Extended Essay

Early in second semester of the junior year, IB diploma candidates receive a copy of the following guidelines with specific deadline dates, and three copies of the forms to be submitted:

Extended Essay Guidelines

A worldwide requirement of the IB diploma program is the completion of the Extended Essay. This is a 4000 word research paper completed by a diploma candidate in one of the approved IB subject areas. Students may select the IB subject area and their expert faculty supervisor. This research project is a scholarly pursuit done by the student under the supervision of a faculty expert. The Extended Essay must meet the guidelines established by IB and the guidelines established by your faculty expert. Extended Essays cannot include the same topics completed for Internal Assessments in IB classes. Furthermore, two or more diploma candidates can not submit projects on the same topic. Should a diploma candidate NOT SUBMIT an Extended Essay he/she WILL NOT receive an IB diploma even if all exams are passed.

PROCEDURES

1. Selection of candidate's IB subject area and expert faculty supervisor must be completed in the spring of the junior year. Three copies of the Extended Essay form are to be completed by the student and faculty supervisor. One copy of the form is for the candidate, one copy for the faculty supervisor, and one copy for the IB Coordinator. Each faculty supervisor will have a maximum number of students to supervise during this process. Therefore, do not delay in meeting with the faculty supervisor you most want to work with during this process. Have clear ideas before approaching a faculty supervisor.

      2.  Your faculty supervisor will set the process deadlines. However, two copies of a complete rough draft must be submitted early in August of  the      senior year. If you elect an Extended Essay in a science field, please note that this means completing an experiment. Some topics in science may  be          unsuitable for investigation because of ethical issues. Experiments likely to inflict pain on living organisms, have a harmful effect on health, or those which may involve access to or publication of confidential medical information should be avoided. In chemistry, topics unsuitable for investigation are those related to safety issues. For example, experiments involving toxic or dangerous chemicals, carcinogenic substances, or radioactive materials should be avoided. Other topics in science may be unsuitable because the outcome is already well known and documented in standard text books, and the candidate may not be able to show personal input. See your faculty supervisor concerning specifics for your selected subject area, and sign his or her separate contract.

       3.  IB guidelines request a minimum of four hours of working with the faculty supervisor. The supervisor is to guide the candidate in meeting the IB requirements for the Extended Essay. Therefore, the student must be responsible for keeping appointments and meeting the deadlines established by the supervisor. If deadlines are not met, the supervisor may elect to drop the Extended Essay diploma candidate. Failure to follow these requirements will result in a failing grade.

        4. FINAL VERSION of your Extended Essay must include a title page, abstract, table of contents, proper source citations, and bibliography. Each page after the abstract and table of contents should have your last name, candidate number (you will receive this after exam registration in September of your junior year), and page number. Three copies of the final version of your Extended Essay are due October 1st each year.