ee student s booklet 2012-2013

8/20/2019 Ee Student s Booklet 2012-2013

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Vienna International School

IB Extended Essay

Information Booklet for Students

Deadline

Monday 3rd December 2012

Name:


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Table of Contents

Section Page(s)

Acknowledgements 3

Extended Essay Checklist and Calendar for 2012-2013 4-5

Frequently Asked Questions 6-10

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism 10-11

Assessment Criteria 12-15

Extended Essay – Sample Research Questions 16-18

Extended Essay Hints 19-20

Extended Essay Checklist 21-22

My Notes 23


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Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Mrs. Jocelyn Blink for the use of many previousdocuments used at VIS


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Extended Essay Checklist and

Calendar for 2012-2013

Most of the deadlines shown below are suggestions to help you to keep on track. Those

shown in bold are mandatory and must be adhered to. These deadlines appear on the

Manage BAC system and are compulsory.

Getting started on the essay:

I have attended the assembly on the Extended Essay and listened to

the presentations from Mr Martin and Mr Bancroft.

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I have visited the library and spoken to the librarian about looking for

sources in the VIS Library and databases

30/3

I have completed the ManageBAC form to indicate which 3 subjects

are my 3 preferences for the EE and indicated my preferred

supervisor. Checkpoint 1.

20/4

I have received notification of the subject area and the name of my

supervisor.

27/4

I have had a look at textbooks, library books, journals, the internet

etc. to find ideas about a possible topic for my essay.

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I have met with my supervisor and discussed my ideas.

I have selected a topic to research and drafted a possible title forthe essay which is entered onto the Manage BAC system.

Checkpoint 2.

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Selecting a title:

I have spoken to the librarian about resources available on my topic. 01/6

I have done my own research on resources and collected a working

bibliography.

11/6

I have finalised my title and research question both of which werediscussed with my supervisor to ensure they are sufficiently narrow

to make progress within the word count. Checkpoint 3.

15/6

I have mapped out a rough structure of the essay. 22/6

I have read and understood the academic honesty policy and

guidelines on ManageBAC and the MLA guide to citations and

referencing.

22/6


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Summer work:

During the summer I have spent 20 to 25 hours working on my EE and

have completed the ‘first go’

August

2012

I have compared my essay to the assessment criteria and made any

changes necessary to ensure it meets the demands of the IBO.

August

2012I have checked my work for spelling, punctuation and grammar

errors, and ensured that it does not exceed the word count.

August

2012

‘First Go’ deadline Checkpoint 5. I have uploaded a copy of my ‘First

Go’ to the ManageBAC system and provided a paper copy to the

IBDP Office

31/8

Revisions to the essay:

I have met with my supervisor to discuss feedback on the ‘first go’(if

your supervisor has changed this should be your new supervisor) to

receive feedback on the work I have completed.

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I have written a bibliography using MLA style. 15/10

I have made necessary adjustments to the content of the essay 15/10

I have submitted the Final draft of my essay to ManageBAC and

provided a paper copy to the IBDP Office (4000 words) Checkpoint 6.

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Finishing touches:

I have written an abstract of less than 300 words. 23/11

I have ensured that my essay conforms to the presentation standards

set out in the IBO guidelines.

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I have handed in my final essay and a copy has been uploaded to

ManageBAC. Checkpoint 7.

03/12

4pm


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Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the purpose of the Extended Essay?

The Extended Essay (EE) aims to give you the chance to undertake a piece of independent

research into a topic that interests you. It is seen as an excellent introduction to the type of

work you will be undertaking in university. It is valued very highly by admissions tutors as it

allows them to see that you can already cope with independent study.

What is assessed?

The emphasis of the assessment is placed on the way you have gone about your research

and the clarity with which you have communicated your findings. Some assessment criteria

assess the level of analysis or quality of your conclusions. There are a significant number of

marks available for ensuring that the presentation of your work complies with IBOguidelines. You can see the assessment criteria later in this booklet.

How many points does it count for?

The EE and Theory of Knowledge together contribute 3 points towards your Diploma. These

bonus points can play an important role in meeting university points offers, however it is

also important to keep this task in perspective. Remember that your other subjects count

for 42 points!

What happens if I don’t complete an Extended Essay?

Non completion of the EE is a failing condition for the Diploma. If you get an E for EITHER

the EE or TOK, this is also a failing condition.

Can I do my Extended Essay in any subject?

Your essay must fit clearly into one of the subjects offered at school. You are not allowed to

combine areas. It is recommended that you do your essay in a subject you are studying at

Higher Level, as you will have more experience in and knowledge of these areas. Remember

that you are being asked to complete an in-depth piece of research with minimal teacher

input.


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You can’t submit the same piece of work, or two versions of the same work, to meet the

requirements of both the EE and another assessment component of a subject contributing

to the Diploma (eg. a student can not submit an Extended Essay on the same topic as their

Group 4 Project, nor on a topic set for an English Oral Examination).

What does my supervisor do?

You will be supervised by a member of staff who is a subject specialist in the area you have

chosen. In order that we provide adequate and consistent supervision, no teacher will be

able to supervise more than 7 students. The supervisors’ main responsibilities will be:

To encourage and support you

To provide you with advice and guidance

To ensure that the Extended Essay is your own work

To complete a supervisor's report on your progress with the Essay

Although your supervisor will guide you through the process, you will be required to decide

on the topic, the research question and develop your own ideas. Your supervisor mustensure that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards

with regard to health and safety, confidentiality, human rights, animal welfare and

environmental issues.

The supervisor is encouraged to read and comment on the ‘first go’ and the draft of the

extended essay, but is not permitted to edit these drafts for you. It is your responsibility to

correct mistakes and check the accuracy of the contents of the extended essay.

How will supervisors be allocated?

There are approximately 130 students who will need supervisors. Students require asupervisor from one of their chosen subjects, yet to provide adequate supervision,

supervisors are restricted to 7 candidates. Obviously, if 40 students wanted to complete an

Extended Essay in Psychology we would not be able to accommodate this under the

restriction. The procedure will therefore be as follows:

Students will state their 3 preferences for an Extended Essay from the list provided

(students are strongly encouraged to select a Higher Level subject but should also

read the recommended prerequisites).

If the number of students opting for a subject exceeds the maximum number (7 x

no. of staff), then a random selection will be made. Those students not randomlyselected would then be allocated their second or third choice using a similar system.

How long will it take me to write the essay?

The IB recommends a total of 40 hours for all preparation, research, note taking and writing.

When planning your time you should remember that the first term of grade 12 is a very

demanding time, you will be writing university applications and preparing for mock exams

and working on Internal Assessments in many subjects. You will find it very difficult to

complete your essay unless the majority of it is written during the summer months

between Grade 11 and Grade 12.


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How is the essay marked?

Is it very important you follow the assessment criteria as this is the criteria on which your

essay is marked. Your essay is sent to an outside examiner to be marked. It is very important

that you meet the internal school deadline to ensure that your essay is able to reach theexternal examiner in time. Essays that are late to the examiner will not be marked.

Getting started on the Essay

Issues to consider when choosing your topic

Suitable topics:

Choose a topic which is of interest to you.

The topic must be limited in scope so it is achievable.

The topic should present you with the opportunity to collect or generate

information and/or data for analysis and evaluation. Before a final decision is made about the choice of topic you must read the subject

guidelines carefully. These set out the expectations of the IB and may restrict what

you can study. (For example, in some types of Group 1 English essay students must

study a book that was originally written in English.)

Unsuitable topics

A broad topic is unlikely to result in a successful Extended Essay.

A topic which requires no personal research or requires an essentially narrative or

descriptive approach is not suitable for your Extended Essay.

Although a reliance on secondary sources is sometimes necessary, an extended

essay which only provides a summary of such sources will not be successful.

Writing a précis of a well-documented topic is unlikely to result in a successful

extended essay.

You should be aware that the most common reason for low marks is that students choose

a research question that does not fit neatly into a particular subject.

Issues to consider when setting your question

When an appropriate topic has been chosen, you should narrow the focus of the

investigation and formulate a specific research question. For many extended essays this will

be phrased in the form of a question, but alternatives such as launching the investigation

with a hypothesis are acceptable. By frequently referring to this research question, you

should be able to maintain the purpose and orientation of the investigation.


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The Extended Essay Process

Decide on your subject.

Decide on your area of interest (topic).

Do some initial reading.

Formulate a question.

Read some more on this topic.

Refine the question.

Stick to the question!

The following advice is adapted from:

http://www.dissertationsuccess.com/resquest/resquest.htm

1. Start with a question which has a '?' at the end.

In their first meeting supervisors generally find that their students have a vague idea of a

topic they are interested in, but describe their interest as being an essay that is: '…something

about…' You must turn that 'something about ' into a question. Posing a direct question will

make the process of doing your research much more focused. Your title might not express

this as a question, you may evaluate a hypothesis or quote, but there must be a question

behind it.

2. Identify a question that will keep you interested.

You are going to be working on this question until December and it will be much easier to

keep at it if it is something that you are genuinely curious about. Do not choose a question

that bores you when you start, no matter how clever it may seem. Your Extended Essay is

likely to be the longest piece of academic work you complete at VIS and you want to remain

interested right to the end!

3. Choose a topic which has available resources.

You don’t want to find that the most difficult part of your work is simply finding information.

Do some initial reading to gain a broad overview. Pick out areas of the subject that interestyou and start to look for resources in that area, as you look draw up a rough working

http://www.dissertationsuccess.com/resquest/resquest.htmhttp://www.dissertationsuccess.com/resquest/resquest.htmhttp://www.dissertationsuccess.com/resquest/resquest.htm


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bibliography. Make sure that you can find enough information before you finalise your

research question.

4. Ground your work clearly in one subject.

Extended Essays which become transdisciplinary score very badly. Make sure your questionclearly fits into the field in which you have been entered.

5. Do not expect that finding a 'good research question' is quick, easy, or remains fixed

throughout your project

This is probably the hardest part of your Extended Essay, but if you get it right everything

else will follow! It therefore seems worth spending some time on it. It will seem frustrating

to spend a few weeks on this but only have a couple of lines of work as a result.

Nonetheless, getting this right makes gives purpose and direction to the rest of the work.

Do not alter your research question without discussing the reasons with your supervisor

and gaining their advice. You should not even consider changing your research questionafter the start of the summer holidays.

For more advice look at this website:

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/pre.htm

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

Regulation 4 of the Extended Essay guidelines refers to ‘Malpractice’

The IB defines malpractice as the attempt by a candidate to gain an unfair advantage in anyassessment component. Collusion is when a candidate knowingly allows his or her work to

be submitted for assessment by another candidate. Plagiarism is defined by the IB as the

submission for assessment of the unacknowledged work, thoughts or ideas of another

person as the candidate’s own.

In order to avoid charges of plagiarism, candidates must always ensure that they

acknowledge fully and in detail the words and/or ideas of another person.

The VIS Plagiarism Policy adds the following:

What is Plagiarism?Plagiarism is derived from the Latin word meaning ‘plunderer’ and ‘kidnapping’. A dictionary

definition of plagiarism is: ‘to appropriate ideas, passages etc. from another work or

author’ (Hanks, P. (ed.), 1982, The New Collins Dictionary of the English Language, p865).

Thus, plagiarism means stealing other people’s words or ideas.

AT VIS we regard deliberate plagiarism as a serious offence and all forms of plagiarism as a

serious breach of good practice.

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/pre.htmhttp://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/pre.htmhttp://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/pre.htmhttp://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/pre.htm


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Examples of Plagiarism

Using the Internet to copy and paste someone else’s work into a piece of

homework/coursework.

Downloading an essay from the Internet and handing it in as one’s own work

Copying the work of another student

On a piece of work like the Extended Essay many students find that they plagiarise other

people’s ideas by mistake, because they have trouble distinguishing between taking notes,

and copying or paraphrasing ideas.

It is also very important to remember to accurately record where you have found all your

information when taking notes. This will allow you to reference properly, another key skill in

ensuring that your work cannot be accused of plagiarism.

Please note that both VIS and the IB use internet software to detect cases of plagiarism.

Whether this is ‘accidental’ or not, students found by the IB to have plagiarised their essaywill fail their Diploma.


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Assessment criteria

This section provides an overview of what each criterion assesses in the extended essay.

A: research question

This criterion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the

aim of the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the

“research question”. However, certain disciplines may permit or encourage different ways of

formulating the research task.

Achievement level Descriptor

0 The research question is not stated in the introduction or does not lend itself to a

systematic investigation in an extended essay in the subject in which it is registered.

1 The research question is stated in the introduction but is not clearly expressed or is too

broad in scope to be treated effectively within the word limit.

2 The research question is clearly stated in the introduction and sharply focused, making

effective treatment possible within the word limit.

B: introduction

This criterion assesses the extent to which the introduction makes clear how the research question

relates to existing knowledge on the topic and explains how the topic chosen is significant and worthy

of investigation.


0 Little or no attempt is made to set the research question into context. There is little or noattempt to explain the significance of the topic.

1 Some attempt is made to set the research question into context. There is some attempt

to explain the significance of the topic and why it is worthy of investigation.

2 The context of the research question is clearly demonstrated. The introduction clearly

explains the significance of the topic and why it is worthy of investigation.

C: investigation

This criterion assesses the extent to which the investigation is planned and an appropriate range of

sources has been consulted, or data has been gathered, that is relevant to the research question.

Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which

the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2.


0 There is little or no evidence that sources have been consulted or data gathered, and

little or no evidence of planning in the investigation.

1 A range of inappropriate sources has been consulted, or inappropriate data has been

gathered, and there is little evidence that the investigation has been planned.

2 A limited range of appropriate sources has been consulted, or data has been gathered,

and some relevant material has been selected. There is evidence of some planning in

the investigation.

3 A sufficient range of appropriate sources has been consulted, or data has been


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gathered, and relevant material has been selected. The investigation has been

satisfactorily planned.

4 An imaginative range of appropriate sources has been consulted, or data has been

gathered, and relevant material has been carefully selected. The investigation has been

well planned.

D: knowledge and understanding of the topic studied


the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2. “Academic

context”, as used in this guide, can be defined as the current state of the field of study under

investigation. However, this is to be understood in relation to what can reasonably be expected of a

pre-university student. For example, to obtain a level 4, it would be sufficient to relate the

investigation to the principal lines of inquiry in the relevant field; detailed, comprehensive knowledge

is not required.


0 The essay demonstrates no real knowledge or understanding of the topic studied.

1 The essay demonstrates some knowledge but little understanding of the topic studied.

The essay shows little awareness of an academic context for the investigation.

2 The essay demonstrates an adequate knowledge and some understanding of the topic

studied. The essay shows some awareness of an academic context for the investigation.

3 The essay demonstrates a good knowledge and understanding of the topic studied.

Where appropriate, the essay successfully outlines an academic context for the

investigation.

4 The essay demonstrates a very good knowledge and understanding of the topic

studied. Where appropriate, the essay clearly and precisely locates the investigation in

an academic context.

E: reasoned argument

This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay uses the material collected to present ideas in a

logical and coherent manner, and develops a reasoned argument in relation to the research question.


the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2.


0 There is no attempt to develop a reasoned argument in relation to the research question.

1 There is a limited or superficial attempt to present ideas in a logical and coherent manner,and to develop a reasoned argument in relation to the research question.

2 There is some attempt to present ideas in a logical and coherent manner, and to develop

a reasoned argument in relation to the research question, but this is only partially

successful.

3 Ideas are presented in a logical and coherent manner, and a reasoned argument is

developed in relation to the research question, but with some weaknesses.

4 Ideas are presented clearly and in a logical and coherent manner. The essay succeeds in

developing a reasoned and convincing argument in relation to the research question.


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F: application of analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the subject


0 The essay shows no application of appropriate analytical and evaluative skills.

1 The essay shows little application of appropriate analytical and evaluative skills.

2 The essay shows some application of appropriate analytical and evaluative skills, which

may be only partially effective.

3 The essay shows sound application of appropriate analytical and evaluative skills.

4 The essay shows effective and sophisticated application of appropriate analytical and

evaluative skills.

G: use of language appropriate to the subject


0 The language used is inaccurate and unclear. There is no effective use of terminology

appropriate to the subject.

1 The language used sometimes communicates clearly but does not do so consistently. The

use of terminology appropriate to the subject is only partly accurate.

2 The language used for the most part communicates clearly. The use of terminology

appropriate to the subject is usually accurate.

3 The language used communicates clearly. The use of terminology appropriate to the

subject is accurate, although there may be occasional lapses.

4 The language used communicates clearly and precisely. Terminology appropriate to thesubject is used accurately, with skill and understanding.

H: conclusion

This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay incorporates a conclusion that is relevant to the

research question and is consistent with the evidence presented in the essay.


0 Little or no attempt is made to provide a conclusion that is relevant to the research

question.

1 A conclusion is attempted that is relevant to the research question but may not be

entirely consistent with the evidence presented in the essay.

2 An effective conclusion is clearly stated; it is relevant to the research question and

consistent with the evidence presented in the essay. It should include unresolved

questions where appropriate to the subject concerned.


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I: formal presentation

This criterion assesses the extent to which the layout, organization, appearance and formal elements

of the essay consistently follow a standard format. The formal elements are: title page, table of

contents, page numbers, illustrative material, quotations, documentation (including references,

citations and bibliography) and appendices (if used).


0 The formal presentation is unacceptable, or the essay exceeds 4,000 words.

1 The formal presentation is poor.

2 The formal presentation is satisfactory.

3 The formal presentation is good.

4 The formal presentation is excellent.

J: abstract

The requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly the research question that was

investigated, how the investigation was undertaken and the conclusion(s) of the essay.


0 The abstract exceeds 300 words or one or more of the required elements of an abstract

(listed above) is missing.

1 The abstract contains the elements listed above but they are not all clearly stated.

2 The abstract clearly states all the elements listed above.

K: holistic judgment

The purpose of this criterion is to assess the qualities that distinguish an essay from the average, such

as intellectual initiative, depth of understanding and insight. While these qualities will be clearly

present in the best work, less successful essays may also show some evidence of them and should be

rewarded under this criterion.


0 The essay shows no evidence of such qualities.

1 The essay shows little evidence of such qualities.

2 The essay shows some evidence of such qualities.

3 The essay shows clear evidence of such qualities.

4 The essay shows considerable evidence of such qualities.

Your supervisor will provide you with subject specific guidance for the assessment

criteria.


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Extended Essay – Sample Research

Questions

Group 1 A1 (This is to be done

in a student’s mother

tongue, and is a

literature-based

essay)

What are the role and the significance of dance in Pride

and Prejudice and Emma? (English)

How is the subject of death treated in selected poems of

Emily Bronte and Emily Dickinson? (English)

In what different ways do Shaw, Anouilh and Schiller

present Joan of Arc in their respective plays?

Group 2 A2 or B (For students

studying a foreignlanguage. These allow

students to develop

their awareness and

knowledge of the

language and their

understanding of the

culture. These are not

(usually) literature-

based essays.

Do young people in Austria use more words of foreign

origin than older people (German)

Should feminine forms of more jobs titles be created to

reflect shifting gender roles? (French)

What is the role of women portrayed in tango lyrics?

(Spanish)

Group 3 Economics To what extent has the privatization of Matav, a

Hungarian telecommunication company, resulted inincreased efficiency?

To what extent has the increase in the value of the euro

affected the Alpine tourism industry?

To what extent has micro-credit contributed to improved

economic development in Keffi?

What market structure best describes the wuerstl stand

‘industry’ in the First District of Vienna?

History To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles cripple the

German economy, leading to the economic crisis in 1923?

Why was Yezhov executed by Stalin even though he

appeared to be a loyal follower?Mao Zedong: to what extent do recent interpretations of

the Long March challenge previous views?

Geography To what extent does the quality of life in selected

communities in the city of Geneva vary with distance

from Lac Leman?

Does the distribution of riding stables in Lower Austria

correspond with the theory of distance decay?

How did the Balkans War affect the demography of

Bosnia-Herzegovina?

To what extent has climate change affected Austria’s skiindustry?


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ITGS How has the layering of network protocols contributed to

the rapid development of music downloads?

To what extent can IT assist patients with motor-nerve

damage?

To what extent does the addition of e-learning systems

improve the performance of students in mathematics?Group 4

Students are

strongly

encouraged to

undertake

experimental

work as part

of their

research.

Biology How are the distribution and growth of lichens affected

by sulfur dioxide and ozone levels in the atmosphere?

To what extent does a programme of training at high

altitude have an impact on the fitness of an athlete?

Chemistry Does the time it takes to brew a cup of tea using a

specific commercial brand of tea significantly alter the

amount of caffeine that is dissolved in the drink?

To what extent do strawberry jellies obtained from 24

different countries in 5 different contents contain the

same red dye?

Physics Do wine bottles of different shapes behave as Helmholtzresonator?

How does the resistance of a wire vary when subjected to

different strains?

To what extent can the laws of mechanics be applied to

the sport of rugby?

Environmental

Systems

From the major inputs and outputs of the school dining

room, what overall estimate can be made in terms of an

ecological footprint?

Design Technology How have ergonomic factors been considered in the

design of a new telephone for physically impaired

people?To what extent has the introduction of new materials

improved the performance of modern racing bicycles?

Group 5 Maths What was the role of mathematics, and geometry in

particular, in navigation when we relied on the stars?

How does the exponential function, and its calculus,

inform areas of science such as nuclear physics, geology,

anthropology or demography?

What is the legacy of Archimedes’ calculations of circular

and parabolic areas in today’s methods of integration?

Computer Science Will fuzzy logic replace binary logic in the future?

Has the increase in processing power diminished theneed for complicated sorting algorithms?

Group 6 Visual Arts What is the artistic significance of recent totem poles

raised by the First Peoples of Haida-Gwai?

What is the impact of transcultural experience on the art

of Gu Xiong?

Theatre What female stereotypes did Brecht employ in his plays?

What are the main uses and types of mask in Noh drama,

and how does the mask contribute to the creation of a

character in Noh?

How did Soyinka use language rhythms in his plays andhow may these rhythms be applied in production?


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Film To what extent can Guy Ritchie be considered an auteur ?

To what extent do the films Chinatown, Blood Simple and

Pulp Fiction qualify as film noirs?

What has been the influence of Hill Street Blues on the

subsequent US television crime dramas NYPD Blue and

CSI? To what extent have the films of Ousmane Sembene been

able to retain a truly indigenous style and content in the

face of pressures to make films more acceptable for an

international market?

Music What is the influence of Edgard Varese on the musical

output of Frank Zappa?

To what extent can Jesus Christ Superstar be considered a

modern classical opera?


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Extended Essay Hints

Criterion A: Research Question (RQ) – 2 marks“The research question is clearly stated in the introduction and is sharply focused,

making effective treatment possible within the word limit”

Hints:

Write the RQ in bold.

Make sure that it appears somewhere in the introduction

Criterion B: Introduction – 2 marks

“The context of the research question is clearly demonstrated. The introduction

clearly explains the significance of the topic and why it is worthy of inv estigation”

Hints:

Make a heading ‘Introduction’ as a signal

Make specific reference to something which shows why the topic is

significant and worthy of investigation.

Criterion H : Conclusion – 2 marks

“A conclusion is clearly stated, is relevant to the r esearch question and is consistent

with the argument or explanation presented in the essay. Where appropriate, the

conclusion clearly indicates unresolved questions where appropriate to the subject

concerned” Hints:

Make a heading “Conclusion” as a signal

Do not add any new information

If possible, try to think of a new or unresolved question. (It is not always

obvious when it is appropriate, so just do it!)

Criterion J : Abstract – 2 marks

“Within the abstract, the research question, the scope of the inv estigation, and the

conclusion reached are all clearly stated” The abstract is not to exceed 300 words.

Hints:

Write three paragraphs – one to include the RQ, one to set out the scope and

one to include the conclusion. You actually have to state what the conclusion

is. (See model abstract)

You must keep it within 300 words – examiners are known to count the

words! Write the word count in brackets at the bottom.


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Criterion I : Formal Presentation – 4 marks

Hints;

Use the checklist provided to make sure that you have completed everything.

Examiners usually have a feel for essays that greatly exceed 4000 words and

are not obliged to read any material that exceeds the word count. You do not

need to write down a word count for the essay.

The abstract, acknowledgements, contents page, maps, charts, diagrams,

annotated illustrations and tables, footnotes, bibliography and appendices

are not included in the word count.

Make it look good!


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Extended Essay Checklist

ANY POINT ON THIS LIST MUST BE PRESENT. THESE ARE THINGS

THAT YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR ABILITY LEVEL.

Abstract

Is there an Abstract? (Typically, the abstract comes before the Table of Contents, and

the page is not numbered).

Does it include?

The RQ?

The scope of the investigation?

The conclusion?

Is the abstract equal to, or fewer than 300 words?

Table of Contents

Is there a contents page (Table of Contents)?

Are all the pages numbered?

Introduction

Is there an Introduction?

Is it specifically labelled as the introduction?

Does the introduction explain why the research question is worthy of

investigation?

Is the research question clearly stated in the introduction?

Have you written the RQ in bold?

References/Sources

Is there a reference/footnote for all the information that you have takenfrom somewhere?

Is there a reference/footnote for every graph/table/bit of data that you have

used?

Are the references set out consistently, with page numbers if they are from a

book, and date accessed

if they are from a website?


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Bibliography

Is there a bibliography?

Does the bibliography include all and only the works cited in the essay?

Does the bibliography specify author(s), title, date of publication, andpublisher for each reference?

If the source is a website, have you included the name of the piece, the

author (if known), the

publication from which the piece was taken, and the date accessed?

Has a standardised and accepted method been used to present the

bibliography?

Conclusion

Is there a conclusion? Is it specifically labelled as the conclusion?

Is the conclusion a summary, that only refers to points mentioned in the

essay (i.e. no new material)?

Does the conclusion refer to any unresolved questions and/or questions that

have emerged from the

research?

Appendices

If there are appendices, do they contain only relevant information? Is there a Table of Contents for the appendices?

Are the appendices clearly labelled?

General Points

Does the essay stay on track, presenting only information that is necessary to

answer the RQ?

Do you regularly go back to your RQ to show that you are staying on track?

Have you shown evidence of evaluative and analytical skills?

Do you show good knowledge and understanding of the material? Is the essay equal to, or fewer than 4,000 words?

Finally ..... Have you answered your research question?!

..... Are you proud of this piece of work!?


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MY NOTES

This page is for your notes. Remember that you will need to refer back to thesethroughout the EE process so make sure they are legible!

Research skills:

Question setting:

General advice:


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ee student s booklet 2012-2013

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