Seniors Complete Extended Essay Component of IB Diploma Programme

December 07, 2018

This month, seniors completed all the components of their Extended Essay, one of the core components of the IB Diploma.

One of the unique features of an IB education is its "core". This refers to three components that IB Diploma candidates must successfully complete, in addition to their 6 academic subjects, in order to obtain the Diploma. The core is both compulsory and central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme (DP). It is made up of an extended essay, a course in Theory of Knowledge (epistemology) and a program of extra-curricular activities and service known as "CAS."

The Extended Essay (EE), defined by the IBO as a "self-directed piece of research concluding with a 4,000-word paper," is a particularly significant core component. Over the course of ten months students are guided by an EE supervisor from the school as they conduct independent research and advanced academic writing on a topic of their choice. At the end of the EE process students conduct a viva voce interview with their supervisors and complete a 500-word reflection evaluating the research and writing process. This Extended Essay is both a challenging and rewarding assessment that provides students with the opportunity to develop their thinking, self-management and researching skills.

A sample of the Research Questions students created, and wrote about, this year include:

• How do certain cellulases of R.flavefaciens evolve overtime? (EE in Biology)
• To what extent does Angie Thomas' novel The Hate U Give represent the systematic oppression Black Americans undergo in modern American society? (EE in English Literature)
• How do the cinematographic techniques used in comparative scenes of Fight Club and Oldboy portray themes of masculinity differently? (EE in Film)
•To what extent does Nigerian Ori Olokun sculpture, and other sculptures that represent Nigerian history and culture compare to Greek sculpture like Zeus Poseidon? (EE in Visual Arts)
• How did the 1909 Aborigines Protection Act, and the following 1915 Amending Act contribute to the long-term marginalization of indigenous Australians? (EE in History)