1. EXTENDED ESSAY Glenn AuCoin, Tracy Giffen, Amy Smith
Prince Andrew High School
January 2008

2. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW…
It is a chance for you to do independent research
It is a requirement of the IB programme
It is worth points towards your IB diploma

3. WHAT MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW…
It is a 4000 word, in-depth study of a limited topic within an IB subject
It should take about approximately 40 hours to complete

4. CHOOSING A SUBJECT Choose a subject that interests you
You must choose a subject you are studying, except physics
Be aware of the subject specific requirements for your essay
It must have a clear emphasis in your chosen subject

5. SUPERVISOR SELECTION
You will be provided with a supervisor who has a background in your selected field
Your supervisor will meet with you for approximately 5 hours over the course of writing the essay
Your supervisor is meant to provide guidance for your essay; s/he will not be an editor for your paper

6. LOVE THY SUPERVISOR AS THY SELF!
Teachers are not required to be supervisors; respect their time and input
Teachers only supervise three essays each
They enjoy food and coffee, and presents on their birthdays

7. LENGTH OF EXTENDED ESSAY
The maximum word count is 4000 words
The limit includes introduction, main body, conclusion and any quotations
Examiners are not required to read material over the word limit

8. THE LIMIT DOES NOT INCLUDE…
The abstract
Acknowledgments
The table of contents
Maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and tables
Equations, formulas and calculations
Citations/references (whether parenthetical or numbered)
Footnotes or endnotes
The bibliography
Appendices

9. Title
The title should provide a clear indication of the focus of the essay. It should be precise and not necessarily phrased in the form of a question.
No pictures or WordArt

10. ABSTRACT Your abstract cannot exceed 300 words
It must be included with your essay
It is not an introduction
It is an overview of your entire essay
It should be written last
It must state clearly the research questions being investigated, the scope of the investigation, and the conclusion of the essay
It must be placed on its own sheet of paper immediately after the title page

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS
It must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all pages should be numbered

12. ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustrated material must be well set out and used effectively
Do not add extraneous illustrations
Graphs, diagrams, tables, and maps must be clearly labeled and easily interpreted
They must be directly related to the text and acknowledged where appropriate
Photographs and other images are acceptable only when captioned and/or annotated and are used to illustrate a specific point

13. BIBLIOGRAPHIES These are essential They must be accurate
All research must be documented
Failure to include proper bibliographies and citations will be viewed as plagiarism

14. BIBLIOGRAPHIES, REFERENCES AND CITATIONS
All bibliographic material and references should be consistent
There are a number of different styles to choose from, the most common being MLA for humanities and social sciences and APA for sciences

15. APPENDICES, FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES
These are not essential sections of the extended essay, so examiners are not required to read them
Therefore all information of direct relevance to the argument of the essay must appear in the main body of the essay
Essays that attempt to evade the word count by including essential material in the appendices will lose marks
Unless essential complete lists of raw data should not be included in the essay
Students should not constantly refer to material presented in the appendix as this disrupts the flow of the essay

16. INTRODUCTION A vital component of the essay
The research question or purpose of the essay should be clearly identified
The thesis or argument should be clearly stated
Do not make it overlong

17. MAIN BODY The longest and most important section of the essay
Its sole function is the development and substantiation of the argument
It should take the form of a reasoned argument
It should be clear what relevant evidence has been discovered, where/how it has been discovered and how it supports the argument
Sub-headings may be used to guide the reader through the argument

18. QUOTATIONS
Use quotations judiciously to support your argument, rather than to fill up your word count
They should be worked smoothly into the narrative of the essay, not inserted randomly with no introduction and no explanation

19. STRUCTURE AND STYLE Organization enhances the clarity of your argument
The reader should at all times feel that s/he is being led in a particular direction
Plan the organization of your paragraphs before you begin to write
Write in a clear, smooth, formal, academic style
Avoid jargon at all costs
Avoid informality and slang

20. CONCLUSION The conclusion is meant to pull everything together
It should sum up the major points of your essay
It should not add any new information to your argument
It should address any questions that may have arisen from the argument
It should not ask questions

21. REVISION You should be prepared to revise your essay several times
Read it over carefully, not just for grammatical or spelling errors
Look for points at which your argument is weak or unclear and strengthen them
Cut, cut, cut! Do not become married to any part of your essay. Be willing to cut anything which is extraneous to your argument. Be clear and concise at all times.

22. THE VIVA VOCE
The viva voce is a short interview between the student and the supervisor after the extended essay has been written
It should last between minutes
It is meant to check on plagiarism, confirm your understanding of the material, and provide you with time to reflect on what you have learned through the research process

23. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT
Students are required to:
choose a topic from a subject on the approved extended essay list
Observe the rules for the extended essay
Meet deadlines
Acknowledge all sources of information and ideas in an approved academic manner
Students are recommended to:
Start work early
Think carefully about their research question
plan how, when, and where they will find material for their essay
Plan a schedule for writing their essay
Record sources as they research
Have a clear structure for their essay before they begin to write
Check and proofread their final draft carefully
Make sure all basic requirements are met

24. ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
In working on the extended essay, students are expected to:
Plan and pursue a research project with intellectual initiative and insight
Formulate a precise research question
Gather and interpret material from sources appropriate to the research question
Structure a reasoned argument in response to the research question on the basis of the material gathered
Present their extended essay in a format appropriate to the subject , acknowledging sources in one of the established academic ways
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