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International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

A title page
Contents page
Introduction
Body of the essay
References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
Group 4: Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

A check on plagiarism and malpractice
Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

Business Management 1
Chemistry 1
Chemistry 2
Chemistry 3
Chemistry 4
Chemistry 5
Chemistry 6
Chemistry 7
Computer Science 1
Economics 1
Design Technology 1
Design Technology 2
Environmental Systems and Societies 1
Geography 1
Geography 2
Geography 3
Geography 4
Geography 5
Geography 6
Literature and Performance 1
Mathematics 1
Mathematics 2
Mathematics 3
Mathematics 4
Mathematics 5
Philosophy 1
Philosophy 2
Philosophy 3
Philosophy 4
Philosophy 5
Psychology 1
Psychology 2
Psychology 3
Psychology 4
Psychology 5
Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
Visual Arts 1
Visual Arts 2
Visual Arts 3
Visual Arts 4
Visual Arts 5
World Religion 1
World Religion 2
World Religion 3

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English Extended Essay: The Complete Guide for IB Students

by Antony W

March 13, 2023

Group 1 Extended Essay subjects give IB students the opportunity to conduct independent research into a topic of interest in English, Language, and Literature.

Apart from promoting creativity and intellectual discovery, the subject group helps you to appreciate the value of advanced research and improve your writing skills.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about English Extended Essay.

In particular, we will look at the definition of English EE, English EE categories, and some English Extended Essay topics to get you started.

English Extended Essay Categories

Category 1: language.

This category focuses on the analysis of some aspects of English.

Topics such as national language policies of English speaking countries, the influence of technology on English vocabulary, and use of dialects and ascents would fit into this category.

The primary sources of information for this category would be newspapers, interviews, and websites. You secondary sources would be articles and journals.

Category 2: Culture and Society

We divide Culture and Society further into two sub-categories.

In the first sub-category, the focus is on the effect of cultural change on a language in a particular issue on the use or form of the language itself.

In this case, your essay can focus on topic to do with gender, communities, or social groups.

For example:

Does language reflect a shift in gender roles in the workplace?
To what extend has the rise and use of slang among teenagers affected the English language?

Such are important and interesting questions that your Extended Essay can focus on if you choose to work on this sub-category.

The second sub-category focuses on artefacts. While this sub-category is general in its cultural nature, it must be specific to a country or community that speaks the language.

To research topics in this sub-category, you will have to use cultural artefacts, which can be visual documents (such as architectures and films), written documents (such as newspapers, articles, adverts, and magazines), spoken documents (such as interviews and screenplays), and fashion icons (such as food dishes or brands).

Category 3: Literature

This category of English Extended Essay is based on a specific work of literature wit text written in the English language.

How to Write English Extended Essay

Writing a 4,000-word essay takes time. You have to identify a topic of interest, develop a research question, determine what to base your research on, and find the right information to include in the essay.

In the following section, you’ll learn how to write a comprehensive English Extended Essay using an easy to follow, systematic approach – even if you think your topic of interest in the subject looks complicated.

Step 1: Pick a Topic of Meaningful Interest to You

Explore the topics and themes taught in you English class and pick one that’s not only of interest to you but also one you’d like to know more about.

Generally, the English EE topic you choose should:

Be something you’re keen to investigate
Allow you to formulate a relevant research question
A subject that you can answer in 4,000 words

After identifying your area of interest and the topic that you would like to explore, it should be easy for you to develop a relevant research question to explore.

Step 2: Develop a Research Question

Many IB students fail Extended Essay because they get the research question part completely wrong. Quite too often, they choose narrow or broad topics that they can’t answer in 4,000 words.

You shouldn’t make the same mistake with your English Extended Essay. What you need is a workable research question with a clear focus that you can answer within the word limits of an Extended Essay.

To arrive at more concise topic to explore in your English Extended Essay, it’s best to employ relevant limiting factors to the broad topic.

For example, the theme “how technology and social media impact our lives” is obviously too broad because it doesn’t tell us what part or component of our lives social media affects exactly.

By applying limiting factor to this theme, we can come up with a more focused research question that will be easily to evaluate within the limits of the expected word count.

A question such as “ to what extent social media corrupted or contributed or corrupted the English language” would be an interesting and more specific topic to explore in your EE.

Step 3: Choose What to Base Your Research On

The third step to writing an English Extended Essay is to find relevant sources to support your research into the topic you selected in step 1.

Start by determine which English category you wish to base your Extended Essay on. That’s because there are minimum expectations when it comes to primary as well as secondary sourcing.

Step 4: Find More Information for Your Extended Essay

If you’ve ticked all the boxes in step one to three, schedule an appointment with your supervisor for more guidance on how to proceed further with your research project.

English Extended Essay Topics

You shouldn’t worry too much if you feel stuck on choosing the best topic for your English Extended Essay . We’ve put together a list of some topic ideas that cover different areas in literary themes, literature, and the English language.

English Extended Essay Topics for College and University

Is the English a language of customs and traditions with no hard and fast rules unlike other languages in the world?
How is the American English different from British English, and which one is superior to the other?
Has globalization played a role in the development of the English language?

English Extended Essay Topics on English Poetry

Was poetry a text of upper classes in English literature in the classical age and in the era of renaissance?
Why are there fragmentation and lack of interconnectivity between the stanzas of poems in modern poetry?

English EE Topics on American Literature

Do various American novels and other literary texts show how the American dream proves to be a complete failure?
Why were slaves against the anti-slavery movement in the United States of America?

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

IB English B EE examples

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or, the modern prometheus, in what ways is the abuse of power through manipulation of language in george orwell’s animal farm reflected in donald trump’s leadership style, how does christopher boone, the main character of the curious incident of the dog in the night-time use memoir writing as a tool to demonstrate perseverance to achieve his personal and academic goals, in her memoir “brown girl dreaming,” how has jacqueline woodson used the “north” and “south” symbols to depict the racism that the narrator experienced in the 1960s united states, how does the song pumped up kicks by foster the people represent and incite gun violence in young americans in the 21st century, how does the movie the help represent the racial segregation and labor abuse of afro-american maids in 1960s in mississippi, to what extent does starr the protagonist of the novel the hate u give by angie thomas represent the struggle of a young african- american teenager growing up in the us in the 21st century, to what extent did donald j. trump apply aristotle’s modes of persuasion in his appearance during the first presidential debate in 2016, how are native american medical practises linked to native american belief systems, how does lousia may alcott’s literary works advocate for feminist, to what extent does the movie ''the godfather'' by francis ford copolla accurately represent the life of the mafia in the 1940s, mini ee: oppression in “weekend” and “woman work”, how appropriate was the reaction of the british press and politicians to judgements given in cases ‘miller i’ and ‘miller ii’.

Example essays

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) programme resource centre, a key resource for educators at IB World Schools, includes several examples of extended essay titles .

These highlight the diverse range of topics covered by International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students during their extended essays.

Some examples are:

“An analysis of costume as a source for understanding the inner life of the character”
“A study of malnourished children in Indonesia and the extent of their recovery after a period of supervised improved nutrition.”
“Doing versus being: language and reality in the Mimamsa school of Indian philosophy.”
“The effects of sugar-free chewing gum on the pH of saliva in the mouth after a meal.”
“To what extent has the fall in the exchange rate of the US dollar affected the tourist industry in Carmel, California?”
“What level of data compression in music files is acceptable to the human ear?”

Also available in the programma resource centre , the Diploma Programme Assessment Procedures has guidance on choosing a subject for the extended essay.

The PRC is only available to existing IB World Schools.

You can also purchase examples of essays in the IB Store . These essays fulfil the requirements for an ‘A’ grade in the extended essay.

If your school is not one already, learn how to become an IB World School in order to implement the DP.

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Tips for writing an EE in Language & Literature

So, you’ve chosen to write an EE in Language and Literature. There are some things you should know about this…

1) This EE must be written in your Language A

2) There are 3 categories, or 3 types of EEs in Language and Literature that you could potentially choose to write.

Overview of the Categories

Let’s quickly break down the 3 types. Category 1 is an EE focusing on one or more literary works in your Language A. If your Language A is English, then the works must be in English. Category 2 is an EE comparing a literary work in your Language A with one or more literary works originally written in another language. You can examine the work in another language in translation, don’t worry! Category 3 is an EE focusing on one or more texts in your Language A. Category 3 EEs tend to analyze non-fiction things like magazines, newspapers, speeches, etc., rather than books or short stories.

My EE Experience

However, I’m here to talk about Category 2 EEs! For reference, my Language A in the IB was English. So, when I wrote my EE, one work had to be in English and one work had to be in something else. For my EE, my topic was the “China Doll” Stereotype (the delicate, submissive East Asian woman) and the role it had in exotifying East Asian Women in Western Literature. I chose to examine John Luther Long’s “Madame Butterfly” and Pierre Loti’s Madame Chrysanthème . Long’s work was originally written in English, and Loti’s work was originally written in French. I studied Loti’s work in translation, so don’t worry if you’re not fluent in another language besides your Language A.

I think that doing a Category 2 EE can be beneficial if you’re looking at a concept that traverses multiple countries or cultures. My topic looked at how the Western world exotified East Asia, but if I were to only look at a work in English, I would be limiting my investigation to the English-speaking world. Doing a Category 2 EE allowed me to look at another culture and observe the exotification of East Asian women as a more global phenomenon.

My Methodology

I think the hardest part can be creating an argument and the flow that you want your EE to follow. My research question was: In what ways did Loti and Long develop the framework for the exotification of East Asian women in Western literature through the characterization of East Asian women and the portrayal of East Asian culture? A bit of background, the exotification of East Asian women through the “China Doll” stereotype originates from Orientalism and the attempts of the Western world to control and manipulate the “Orient” or East. The East was seen as dangerous, so the stereotype of the delicate, submissive Asian woman as a method of control.

For my main argument, I divided it into 3 parts. Part 1 focused on a method that only Loti used to exotify East Asian women in his book. Part 2 focused on a method that both Loti and Long used to exotify East Asian women in the works. Part 3 focused on a method that only Long used to exotify East Asian women. This allowed me to form my EE as if I was having Loti pass the baton to Long in a relay race or as if my EE was a very elaborate Venn Diagram. Additionally, through this format, I was able to form my thesis statement that though both authors set the precedent for exotifying East Asian women through certain methods, they each had different methods to complete the same goal.

To conclude, I discussed what both Long and Loti contributed to the “China Doll” stereotype and how that harmful stereotype lives on today in works like Puccini’s Madama Butterfly or Miss Saigon or in the othering of East Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic [aka the real-world impact or why the topic even matters]. I was able to highlight the “contributions” of each author to the stereotype to keep my essay dynamic, while still supporting my point that both authors developed the framework for the stereotype.

In general, when writing an EE in Language and Literature, there are a few things to remember.

1) An EE in Language and Literature should be about your own interpretation of the works.

this way, an EE in Language and Literature is simpler because the research/reading process is shorter. You really only need to read the works you’re analyzing. In my case, I had one additional book for historical background, and I had some articles to reference small statistics or facts in my introduction or conclusion.

2) Literary analysis is like any skill, something you have to develop.

It involves pulling literary aspects out of the text, like imagery, metaphor, word choice, symbolism, and repeated words or sounds. In this aspect, you have a lot of freedom, because writers make a lot of choices in the words they choose and the pictures they choose to paint. Some questions I asked myself when I was analyzing a quotation were: “What literary choices did the author make here?” and “How did this literary choice impact my interpretation of the text, impact the meaning of the text, or support my argument in any way?” You don’t necessarily have to drop terms like “imagery” or “symbolism” but you need to be pulling out specific phrases or words and explaining why they are significant.

Example (from my EE): Loti writes that “it seemed as if Japan were opened to our view through an enchanted fissure, allowing us to penetrate into her very heart” (Loti 6). With sexually coded symbolism, Loti portrays Japan as a feminine entity ready to be dominated upon his arrival. This aligns with the “China Doll” stereotype, illustrating Japan as well as her people as submissive and controllable.

3) Make sure that the focus of your EE is on the LITERATURE and LANGUAGE.

When I started my writing process, I was tempted to talk a lot about the history that went into the exotification of East Asian women (namely, Orientalism and Orientalism’s origins). However, my EE advisor urged me to put less focus on the HISTORY and more on the LITERATURE. It is okay to have a paragraph or two to set historical context down, but the majority of the paper should be literary analysis.

4) Some resources that helped me were the IB Extended Essay Handbook and example EEs posted online.

If your school doesn’t provide the handbook for you, you can find it here . It has chapters about each topic you can write your EE on, as well as information like word count, citations, mark bands, and filling out the RPPF (reflection form). I found the example EEs in Language and Literature very helpful when trying to figure out how to structure my argument or to determine what sort of analysis high-scoring students were doing.

That’s it! Make sure to enjoy the process as much as you can! I know that writing the EE can be super stressful when you also have IAs and regular tests and homework, but it can be a really fun and rewarding process to research something and put a lot into a topic that you’re really passionate about. When I finished the EE, I was finally able to reflect upon it, and I realized that I enjoyed it a lot and that it was something I wanted to continue learning about in college.

Good luck!! Feel free to message me on Instagram ( @awestrxck ) if you have any questions about writing EEs in Language and Literature.

Extended Essay: Language and Literature

Step 1 - Choosing a Subject
Step 2 - Choosing a Topic
Step 3 - Draft a Research Question
Step 4 - Finding Sources
Step 5 - Evaluating Information
Step 6 - Bibliography & Citation
Step 7 - Organizing Information
The Arts: Visual Arts
Individuals & Societies: Business Management
Individuals & Societies: History
Individuals & Societies: Psychology
Language Acquisition

Language and Literature

Sciences: Biology
Sciences: Sports, Exercise, and Health Sciences
Interdisciplinary Papers: World Studies
Assessment Criteria

Extended Essays in Language and Literature

Choosing a topic.

Categories 1 & 2

Categories 1 & 2

***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English***

Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.

NB: When investigating a film in category 2, the film must be analyzed for its literary value, not filmic. Filmic analysis is allowed in category 3.

Category 3 papers also analyze works, however they are not restricted to literary works! Topics in Category 3 emphasize the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.

Approaches to Research

Categories 1 and 2

**Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but analyze works not written in English**

Primary research in Language and Literature may require close reading of one or more texts. Secondary research may also be necessary for information like historical context, biographical information, and established literary criticism. Students should consider things like the effect of the work, the devices it uses, or the way it is written.

Students should give a focused analysis of the texts being considered. The approach should be balanced, coherently argued, use relevant examples to illustrated the point.

Examples of language in a cultural context

Examples of language and mass communication

Language and Literature Sources

Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established literary interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.

Essay Types

An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A

Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

Assessed Student Work

An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita
How did the World State government in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World impact the individuality of the citizens residing in it?
<< Previous: Language Acquisition
Next: Sciences: Biology >>
Last Updated: Dec 10, 2022 12:51 PM
URL: https://k497.libguides.com/extendedessay

Gr. 11-12 Extended Essay

Reflections
Choose a Subject
Choose a Topic
Draft a Research Question
Develop Your Search Strategy
Computer Science

English EE Overview

Categories for english ees, recommended databases, ee examples.

Visual Arts
World Studies
Introduction
Academic Integrity
Common Questions
For Supervisors
English EE guide for students

Students writing an EE in English choose one of three categories in which to write.

Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented.

What types of texts can be used for Category 1?

Literary texts
Song lyrics
Graphic novels

Studies of a literary work or works originally written in the language of the essay compared with one or more literary works originally written in another language. (The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation.)

What types of texts can be used for Category 2?

Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language.

What does this mean?

Studies of the (English) language, and culture of the language. Two broad categories to consider:

Language in a cultural context (influence of language on people/culture)
Language and mass communication (how language is used in the media, the effectiveness of its delivery)

What is considered a Category 3 "text"?

Single or multiple images with/without written text
"Media texts": Films, radio, T.V. shows, screenplays
Film adaptations of literary works
Music videos
"Electronic texts": video-sharing websites, SMS messages, blogs, wikis, tweets
"Oral texts": readings, speeches, broadcasts, transcriptions of recorded conversations

English (Language A)

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Next: Film >>
Last Updated: Feb 21, 2024 10:03 AM
URL: https://yorkschool.libguides.com/extendedessay

Group 1: Language and Literature

Studies in language and literature: an introduction , • provide logical and coherent rationales for writing on their selected topic , • formulate a clear research question related to the target literature/language , • offer a concrete description of the methods they use, • generate reasoned interpretations and conclusions based on the literature review findings and research question..

Choice of topic

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the topic of their EE does not overlap with any other work they are preparing for assessment. The EE cannot be based on a text studied as part of a student’s course. Students can base their essays on different texts by the same author, demonstrating relevant wider reading and individual study.

Important note on the use of film in studies in language and literature essays:

If students wish to base their essays on a film or screenplay, they must be aware of the fact that films and screenplays are defined in the studies in the language and literature guides (first assessment 2021) as non-literary. An EE about a film or screenplay will therefore be a category 3 essay. This also applies to film adaptations of literary works.

Clarification on the use of song lyrics

For essays submitted from May 2021, song lyrics will continue to be considered literary texts belonging in the poetic literary form. An EE focusing on song lyrics will therefore be either a category 1 essay if the texts are not in translation, or a category 2 essay if there is a comparison involved between a text written originally in the language of the essay and others written in another language. In the case of an essay studying music videos, however, the correct category would be category 3, since music videos are multimodal and as such are non-literary.

Categories 1 and 2—literature

Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented.

Through the work they have already undertaken, students may have developed an interest they wish to pursue further, for example:

a particular genre of writing

a particular author

a philosophical, political or social question addressed by a literary work.

Categories 1 and 2—appropriate texts

Students can choose literary works from any source, including the IB Diploma Programme prescribed list of authors. Crucially, students’ chosen text(s) should be of sufficient literary merit to sustain in-depth analysis.

A category 3 EE emphasizes the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.

Category 3—appropriate texts

For the purpose of a category 3 language EE, “texts” include a wide range of oral, written and visual materials present in society:

single and multiple images with or without written text

literary written texts and text extracts

media texts, for example, advertising campaigns; films, radio and television programs and/or their scripts

electronic texts that share aspects of a number of media texts, eg video-sharing websites, web pages, SMS messages, blogs, wikis and tweets

oral texts, eg readings, speeches, broadcasts and transcripts of recorded conversation.

When writing the essay, students must bear in mind that any narrative and/or descriptive material included should be directly relevant to the critical analysis. A summary of the student’s reading is not sufficient.

Where relevant to the topic, students may compare and contrast different languages and cultures. However, the essay’s main focus should be the language and culture(s) of the language in which the student is writing.

“Home.” Ibo.org , 2021, ibpublishing.ibo.org

The process of topic selection

Students should initially identify the broad area of inquiry that they are interested in. They then need to narrow down their topic by dividing the area into more specific and detailed subtopics.

For instance, a student might be interested in conducting research into “William Shakespeare’s plays”. They could narrow this down to focus on “Representing gender through madness in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1600) and Macbeth (1606)”. With such a specific topic in mind, they may start work on putting together a coherently argued paper.

Often, their previous experiences help students to decide on their topics.

For some, the inspiration might be work already undertaken as part of the course. Students are advised to check the list of authors and their works recommended by International Baccalaureate (IB). These will include works that students have not studied in class but may relate to a particular genre of writing that they are interested in.

Literary works often address philosophical, political or social questions that are discussed in academic journals. Students can refer to such publications, in addition to searching e-resources and databases. Students should use specialized academic search engines as results using standard search engines are not always appropriate for citation in a research paper.

Other excellent sources of inspiration include: unpublished conference papers, previously published essays, book chapters or journal articles published on reputable scholarly websites. A school librarian is well placed to give advice on this.

Lastly, research ideas are often generated through students’ dialogue with their teachers, fellow students and librarians.

Example Topics Category 1

Example Topics Category 2

Example Topics Category 3

Framework for the EE in studies in language and literature

Language & Literature EE Subject Guide

Treatment of the topic

Students should use both primary and secondary sources for their research.

Secondary sources are scholarly works about:

the primary author’s work and biography

the genre the student is focusing on

literary techniques.

Secondary sources include:

academic journal articles

edited essays in book collections

reviews incorporated in the publication that is the focus of the student’s research.

Students should always consider how the text(s) work as literature, dealing with aspects such as the effects they achieve, the devices they use and the way they are written.

Use of literary criticism

Students should aim for a compromise between building on the wisdom of experienced critics and introducing new personal elements. An essay that simply repeats the views of established literary critics will not receive a high mark.

Use of literary biography

Essays that interpret literary works in terms of the writer’s life tend to produce reductive readings based on second-hand information. Such essays receive low marks and the IB there fore advises students to avoid biographical topics.

Students should give focused and critical attention to the text or texts being considered. The approach should aim to be balanced, coherently argued, and illustrated by relevant supporting examples.

Students are encouraged to:

adopt an analytical, critical position

show awareness of potentially conflicting viewpoints on the text(s) and their meaning in a wider social context.

Their analysis must include a wider discussion of the contexts in which the text(s) are produced and understood.

Essays that attempt to interpret the text(s) without considering the original audience and context are unlikely to offer a fully successful discussion.

An extended essay (EE) in language acquisition or classical languages gives students the opportunity to pursue their interest in language.

Students working on a language acquisition EE must demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the language, culture and society or literature studied. This understanding must be shown in the form of:

an analysis of a cultural context or a specific text OR

an analysis of trends in the culture studied and the impact of a cultural change on the form or use of the language OR

an analysis and comparison of literary texts.

For those undertaking a classical Greek or Latin EE, the focus is on demonstrating an understanding of a relevant or significant aspect of the language, literature and civilization of ancient Greece or Rome.

For a longer general introduction to undertaking an EE in language acquisition, see Language acquisition: An introduction .

Clarification on the use of non-fiction in a language A EE:

Works of non-fiction can be considered as part of literary investigations provided that the works in question are of literary nature. Additionally, as with any other literary form, candidates should ensure that the work that they wish to investigate has a body of established literary criticism before deciding that the work is worthy of investigation. The availability of secondary sources to support arguments is vital to fulfilling criterion C (Critical thinking).

Language A Subject Reports

Subject Report May 2018

Subject Report May 2021

Subject Report M ay 2021

All Other Subjects

Extended Essay
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english literature essay categories

extended essay
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english lit
language a1

By maekida December 15, 2013 in Extended Essay

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I'm struggling to understand the "categories" section of the extended essay guide. As far as I understand, if you're writing your essay in language A1 you have to study either ONLY works originally written in your own language OR compare at least one work written in your own language with another work translated from another language. Is this correct?? I'm worried for two reasons here. My topic is the significance of a particular trait in fairy tale characters, and I'm comparing a broad range of fairy tales from different countries, focusing only on their treatment of that particular trait. But it's not really context-focused at all. Firstly, is it okay that I'm not studying the works of only one or two authors? Secondly, does this actually fit into either of the two characters? My supervisor okayed this topic but I'm having some serious doubts. Please help!!!

Source : http://www.1lo.lublin.pl/Nfiles/EXTENDED_ESSAY.pdf

You can also do study in language itself. My teacher told me, for example, of a student who did his EE on the historical

development on the word "cool."

A: I am not an I.B. teacher or an adviser, so my opinion might be incorrect. But to be honest, I do not think that it is "safe" to study multiple

fairy tales (more than 2) because E.E is supposed to be very narrow and focused. Since there is a need for it be focused and narrow (depth,

not breath, is what my teacher used to say), it will be a little harder to write a good E.E if you focus on more than two fairy tales.

I would suggest that you do it for two fairy-tales and compare/contrast the characteristics of the two characters in the tales.

A: I am not sure what you mean by this. Can you rephrase it for me?

I meant to say, "does this fit into either of the categories?" No idea why I wrote categories... oops. Thanks for your advice re the broad scope of the question - I'm trying to narrow it down but I'm having such a hard time because my supervisor isn't responding to any of my messages. Really stressed!

I have another idea which is to select one archetypal character, for example the evil stepmother, and compare and contrast her throughout several fairy tales. My problem is that if I were to narrow it down to only two I'm not sure what I would be trying to say, if that makes any sense.

flinquinnster

I agree with Ryoika in that you should aim to rapidly narrow your EE's focus - and I think that comparing the trait/traits of the evil stepmother archetype in different fairytales is a good start. If you are going to be looking at such a narrow character focus, I think that doing two texts would be a bit flimsy, as you mentioned - so I wouldn't hesitate to go to at least 4 - unless your fairytales are significantly longer/shorter than what I'm imagining... If it gets messy attempting to analyse and compare too many fairytales, I suggest that you could group your texts and analysis thematically. So, you could look at 4 overarching archetypes of the evil stepmother and compare them - and within each of your 4 'types', you could refer to one or two or even more fairytales as the textual evidence for quotes. Structure is always problematic - I eschewed the thematic approach for mine and just did 2 short stories end-on-end as I thought that the chronology of each individual story was critical to argument flow - but if you can narrow down your question and thesis, you will get a better idea on how best to structure your argument to make sense. And best of luck in getting in contact with your supervisor - it may be hard to, but I think doing a solid draft for EE in the summer holidays is the best way to go.

Blackcurrant

Yep - as long as your EE question is well-focused you should go with more than two fairytales for a good spread of examples and sufficient material for comparison/contrast.

Hmm, since it's short stories (not 1000 page novels), it's possible that you might lack information if you focus on two short-stories.

Maybe doing 3~4 is a better idea for short stories (fairy-tales).

Category 1 is where you only focus on one language, so English of course.

Many fairy-tales are written in non-English languages and come from various cultures (plus, the most notable fairy-tale writers, the Grimm

brothers, are from Germany), so I think your E.E. is fitted for Category 2, not 1.

Make sure you include at least one fairy tale ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE (not translated into English!).

In other words, try to find fairy-tales written in English (British, Canadian, American, etc..) culture.

7 years later...

So umm if I want to write Camus' Le pest what category does that belongs to??

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IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

Research Questions
Past Essays
Notes & Outlines
Works Cited Page
In-Text Citations
Assessment Criteria
Reflections
Supervisor Info
Net Valley Library This link opens in a new window

Check these CAREFULLY to be sure your topic fits with IB expectations!

Language & literature (language A)
Language acquisition (language B)
Mathematics
Visual Arts
World Studies

Business Management

English a & b ee examples.

English A EE Example
English A EE Example 1
English A EE Example 2
English A EE Example 3
English B EE Example
English B EE Example 1
English B EE Example 2
English B EE Example 3
English B EE Example 4
English B EE Example 5
English B EE Example 6

Philosophy EE Examples

Philosophy Example 1
Philosophy Example 2
Philosophy Example 3
Philosophy Example 4

Economics EE Examples

Econ Example 1
Econ Example 2
Econ Example 3
Econ Example 4
Econ Example 5
Econ Example 6
Econ Example 7
Econ Example 8

Review Past Papers

From the IB: papers from other students and how they scored
Renaissance Library Past Essays : Links to all subject area examples

Music EE Examples

Music EE Example 1
Music EE Example 2
Music EE Example 3
Music EE Example 4

Psychology EE Examples

Psych EE Example 1
Psych EE Example 2
Psych EE Example 3

Chinese EE Examples

Chinese EE Example 1
Chinese EE Example 2
Chinese EE Example 3
Chinese A EE Cat 1
Chinese A EE Cat 2
Chinese A EE Cat 3
Chinese B EE Example 1
Chinese B EE Example 2
Chinese B Example 3
Business EE Example 1
Business EE Example 2
Business EE Example 3

Visual Arts EE Examples

Visual Arts EE Example 1
Visual Arts EE Example 2
Visual Arts EE Example 3
Visual Arts EE Example 4

Film EE Examples

Film Example 1
Film Example 2

Chemistry EE Examples

Chemistry EE Example

Biology EE Examples

Biology EE Example
Biology EE Example 1
Biology EE Example 2
Biology EE Example 3

Physics EE Examples

Physics EE Example
Physics EE Example 1
Physics EE Example 2
Physics EE Example 3
Physics EE Example 4
Physics EE Example 5

Math EE Examples

Math EE Example 1
Math EE Example 2
Math EE Example 3
Math EE Example 4
Math EE Example 5
Math EE Example 6

World Studies EE Examples

World Studies Example 1
World Studies Example 2
World Studies Example 3
World Studies Example 4
World Studies Example 5
World Studies Example 6
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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 3:00 PM
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Extended Essay: Group 2: Language Acquisition

General Timeline
Group 1: English Language and Literature

Group 2: Language Acquisition

Group 3: Individuals and Societies
Group 4: Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts
Interdisciplinary essays
Brainstorming
Pre-Writing
Research Techniques
The Research Question
Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quotations
Writing an EE Introduction
Writing the main body of your EE
Writing your EE Conclusion
Six sub-categories for WSEE
IB Interdisciplinary EE Assessment Guide
Sources: Finding, Organising and Evaluating Them
Conducting Interviews and Surveys
Citing and Referencing
Check-in Sessions
First Formal Reflection
Second Formal Reflection
Final Reflection (Viva Voce)
Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS) Examples
Information for Supervisors
How is the EE Graded?
EE Online Resources
Stavanger Public Library
Exemplar Essays
Extended Essay Presentations
ISS High School Academic Honesty Policy

From IB Subject Specific Guide

Overview

A group 2 Extended Essay is intended for students who are studying a second modern language. Students may not write a group 2 Extended Essay in a language that they are offering as a language A for their diploma.

There are 3 categories of group 2 Extended Essays:

• Category 1—Language • Category 2—Culture and society (a or b) • Category 3—Literature.

Students should put the category in which they have presented their essay alongside the subject in which it is registered on the cover sheet of the extended essay, for example,

English B Cat: 2 (b); German B Cat :3; Spanish B Cat : 1.

A group 2 Extended Essay provides students with the opportunity to develop their awareness and knowledge of the language studied, and their understanding of the culture concerned. This is achieved by enabling students to pursue their interest in the language through research based on texts (taken to be any meaningful piece of spoken or written language, for example, an article, a book, a play, a poem) or on specific cultural artifacts (such as works of fine art or architecture, films, radio or television programmes, or popular music).

The Extended Essay must be written in the language for which it is registered (the target language). It must be focused on matters related to the target culture. The Extended Essay is a research essay and the assessment criteria emphasize the importance of research skills rather than linguistic proficiency. Although a certain level of ability in the language is obviously desirable in order to undertake a group 2 extended essay, fluency is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee of success. In fact, students who are fluent in the language but who do not demonstrate the required research skills will definitely achieve a lower mark than students who are less fluent but who fulfill the other assessment criteria.

Choice of Topic

As indicated in the ”Overview” section, a group 2 extended essay aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the target language and culture. Any proposed topic that will not further that aim should be rejected. The essay should consist of the study of an issue in one of three categories: language, culture and society, or literature. Combinations of these are also permissible. Each category has specific requirements that are described in this section. In addition, students should ensure that their topic:

• is worthy of investigation. For example, “Does tourism have a future in Switzerland?” or “Is the wine industry an important source of income for France?” would be too trivial for an essay of 4,000 words.

• is not too broad and allows for an effective treatment within the word limit. Topics such as “Racism in France”, “The theatre of the absurd”, or “A history of the French language” would need to be given a sharper focus.

• provides them with an opportunity to develop an argument and to demonstrate critical analysis and personal judgment rather than just knowledge. Topics that are merely descriptive or narrative, or that only summarize secondary sources (such as “French cheeses”, “The Provence region”, “The events of May 1968 in Paris”), should be avoided.

In each category the examples given are for guidance only .

Category 1 - Language

The essay should be a specific analysis of the language (its use, structure and so on) normally related to its cultural context or a specific text

Category 2 - Culture and Society

A: essays of a sociocultural nature with an impact on the language

The essay should be an analysis of a cultural nature that describes the impact of a particular issue on the form or use of the language.

B: essays of a general cultural nature based on specific cultural artifacts

The essay should be an analysis of a more general cultural nature but specific to a country or community where the language is spoken. Topics that are too broad and could apply to many cultures (like globalization, the death penalty or eating disorders) are inappropriate. Essays of a general cultural nature must be based on specific cultural artifacts. Cultural artifacts in this context are understood to include a wide variety of phenomena, ranging from works of fine art to newspapers, magazines and cartoons, to films, television programmes and popular music.

Category 3 - Literature

The essay should be an analysis of a literary type, based on a specific work or works of literature exclusively from the target language. In the case of a comparison of texts, all texts must originally have been written in the target language.

Helpful Websites

IB Language Acquisition Subject Specific Guide - Use tabs on the left under Language Acquisition: Subject Specific Guide for more information.

Gale Communications and Mass Media

Gale Literature Resource Center

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Next: Group 3: Individuals and Societies >>
Last Updated: Mar 8, 2024 1:59 PM
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An excellent EE
Extended Essay 2018

The Extended Essay that provides the basis for this page was awarded an A. This means that it pretty well fulfilled the expectations that the IB has for how to handle the EE task. It can, therefore be seen as some kind of model. Although ... let us be very careful about the idea of a 'model' : EEs can be done in many different ways, depending on the subject matter and the approach, and it would be quite wrong to simply imitate this example in some mindless way.

It was written by Paulina Robino Meehan, who studied the IB at the Mark Twain School in Cordoba, Argentina. Paulina's mother, Patsy, is a long-distance friend and examiner colleague of mine, and when the two of them visited Barcelona, we went out to have a paella in my favourite restaurant on the beach. Chatting to Paulina, getting to know her, we got on to the subject of her Extended Essay ... and what started as polite enquiry became active curiosity because I found the subject matter and the approach really interesting. So, I asked her to send me a copy when she got back home. She did - and I was impressed. Hence this page...

My analysis

I would stress that this is a personal commentary, intended to highlight the strengths of this essay, so that we can all learn from them. This is not a discussion about marking. I don't have access to the detailed marks awarded, and anyway what would be the point of arguing the toss about marks already finalised?

The list of key points below is organised basically by following the sequence of reading the essay - but it also suggests an order in which you might discuss issues with the student you are supervising. These key points are ideas that a student should grasp and take on board, because they are precisely the elements which attract the examiner's attention and will thus influence the marking.

You might also link these key ideas with the analysis of the criteria in the page 2018 Criteria, analysed .

So, here are striking features of Paulina's essay...

a topic worth discussing, with significant anglophone value ... Ireland is an anglophone society, of course, and the 'Troubles' over the last fifty years or so form a hugely important element of Ireland's dramatic, tragic history. Anyone who knows anything about Ireland will immediately understand that there will be serious issues to discuss here, and that these issues should tell us something about how anglophone culture works.

an intriguing approach to the topic ... the idea of looking at songs about the Troubles is instantly attractive, since popular songs are likely to tell us something about the popular attitudes and values that they express. Such songs, one feels, are likely to tell us more about the human experience of the Troubles than any dry list of socio-economic statistics. So, the essay is likely to be lively and imaginative.

a restricted subject area & time-span ... the research question focuses in on 'protest songs' (i.e. NOT 'the arts' or 'the media', which would be far too wide and vague); and there are clear beginning and end dates, limiting the area of research (i.e. NOT 'in the twentieth century' or, heaven help us, 'in Irish history'). Such a tight focus means that neither the student during the research, nor the reader, should be distracted by lots of material that is only vaguely relevant.

a good source of material ... in this context, 'good' must mean both 'appropriate' and 'accessible'. The material is appropriate because the essay is based on a specific type of 'cultural artifact': song lyrics - and the IB's official list defining what are recognised as 'cultural artifacts' includes song lyrics specifically (see the page Cat.2 clarified ). These lyrics are accessible because, as the Appendices show, the 55 lyrics used were all found on the internet - presumably after some lengthy searching!

the title / research question ... possibly the weakest element, because it is not actually a question. However, the phrase "analysis of the purpose" implies the question form 'what was the purpose?', and so the focus of the research is generally clear. Other ways to phrase a research question might have been 'In what ways did the songs reflect the Troubles...' or 'To what extent did the songs reflect..' It must be good practice to make sure that the 'title' is in fact a question, since the 'research question' is so prominently required.

well structured ... the logic of the argument is evident, in basic terms, in the Table of Contents - although the full sense of the argument only becomes clear once you have read the essay and understand the significance of the four periods mentioned. What is clear is a methodical approach - the term 'protest songs' is defined (B) ... 'criteria for classification and analysis' are explained (C) ... detailed analysis is reported (D 1-4) ... results of analysis are compared (E).

a clear and efficient introduction ... explaining in three paragraphs (i) the basic premise, that "songs ... deliver political messages"; (ii) the historical context, through a concise history of the Troubles; and (iii) what the essay is going to do. This lays out a clear framework for what follows.

the theoretical background ... section B provides definitions, by quoting authoritative academic sources. Particularly important is that the categories to be used ("deliberative and epideictic") are explained, thus providing a logical justification for sorting out the material researched.

good use of quotes ... throughout, statements are consistently supported by well-selected quotations from the songs - thus providing concrete examples to back up the general argument.

methodical, meticulous use of footnotes ... have a look at the first page, for example, which has 6 footnotes. These are methodical in that they explain anything that the reader might possibly not know (e.g. acronyms like 'NICRA'); and meticulous in that all information needed to cross-check references is provided, including in the case of internet links the date in which the source was consulted (sensible as the internet sources may change through re-editing).

a rigorous overall approach ... the essay employs a disciplined academic procedure, apparent in (i) the limited corpus of songs, which (ii) are subjected to a degree of mathematical analysis, which in turn (iii) results in tables presenting the distribution of the evidence. This conveys a sense of lucid presentation of hard facts ... as opposed to woolly impressions!

a concise, efficient conclusion ... summing up the evidence that has been researched, and offering some (tentative) interpretations.

a very full bibliography + appendices ... the bibliography is sensibly organised - primary sources for the song lyrics; book sources for the major research into the context; and other online sources for general background. The appendices are ... well, lavish, since they provide the full lyrics of all the songs considered in the research process. This might almost be excessive (who's going to read through all those?), but it does suggest that the author really has looked at all of her source material.

Any objections?

Is this a perfect Extended Essay? Well ... for the reasons given above, it should be seen as close to perfect in terms of the techniques of academic writing indicated by the criteria of the Extended Essay Subject Guide. But ... 'perfect', overall?

I felt a certain dissatisfaction at the end, largely because I felt that the Conclusion was a little too tentative. I wanted to see some acute explanations of why there were different types of songs produced in different periods, but there wasn't much. Indeed, there were hints of complex explanations which weren't developed fully - for instance, that there were fewer condemnation songs "...because there was less freedom of expression and fear of punishment" . This is a serious allegation, but why "less freedom of expression"? where? and what sort of punishment, by whom, against whom?

In addition, the essay handles the limited sample of 55 songs in some detail and very efficiently - but surely a different type of essay based on the same primary sources might have discussed the images and language of the songs in order to explore the experiences of the Troubles.

But hang on, hang on! What can we really expect from an Extended Essay? This is an exercise in academic writing required of students at the end of secondary education. We really shouldn't expect grand theories in an EE. My minor complaints above are not really fair to Paulina, who has handled a sensibly restricted subject area extremely well, and been rewarded with top marks. After all, historians and sociologists and political scientists have been struggling with the appalling complexities of the Troubles for decades now, and still have not arrived at neat comprehensive explanations ...

If a student can manage an original and perceptive insight into the subject, then, wonderful - but that is really over and beyond what is expected in an EE.

And two footnotes:

** Paulina pays a warm tribute to her supervisor, Claudia Brunetto, who "guided me a lot" in all of the successful aspects of the EE - so, hats off to Claudia!

** The conclusion wasn't great, comments Paulina, because "By that time I was really exhausted so I think that I only wanted to finish..." Yes, we should not forget how much effort students put into doing a good EE.

IMAGES

How to Write an Extended Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide
Extended essay introduction outline. How to Write an Extended Essay
Extended Essay Structure Guide
How to Write an Extended Essay: The Fullest Guide
😍 Extended essay introduction example. Extended Essay Introduction
English Extended Essay Topics 2022

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COMMENTS

The Complete IB Extended Essay Guide: Examples, Topics, and Ideas
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English Extended Essay: The Complete Guide for IB Students
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These highlight the diverse range of topics covered by International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students during their extended essays. Some examples are: "A study of malnourished children in Indonesia and the extent of their recovery after a period of supervised improved nutrition.". "Doing versus being: language and ...
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LibGuides: Extended Essay: Language and Literature
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Extended Essay 2018. An excellent EE. The Extended Essay that provides the basis for this page was awarded an A. This means that it pretty well fulfilled the expectations that the IB has for how to handle the EE task. It can, therefore be seen as some kind of model. Although ... let us be very careful about the idea of a 'model' : EEs can be ...