Transcript EXTENDED ESSAY - Prince Andrew High School

EXTENDED ESSAY
Glenn AuCoin, Tracy Giffen, Amy Smith
Prince Andrew High School
January 2008
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• It must be
provided at the
beginning of the
extended essay
and all pages
should be
numbered
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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 10-15 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
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
ASSESSMENT
OBJECTIVES
In working on the extended essay, students are expected to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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