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  • EE - Choose a Subject Area

    Each EE must be registered under a subject area; an essay that is considered inappropriately registered may not be assessed correctly, so choose wisely! Your topic will be derived from the subject area.

    Subject Introductions:

    The Arts
    Mathematics
    The Sciences
    Individuals and Societies
    Language and Literature

     

     
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  • EE - Choose a Topic

    Once you've decided on a subject area, you will need to choose a topic. Your research question will be derived from this topic.

    Conduct some preliminary research on topics you're interested in. You might use your textbooks, encyclopedias, Wikipedia, and/or article databases to get some background information. Some questions to consider:
    - What has already been written about this topic?
    - Is it easy to find sources?
    - Is there a range of different sources? Is there a range of views and perspectives?
    - If I need to collect my own data, is that feasible?

    Additional web resources for topic exploration:

     
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  • Exemplar Essays

    Use this link to view previously assessed essays in all subject areas. You can use these to view the various topics that have been written about as well as how they were assessed. These are only to be used as reference, not as sources.

    IB Exemplar Essays
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  • Additional Research Tips

    1. Universities and colleges in our area will allow you to come in and access their collections with a guest pass. If you see that they have a particular book that you need, you can go there and use the resource in the library. Just check in at the circulation desk and explain your situation - most likely they will help you locate the source and get you set up at a workstation. You will not be able to leave with anything, though, so bring some change to make copies of the pages you need.

    2. Take advantage of friends who are enrolled in college. They have access to more academic databases through their university libraries. If you find a digital resource you need (article, etc.), ask them to download a copy and send it to you.

    3. If you're having trouble finding resources that are specific for your chosen topic, Google to find an expert in the field. Then check out what research they've published (they should have abstracts on their website). If you find something promising but can't access the whole document from a database or journal due to a paywall, try emailing them directly. Sometimes they will send a copy free of charge just to share their work, so it doesn't hurt to ask! (Journals generally don't pay authors and researchers for their work, so don't worry about that.)

    4. For more recent scholarship, you may have to rely more on internet searches. Use techniques such as the SIFT method and Lateral Reading to verify online sources for authenticity.
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  • EBSCO - School Subscription

    Click on EBSCO Host from the Resource Links list to access the menu; can also access from Clever in the Library Resources ribbon. Sign in using your SSO information if asked.

    Explora - HS Student database; good for general topic searches
    Points of View - essential for developing arguments; database of issues presenting scholarly content on both sides
    High School eBooks - access to scholarly eBooks for research; limited in what they provide
    College Journals - access to college journals; these are somewhat limited
    PrepStep - digital test prep website; prepare for AP, ACT, SAT, etc. tests
    Reference Centers - provides targeted search results based on the topic

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  • GALE Student in Context - School Subscription

    Click on the link in the list under Research Links. Can also access the database from Clever in the Library Resources ribbon. Password is okla63819

    Student in Context is another general topic database. 

    GALE eBooks provides access to scholarly eBooks; content is limited, though.

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  • Metropolitan Library Databases

    Use your OneCard information to access all the databases provided by the public library. 
    OneCard: your student ID is your username, your last name is the password/pin

    DO NOT SLEEP on using the public library to help you with your research! In addition to resources, you can also request the help of a research librarian and take advantage of using Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to request books from across the nation. 

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  • JSTOR Open Access

    This database provides free access to hundreds of academic materials, including Open Access Journals, Open Access Books, Research Reports, and Images and Media. Contains access to some Spanish language journals and has the largest free access to visual and audio media. Register for a free account to access the materials and save citations.

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  • SAGE Publications Open Access Journals

    From the website: "All articles published in the journals provide worldwide, barrier-free access to the full-text of articles online, immediately on publication under a creative commons license. All articles are rigorously peer-reviewed retaining the quality hallmarks of the academic publishing process that authors would experience in publishing in any traditional SAGE journal. For more detail visit the specific journal websites."

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