Extended Essay: Mastering IB’s Most Challenging Assignment

The International Baccalaureate Extended Essay (IB EE) is an academic research project, and it is one of the most challenging and mandatory assignments of the IB Diploma program. This assignment must contain 4,000 words on any topic of the student’s choice. The main aim of this assignment is to make students curious about a subject and help them explore and research the subject matter.

It helps in mastering language and writing skills in an individual. No doubt, EE is a rigorous assignment that demands a great amount of time and effort, but working in the right direction it can be an easy and rewarding job. Let’s find out the right approach to accomplish the IB Extended Essay assignment. 

Essay writing is divided into four parts to make it understandable – 

• Choosing a Topic
• The Research Process
•  Structuring The Essay
• Tips and Tricks

Choosing a Topic 

Choosing a topic is one of the most confusing steps for a lot of students. One should always choose an interesting yet feasible or sensible topic. One must choose a topic that is easy to research and have a lot of resources to get content from.

A difficult topic is not a bad idea to go for since it can have a lot of potential but you have to put more effort into the research process which will be time-consuming and may stress you up since this assignment has a deadline for submission.

Students must choose a topic that is specific enough to conduct in-depth research and analysis. 

The Research Process

After finalizing the topic for Extended Essay, the research process begins. One should keep in mind certain points before starting the research. 

1. Start with some clear research questions

Before starting the research one must make a list of questions that comes into the head when one thinks about the topic. These questions will act as an outline in the research process and can help to keep the research on point.

2. Relevance of resources

The relevance of resources is very important. Get information about the author if you are learning from a blog or a book, and learn about the expertise of the resource in the particular field to avoid misunderstandings and errors.

3. Keeping a variety of resources

Depending on just one source of error may lead to errors or mistakes. Use several reliable resources to get more filtered and quality content for the essay. A primary and secondary resource can help you to support your arguments.

4. Stay organized

Keep an account of your research work, make a timetable, and try to manage time accordingly. It can get very difficult to accomplish the essay at the last moment so, try to do little tits bits of it every day, and make every day count.

5. Stay focused

Stay on point and in accordance with the questions you framed before starting your research. Try to stay focused irrespective of the irrelevant information.

Structuring The Essay 

A well-structured essay is divided into three parts, and an Extended Essay must also follow this structure in order to look organized and understandable. The three parts that constitute a formal essay are – 

• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion

Introduction of The Topic

This part tells the reader about the topic and establishes the direction of the essay.  This part provides the context and importance of the essay. It must explain to the reader the questions or thesis statement.

Body of Essay

It is the most important part of any essay as it contains all the important information about the topic. One must organize it very carefully and with intelligence. The body must be separated into proper sections describing a specific theme or argument. There should be analysis and evidence to support each and every argument.

Conclusion

This is the most important part as it is the end note of your essay. As the name suggests the conclusion must summarise the findings of the essay and draw a conclusion on the basis of the evidence presented. 

Tips and Tricks

Tips and tricks that can help you accomplish the Extended Essay and succeed.

1. Start Early: Don’t keep the assignment for the last moment, start early and be consistent.
2. Choose a manageable topic: Choose a topic that is easy to research and analyze.
3. Consult with supervisor: Take help from a knowledgeable person to avoid errors and mistakes. For such a rigorous task it is okay to take help from a mentor.
4. Notes: Taking notes on your research can help you organize your content at the time of creating the final draft and may also help to avoid plagiarism.
5. Proofread and edit: It is very important to recheck your essay several times before the final submission. Your essay must look polished and professional at the time of final submission.

Final Words

Extended Essay is a challenging task that helps in developing the writing and research skills of the students, it also helps them to have a better grip over language and the subject they are conducting their research on. By following these tips and guidelines one can excel in this challenging assignment and do wonders in their academics by proving their enthusiasm for the chosen subject.