Extended Essay Guide For Students 2021/2022

Extended Essay guide for students2021/2022

IB Mission StatementThe International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring youngpeople who help to create a better and more peaceful world through interculturalunderstanding and respect.To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizationsto develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionateand lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also beright.Maarif Schools of Sarajevo Mission StatementThe mission of Maarif Schools of Sarajevo is to raise young people with a lifelong commitmentto seek knowledge with intellectual curiosity as self-reliant, principled, open-minded,balanced, and caring individuals, who think critically and act responsibly as “people ofgoodwill”.1

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Table of contents1. The Diploma Programme model42. Overview of the extended essay52.1 What is an extended essay52.2 Key features of the extended essay52.3 Aims of the Extended Essay62.4 Subjects and topics63. Extended Essay skills and attributes74. Extended Essay components75. Duties and responsibilities95.1 Diploma Programme extended essay coordinator95.2 Supervisor95.3 Students105.4 The purpose of the viva voce intervju106. Implementation Process at the Maarif Schools of Sarajevo117. Possible Student Questions128. Monitoring work and completing tasks on time forms148.1 Checklist action163

1. The Diploma Programme modelThe programme is presented as six academic areas enclosing a central core (Image 1). Itencourages the concurrent study of a broad range of academic areas. Students study twomodern languages (or a modern language and a classical language), a humanities or socialscience subject, an experimental science, mathematics and one of the creative arts. It is thiscomprehensive range of subjects that makes the Diploma Programme a demanding course ofstudy designed to prepare students effectively for university entrance. In each of the academicareas students have flexibility and can choose subjects that particularly interest them and thatthey may wish to study further at university.Image 1. Diploma Program model4

2. Overview of the extended essay2.1 What is an extended essayThe extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of availableDiploma Programme subjects for the session in question. This is normally one of the student’ssix chosen subjects for those taking the IB diploma, or a subject that a course student has abackground in. It is intended to promote academic research and writing skills, providingstudents with an opportunity to engage in personal research in a topic of their own choice,under the guidance of a supervisor (an appropriately qualified member of staff within theschool). This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing, in which ideasand findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner, appropriate to thesubject chosen. It is mandatory that all students undertake three reflection sessions with theirsupervisor, which includes a short, concluding interview, or viva voce, with their supervisorfollowing the completion of the extended essay. An assessment of this reflection process ismade under criterion E (Engagement) using the Reflections on planning and progress form.The extended essay is assessed against common criteria, interpreted in ways appropriate toeach subject.2.2 Key features of the extended essayThe extended essay is compulsory for all students taking the Diploma Programme and is anoption for course students.A student must achieve a D grade or higher to be awarded the Diploma.The extended essay is externally assessed and, in combination with the grade for theory ofknowledge, contributes up to three points to the total score for the IB Diploma.The extended essay process helps prepare students for success at university and in otherpathways beyond the Diploma Programme.When choosing a subject for the extended essay, students must consult the list of availableDiploma Programme subjects published in the Diploma Programme Assessment proceduresfor the session in question.The extended essay is a piece of independent research on a topic chosen by the student inconsultation with a supervisor in the school. It is presented as a formal piece of sustainedacademic writing containing no more than 4,000 words accompanied by a reflection form ofno more than 500 words. It is the result of approximately 40 hours of work by the student.Students are supported by a supervision process recommended to be 3–5 hours, whichincludes three mandatory reflection sessions. The third and final mandatory reflection sessionis the viva voce, which is a concluding interview with the supervising teacher.5

2.3 Aims of the Extended EssayThe aims of the extended essay are to provide students with the opportunity to:A. Pursue in-depth independent research on a focused topic.B. Develop research and communication skills.C. Develop the skills of creative, analytical, evaluative and critical thinking andreasoning.D. Engage in a systematic process of research appropriate to the subject.E. Experience the excitement of intellectual discovery in a favourite subject/topic ofInterest.2.4 Subjects and topicsYou can write an EE in all subjects offered within the IBDP at the school, with the exception ofthe theory of knowledge.Group 1:Language A: English A Language & Literature, Bosnian A Literature, Turkish A LiteratureGroup 2:Language B: English BGroup 3:Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS), Social and Cultural AnthropologyGroup 4:Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer ScienceGroup 5:Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches3. Extended Essay skills and attributesAt its core, the Extended Essay aims to cultivat or develop a range of skills and attributes,which can be mapped as ( Image 2):6

Image 2. Extended Essay skills and attributesOn top of these an Extended Essay compels students to act in an academically honest andethical manner – both in terms of their approach to research and in the final production ofthe essay itself.4. Extended Essay componentsA. What does the Extended Essay comprise?It is an academic piece of writing on a topic of the studen’s choosing. Bibliography of only theworks cited in the essay itself using an acknowledged referencing style.B. What should the maximum word count be?The maximum word count is 4,000 (plus an additional 500 words for the Reflections onPlanning and Progress Form that is submitted with the Extended Essay).Note: The essay should not be any longer than 4,000 words as any writing over this limit willnot be read and thus could have a negative impact on all assessment criteria.C. How many hours should be spent on it?The IB recommends that you spend approximately 40 hours, spread out over the course ofyour IB studies.D. What policies accompany it?7

Academic honesty policy, IB’s ethical guidelines, Animal experimentation policy.E. How is it supervised?The IB expects students to receive anything from three to five hours of in-school supervisorysupport towards the completion of their Extended Essay. A supervisor is expected to provideadvice and support but not prescribe questions or edit any work produced. Your supervisorwill also be expected to validate the authenticity of the work submitted by you to the IB bysigning and dating the Refections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF). External supervision(that is, non-school-based) is possible under certain scenarios, although only an in-schoolsupervisor can sign the forms.8

5. Duties and responsibilities5.1 Diploma Programme extended essay coordinator responsibilities are to:1. Ensure that extended essays conform to the regulations outlined in the DiplomaProgramme Assessment procedures.2. Ensure that students select the subject for their extended essays from the list ofavailable subjects until the May of first year.3. Ensure that each student has a qualified supervisor, who is a member of staff withinthe school.4. Introduce, explain and support the reflection process.5. Provide supervisors and students with the general and subject-specific informationand guidelines for the extended essay contained in this guide and the accompanyingteacher support material.6. Ensure that the Reflections on planning and progress form (RPPF) is completed andsigned by the student and supervisor and submitted to the IB with the essay forassessment under criterion E by the deadline stated in the Diploma ProgrammeAssessment procedures.7. Provide exemplars of extended essays to supervisors and students.5.2 Supervisor responsibilities are to:1. Provide the student with advice and guidance in the skills of undertaking research.2. Discuss the choice of topic with the student and, in particular, help to formulate a wellfocused research question.3. Ensure that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethicalstandards.4. To be familiar with the regulations governing the EE and the assessment criteria, andgive copies of these to the student.5. Monitor the progress of the EE to offer guidance and to ensure that the essay is thestudent’s own work.6. Read and comment on one completed draft only of the extended essay (but not editthe draft), as well as read the final version to confirm its authenticity.7. Submit a predicted grade for the student’s extended essay to the IB.8. Complete the supervisor’s report (if the EE cover is not signed by both the student andthe supervisor, the essay will not be accepted for assessment and may be returned tothe school) and fill in, sign and submit the cover sheet.9. Ensure proper completion of the three stages of the RPPF (2 reflection sessions andviva voce)10. Provide an explanation in the report in cases where the number of hours spent withthe student in discussing the extended essay is zero; in particular, it is necessary to9

describe how it has been possible to guarantee the authenticity of the essay in suchcircumstances.11. And write a report and presents it to the school’s DP coordinator if malpractice, suchas plagiarism, is suspected in the final draft.5.3 Students responsibilitiesStudents writing the EE are expected to:1.2.3.4.5.6.Choose a topic they are enthusiastic about and that is available.Work independently to produce an authentic piece of research.Acknowledge all sources used using one citation style consistently.Observe the rules and regulations for the EE (plagiarism!).Meet all deadlines and respect the supervisor’s time.Plan for how, when and where to find material and source work and design andconduct experiment (if applicable).7. Adhere to ethical guidelines when conducting experiments (see the AnimalExperimentation Policy from the IB, for example).8. Spend the recommended 40 hours of work on their EE.5.4 The purpose of the viva voce interviewOnce EE is completed, students will have a viva voce interview (generally in Decembre of YearTwo of the programme) led by the supervisor.The purpose is:1. To help check on plagiarism2. To give the students’ an opportunity to reflect on the EE process and what they havelearned.3. To provide the supervisor with additional ideas for his report.This compulsory interview (about 20 minutes) constitutes part of the recommended amountof time the supervisor spends with the student.10