The Extended Essay Student Training Workshop Rockwall High School

The Diploma Programme

Nature of Extended Essay (p. 4) Required for IB diploma eligibility Externally assessed by IBO evaluators Roughly 3,500-4,000 words in length Chosen from current subjects and preferably a current focus of study Total assessment points 0-36, of which a grade between an A to E is awarded Represents 40 hours of work Topic agreed upon with supervisor

Nature of Extended Essay (cont.) Involves collegiate, critical research Supervisor meetings totaling 4+ hours Apply analytical and evaluative skills, terminology toward subject matter Supervisor submits a predicted grade and a supervisor’s report to the IBO Concludes with the viva voce interview EE demands a “diverse range of sources”

Aims/Assessment Objectives (p. 5) Plan carefully, leading up to proposed topic Develop a thoughtful research question Gather, interpret, present, and argue information as it pertains to subject area Use the correct vocabulary and argumentative style according to the demands of the subject Apply analytical and evaluative skills in the subject chosen

School Responsibilities (p. 6) Train all supervisors and students Provide students with qualified supervisor Make general and subject-specific information and guidelines accessible Make students aware of how the EE fits into program requirements Provide recommended deadlines to all supervisors and students Provide learning and researching opportunities Resolve all pending EE issues and questions Ship all EEs out for external assessing

Supervisor’s Role (p. 6) Use knowledge in subject area to provide advice and guidance to students Helps define research question Aids in the research process Reads and comments on rough draft Submits a predicted grade to the IBO Conducts the viva voce with student Reports plagiarism, if suspected

RHS supervisors should…(p. 7) Spend 3-5 hours with you Work to ensure you’ve written a great question Advise you on where to find materials Verify your sources Help troubleshoot when you are stuck Grade and discuss your rough draft Conduct a viva voce conference at end

RHS supervisors should NOT…(p. 7) Do research for you Tell you what sources to use Give specific advice on how to improve your draft Correct bibliographies or citations Chase you down for meetings Re-teach you concepts in the subject matter you should already know

Responsibilities of the Student (p. 9) Choose a topic of interest and invest the time into your research question Observe and follow all EE regulations, both general and specific Meet EE/Supervisor deadlines Communicate with your supervisor! ◦ Attend meetings ◦ Ask for help ◦ Address emerging issues ◦ Be honest and open!

Advice to Students: DO… (p. 9) Start early! Follow deadlines. Think and plan carefully your proposal and your question Plan a schedule for yourself for completing EE List every source on your bibliography as you go Follow the rubric and final checklist RHS provides

Advice to Students: Do NOT… (p. 9) …forget to analyze/answer the question …ignore the EE rubric …waste time collecting date irrelevant to your question …surf the Internet aimlessly, repeatedly, with no discipline …show lack of discipline in citing sources …describe or report other information …cite sources that aren’t used in paper

Writing the Extended Essay (p ) Extremely precise structure Introduction should be written after body Abstract written absolutely last Main focus of essay is the body Sub-headings helpful in most subjects Include only relevant sources, citations all present and consistent Evaluator not required to read references, bibliography, or footnotes

* Coordinators should consult programme guide for passing eligibility.

*Failing Condition “From 2010 onwards, 28 points will be required to be eligible for the diploma if a student attains an “E” grade in either the extended essay or theory of knowledge…Attaining a grade “E” in both the extended essay and theory of knowledge continues to represent an automatic failure.” (Extended Essay Guide 2013)

On the Record, From the IBO… To qualify as a history EE, all events discussed must take place ten years ago or more Group 2 EEs must be written in the language for which it is being submitted and must meet current teacher approval

On the Record, From the IBO… Students may not elaborate, overlap with, or supplement an internal assessment from a DYP class with their EE choice No two students may write an EE posing the same or nearly same question Students may further explore a question studied in freshmen or sophomore year, or one never explored in any class (though this is not recommended)

Off the Record from the IBO Quality is important, but so is quantity. Getting as close to the 4,000 word-count is important… …except in math. A great paper can be 3,300 words. But usually, 3,300 words will earn very low marks. Certain subjects grade students unfairly according to well-established IB schools. We have one femme-fatale at the Academy: psychology. Reports on other scientific reports in sciences score very low. Experimental designs are frequently a must- have for a decent grade.

Off the Record from the IBO (Overheard …) If considering writing a group 2 essay, you’re required to get a teacher signature. Don’t write one unless you could score a 5 on the AP foreign language test. Take the IBO’s advice here: “Choosing the write the extended essay in a subject that is not being studied as part of the Diploma Programme often leads to lower marks.” This is not allowed at RHS. Do not choose a subject that you are just beginning to have background in. This is not the time for beginner’s exploration. This is a time for further exploration.

Combined Role: The Iceberg Model 7/8 = Research Phase (Now-Feb 2015) Student & supervisor work together to: Explore and discuss ideas Locate appropriate resources Discuss readings and ideas Develop a suitable research question Supervisor monitors research progress Represents 3-5 hours of work per student Now until June 1/8 = Writing Phase (Feb Aug 2015) Student works independently over summer to: Write EE draft Organizing your writing Revision conference drives final draft of essay Prepare the final EE

The RHS EE Schedule Provides internal & external due dates as the IBO strongly recommends Builds in five mandatory in-school meetings with supervisors Assignments are given at each meeting and expected to be completed by the student Vast majority of work completed before senior year

RHS Process: Supervisor Selection Students submit and rank two EE proposals in two separate subjects; EE coordinator collects by November 13 Full RHS staff divides students according to teachers’ expertise in proposed areas and to balance staff responsibilities In-department changes made only when student and both teachers in agreement

So, What About Those Grades? Grades are not often released worldwide by the IBO The latest information shows us the following very interesting statistics, from which many inferences can be drawn…

General vs. Subject-Specific Guidelines General guidelines are broad requirements for all essays: basic outline for each essay, required components, word count, academic honesty, purpose and aims, and so on Subject-specific guidelines are specific considerations germane to writing in sciences, English, history. These include issues of style but also rules and restrictions on what are acceptable questions.

Activity: Brainstorming EE Topics Fold blank paper into thirds Label your favorite/strongest subjects Think of the lessons, issues, projects, discussions, readings that you experienced in these classes over the last two and a half years. Particularly ask yourself which ones…

Intrigued you Made you think you could do this for a living Made you talk nonstop Morally outraged you Broke your heart or disturbed you Open a whole new world to you Left you unsatisfied—there was more to discover Made you read or investigate further Puzzled you—something that didn’t make sense

Narrow Your Brainstorm Cross out what’s impractical or unanswerable or outside approved topic areas Cross out what’s less promising, interesting, impractical, unoriginal Look at what’s left and take it down another level of specificity by posing a question or stating, “I want to learn more about/I want to find out what/how/why…”

Topics of Interest…Good Examples English: “I want to research the role of racism in the Harry Potter series,” developed into the question… “To what extent does J.K. Rowling use blood as a complex literary device in the Harry Potter series to demonstrate the negative impact of racism?”

More Examples of Good Questions Completely read the RHS Extended Essay: Getting the Best Start Packet Talk with your supervisor to help formulate your research question

Extended Essay Criteria A Research Question 2 B Introduction 2 C Investigation 4 D Knowledge/Understanding 4 E Reasoned Argument 4 F Apply Analysis & Evaluation 4 G Appropriate Language4 H Conclusion 2 I Formal Presentation 4 J Abstract 2 K Holistic Judgment 4 Total Points36

Criterion A: The Research Question Stated and bolded in the introduction Correct diction, word by word Correct qualifiers: more often open- ended (why, how, to what extent, compare-contrast, etc.) than closed (“yes” or “no” answers okay for science) Meets “so what?” relevance Can/Must be answered in 3,500-4,000 words

Criterion B: Introduction A prior-knowledge treatise Briefly state question in context by noting relevance of author, event, time period, artist, etc. State personal reasons for pursuing this EE (use of “I” acceptable) Answers why this topic/question deserves to be studied/answered in an EE Written after the body

Criterion C: Investigation Evaluation of sources/bibliography: ◦ Appropriate number? ◦ Is there balance of primary vs. secondary? ◦ Groups 1, 2, 4, 6: emphasis must be on primary ◦ Here, “imaginative” range of sources includes interviews, museums, concerts, personal photos, unique library trips) ◦ For sciences, this criterion score rests on discussion of methodology to demonstrate reliability

Criteria D, E, F: The EE Body Generally earn the same range The most difficult points to earn Maximum of 2/4 for D and E if research question is marked at “0”

Criterion D: Knowledge/Understanding of Topic “Through writing, to what extent do I show a reasonable expertise on the subject to answer my question?” To earn a 3 or higher, the student must locate the “academic context,” or the place where current research sits and work from that point forward, not revisit tired material

Criterion E: Reasoned Argument The single most difficult criterion “Is every paragraph working to answer my research question, or is it just ‘there’?” “Does my argument build through transition and flow, or is it choppy and isolated?”

Criterion F: Application of Analytical Skills Appropriate to the Subject Paper avoids summary Analyses data, evidence, research English: “Am I analyzing but also judging the author’s literary merit?” History: “Have I evaluated the reliability of my sources somewhere in the paper?” Sciences: Please note specific requirements on your rubric

Criterion G: Use of Language Appropriate to Subject Proper terminology to subject matter is utilized Active voice throughout Elimination of wordiness (extensive adverbs and prepositional phrases) Strong vocabulary History: absence of sweeping generalizations

Criterion H: Conclusion NEVER a restatement of the introduction! A post-knowledge treatise States implications for further study Raises possible unresolved questions Notes any limitations of the essay/research How might this research be taken further?

Criterion I: The Formal Presentation Easiest criterion of the EE! Evaluation of contents and order Check-off of bibliography elements Under 4,000 words Neatness, readability, appearance Sciences: additional requirements on rubric No excuse for less than a 4!

Criterion J: Abstract Written dead last and never discussed Maximum 300 words Three paragraphs, one for each purpose: ◦ State the research question studied ◦ State the method of investigation (how the paper proceeds) ◦ Provides a brief summary of conclusions (what was found/discovered)

Criterion K: Holistic Judgment Result of the viva voce and evaluator’s opinion How hard did the student work? Special circumstances? Intellectual initiative? Above and beyond the call of duty?

Extended Essay Grade Boundaries A 29 – 36 B 23 – 28 C 16 – 22 D 8 – 15 E 0 – 7

Student Activity: Evaluator Practice Take an exemplar and rubric Practice grading Focus on elements of the rubric and using notes in front of you

Revision Conference Follows completion of the rough draft in September of senior year Absolutely NO editing or marks on clean paper provided back to student Comments provided in boxes on rubric only Conference regarding draft can only occur once!

What is the Viva Voce? (p ) Verbal interview Lasts minutes Serves as conclusion to EE process Opportunity for reflection Can serve as plagiarism/malpractice check Used to bolster holistic assessment Should end on a positive note Refer to page 20 in EE guide