extended essay: what students need to know! mr. edwards extended essay coordinator

EXTENDED ESSAY:What Students Need to Know!

Mr. EdwardsExtended Essay Coordinator

Presentation Topics• Overview

• Implication

• Participation

• Selection

• Mistakes

• Tasks

• Conclusion

• Homework

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Overview

What is an Extended Essay?O A culmination of ALL the skills you have

learned and honed in high school and the IB

O An investigation into an area of academic interest

O Completely designed by you

O Written in formal research paper format, containing an academic argument

Research Paper FormatO Primary and secondary sources

O ≈ 8 to 20 sources, depending on subject area

O Must represent original, unaided work

Academic Argument

O Writing done by scholars for scholars

O Devoted to topics of interest to scholars in a particular academic field

O Presents an informed reader with an informed argumentO What is known?

O What do you think about this?

Benefits of Extended Essay (EE)

OPersonal project

OFeeling of pride

OPreparation for college

OGreat sample of your work and writing

OFor college admissions

OFor scholarships

OFor further research

A few of the EE Subject AreasO Group 1 (English)

O Group 2 (World

Languages)

O Biology

O Chemistry

O Economics

O Environmental

Systems

O History

O Mathematics

O Music

O Physics

O Visual Arts

O World Studies

O More on Haiku

Format of EEOTitle Page

OTable of Contents

OAcknowledgements

OAbstract (300 word maximum)

OText (4,000 word maximum)

OAppendices

OBibliography

≈ 10 – 12 pages

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Implication

Why Does EE Matter?

O International Baccalaureate ProgramO Requirement for diploma acquisitionO Expensive to change subject area once

reported to IBO Contributes to possible bonus points

O Oxford High SchoolO *Represents 25% of TOK grade Senior

year.O TOK Essay is another 25%

*pending

Assessment of EE

Externally assessed by examiners assigned by IBO in a specific subject

Group 1 (United Kingdom)Group 2 (Haslett, MI)Biology (France)Economics (Argentina)Physics (Botswana)

Where EE Fits in the IBDP

3 Higher Level (HL) Subjects = 12 pts3 Standard Level (SL) Subjects = 12 pts

_________________________

= 24 pts total

EE and/or TOK → up to 3 bonus points!

Failure of either EE or TOK results in needing 28 points instead of 24 pts

EXTENDED ESSAY:Participation

Participants in ProcessO Students

O Supervisors (OHS staff)

O Extended Essay Coordinator – Mr.

Edwards

O DP Coordinator – Mr. Eldridge

O International Baccalaureate

Organization (IBO)

Student ResponsibilitiesO Attend in-school EE sessionsO Meet assigned deadlinesO Set goals and self-monitor progressO Work consistently and in increments

over time rather than all-at-once when an assignment is due

O Schedule appointments to meet with their mentors (and keep them)

O Complete a majority of work over the summer months

Supervisor ResponsibilitiesO Meet with their students to

check their progress, offer suggestions, answer questions

O Report to the coordinator when students have not met deadlines

O Review research questions, outlines, and rough drafts

O Read final drafts, make predicted grades, and complete IB folders before essays are sent to examiners

Coordinator ResponsibilitiesO Provide guidance through

mentoring and workshop trainingO Provide sample essays and

detailed documents describing the process, the format, and the deadlines

O Assign supervisors O Monitor student progressO Assist students in meeting IB

requirementsO Contact IBO when necessary

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Selection

Subject Area SelectionO Decide which subject(s) interests

you the most

O Review the subject specific guidelines and general criteria applied to the specific subject area

Without personal curiosity and interest, it’s impossible to do research.

Subject Area SelectionO Choose a subject in which you are

competent

O Choose a subject in which you have had formal classroom training

O Choose a subject with which you have some familiarity

Topic SelectionO Discuss ideas with your teacher,

with friends, with parents, and anyone else that you think may be able to give you advice

O Consider your experience, background, and passions

O Think about topics in courses about which you have wondered more

O Review sample essays for ideas (see Haiku)

Topic SelectionO Consider the subject area

requirements (see Haiku)

Each area has specific requirements that must be met to earn a respectable score.

O Discuss topic ideas with an expert (e.g., IB teachers) in the field of interest

Topic SelectionO Do some preliminary reading

O Library (OHS and OU)

O Research databases (appropriately selected)

O Make a list of potential topics

O Choose a topic that you love

Topic SelectionO Choose a topic that is

manageable in scope, complexity, and length

O Choose something interesting (e.g., a passion, a local issue, etc.)

O Narrow to one or two subject areas and one or two topic areas within each of those subjects

O Choose a topic that requires you to O argue a position

O evaluate an issue

O draw conclusions from an experiment or case study

O create a solution to a problem

(The essay must argue a position;

it may not be a report!)

Topic Selection

Topic SelectionO Do more preliminary reading,

particularly in scholarly journals and other reputable sources

O Make a list of potential controversies/issues/problems within the larger topicO Is graffiti art?

O Are Holocaust reparations feasible?

O THINK

O Do more reading

Topic SelectionOBegin making a bibliography to insure that primary and secondary sources are available

ONarrow to a single controversy, problem, or issue

This approach covers all subject areas, from a hypothesis in science, to a disagreement between literary critics, to a solution to a local political problem.

Topic SelectionODo not choose a topic you have used for another IB assessment (no double-dipping)

ODo not choose approaches that are largely narrative, descriptive, or biographical

ODo not choose trite issues (e.g., capital punishment, abortion, drug legalization , etc.)

ODo not choose issues about which you have a bias

Topic Selection (Examples)O Group 1: What is the significance and function of the character Eustace in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia?

O History: The establishment of foreign schools in Turkey in the 19th century

Topic Selection (Examples)

O Physics: How is the amplitude of a swing affected by the displacement of the center of mass in a parametrically pumped swing?

O Visual Arts: What is the symbolic meaning of the DIA north and south wall mural Detroit Industry by Diego Rivera?

Topic Selection (Examples)

O Music: At a glance, Bach and Schoenberg seem to have nothing in common. How are the two composers linked when viewing their works from a technical point of view?

O Economics: Is there a connection between international coffee prices and living standards in Uganda?

Topic Selection(Bad Examples)O Chemistry: How was the periodic

table formed?

O History: Who was Adolph Hitler?

O Group 1: Symbolism in the Harry Potter series

O Biology: The causes of cancer

O Music: The collected works of Mozart

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Mistakes

Mistakes Students MakeO Failing to read the subject

guidelines

O Assuming that since they have done a history internal assessment, they should write an extended essay in history

O Writing on the same topic as their history assessment

O Choosing topics that require little or no analysis or conclusion

Mistakes Students MakeO Choosing topics that do not fit

the subject area guidelines

O Choosing topics about which there is little available research

O Picking a topic with the attitude “I’ll change it later.”

O Denying the EE process is here

O Delaying the selection of a viable topic

Mistakes Students Make

O Procrastinating

O Procrastinating

O Procrastinating

Mistakes Students MakeO Uncritically relying on online

sources such as Wikipedia, Google, etc. O The above and other similar

sources may not be used in Works Cited!

O Discovering too late that their knowledge of the subject is not deep enough

Mistakes Students MakeO Pursuing unethical means of

gathering data (e.g., animal testing)

O Not contributing to the research (i.e., The Extended Essay is a compilation of information from other sources.)

Mistakes Students Make

• PLAGIARIZING

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

Consequences of PlagiarismO IBO considers plagiarism a serious

violation of academic integrity.O A student who plagiarizes an

Extended Essay risks loss of his/her IB Diploma.

O IBO leaves the responsibility for detecting plagiarism to the individual school (Turnitin.com).

O The OHS Code of Conduct addresses the definition and consequences of cheating.

O Plagiarism may result in suspension.

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Tasks

Immediate Tasks for Students

O Talk to potential supervisors (LHS DP teachers)O Be proactive

O Think about with whom you work well and have a good rapport

O Find an outside mentor (science particularly)

O Read, read, and read more

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Conclusion

EE Golden RulesOBe realistic (You, most likely, will not find a cure to cancer.)

OBe original

OBe focused

OKeep within the discipline of the subject (The EE is an academic essay.)

OSpend sufficient time on the process, and the paper will write itself (almost)

Resources (via OHS)O Teachers: to discuss topics within

their subjects

O Supervisors: to establish working

relationship and to maintain

pace

O Media Specialist (Ms. Connor): to

identify fruitful resources beyond

the Internet

Resources (via Haiku)O Extended Essay subject guide

O Content subject guides

O Extended Essay samples (from

various subjects)

O PowerPoint presentations

Miscellaneous O Attend all EE meetings

O Gather all materials from missed

meetings

O Complete all EE work by their

respective due dates

Questions?

EXTENDED ESSAY:

Homework

Homework – Due Monday 5/6O Read chapters 3-4 of the IB Prepared:

Extended Essay guide.O Read any of the sample EE’s on subject

areas/topic that you’re considering.O Narrow your list of possible subject

areas to 2.O Think about who you would want for

your supervisor. This person must be a teacher in OHS… it is not necessary that they are DP instructor. It is preferred that they are knowledgeable in your subject area, but they don’t have to be experts.