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