THE IBO MISSION STATEMENT AND THE IB LEARNER PROFILE

The Diploma Programme aims to develop in students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will need to fulfill the aims of the IBO, as expressed in the organization’s mission statement and the learner profile. Teaching and learning in the Diploma Programme represent the reality in daily practice of the organization’s educational philosophy.

The Hexagon

SUBJECT AREAS FOR IB EXTENDED ESSAYS:

Group 1 = Literature

Biology

Chemistry

Environmental Systems and Societies

Mathematics *

Computer Science *

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)

Human Rights

History

Economics

Geography *

Peace and Conflict Studies

Philosophy

Politics

Psychology

Social and Cultural Anthropology

World Religions

Design Technology

Dance

Film

Music

Theatre

Visual Arts

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)

*NOT RECOMMENDED, NOT TAUGHT, TOO DIFFICULT

NATURE OF THE EXTENDED ESSAY:

The EE is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of approved Diploma Programme subjects—normally on of the student’s six chosen subjects for the IB diploma. It is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity. It provides students with an opportunity to engage in personal research in a topic of their choice, under the guidance of a subject-area mentor (usually a teacher in the school) and a writing mentor (MOI!). This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured, writing in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner, appropriate to the subject chosen. It is recommended that completion of the written essay is followed by a short, concluding interview, or viva voce, with both supervisors.

The EE is assessed against common criteria, interpreted in ways appropriate to each subject area.

EE =

• Compulsory for all Diploma Programme students (if you fail to submit an EE on the day we have to mail them all, you will no longer be a Diploma Candidate);
• Externally assessed and, in combination with the grade for theory of knowledge, contributes up to three points to the total score for the IB Diploma:
• A piece of independent research/investigation on a topic chosen by the student in cooperation with a subject area mentor and a writing mentor;
• Chosen from the list of approved Diploma Programme subjects;
• Presented as a formal piece of scholarship containing no more than 4000 words;
• The result of approximately 40 hours of work by the student;
• Concluded with a short interview, or viva voce, with both mentors.

In the Diploma Programme, the EE is the prime example of a piece of work where the student has the opportunity to show knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm about a topic of his or her choice.

THE PROCESS = The learning involved in researching and writing the EE is closely aligned with the development of many characteristics described in the IB learner profile. Students are, to a large extent, responsible for their own independent learning, through which they acquire and communicate in-depth knowledge and understanding. The research process necessarily involves intellectual risk-taking and extensive reflection; open-mindedness, balance and fairness are key prerequisites for a good EE. The EE shares with TOK a concern with interpreting and evaluating evidence, and constructing reasoned arguments. Where the two differ is in the emphasis placed on the research process and its formal outcomes. These aspects are of primary importance in the EE, but are given much less weight in TOK. Both promote reflection on the nature of knowledge and on how new knowledge is produced.

AIMS OF THE EE – to provide students with the opportunity to:

• Pursue independent research on a focused topic;
• Develop research and communication skills
• Develop the skills of creative and critical thinking
• Engage in a systematic process of research appropriate to the subject;
• Experience the excitement of intellectual discovery.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES – students are expected to:

• Plan and pursue a research project with intellectual initiative and insight;
• Formulate a precise research question (RQ);
• Gather and interpret material from sources appropriate to the RQ
• Structure a reasoned argument in response to the RQ on the basis of the material gathered;
• Present the EE in a format appropriate to the subject, acknowledging sources in the established academic ways (MLA or APA);
• Use the terminology and language appropriate to the subject with skill and understanding;
• Apply analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the subject, with an understanding of the implications and the context of their research.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL:

• Ensures that EEs conform to the regulations outlined in the guide;
• Ensures that students determine the subject for EE from approved EE list before choosing a topic;
• Ensures that each student has an appropriately qualified SA mentor (SAM), preferably at teacher at CSAS;
• Provides mentors and students with general and subject-specific information and guidelines;
• Provides mentors with recent EE subject reports;
• Insures that mentors are familiar with the IBO document Academic Honesty;
• Explains to students the importance of the EE in the overall context of the Diploma Programme;
• Explains to students that they will be expected to spend approximately 40 hours on their EEs.
• Sets internal deadlines for the stages (drafts) of producing the EE, including provision for a concluding interview (viva voce);
• Ensures that students have been taught the necessary research skills
• Provides appropriate training for mentors.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MENTORS:

• Provides student with advice and guidance in skills of undertaking research;
• Encourages and supports students throughout researching and writing the EE;
• Discusses choice of topic with student, helps to formulate a well-focused RQ;
• Ensure that the chosen RQ satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards, regarding health and safety, confidentiality, human rights, animal welfare and environmental issues;
• Is familiar with EE regulations and assessment criteria, and shares these with student;
• Reads and comments on each draft of the EE, but does not edit;
• Monitors the process of the EE to offer guidance and to ensure that the essay will be the student’s own work; reads the final version to confirm its authenticity;
• Submits a predicted grade to IBCA;
• Completes the mentor’s report and signs the cover sheet;
• Provides an explanation in the report where the number of hours spent with the student in discussing the EE is 0; in particular, necessary to describe how the mentor can guarantee the authenticity of the essay;
• Writes a report and presents it to the school’s IB coordinator if malpractice, such as plagiarism, is suspected in the final draft;
• Reads recent EE reports for the subject area;
• Spends 3-5 hours with each student, including the time spent on the viva voce;
• Ensure that the chosen RQ is appropriate for the subject
• Advises students on:

n access to appropriate resources (people, library, laboratory);

n techniques of information/evidence/data-gathering and analysis

n writing an abstract

n documenting sources

n conducts a short concluding interview (viva voce) with student before completing the mentor’s report.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT:

• chooses a topic that fits into on4e of the subjects on the approved EE list;
• observes the regulations relating to the EE;
• meets all deadlines;
• acknowledges all sources of information and ideas in an approved academic manner (MLA or APA);
• starts work early in this prep semester;
• thinks carefully about the RQ;
• plans how, when, and where they will find materials for their EEs;
• plans a schedule for both researching and writing the essay, including extra time for delays and unforeseen problems;
• records sources as research progress, rather than trying to reconstruct list at end;
• has a clear structure for the essay itself before beginning to write (OUTLINE);
• checks and proofreads final version carefully;
• makes sure that all basic requirements are met.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS FROM EXAMINERS: RECOMMENDED THINGS TO DO:

BEFORE starting work on EE, students should:

• read the assessment criteria;
• read previous essays to identify strengths and possible pitfalls;
• spend time working out the RQ (imagine the finished essay);
• work out a structure for the essay (OUTLINE).

DURING the research process, and while writing the essay, students should:

• start work early and stick to deadlines (IT IS A PROCESS AND IT WORKS!);
• maintain a good working relationship with both mentors;
• construct an argument that relates to the RQ;
• use the library and consult librarians for advice;
• record sources as you conduct your research, rather than trying to reconstruct at end;
• choose a new topic and RQ that CAN be answered if there is a problem with the original topic;
• use appropriate language for the subject and for formal essays;
• let your interest and enthusiasm show.

AFTER completing the essay, students should:

• write the abstract
• check and proofread the final version carefully/

THINGS TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS:

• do not work with a RQ that is too broad or too vague, too narrow, too difficult of inappropriate. Good RQ = asks something worth asking, and that is answerable within 40 hours/4000 words. Should be clear what counts as evidence in relation to the question, must be possible to acquire such evidence in the course of the investigation. If student does not know what evidence is needed or cannot collect such evidence, it will not be possible to answer the RQ;
• forget to analyze the RQ;
• ignore the assessment criteria;
• collect material that is irrelevant to the RQ;
• use the Internet uncritically;
• plagiarize;
• merely describe or report (evidence must be USED to support the argument);
• repeat the introduction in the conclusion;
• cite sources that you have not even considered, read.

GENERAL BIT OF ADVICE: The more background you have in the subject, the better the chance you have of writing a good EE. Choosing to write the EE in a subject that is not taught as part of the Diploma Programme (physics, geography, computer science, etc.) often leads to lower marks.

THE RESEARCH PROCESS:

When researching the EE, students should:

1. Choose the approved Diploma Programme subject for the EE

-- Read the assessment criteria and the relevant subject guide

2. Choose a topic;

3. Formulate a well-focused RQ

4. Plan the investigation and writing process

--Identify how and where you will gather material

--Identify which system of academic referencing you will use, appropriate to the EE subject

(Math, Science, Psychology – you must use APA

All others, use MLA)

--Adhere to all internal deadlines/drafts

5. Plan a structure (outline headings) for the essay. This may change as the investigation develops but it is useful to

have a sense of direction

6. Undertake some preparatory reading

--If you discover that it will not be possible to obtain the evidence needed in the time available, you should change

your RQ. Sooner—not later. Don’t lose time waiting and hoping that something will turn up. Go back to

Stage 3, 2, or 1, choose a new RQ that can be answered

7. Carry out the investigation

--Material gathered should be assembled in a logical order, linked to the structure of the essay. Only then will

you know whether you have enough evidence for each stage of the argument so that you can

proceed to the next stage

--You must be prepared for things to do wrong. Sometimes you may discover something later in the investigation

that undermines what you thought had been established earlier on. If this happens, the investigation

plan must be revised

THE WRITING PROCESS

There is a specified order for the finished essay, but you don’t have to worry about that right now. A good step-by-step process is:

1. Selection of Subject Area;

2. Selection of general topic

3. Formulate the RQ (this will guide your research, as you search for answers)

4. Start your research

5. Shortly into this part of the process, construct a tentative outline—what are the main points you hope to

prove in your essay

6. The body of the essay must be presented in the form of a reasoned argument. As the argument develops,

it should be clear to the reader what relevant evidence has been discovered, where/how it has

been discovered, and how it supports the arguments. (In the finished essay, the subheads are the

main points in your outline—the main points you are proving, etc.

7. After you write the main portion of the body of your EE, you will finalize the introduction (tells the reader

what to expect—certain requirements), and the conclusion (what has been achieved including notes

of any limitations and any questions that have not been resolved)

8. From the get-go, keep a careful guide to your sources, whatever method of note-taking you choose

to use. When you find a “kernel,” wherever you write it, copy it, etc., include the source with

all the required information. Will save lots of work and heartbreak later.

9 Abstract (certain requirements) is written last

LENGTH – 4000 words max (3600-4000 req), examiners are not required to read past word 4000 (how in the heck do they know? It’s an IB Mystery!) Abstract, citations, contents, maps, charts, diagrams, etc., Bib – not included

TITLE = clear indication of the focus of the essay—NOT THE RQ

ABSTRACT – written last, 200-300 words, an overview of the EE (Requirements = RQ, Scope of Investigation, Conclusion(s) reached)

GRAPHICS – if small enough and if they enhance the text, include them in the document. If long tables, etc., put in Appendix. It does interrupt the flow of the essay if you are constantly saying, “See Appendix A.”

CITATIONS – you must cit the exact source of all facts, statistics, specifics, quotes, references. Use internal citation—MLA or APA—same as for Bib.

REFERENCE – way of indication to reader where information was obtained. Provides enough information so that examiner can locate the source in the BIB. Use for quotations and for summaries. See handout for how to cite Internet sources.

THE VIVA VOCE (concluding interview) = a short interview (10-15 MINUTES) between student and mentor, serving to:

· A check on plagiarism and malpractice in general;

· An opportunity to reflect on successes and difficulties in the research process;

· An opportunity to reflect on what has been learned;

· An aid to the mentor’s report.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT CRITERIA = 24 pts

• Research Question, 0-2 pts
• Approach to the RQ, 0-3 pts
• Analysis/Interpretation, 0-4 pts
• Argument/Evaluation, 0-4 ptsConclusion, 0-2 pts
• Abstract, 0-2 pts
• Formal Presentation, 0-3 pts
• Holistic Judgment, 0-4 pts

SUBJECT AREA ASSESSMENT CRITERIA = 12 pts.

(different for each subject area—check DE BOOK)

BONUS POINTS MATRIX (EE + TOK ESSAY

THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

		Excellent A	Good B	Satisfactory C	Mediocre D	Elementary E	Not Submitted
E X	Excellent A	3	3	2	2	1	N
T E	Good B	3	2	1	1	0	N
D E	Satisfactory C	2	1	1	0	0	N
D	Mediocre D	2	1	0	0	0	N
E S	Elementary E	1	0	0	0	Failing Condition	N
S A Y	Not Submitted	N	N	N	N	N	N