Upload
saclibrary
View
512
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The IB Extended Essay
The Library, St. Andrew's College
DRAMARAMA?
No, It’s Not Rocket Science!!
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Planning and research makes the process a lot easier
What’s The Point Of The Seminar?
Help you understand the EE process Point out some common mistakes Allow you to raise your concerns
Answer your questions – at the end of the
seminar
The Library, St. Andrew's College
What is the IB EE?FORMAL, ACADEMIC ESSAY of c. 4,000 words in which something is INVESTIGATED or explored. It is accompanied by a reflection form of no more than 500 words. It takes c. 40 hours work
There is a CONCLUSION
Sources are documented (BIBLIOGRAPHY)
The whole process is PRESENTED (essay)
To gain the IB Diploma you must complete and pass the IB EE
Select an area of research from a DP subject
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Benefits of the EE
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Independent thinking and working; self-management skills
Learn research skills
Introduction to academic work – analysis and argument
Develop critical thinking skills
Develop essay writing skills
Learn to handle a major assignment
Work on an area you might study at university
Learn to work with a Supervisor – at university you will work with a Tutor
Responsibilities of the Student
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Observe the regulations. Read the ASSESSMENT CRITERIA, Subject specific guidelines and IB’s ethical guidelines and policies
Find a Supervisor and liaise regularly with him/her!!! – be proactive
Choose a subject and then a topic that interests you
Think carefully about the Research Question (RQ)
Develop a Researcher’s reflection space (RRS). Attend reflection sessions
Plan how and where you will find information for your essayBIG HINT – Go to the LIBRARY!!
Acknowledge all sources of information
Meet deadlines
IB EE Policies
The Library, St. Andrew's College
ALL students must be aware of and have read the relevantpolicies related to ethical guidelines for carrying out researchand those relating to academic honesty
Sciences – animal experimentation policy
Psychology – ethical guidelines for undertaking research
Source: Extended Essay Guide For first teaching 2016 p38
Academic Honesty and Ethical Use of Information guidelinesare on the Library Blog – librarysac.wordpress.com
The Supervisor
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Student-Supervisor relationship is very important in the EE process. Spends3-5 hours with each student. This includes the reflection sessions
Helps you plan and undertake your research. It’s an active two-way process
You will have 3 mandatory reflection sessions with your Supervisor
Completion of the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form
Supervisors must sign and date each reflection
Repeated editing/re-drafting by Supervisor is NOT allowed. Supervisor reads and comments on one draft only of the EE. This should take place after the interim reflection session, but before the Viva Voce
If academic misconduct is suspected, Supervisors must report this
Responsibilities of the Supervisor
• The supervisor is required to make a judgment about whether or not to allow you to proceed with the RQ based on whether it meets appropriate legal and ethical standards …
• … for a variety of reasons … the supervisor may advise against pursuing the proposed RQ. In such cases you should follow this advice…
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Role of the Librarian• Support you in the development of information
literacy and research skills• Help you select and evaluate information
resources in multiple formats (print/online)• Help you evaluate sources – authenticity, validity and reliability• Teach you about the ethical use of information / plagiarism• Can be a Supervisor
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Role of the Librarian
• Available every Wednesday afternoon inthe Library from 2pm-6pm to help you with
your EE research on a one-on-one basis• Make an appointment!!
The Library, St. Andrew's College
General Requirements
All student must:
•Provide a logical & coherent rationale for your choice of topic•Review what has already been written on the topic•Formulate a clear RQ•Describe the methods used to investigate the RQ•Generate reasoned interpretations and conclusions based on reading in order to answer the RQ
‘Double-dipping’ is NOT allowed
The Library, St. Andrew's CollegeSource|: Extended Essay Guide p113-4
Reflection in the EE
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Reflection
The Library, St. Andrew's College
“Emphasis is placed on engagement and reflection on the research process, highlighting the journey the student has made on an intellectual and personal level and how it has changed them as a learner and affected the final essay”.
(Miss Ryan’s emphasis)
Source:Extended Essay Guide For first teaching 2016 p37
Reflections On Planning & Progress
The Library, St. Andrew's College
MANDATORY THAT ALL STUDENTS UNDERTAKE 3 REFLECTION SESSIONSWITH THEIR SUPERVISOR
Assessed under Criterion E (Engagement) using the RPP form
Written during the course and completion of the EE
Reflect on your planning and progress (including ‘hiccups’ along the way)
Reflect on your discussions with your supervisor
1st session– focuses on initial ideas and how you plan to do your research2nd session – when a significant amount of research has been completed3rd session – Viva Voce when you have completed and handed in the EE
Each session lasts for 20-30 minutes
RRS 1st Session
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Include the following in your first RRS:
1.topic exploration2.possible sources of information3.research methods4.potential RQs
At your first reflection session use the notes you created on the above as the basis for your discussion with your Supervisor
It shows the initial progress you are making in you EE
RRS 2nd Session
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Demonstrate to your Supervisor progress made:
-development of your thinking-development of your argument-raise any questions you have
At this stage your RRS may include:
-reactions to readings -progress in the timeline for completion of the EE-possible outline of arguments-setbacks-strategies to overcome these
RRS 3rd Session & Viva Voce
The Library, St. Andrew's College
What Does The Interview Involve?
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Short interview between Student and Supervisor lasting 10-15 minutes
Takes place at the completion of the IB EE process
It’s a discussion which examines the successes/difficulties in the IB EE process
- Show what you have learned about your topic- Be able to discuss the research process you followed- How has this affected your own learning?- What new questions have you uncovered?
“Most importantly, during the VV the RRS may help to highlight thepersonal significance of the work to the student and ultimatelycontribute to the supervisor’s report” (p57)
Possible Viva Voce Questions
The Library, St. Andrew's College
What have you learned from your IB EE?
Why did you choose this subject?
What were the objectives of the project? Were they achieved?
How did you go about doing your research?
What did not work/ you found difficult to accomplish?
If you were to start again, is there anything you would like to change?
What were the best features of your project?
What further research would you liked to have conducted, and why?
The Library, St. Andrew's College
MANDATORY REQUIRMENT FROM MAY 2018
Source: www.ibo.org
RPP – Role of the Student
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Develop a Researcher’s reflection space that will facilitate planningand preparation for reflection sessions
Record reflections on what you are reading, writing and thinking
Helps you develop critical and evaluative thinking skills
Tracks the evolution of thought as it relates to the development of anArgument
Insights/information recorded in the RRS are expected to form the basisfor and find direct expression in the EE, reflection sessions and RRS forms.*
*Source: Extended Essay Guide Feb 2016 pp56-57
Researchers Reflection Space - RRS
The Library, St. Andrew's College
In discussions with supervisors students will be able to:
demonstrate planningdiscuss what they are learningevaluate their progress
Student reflection in the EE is critical
How have you changed as a learner?
How has the IB EE process affected the completion of your EE?
Students may also have occasional ‘check-in sessions’ with their supervisors. These usually last 10 minutes.
You can use different techniques to reflect – written, images, blogs, mind maps
RPP Form - Comment Section
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Following each session students are required to complete the relevant comment section on the form and submit it to their Supervisor
The Supervisor must sign and date the form and after the finalReflection session add their own comment
The form will be submitted to the IB along with your EE
NB – ensure you have a photocopy of ‘Preparation for the …. ReflectionSession’ from the Extended Essay Guide For first teaching 2016
Supervisor’s Report
The Library, St. Andrew's College
In assessing Criterion K (holistic judgment) examiners will take into account any information given in the report about intellectual initiative, insight or persistence in the face of difficulties
Check In Sessions
• You are encouraged to meet your supervisor in addition to the formal reflection sessions • ‘Check-Ins’ are occasional 10 minute sessions to discuss
a deadline, a comment made by your Supervisor or access to resources
• They do not form part of the formal reflection process and do not need to be reported on the RPP form
The Library, St. Andrew's College
The Extended Essay
The Library, St. Andrew's College
NB!!!! - From November 2016
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Schools will be required to upload all IB EEs
Candidate name and school name should NOT appear on any of the pages of the EE including the title page
Title Page – title of EE, the RQ, subject, word count only
The Title of your IB EE should NOT be phrased as a RQ
Formatting – font size 12, double spaced, numbered pages
Saved as - .doc .docx .pdf .rtf
File size – no more than 10MB
Diagrams, maps and tables – digitally produced where possible
Source: IBO Coordinator’s Notes Sept 2015; IB EE Guide Feb 2016
NOT To Be Included
The Library, St. Andrew's College
An abstract
Candidate details, session number, school and supervisor’s name
Audio-visual material (video recordings and sound clips). Imagesand screen shots can be included
Personal Exploration of the Topic
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Topic Areas
All EEs must be selected from the list of available IB subjects
Look at the IB Handbook
Familiarise yourself with the specific requirements for your topic
NB Students who do not study a particular subject (eg History) are STRONGLY ADVISED NOT to do their EE in that subject (eg History)
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Formulate A Research Question
The Library, St. Andrew's College
“ALL students, regardless of the subject chosen, must frame theirresearch question as a question. A hypothesis or statement ofintent is not acceptable”. (p78)
The RQ
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Start formulating your research question (RQ) by following your own interests. What’s your favourite subject ?
Remember, you will spend a lot of time researching and writing your EE. If it does not interest you now, it will certainly become very difficult to write about it later on!!
What is it you would like to know about your topic area or what issue or question would you like to answer through your research?
Choose an area that is capable of research. For example, there is a lot of information available on World War One. However, even the historian Alison Weir found it difficult to find information for her biography of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster.
Avoid areas that are ‘over done’ eg WWII or unsuitable eg serial killers
The RQ
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Avoid “trivial” or “superficial” EEs – IBO recommendation
Finalise the RQ only after thorough consultation with your supervisor
Source: O’Farrell, F. Extended Essay. IB Prepared. IBO. 2010 p14, 18
One further piece of advice – the more background you have in a subject the better chance you have of writing a good EE
“Choosing to write the extended essay in a subject that is NOTbeing studied as part of the Diploma Programme often leads to lower marks”
IBO Handbook
The RQ (3)
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Ask yourself what sort of information will I need to answer my RQ and is this information easily available in the library?
The RQ should be short and clear. It should be jargon free.
These very simple ‘power questions’ are very effective
Who – who did it?
What – what was noteworthy about it? What’s its relevance/importance?
Where – where did it happen? Could it have happened elsewhere?
Why – why did it happen or why did s/he do it?
When – when did it happen? Why didn’t it happen earlier? What factorsprevented it?
The RQ – Things To Avoid
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Examiners’ reports mention these should be avoided at all costs.
Students should not work with a research question that is too broad or too vague, too narrow, too difficult or inappropriate.
For example ‘Does Globalisation affect Turkey?’
Limit your variables.
“Was the decline of population growth in Brazil the result of government policies?”
is much easier RQ to understand and for you to answer than
“Was the decline in population growth in Brazil related more to sex education, the distribution of birth control, or resource depletion?”
The RQ (4)
The Library, St. Andrew's College
The research question does not need to be ‘set in stone’ from the start.As you read and reflect you will refine your RQ. This is normal.
Ask Miss Ryan for her handout ‘4 characteristics of a good research question’
Formulating a Good RQ
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Move from a GENERAL (Broad) Topic to the SPECIFIC (Focused) RQ
Topic – English Topic A Comments
Religion in Literature Waaay too broad!!!
Religion in 19th Century Literature Still too broad
Religion in the works of the Brontes Better. Moving in the right direction
Religion in the works ofCharlotte Bronte
She wrote a lot!
Charlotte Bronte’s views on Religion in Villette and JaneEyre
Almost there
In what way does CB reveal her attitudes to religion in Villette and Jane Eyre?
Uselimitingfactors egdates, personalitiesthemes
Source: IBO
‘Exploding’ Your RQUniv Southampton Video
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Thesis Statement
The Library, St. Andrew's College
A thesis statement in the Introduction to your EE declares what you intend to prove with your research
A good thesis statement will:-
Propose an arguable point; it takes a stand
Is specific and focused
Provides the examiner with a map to guide him/her through your work
Anticipates and refutes counterarguments
Thesis Statement (2)
The Library, St. Andrew's College
This essay aims at evaluating why and how the labelling of the 1932-33 Ukrainian famine as genocide has been used for political ends *
* Source: 50 Excellent Extended Essays ‘How Has Genocide As It Pertains to the 1932-33 Ukrainian famine been Used as a political tool? – Miss Ryan’s emphasis
A good thesis statement will help you focus your search for information
“Questions & Hypotheses”
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Geography Students
Hypothesis = Thesis Statement
For practical help look at David Holmes’ article in
Geography Review Vol. 23 No. 4 April 2010 pp31-33
Focuses on the scientific method and models and using hypotheses
Research
50 IB EEs that have Excellent history essays written by scored an A grade students. Check out introductions, in 17 topic areas conclusions and bibliographies
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Many of you have not written an academic essay before so have a look at these
Sources of Information
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Library Catalogue – Oliver
Books and ebooks – Project Gutenberg out of copyright = out of date????
Newspapers (eg The Irish Times, a newspaper of record) Archive is available online
Magazines/Journals - find a specialist journal in your subject area. Check outwhat’s available in the library
Encyclopedia (eg Britannica.) Available here and at home via SCOILNET
Internet (use a good search engine) Be wary of Wikipedia. Try Google Scholar. Learn to search it using this NCSU Libraries tutorial https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/gsintro/ There should not be an over-reliance on web-based sources.
You are responsible for ensuring information found on the internet is reliable andaccurate
To Research is to INVESTIGATE FULLY using a WIDE VARIETY of resources
What data might you need to answer your RQ?
Sources of Information (2)
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Databases (EBSCO) Ask Miss Ryan for a demonstration
Previous IB EEs - filed chronologically in the IB Section of the Library
Open access resources – DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) and PLOS ONE.
Statistics - Almanacs (eg WA+BoF), ESRI, Census, government departments, UN, OECD, IMF, World Bank.
Societies, groups, companies, organizations active in your subject area
Your local public library eg Dun Laoghaire ww.dlrcoco.ie/library
University or College Library – apply for a reader’s ticket
Primary & Secondary Sources
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Primary sources – diaries, government documents, legal transcripts,Eyewitness accounts and oral histories. They are resources created at the time concerned
Secondary sources – interpret primary sources. They are not basedon personal involvement in the event. Usually they are books and articles which interpret the events you are researching.
Bear in mind that certain EEs have a minimum expectation when itcomes to primary and secondary sourcing, while others may disallowthe use of one type eg primary research in psychology. Ask Miss Ryanfor guidance
Books
The Library, St. Andrew's College
You can use physical or digital copy of a book
What is important to examiners is the quality of the book itself – beware ofamateurs and hobbyists
Be aware that all printed works are not of the same quality which canlead to missed marks for Criterion A: Focus and Method and Criterion C: Critical Thinking
Miss Ryan’s guidance on how to evaluate print sources of informationcan be found on the Library Blog – https://librarysac.wordpress.com
EBSCO Database
The Library, St. Andrew's College
User name and password on Library bulletin board search.ebscohost.com
EBSCO Database
The Library, St. Andrew's College
EBSCO - internet based databases accessible at school and at home.
Advanced Placement Source
History Reference Center - full text of more than 120 history journals, plus documents, biographies, photos and maps, and 80 hours of historical video.
Literary Reference Center - contains information from over 1,000 books, literary encyclopedias and reference works and hundreds of literary journals. It contains detailed information on the most studied authors and their works.
Science Reference Center - contains full text for nearly 640 science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife.
ASK MISS RYAN FOR A TUTORIAL
Other Databases
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Int. System for Agricultural Science & Technology (AGRIS) http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/index.doenvironment, geography, natural sciences
The arXivhttp://arxiv.orgphysics, computer science, maths, finance and biology
EconBizwww.econbix.deeconomics related publications
ERIC Institute of Education Scienceshttp://eric.ed.gov/education, human and natural sciences, arts
Other Databases
The Library, St. Andrew's College
JURNhttp://www.jurn.orgfree scholarly articles
US National Archiveswww.archives.govprimary and secondary sources – other national archives???
National Bureau of Economic Researchwww.nbec.orgeconomics-related publications
POPLINEwww.popline.orghealth, culture, society
Other Databases
The Library, St. Andrew's College
PubMed Centralwww.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmcnatural sciences
Keywords and Synonyms
The Library, St. Andrew's College
There’s a great video from the University of Southampton
Identifying Your Keywords, Synonyms and Search Strategies
It can be found on the Library blog (on FROG)
Have a look at http://anglia.libguides.com/keywords
Research Types
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Quantitative – any research where the subject being studied is captured via measurement and expressed in numbers that cCan be analysed; opposite of qualitative research; econometric research on the international oil trade is an example
Qualitative – any research whose results are captured in words, images, or non-numeric symbols, for instance,research on dreams
Source: George. Elements of Library Research
Research Methodologies Interviews
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Do your homework—know why you want to contact this specific person before contacting them Contact the individual first to let them know you are interested in interviewing them and why. Letters or emails are all acceptable way of initiating contact. You may not get a response to your first query
Learn all you can about this person and her/his field before the interview – you want to be sure to ask intelligent questions Set an appointment which meets their schedule. Remember they areobliging you by sharing their time and knowledge
Research Methodologies Interviews
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Send them a prepared list of questions beforehand to give them time to consider their replies — but feel free to ask follow up questions
Take careful notes — if you want to record the interview, you must ask permission first Ask questions that require more than a “Yes” or “No” response
Ask the who, what (and what was significant about it), where, when, why (and why not) and how questions
Thank them for their time and send them a thank you note. Let them knowthe results of your research
Source:http://library.devry.edu/pdfs/Information_Literacy_Module_2.pdf
Research MethodologiesQuestionnaires
The Library, St. Andrew's College
A questionnaire is a series of questions the purpose of gathering information from respondents.
Although they are often designed for the statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case.
Great care must be given to the design of the questionnaire and the selection of respondents – beware of bias. Discuss it with your Supervisor.
Decide whether you’ll use a closed or open-ended questionnaire
Remember, having standardized answers may frustrate users.
Great resource – www. surveymonkey.com. Free account gives youthe ability to ask 10 questions.
Other sources – Zoomerang or SurveyGizmo
Research MethodologiesExperiments
The Library, St. Andrew's College
You must adhere to IB ethical guidelines and IB AnimalExperimentation Policy
You are NOT allowed to conduct experiments as part of a Psychology EE
Useful for Group 4 EEs as well as Economics and Geography
Carefully consider your hypothesis, the equipment requiredto carry out your experiment and laboratory availability
What safety equipment is required?
How will you isolate your dependent and independent variables?
Have you considered researcher bias?
Literature Review
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Read as much as you can about your topic. Time spent on a literaturereview early on in the research process will guide and improve your work
Compile your Bibliography as you read
Record your responses to what you read in your RRS
If using the internet, use specialised academic research engines such as Google Scholar
An online tutorial from NCSU on what is a literature review, its purpose and what to expect when writing one can be found athttps://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/litreview/
Background Reading
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Start the research process by reading a general encyclopedia article on your subject area
Useful source – Encyclopedia Britannica
Available in school at www.sacdublin.com
Available at home via SCOILNET.IE
Your reading has a purpose!
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Read purposefully - what answers do you want from your reading/research?
Make efficient use of your time – skim/scan. Where’s the main idea? What’s really relevant to your research? Use the index. Be ruthless!!
However, technical and closely written text may require 2/3 readings
Evaluate and be critical of the arguments presented in the text
– what are they? List them. If you can’t read the source again- are they consistent or contradictory?- are they relevant (even if you don’t agree with them)?
- is there bias (political, religious, ideological)? - are the underlying assumptions valid? - are conclusions supported by evidence eg statistics
Academic Reading
The Library, St. Andrew's College
The University of Southampton video entitled ‘AcademicReading’ is well worth watching.
It can be accessed at
https://librarysac.wordpress.com/research/academic-reading/
Note-Taking
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Organised note-taking is very important as the EE is written over the course of a year or more
Refer to your Seminar Handout for an example of the following:
3 column note-taking structure
Mind maps
Progression charts
Communicate Your Ideas
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Essay Writing Resources
The Library, St. Andrew's College
International Baccalaureate Organisation
50 Excellent Extended Essays
808.84
McGinty, Sarah Myers The College Application Essay
378.1616
50 Successful Harvard Application Essays
378.1616
Storey, William Kelleher Writing History: A Guide For Students
907.2
Johnson, Robert Studying History: A practical guide to successful essay-writing, seminars, assignments and exams.
907.2
Corrigan, Timothy A Short Guide to Writing About Film
808.066791
+ 50 MoreExcellentExtendedEssays
Essay Writing Resources
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Abbott, Mary History Skills - a Student's Handbook
907.127
Matheson, Ian Passing Higher History Skills for Success
907.127
O'Neill, Declan Essay Writing and Unprescribed Prose 420
Berry, Ralph The Research Project 425
These and others are available in the Library
IB Prepared: Extended Essay
Essay Examples
The Library, St. Andrew's College
http://bhs-ib-ee.wikispaces.com/Essay+Exemplars
Previous IB EE are in the Library
The IBO 50 Excellent Extended Essays (DVD)
IB Review
The Library, St. Andrew's College
It is ESSENTIAL that you consult this magazine on a REGULARbasis!!!
Students should read –
Top-level SkillsRobin BunceModern History Review Vol. 17 No. 4 April 2015
Problem Areas – The Introduction
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Sets the context of the essay. It gives the examiner an idea of …
1.What to expect in the essay
2.Focus of the essay
3.Scope of research – what theories or methods have been used
4.Indicates sources to be used
5.Give an insight into the argument
Problem Areas – The Introduction
The Library, St. Andrew's College
There are 4 core things to explicitly mention in your Introduction:1. RQ2. context regarding your topic3. why it’s worthy of investigation4. methodological approach used/source material used to arrive at your conclusion
Detailed background information is NOT required here
Indicate to the examiner what existing theories, critical approaches, methods or factors will be used to answer your RQ(Strand – methodology. See Assessment Criteria)
Writing the introduction often comes last
The RQ in the Introduction
The Library, St. Andrew's College
I decided to examine the role of one of the most important documentsin the Affair, namely Zola’s open letter to the President of the Republic,“J’Accuse”. This document exemplifies the power and persuasivenessof the press and its ability to turn the tide of public opinion. Hence, theresearch question emerges: What role did “J’Accuse” play in the Dreyfus Affair and more specifically in Dreyfus’ acquittal?
Source: 50 Excellent Extended Essays
Problem Areas – The Essay
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Investigation – range, imaginativeness and appropriateness of resources, the planning and structuring of your research process
Knowledge & Understanding – what can be expected from a High School student, must show the place of the topic in the subject discipline, may need to comment on experts’ different opinions
Argument – there should be a logical flow of ideas
Analysis/Evaluation
You will be marked on each of these four criteria
Problem Areas – The Argument
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Problem Areas – The Argument
The Library, St. Andrew's College
MAJOR CRITICISM from the IB examiners
STUDENTS FAIL TO PUT FORWARD AN ARGUMENT IN THEIR EE
To earn good marks you MUST provide an argument relating to your research topic – analyse and interpret your data
Are there theoretical frameworks/tools/techniques in your subject area that you can use to analyse/interpret your research?
No contribution by the student – the EE is a compilation of informationfrom various sources
Your Purpose
The Library, St. Andrew's College
“Remember your purpose is to convince the reader (Examiner)that the conclusions you draw regarding the research questionare well founded and are supported by the evidence you havegathered and presented. So clearly, research question, data,evidence and/or information must be linked in a convincing wayto the conclusion”.
You must do the “linking” and not leave it up to the reader to “see” the connections or relevance of what you have written”
Source: O’Farrell, Finbar. Extended Essay p59
Find The Argument!
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Use your critical thinking skills to identify the argument.Apply the skills you learned in TOK and your IAs
What is the author’s position: what does the text wantyou to do, think, accept or believe?
Look for the reasons that are used to support conclusions
Are they valid, logical etc. ?
How Do I Go About Structuring My Argument?
The Library, St. Andrew's College
The basic structure of an argument goes something like this.
You take a position, have an opinion, consider something to be true/false.
Your present reasons, evidence or information to support your position
You draw a conclusion from the reasons, evidence or information
Source: O’Farrell, F. Extended Essay. IB Prepared. IBO 2010 p31
How To Structure My Argument
The Library, St. Andrew's College
A successful approach would look like this:-
Tell the reader (examiner) what you intend to prove. Do this by presenting, explaining and putting the RQ into context
Present and explain the evidence to support your case:
1. Quotations from a text2. Opinions of other authors you have read3. Historical documents/accounts of events4. Data collected through experimentation/fieldwork5. Results of surveys/questionnaires
Draw conclusions referring back to the evident you have presented
O’Farrell p31
State What You Intend to Prove
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Taken from an essay on business ethics
“This essay will first describe what business ethics is and secondly,will consider whether this concept really is important. It will arguethat business ethics is indeed a real and major issue in both the study and practice of business.”
Source: Godfrey, J. How To Use Your Reading In Your Essays. Palgrave Study Skills. Palgrave Macmillan. 2009
Show The Evidence Supporting Your Argument
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Taken from an essay on business ethics
“Opponents of the concept of ethics in business include those who claim that making a profit is the only responsibility a business has to society (Friedman, 1970, cited in Fisher and Lovell, 2003). Others such as Wolf (2008) share this view, and Prindl and Prodham (1994) suggest that ‘Finance as practiced in the professions and in industry is seen as a value-neutral positive discipline promoting efficiency…… Carr (1968) uses the analogy of a poker game to argue ….”.
Source: Godfrey, J. How To Use Your Reading In Your Essays. Palgrave Study Skills. Palgrave Macmillan. 2009
Draw A Conclusion From The Evidence
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Taken from an essay on business ethics
“It is of course true that most businesses cannot succeed without being profitable. However, this does not necessarily exclude ethical behaviour and although Carr’s view seems persuasive, there are twostrong opposing arguments which are even more so”.
Source: Godfrey, J. How To Use Your Reading In Your Essays. Palgrave Study Skills. Palgrave Macmillan. 2009
The student has presented his argument using his sources!!
Word Count
The Library, St. Andrew's College
The EE should NOT be over 4,000 words as any writing over this limit will not be read and could have a negative impact on all assessment criteria!!!
Contribution by the Student
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Show your awareness of DIFFERENT VIEWS and what they mean (TOK )
Have a look at contributions made by other students …
Research showed the true breakthrough for the Dreyfusards was …..
The Dreyfus Affair is still a relevant topic, easily connected and applicable to recent events
In the time after independence Rwanda never managed to transcend the colonial legacy. The author will therefore, argue that the Rwandan genocide in 1994 to a great extent was a result of the colonial legacy
Source: 50 Excellent Extended Essays
Problem Areas – Evaluation by the IBO
The Library, St. Andrew's College
May 2003 Report:
“Many candidates tend to accept sources unquestioningly, not least the internet ones. As usual, this was the weakest area in mostcandidates’ essays ……….. There is little direct recognition ofdifferent interpretations and/or commentary on historical sources,whether in the body of the essay, information in footnotes orannotated bibliographies.”
What does this mean???
Have a look at the Library Blog for guidance on how to evaluate print and internet sources of information.
https://librarysac.wordpress.com
The Abstract
The Library, St. Andrew's College
An Abstract is no longer required
“An abstract is not a formal requirement for an EE. While the EE models an academic research paper, it does not mirror it. Writing an abstract is a skill that students can develop at a later stage in their respective studies.”
https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/extendedessay/apps/dpapp/tsm.html?doc=d_0_eeyyy_gui_1602_1_e&part=2&chapter=2&query=abstract#N1_3_7_2_4_4_6_3_3_1
The ‘P’ Word – Academic Honesty
The Library, St. Andrew's College
YOU are responsible for knowing about PLAGIARISM and how to avoid it!!!
Read the relevant IB policies relating to ethical guidelines
Others’ work includes ideas, research, graphics, computer programmesand music. It may consist of writing, charts, pictures, diagrams,websites and includes sentences and phrases.
Sources include books magazines, newspapers, websites, plays,films, photos, paintings and textbooks.
Have a look at the Library Blog on SACnet for guidance
Problem Areas - Bibliography
The Library, St. Andrew's College
You must document ALL sources of information used to create your EE
Pick one methodology and stick to it – Harvard, MLA etc
Bibliography creating tools are available on the internet
Palgrave Study Skills: Cite Them Right - loan copies and one referencecopy are available in the Library
Present Your Conclusions
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Problem Areas – The Conclusion
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Should clearly relate to the RQ
Should be consistent with the findings/evidence
NB - Should not simply be a restatement of the content
Ask yourself did you answer your RQ?
Did you get the results you expected? If not, why not?
Should not suddenly present material that is not in the body of the essay
Have a look at the ‘50 Excellent Extended Essays’ DVD for guidance
Marking Your EE
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Marking Your EE
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Or how can I get a good grade???
Meet all the assessment criteria – assessment is criterion based!!!
Have a focused RQ
Answer the RQ
Use good quality sources of information
Evaluate, interpret and criticise
Argue!!!
Present your conclusion(s)
Make sure you haveread and understoodthe assessment criteria
Ask your supervisor forhelp if you don’t!!!
EE Assessment Criteria – 34 Points
The Library, St. Andrew's College
Criterion A: Focus & Method
Criterion B: Knowledge & Understanding
Criterion C: Critical Thinking
Criterion D: Presentation
Criterion E: Engagement
• Topic• RQ• Methodology
• Context• Subject
Specific terminology & concepts
• Research• Analysis• Discussion
and Evaluation
• Structure• Layout
• Process• Research
Focus
Marks Marks Marks Marks Marks
6 6 12!!! 4 6
Easy 4 pointsMake sure you get them!!This is where you
Get an ‘A’EE Guide p98
S
trand
s
The Library, St. Andrew's College