Extended Essay

[Emmi]

Chemistry- The reaction between local limestone and acid rain

all my own work, since my supervisor has been less than unhelpful -.-"

I don't even know where to start writing, so if someone could help, that would be awesome!

A Group 4 (like chemistry) EE is kind of like a really long, really detailed IA. You'll need to expand on each part, especially the introduction and analysis parts, however. Start by researching the local types of limestone and begin designing an experiment that you can do that will give you lots of valid data. You can write the EE as you go along.

[Rocky]

Hey, I'm doing my EE in music, specifically Eastern music like Persian, North and South Indian. My question is whether we have to have scores in a music EE because there is practically no scores for Indian music, especially since everything is ornamented and improvised to the point where western notation does not do justice. My supervisor told me it is possible to embed musical recordings or video footage in my essay. is this true?

thanks

[Est]

Hi, today I was asked to start seeking for the topic of my EE and I believe I have found the piece I want to analyze, yet I am not sure of how to narrow down my thoughts in order to actually pick a topic. The area I chose is English A1 and I'm planning to do my EE on this speech:

"The Decision to Go to the Moon" by John F. Kennedy; this speech was made after the Soviet Union launched the first man into space and in it, Kennedy publicly settled the goal of putting a man on the moon.

Any thoughts on what I might choose as a topic?

Edited August 21, 2013 by Esteban Fernandez

[IBKID4lyf]

Hey, just starting my extended essay, I know its going to be an English EE on James Joyce's Ulysses, just not sure exactly what aspect of the book yet. Is it OK to do an entire EE on just one theme, or is that generally too narrow?

Thanks

@snowday, to answer your question it is okay to write about a theme as long as you are exploring the theme in relation to something else. For example, "the theme of love in portraying.." or "loneliness as a symbol for.."

[Cathrinelindsay]

I'm doing my EE in English. I was thinking something like "how does 18th century literature show the movement from romanticism to gothicism." Would this be appropriate?

[bluedino]

Hi, today I was asked to start seeking for the topic of my EE and I believe I have found the piece I want to analyze, yet I am not sure of how to narrow down my thoughts in order to actually pick a topic. The area I chose is English A1 and I'm planning to do my EE on this speech:

"The Decision to Go to the Moon" by John F. Kennedy; this speech was made after the Soviet Union launched the first man into space and in it, Kennedy publicly settled the goal of putting a man on the moon.

Any thoughts on what I might choose as a topic?

I haven't read the speech, but I thought I could at least offer a suggestion on how to go about finding a topic.

Firstly you should read the speech if you haven't already, then while you're reading it, jot down anything that you find interesting or could be possible to analyse. Is there a particular point that he emphasises a lot? Try to spot if there's a particular technique that is used a lot maybe?

You could even see if you could read journal articles/reviews on what other people have said about the speech - maybe there's contradictory opinions about something he said?

In the EE guide there's this RQ example: "How far does the use of rhetoric in Barack Obama’s speeches increase their effectiveness?" - though be aware that this is a category 3 EE. If you try and find other RQs to do with speeches that might give you an idea?

Also, if you haven't yet, discussing this with your EE supervisor might be helpful - they should be there to guide and support you and he/she might have suggestions for you!

I'm doing my EE in English. I was thinking something like "how does 18th century literature show the movement from romanticism to gothicism." Would this be appropriate?

Unfortunately, this would definitely not be appropriate - it is way, way too broad! You only have 4000 words and you cannot really cover the transition from one genre to another through an entire century of literature! All 4 of your main terms in there are much, much too broad: 18th century - you cannot deal with 100 years worth of something in a 4000 word essay, literature - again, this is too broad as it includes poetry, novels, plays, essays, etc, romanticism/gothicism - this is a huge movement spanning so many years. Also, romanticism/gothicism would be different in different countries - and you didn't specify a country either.

Have you read the EE guide (and the area specific to English)? If you aren't already aware, there are three categories of English EEs. Category 1 and 2 deal with studying a specific literary work/s, but you seem to want to do a Category 3 - Studies in language EE? You must read the EE guide. The question you have in mind does not really seem appropriate at all (as yours is of a general cultural nature!): "Category 3 extended essays emphasize the production and reception of texts in cultural contexts, and essays of a general cultural nature are not appropriate. They must involve close textual analysis. It is emphasized that texts are constructed and understood in specific cultural and historical contexts; meaning may be contested." If you read the EE guide you will also see some RQ examples that might give you a better idea of what's appropriate. So even though you want to look at 'culture' you need to narrow all of your terms, pick a specific country, definitely focus on a specific type of text and rephrase your question.

So yeah, make sure you read the EE syllabus because I feel like you haven't done that! Hope this helps!

[moonypatronus]

I've been planning to do my EE about how Sherlock Holmes's investigation methods are used in modern day police work but I'm not sure if that's an appropriate topic because I don't know to which one of my subjects I can relate it to. I've been thinking of relating it to either History or English, but I'm still terribly confused. And I'm also afraid that my topic would be more like a master's thesis than EE. Do you have any comments or tips on this? Would you suggest me to change my topic?

[Duck Sized Horse]

Hey everyone! My EE is due in 20 hours! I am at 4326 words and need to do my abstract... Welcome to IB2 - i start school tomorrow...

Anyways... my topic: English A1 HL - Representation of dehumanization in Levi's If This Is a Man and Beckett's Catastrophe.

If This is a Man = an italian chemist Auschwitz survivor's autobiography

Catastrophe = one-act play dedicated to Czech political disident and president Vaclav Havel.

[Heather Kurle]

So I don't have a gripping title yet, but my topic is:

History: To what extent was the fall of Rome due to the empire being too widespread?

I know it's cumbersome, could someone please help me reword this?

[ShannonK1844]

My topic is/was:

DT: Glucose as a primary source of power in fuel cells for prosthetic limbs

Someone I knew did one in history regarding the historical accuracy of Assassin's Creed games.

[utopii6]

My Chemistry EE RQ/Title:

How does changing storage temperature and length of air exposure affect the total acidity of wine?

[Hellobox]

I am just starting the research portion of my extended essay and have been scrounging for information on how to do research for an extended essay, and one of the sites say that my topic shouldn't lead to a descriptive essay. Here's what I'm wondering: is my topic leading to something more descriptive rather than what we should be aiming for? Also any advice on it would help as well.

The subject I chose was psychology and it deals with sensory deprivation tanks and sleep.

Comparing the sleep state theta from a sensory deprivation tank sleep to normal sleep and how similar or different their dreams are.

This topic was approved by my supervisor but I have my doubts if it's actually narrowed enough

[maryosborne10]

I want to do my extended essay in Language Arts on how Shakespeare created his women characters opposite of the stereotypical women in the time in his tragedies Macbeth and King Lear to bring down the main character or protagonist to thir downfall. I think its not too broad and kind of unique my adviser said it seemed okay but I'm not sure how to properly word it to make it sound nice. Please help i want to start my research but i want to make sure i have a title and good question first!

Edited September 7, 2013 by maryosborne10

[Hellobox]

My topic is/was:

DT: Glucose as a primary source of power in fuel cells for prosthetic limbs

Someone I knew did one in history regarding the historical accuracy of Assassin's Creed games.

That Assassin's Creed thing is amazing! I salute your friend

[Rita Njoku]

i need help on how to create a research question out of this my extended essay topic which is population density on flowering plants and pollinators.

someone help me out asap Please!!!!

[MyHeadHurts]

I have mine in Biology: "The effect of microwave radiation on the growth and germination of lentil seeds". I've heard it's quite hard to get a good grade in Biology EE, can anyone give me some advice? Do you think the title's good enough?

Edited September 8, 2013 by MyHeadHurts

[Isabel]

I have multiple potential EE topics and i was just wondering which one seems the most workable pls help im freaking out

• The first is in the subject of enviro and it would involve looking at the revitilizaion techniques used the improve a stream in my city the pros/cons of these technique/s and then maybe some water testing
• another potential topics is a history topic about the importance of women in the french revolution, and maybe i can compare it to another revolution were women played an important role
• I was also thinking about doing an character analysis of madame defarge from a tale of two cities and relating this to real women involved in the french revolution
• Business ethics??
• a film EE about stanely kubricks the shining or a clockwork orange

[Arrowhead]

I have multiple potential EE topics and i was just wondering which one seems the most workable pls help im freaking out

• The first is in the subject of enviro and it would involve looking at the revitilizaion techniques used the improve a stream in my city the pros/cons of these technique/s and then maybe some water testing
• another potential topics is a history topic about the importance of women in the french revolution, and maybe i can compare it to another revolution were women played an important role
• I was also thinking about doing an character analysis of madame defarge from a tale of two cities and relating this to real women involved in the french revolution
• Business ethics??
• a film EE about stanely kubricks the shining or a clockwork orange?

The best way to go about doing your EE is to start by picking which subject you want to do it in. Then, instead of putting in anything you've vaguely learnt about in class/seen or read somewhere you can't fully remember/thought of off the top of your head, sit back and spend a few days reading into your subject. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to write an EE on a topic that you think you should write, as opposed to the one you want to write.

The highest graded EEs are ones where students choose topics they're genuinely interested in, and this makes the whole research and writing part of it a pleasure instead of a burden.

[Isabel]

I have multiple potential EE topics and i was just wondering which one seems the most workable pls help im freaking out

• The first is in the subject of enviro and it would involve looking at the revitilizaion techniques used the improve a stream in my city the pros/cons of these technique/s and then maybe some water testing
• another potential topics is a history topic about the importance of women in the french revolution, and maybe i can compare it to another revolution were women played an important role
• I was also thinking about doing an character analysis of madame defarge from a tale of two cities and relating this to real women involved in the french revolution
• Business ethics??
• a film EE about stanely kubricks the shining or a clockwork orange?

The best way to go about doing your EE is to start by picking which subject you want to do it in. Then, instead of putting in anything you've vaguely learnt about in class/seen or read somewhere you can't fully remember/thought of off the top of your head, sit back and spend a few days reading into your subject. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to write an EE on a topic that you think you should write, as opposed to the one you want to write.

The highest graded EEs are ones where students choose topics they're genuinely interested in, and this makes the whole research and writing part of it a pleasure instead of a burden.

I am interested by all of these topics and i do want to write about them (ehh except the enviro one) i was just wondering which of these you think could potentially make a good extended essay??

[Arrowhead]

I am interested by all of these topics and i do want to write about them (ehh except the enviro one) i was just wondering which of these you think could potentially make a good extended essay??

1. Women in the French revolution - overdone. Anything pertaining to women and their involvement in movements/revolutions/wars tends to have been written about to death.

2. Tale of Two Cities/women in the French revolution - This sounds like a weird amalgamation of an English/History EE. It's not workable in its current form. You cannot use a fictitious book to draw parallels with a real war in your EE, I'm afraid (though it is an intriguing idea).

3. Business ethics???? Nothing more to be said unless you expand on it.

4. Film EEs are hard to write, but if you're this is what you want to do, then full steam ahead!