Extended Essay                                                   Booker T. Washington High School

General Information

The extended essay provides diploma candidates with an opportunity to engage in independent research.  “Emphasis is placed on the process of engaging in personal research, on the communication of original ideas and information in a logical and coherent manner, and on the overall presentation of the essay in compliance with the guidelines.” 

What are the requirements?

The essay must be 4000 words and be written in a specified IB subject area. Candidates select a topic within this subject area and must then craft a narrowly focused research question.  The paper presents an extended argument, supported by research that reaches a conclusion.  All essays must follow the IB Guidelines for formal presentation and must be written to meet the IB subject area and general criteria. The Extended Essay may not be duplicated by the student for other assessments submitted to IB, i.e., TOK paper, History internal assessment, etc.       

When does the writing occur?

The writing and planning of the EE should take place gradually over the course of two years.  The process will be worthwhile and gratifying if deadlines are followed. 

What resources are available?

In addition to the in-school advisor, many students work with a mentor off-campus.  Guidelines and scoring rubrics are available online through the BTW website; examples of past EEs are available in the library.  Because all essays require some amount of research, all IB Diploma students have access to McFarlin Library at the University of Tulsa.  A field trip to the university will take place in the fall where students will learn how to properly research a topic and how to access all university resources.      

How much work will the essay really be?

Students are encouraged to follow the IB guideline of 40 hours and to plan out blocks of time over the two-year period.  The essay is an important part of the diploma; failure to submit an essay or elementary performance on both the EE and the TOK assessment is a failing condition for the diploma. Nonetheless, students must seek balance.  The IB diploma program carries a heavy load in addition to other common non-IB commitments.  Students should not focus solely or excessively on the EE to the detriment of all other areas. 

Samples of Recent Extended Essay Titles  

English A1            

• An Evaluation of Early Feminism in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Emma
• A Comparison of Emily Bronte’s I Die But When the Grave Shall Press and Emily Dickinson’s I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Die
• To Kill a Salesman and Death of a Lawyer:  The Ultimate Demise of Willy Loman and Atticus Finch
• D-503, John, and Winston:  An Analysis of the Dystopian Conventions Used in We, Brave New World, an 1984
• Memory as Self-Creation in the Baudelaire’s Fleurs du Mal, Proust’s A La Recherche de Temps Perdu, and Wordsworth’s Prelude (Four Versions)

History                  

• The Factors Influencing the Transition from French to English as England’s Universal Language
• The Humanity of a Saint:  A Search into the Truth Behind Joan of Arc
• An Examination of the Medici Dynasty and the False Accusations which have Stained the Name of the Extraordinary Family
• The Role of the 1936 Berlin Olympics in Nazi Strategy and Success
• An Examination of Unit 731 and America’s Concealment
• Which is the True History in Reference to the Tiananmen Square Event:  The History Recited by the Communist Chinese Party Line or the History that is Available through the International Media?

Biology                  

• How Ascaris lumbricoides Left Dracunculus medinensis in the Dust:  a Comparison of Two Parasitic Nematodes
  
  Philosophy
   
• A Look into the Debate of Stem Cell Research:  Is Stem Cell Research Morally Right or Wrong
• Self-Awareness and Determinism:  A Suggested Mechanism for Arguments Against a Pre-Determined Universe
• An Examination of Christian Themes in Kant’s Description of Morality

Visual Arts                

• An Exploration of the Symbiosis of the Evolution of Technique and Style of Chinese Brush Painting and China’s Societal Order and the Relationship Between Chinese Traditional and Contemporary Styles of Painting

Evaluation of the Extended Essay

The Extended Essay guide has been revised, and the Class of 2009 has a different set of criteria from the Class of 2008.  For the Class of 2008, the extended essay is evaluated on both general assessment criteria (~66%) and subject specific criteria (~34%). The subject specific criteria varies widely and students should not write an EE without thoroughly reading the criteria and having them in hand.  For the Class of 2009, the extended essay is evaluated on only one set of criteria that combines both general and specific.