommended that the student sends their supervisor an outline of their research proposal ahead of the meeting in order to give the supervisor the opportunity to review their work. Therefore, plan a Research Outline is crucial for the EE...
*Your thesis statement is the foundation of your research paper and is an answer to the research question that you formulated. Your thesis statement is not the title of your paper; it is a single sentence that summarizes the argument you intend to make or the point you want to prove throughout your paper.
Students should use their chosen style of academic referencing as soon as they start writing. That way they are less likely to forget to include a citation. It is also easier than trying to add references at a later stage. Regardless of the reference style adopted by the student/school for a given subject, it is expected that the minimum information given includes (IB EEG, p.81):
• name of author
• date of publication
• title of source
• page numbers as applicable
• date of access (electronic sources)
Please, educate yourself with the IB Effective citing and referencing documents !
What to Cite and How to Cite
For the In-text citation and bibliography, follow the minimum requirements as summarized in this presentation.
More resources
Commence Reading
It is important to adapt how you read to suit the material and your purpose for reading. Depending on what you are reading and why, you will find some of the following strategies useful. The following are the effective reading strategies adapted from Charles Darwin University:
Skimming ( click and scroll down)
Keyword Spotting@Key information
Analytical Reading
Critical Reading
Reading Difficult Texts
Commence Research
If you are undertaking an Extended Essay on any subject you are required to complete some research. Research generally involves two different types: primary and secondary research. Once students have identified their topic and written their research question, they can decide how to research their answer. Consider your research goals, and whether they can be met by secondary research, or require primary research. The definition of “research” and terms such as “primary data” and “secondary data” varies from subject to subject. In some subjects, students must use both primary and secondary data. In others, students may, or even must, rely exclusively on secondary data.
Primary vs Secondary Research
Primary Research | Secondary Research |
---|---|
(field research) involves gathering new data that has not been collected before. It is based on raw data. | (desk research) involves gathering existing data that has already been produced. It is based on analyzed and interpreted information. |
Example | Example and industry publications |
Considering the complexity of research, all students must carry out secondary research in terms of a literature review for their topic (IB, EEG, p. 111). The purpose of secondary research is to:
Use of Scholarly resources
It is also important that you consult relevant and reliable scholarly and peer-reviewed sources in your research. You need to evaluate all the sources that you use for your secondary research. The authority and credibility evident in scholarly sources will improve the quality of your paper or research project. Moreover, the use of scholarly sources is an expected attribute of academic coursework.
How can I tell if a source is scholarly?
Not very easy but following some strategies/ methods such as ABCDE, CRAAP, CRAB methods, one can justify the scholarly resources. The following presentation may guide you on how to search and justify scholarly resources online!
Research Skills Guide: Brought to you by...
Oregon School Library Information System@ Learn how to do Research
State Library of Victoria@ Research Skills
Kentucky Virtual Library@ How to do Research
Writing the extended essay
The structure of the essay is very important. It helps students to organize the argument, making the best use of the evidence collected. Six required elements of the extended essay:
Title page Contents page Introduction Body of the essay Conclusion References and bibliography
Integrate others' ideas through Paraphrasing, Summarizing and Quieting
In academic writing, we have to incorporate other ideas and research findings to our research. Now the question is how do we do that? Quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing are the three main ways of integrating others’ ideas in your academic work.
Writing Tips: Brought to you by...
Purdue University-OWL@ Academic Writing
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School@ Writing an Introduction
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School@ Writing a Conclusion
Plagiarism Tutorials: Brought to you by...
University of Sydney Library
Vaughan Memorial Library
Plagiarism Quizzes: B rought to you by...
Turnitin
Staffordshire University
You are highly encouraged to read the document "How to Write a Research Paper" at Research Guide . <https://icsz.libapps.com/libguides/admin_c.php?g=664309&p=4700645>
The length of the extended essay
The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal academic style, appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. Given that the extended essay is a formally written research paper, it should strive to maintain a professional, academic look.
To help achieve this, the following formatting is suggested:
• the use of 12-point, readable font
• double spacing
• page numbering
• no candidate or school name on the title page or page headers
• the essay should be a maximum of 4 000 words (the examiner won’t read anything past this cut off point!)
• the file size must not be more than 10 MB.
Note that the RPPF is uploaded separately and is not part of the overall file size of the essay!
Word counts
The upper limit is 4,000 words for all extended essays. Examiners are instructed not to read or assess any material in excess of the word limit. Please refer to the following guidance on what content should be included in the word count (IB EEG, pp. 82-83):
Included in the word count | Not included in the word count |
---|---|
The introduction | The contents page |
The main body | Maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations |
The conclusion | Tables |
Quotations | Equations, formulas and calculations |
Footnotes and/or endnotes that are not references | Citations/references (whether parenthetical, numbered, footnotes or endnotes) |
The bibliography, appendices, survey form | |
The Reflections on planning and progress form | |
Headers |
Exception: Students writing their extended essay in Japanese or Chinese should use the following conversions:
• Japanese: 1 word = approximately 2 Japanese characters (upper limit 8,000 characters)
• Chinese: 1 word = approximately 1.2 Chinese characters (upper limit 4,800 characters)
There are two types of assessment identified by the IB:
• Formative assessment informs both teaching and learning. It is concerned with providing accurate and helpful feedback to students and teachers on the kind of learning taking place and the nature of students’ strengths and weaknesses in order to help develop students’ understanding and capabilities. Formative assessment can also help to improve teaching quality, as it can provide information to monitor progress towards meeting the course aims and objectives.
• Summative assessment gives an overview of previous learning and is concerned with measuring student achievement.
Assessment of the extended essay is a combination of formative assessment (the Reflections on planning and progress form) and summative assessment (the extended essay itself). However, generic assessment criteria are used with subject-specific interpretations.
What are the criteria to assess the Extended Essay?
There are five (A-E) criterion to assess the EE and each criterion is organized at three levels of information. Firstly, the markband , which relates to the mark range available; secondly, the strand , which relates to what is being assessed; and, thirdly, the indicators , which are the demonstration of the strands within a markband.
Criterion A: Focus and method – This criterion focuses on the topic, the research question and the methodology. Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding – This criterion assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area/discipline used to explore the research question. Criterion C: Critical thinking – This criterion assesses the extent to which critical-thinking skills have been used to analyse and evaluate the research undertaken. Criterion D: Presentation – This criterion assesses the extent to which the presentation follows the standard format expected for academic writing and the extent to which this aids effective communication. Criterion E: Engagement – This criterion assesses the student’s engagement with their research focus and the research process.
Overview of the Criteria
B: knowledge and understanding | C: critical thinking | D: presentation | E: engagement | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Topic • Research question • Methodology | Context • Subject-specific terminology and concepts | Research • Analysis • Discussion and evaluation | Structure • Layout | Process • Research focus |
Mark | Mark | Mark | Mark | Mark |
6 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 6 |
How is the Extended Essay assessed? All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. They are marked on a scale from 0 to 34. The score a student receives relates to a band. The bands are:
As the extended essay is an important component of the Diploma Programme, and a substantial piece of work, students need to ensure that they understand the expectations of the task and manage their time and workload effectively. The following suggestions are given as guidance to help with the process.
Students are strongly recommended to:
• develop a Researcher’s reflection space as a planning tool
• use the Researcher’s reflection space to prepare for reflection sessions
• share excerpts from the Researcher’s reflection space with the supervisor during the reflection sessions
• choose a subject, followed by a topic, and then think carefully about the research question for their essay
• plan how, when and where they will find material and sources for their essay before deciding on the final topic and research question
• plan a schedule for both the researching and writing of their extended essay, including extra time for delays and unforeseen problems
• record sources as their research progress using their Researcher’s reflection space rather than trying to reconstruct a list at the end
• make the most of their supervision and reflection sessions by arriving prepared to discuss their work
• have a clear structure for the essay before beginning to write
• check and proofread the final version of their extended essay
• make sure that the version they submit for assessment is the final version with all sources correctly and consistently referenced
• ensure that all requirements are met
Adapted from IB EE Guide, pp.48-49.
At ICS, Zurich students are required to:
Supervisor's support:
You should think of your EE supervisor as a resource for general feedback, but do not rely on them to hold your hand through this process. You must take the initiative on all fronts, from choosing your subject to writing a plan and setting internal deadlines for yourself so that you can meet school deadlines! You will edit your EE on your own; do not expect your EE Supervisor to read, edit, or mark up your drafts in any way.
Think of it this way: The IB’s general EE guidelines require you to spend at least forty hours researching and writing your Extended Essay. In contrast, your EE Supervisor should spend no more than about 3-5 hours advising your work along the way.
That said, your supervisor can be a valuable support to you through this process - someone to bounce ideas off, clarify your understanding and support your time-management. Make them your first point of call if you have difficulties…do n't suffer in silence, they are there to help!
The supervisor-student working relationship is probably the most important one in the Extended Essay process. The EE supervisor will advise students during the entire process such as confirm research questions, read final draft and give comments for revising it and submit a predicted grade to the IBO. Supervisors must ensure that they understand the important role they play in supporting students in this process.
Supervisors are required to:
Supervisors are strongly recommended to:
Adapted from IB Extended Essay Guide, pp.46-47.
The following FREE online courses may guide you throughout your extended essay (click on the course image):
1. Developing Your Research Project
What topics will this course cover?
Academic research: principles and definition
Drafting and developing research proposals
Gathering information from literature and from findings
Research methods: choosing an appropriate methodology
Academic reading and note taking
Referencing, plagiarism, and academic integrity
Academic writing: organising sources, structuring essays
Academic writing: summarising a research project into an abstract
Academic presentations: preparation and delivery
2. Information & Digital Literacy for University Success
3. Research Writing: How to Do a Literature Review
Yes. If you do not complete the extended essay (or it does not meet minimum standards) you will be deemed ineligible to receive your IB Diploma.
No. However, it is strongly recommended that you select a topic from one of your Higher Level (HL) subjects. Other subject areas may be chosen; however, that will only be allowed if there is a qualified staff member to help so that you have every opportunity to do well in that area. If you are not currently enrolled in a course in the subject area from which you choose your EE topic, you must have a solid knowledge base in that subject area. In general, you are ‘wisest’ to choose a topic in an area that you are passionate about and currently studying at the HL.
Unlike most student/teacher relationships, for the Extended Essay, you are the one in the driver’s seat. Yes, there are deadlines and guidelines and you must meet them, but you choose your topic and you plan your research on your own and you write and edit the essay on your own. Your EE Supervisor is there as a resource if you need help, or if your essay is heading in the wrong direction or stalled. Think of your EE Supervisor as a backseat driver - you may hear “Watch out!” or “Go [write] faster!” but, ultimately, you are the one responsible for putting your foot on the pedal and making sure you are in good shape coming down the home stretch of the Extended Essay process.
Learning how to edit your own work is an invaluable skill, though it may be painful at first. Some tried-and-true tips for copy-editing as you go along:
Relax. Many students are overly worried about writing academic papers simply because they may not be able to visualize what exactly an academic paper will entail, and how it differs from the school papers they have been writing in one form or another since elementary school.
Here is the quick definition: an academic paper is a piece of formal writing (i.e., unlike a conversational tone such as what I am using now, you will most likely be using the third person voice, and should avoid colloquialisms and unfounded generalizations). At the heart of most academic papers is the thesis statement, which describes what you believe and what you are trying to prove, out of all the research and analysis you have done. All the other points in the paper will go towards supporting your thesis statement.
You will write the Extended Essay to emulate an academic journal article. Because these journal articles are published, there is often a very strict methodology for how you go about writing them. This is great for you because it means there are a lot of resources, both online and off, available to teach you about these methodologies! Good luck, and happy writing!
You will have the opportunity to explore an interesting self-selected topic in-depth. You will develop your research skills and, if applicable to your subject area, your investigative skills. As well, you will improve your presentation skills, as you will be required to use MLA/APA as a citation format and to prepare an annotated bibliography. These skills will be extremely useful in your post-secondary studies.
Yes! As noted above, if you do not submit an extended essay, or if your extended essay does not meet the minimum requirements, you will not receive your diploma. As well, your assessment on your extended essay and your ToK essay and project are combined into a point matrix. You may qualify for up to three additional points which are added to your total IB Diploma score.
Step -1: Read the key EE documents
Step -2: Record your thoughts@RRS
Step -3: Choose a subject & supervisor
Step -4: Confirm a research topic & title
Step -5: Formulate a research question
Step -6: Identify sources
Step -7: Plan a research outline
Step -8: Decide on reference style
Step -9: Commence research/reading
Step -10: Writing the essay
*Write 3 reflections according to the ICS timeline
Susan Trower from West Sound Academy
Language and Literature
Choosing a topic.
Categories 1 & 2
***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English***
Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.
be a work you studied in class |
Marriage in the novels of George Eliot | The portrayal of marriages as imperfect in by George Eliot |
Comedy in Shakespeare’s plays | The use of comic characters to explore serious issues in Shakespeare’s and |
Autobiographical details in | The role of autobiographical techniques and their effects on the reader in by Nelson Mandela |
A comparison of the main characters in and | The importance of satire in the travels of the main characters in and |
A comparison of Shakespeare’s sonnets and by Pablo Neruda | The treatment of the theme of love in a selection of Shakespeare’s sonnets and by Pablo Neruda |
NB: When investigating a film in category 2, the film must be analyzed for its literary value, not filmic. Filmic analysis is allowed in category 3.
Category 3 papers also analyze works, however they are not restricted to literary works! Topics in Category 3 emphasize the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.
The influence of the media in shaping the view of female beauty | The use of language and image by UK fashion and beauty magazines , and to construct a particular body image for women |
Successful political campaigns | The use of language and other persuasive techniques to confront the ideology of the United States by Malcolm X and other civil rights activists |
Humor in | The use of humor by Kehlman in to bridge the distance between the present day reader and his historic subject matter |
Argentine protest marches | The use of different reporting methods by various newspapers to cover Argentine protest marches |
Categories 1 and 2
**Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but analyze works not written in English**
Primary research in Language and Literature may require close reading of one or more texts. Secondary research may also be necessary for information like historical context, biographical information, and established literary criticism. Students should consider things like the effect of the work, the devices it uses, or the way it is written.
Students can study a philosophical, political or social issue in a work of literature. However, the major focus of their essay should be the literary treatment of the issue. Students should not use the essay solely as a vehicle for their own thoughts on the issue. Students must focus first on their analysis of the presentation of the author’s ideas. Then they can present their personal views on the way the author has treated the subject. |
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Students should aim include existing literary criticism and their original ideas. An essay that simply repeats the views of established literary critics will not receive a high mark. |
The treatment of prejudice in and | The portrayal of childhood in novels | ||
How far are the approaches to prejudice and discrimination different in and ? | In what ways, and to what purposes, do Nabokov’s and Proust’s evoke memories of childhood? | ||
The identification of types of prejudice in the novels and the selection of detailed incidents for close analysis. Some background research into 1950s America and Afghanistan between 1970 and the mid-1990s may be helpful in establishing a context for the argument and a comparative element to the discussion. | A close analysis of both works, with reference to existing literary criticism of both works, and others, as appropriate, some secondary sources for historical context, and some comparative element to the discussion |
Students should give a focused analysis of the texts being considered. The approach should be balanced, coherently argued, use relevant examples to illustrated the point.
Examples of language in a cultural context
Gender | |
How has the portrayal of men in male grooming products changed from the 1980s to date? | |
A careful analysis of the contexts and the devices employed in at least two specific advertising campaigns in the target language culture, with some comparative element to the discussion. |
Examples of language and mass communication
The use of persuasive language in motivational speeches | |
By what means do Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King seek to inspire their particular audiences? | |
A careful analysis of the contexts and the rhetorical devices employed in Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement speech (2005) and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech (1963), with some comparative element to the discussion. |
Language and Literature Sources
Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established literary interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.
databases offer topic pages and the Topic Finder search feature. This video will show you . |
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databases have two features to help you find search words as well as topics and sub-topics. Use the "subject guide search" feature in databases to help you find good search terms. . Use the "topic finder" to help you find good topics and sub-topics
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Encyclopedia Britannica has lots of information, like any encyclopedia, but it also has a lot of information about sports and recreation, specifically.
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Britannica also offers an extensive database of biographical information that is searchable based on era, nationality, field of work, and gender.
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(vol. 311, 2012) | Provides biographical details on thousands of modern novelists, poets, playwrights, nonfiction writers, journalists and scriptwriters. Includes current writers as well as the most-studied literary figures of the early 20th century and authors from around the world. Information is provided by the authors themselves or drawn from published interviews, feature stories, book reviews and other materials provided by the authors/publishers. |
(vol. 221, 2012) | A biographical and bibliographical guide to current writers in all fields including poetry, fiction and nonfiction, journalism, drama, television and movies. Includes the most recent data on the world's most-popular authors. Profile sketches are entirely revised and completely replace the original Contemporary Authors entries. Each volume contains approximately 250 writers. | |
(multiple volumes) | Provides critical overviews of the most-studied plays of all time periods, nations, and cultures. Includes discussions of themes, characters, critical reception, dramatic devices and traditions as well as cultural and historical context. |
(multiple volumes) | Provides critical overviews of novels from various cultures and time periods. Includes discussions of plot, characters, themes and structure as well as the work's cultural and historical significance. | |
(multiple Volumes) | Provides critical overviews of short stories from all cultures and time periods. Includes discussions of plot, characters, themes and structure as well as the story's cultural and historical significance. |
(vol. 92, 2021) | Provides biographical profiles of the important and influential persons of African American and/or black heritage. Covers persons of various nationalities in a wide variety of fields, including architecture, art, business, dance, education, fashion, film, industry, journalism, law, literature, medicine, music, politics and government, publishing, religion, science and technology, social issues, sports, television, theater, and others. |
Essay Types
An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.
The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A
Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:
Studies of one or more literary works papers are the same as Category 1, but use literary works written in a language other than English. |
Studies in language based on one or more texts. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language. |
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A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays). When we say “literature review” or refer to “the literature,” we are talking about the research ( scholarship ) in a given field. You will often see the terms “the research,” “the scholarship,” and “the literature” used mostly interchangeably.
There are a number of different situations where you might write a literature review, each with slightly different expectations; different disciplines, too, have field-specific expectations for what a literature review is and does. For instance, in the humanities, authors might include more overt argumentation and interpretation of source material in their literature reviews, whereas in the sciences, authors are more likely to report study designs and results in their literature reviews; these differences reflect these disciplines’ purposes and conventions in scholarship. You should always look at examples from your own discipline and talk to professors or mentors in your field to be sure you understand your discipline’s conventions, for literature reviews as well as for any other genre.
A literature review can be a part of a research paper or scholarly article, usually falling after the introduction and before the research methods sections. In these cases, the lit review just needs to cover scholarship that is important to the issue you are writing about; sometimes it will also cover key sources that informed your research methodology.
Lit reviews can also be standalone pieces, either as assignments in a class or as publications. In a class, a lit review may be assigned to help students familiarize themselves with a topic and with scholarship in their field, get an idea of the other researchers working on the topic they’re interested in, find gaps in existing research in order to propose new projects, and/or develop a theoretical framework and methodology for later research. As a publication, a lit review usually is meant to help make other scholars’ lives easier by collecting and summarizing, synthesizing, and analyzing existing research on a topic. This can be especially helpful for students or scholars getting into a new research area, or for directing an entire community of scholars toward questions that have not yet been answered.
Most lit reviews use a basic introduction-body-conclusion structure; if your lit review is part of a larger paper, the introduction and conclusion pieces may be just a few sentences while you focus most of your attention on the body. If your lit review is a standalone piece, the introduction and conclusion take up more space and give you a place to discuss your goals, research methods, and conclusions separately from where you discuss the literature itself.
Introduction:
Conclusion:
Lit reviews can take many different organizational patterns depending on what you are trying to accomplish with the review. Here are some examples:
Any lit review is only as good as the research it discusses; make sure your sources are well-chosen and your research is thorough. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you discover a new thread as you’re writing. More info on the research process is available in our "Conducting Research" resources .
As you’re doing your research, create an annotated bibliography ( see our page on the this type of document ). Much of the information used in an annotated bibliography can be used also in a literature review, so you’ll be not only partially drafting your lit review as you research, but also developing your sense of the larger conversation going on among scholars, professionals, and any other stakeholders in your topic.
Usually you will need to synthesize research rather than just summarizing it. This means drawing connections between sources to create a picture of the scholarly conversation on a topic over time. Many student writers struggle to synthesize because they feel they don’t have anything to add to the scholars they are citing; here are some strategies to help you:
The most interesting literature reviews are often written as arguments (again, as mentioned at the beginning of the page, this is discipline-specific and doesn’t work for all situations). Often, the literature review is where you can establish your research as filling a particular gap or as relevant in a particular way. You have some chance to do this in your introduction in an article, but the literature review section gives a more extended opportunity to establish the conversation in the way you would like your readers to see it. You can choose the intellectual lineage you would like to be part of and whose definitions matter most to your thinking (mostly humanities-specific, but this goes for sciences as well). In addressing these points, you argue for your place in the conversation, which tends to make the lit review more compelling than a simple reporting of other sources.
Have an exemplary literature review.
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Please contact Britt McGowan at [email protected] for inclusion in this guide. All disciplines welcome and encouraged.
On this page....
you will understand the importance of carrying out a literature review
you are given a template to organise your learning
you are given some quotes from the IB EE guide about literature reviews
University of melbourne.
The importance of studying the whole picture, cross referencing, and having an open yet critical mind. This famous metaphor helps students grasp the importance of thorough research and the usefulness of a complete literature review.
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How are Rose and her familial relations characterized using magical realism and other literary devices in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender? EE English A (Lit) High scoring IB English A (Lit) Extended Essay examples. See what past students did and make your English A (Lit) EE perfect by learning from examiner commented examples!
15 Literature Review Examples. Literature reviews are a necessary step in a research process and often required when writing your research proposal. They involve gathering, analyzing, and evaluating existing knowledge about a topic in order to find gaps in the literature where future studies will be needed. Ideally, once you have completed your ...
Body of the essay. Conclusion. References and bibliography. Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories, or IB subject groups, which are as follows: Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature. Group 2: Language Acquisition. Group 3: Individuals and Societies. Group 4: Sciences.
IB Extended Essay: Past Essays. EE Home; Lessons Toggle Dropdown. Research Questions ; Past Essays ; ... Review Past Papers. ... papers from other students and how they scored; Renaissance Library Past Essays: Links to all subject area examples; Music EE Examples. Music EE Example 1 Music EE Example 2 Music EE Example 3 Music EE Example 4 ...
EE English A (Lang & Lit) B. To what extent does Mulan represent a feminist narrative, and how does it fit into broader feminist discourses? EE English A (Lang & Lit) A. To what extent have the styles of advertisements of Coca-Cola changed from the print culture of the 1950s in comparison to digitalised advertisements on Instagram in the use of ...
Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
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The IBO publishes two volumes of 50 Excellent Extended Essays, covering all Diploma Programme groups -- and all scored a top A grade. Click on the link below to access PDFs of the essays. 50 Excellent Extended Essays; All 50 essays are also available in electronic form in the QD Library on the iPads. Look for the display at the circulation desk.
To write an impressive extended essay, you should focus on appropriate information. You must create a separate page for bibliography with all sources you used. Tip from us: start writing this page with the first quote you use. Don't write this part last or postpone. In turn, appendices are not an essential section.
Example of a literature review for an Extended Essay. Opinions on the subject of the chicken-or-egg controversy appear to show very little agreement, and are therefore inconclusive. Some authors (Giles) argue that it is obvious that chickens came first, as egg farming is a multi-million dollar industry, as a result of eggs popping out of chickens.
The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal academic style, appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. Given that the extended essay is a formally written research paper, it should strive to maintain a professional, academic look. ... "Student sample extended essays, corresponding marks and comments from ...
1. EXPLAIN KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS ¡ examine your research questions: do they contain any terms that need to be explained?(e.g. identity, discourse, culture, ideology, gender, narrative, collective memory) ¡ be aware that key definitions and background should be provided in the introduction to orient your reader to the topic. the literature review is the place to provide more extended ...
Extended Essay The E xtended Essay (EE) is a mandatory core component of the IB Diploma Programme. It is a research paper of up to 4,000 words giving students an opportunity to conduct independent research or investigation on a topic that demonstrates their passion, enthusiasm, intellectual initiative and/or creative approach for their chosen topic.
These highlight the diverse range of topics covered by International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students during their extended essays. Some examples are: "An analysis of costume as a source for understanding the inner life of the character". "A study of malnourished children in Indonesia and the extent of their recovery ...
EE Biology A. Fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by IB examiners. Upgrade now 🚀. Promoted. Advertise with Clastify. To what extent do phytochemicals such as resveratrol, glyceollin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) possess comparable antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria to a non-prescription ...
Examples: Category 2: Too Broad: Focused: A comparison of the main characters in Huckleberry Finn and Candide: ... An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills ...
Structuring a literature review. In general, literature reviews are structured in a similar way to a standard essay, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. These are key structural elements. Additionally, a stand-alone extended literature review has an abstract. Throughout, headings and subheadings are used to divide up the literature ...
Items in the IB store are available to everyone. Publications include: 50 more extended essays, a DVD of essays submitted in the DP that all fulfil the requirements for an 'A' grade in the current syllabus; The Extended Essay Guide, a free material in the Programme Resource Centre (PRC), which requires a log-in given to IB World Schools; 10 monografias excelentes, a digital document ...
A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels and plays).
The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students. Read about the extended essay in greater detail. You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for ...
Steps for Conducting a Lit Review; Finding "The Literature" Organizing/Writing; APA Style This link opens in a new window; Chicago: Notes Bibliography This link opens in a new window; MLA Style This link opens in a new window; Sample Literature Reviews. Sample Lit Reviews from Communication Arts; Have an exemplary literature review? Get Help!
Example Lit Notes 1.pdf. Lit Review Template #2. Example Lit Notes 2.pdf. The Blind Men and the Elephant. The importance of studying the whole picture, cross referencing, and having an open yet critical mind. This famous metaphor helps students grasp the importance of thorough research and the usefulness of a complete literature review.
EE English B B. In her memoir "Brown Girl Dreaming," how has Jacqueline Woodson used the "North" and "South" symbols to depict the racism that the narrator experienced in the 1960s United States? EE English B B. High scoring IB English B Extended Essay examples. See what past students did and make your English B EE perfect by ...