1.1 Essentials of the EE

Purpose of the Extended Essay

1. The extended essay (EE) is a compulsory component of the DP core.
2. The EE is an opportunity for DP students to explore a topic of interest in their chosen subject.
3. It allows for the development of research skills, communication skills, and encourages critical thinking.
4. Although an EE can be taken in different subjects, this guide will focus on Biology.
5. Undertaking an EE in Biology allows students to research a topic of interest in this academic area.
6. This could involve the collection of primary or secondary data, depending on the chosen topic.
7. The EE has a word count of a maximum of 4000 words, together with a 500-word reflective statement.

The EE is externally assessed by IB examiners, against five criteria, which are listed below.

Together with TOK, the EE can contribute a maximum of three points to a student's overall Diploma score.

Supervision in the EE

1. Each student is assigned a supervisor during the Extended Essay (EE) process, usually the teacher of the chosen subject.
2. The supervisor is an essential part of the EE process. Although the EE is a student-led piece of work, the student must be supervised and should have regular meetings with their tutor to discuss progress.
3. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that students understand the EE writing process, including access to the assessment criteria and support materials such as exemplar essays.
4. The total supervision time must be between three and five hours, including informal check-ins and the three required formal reflection sessions. Supervisors should also be available for additional meetings beyond the mandatory sessions.
5. Supervisors are responsible for providing feedback on one completed draft of the essay and are permitted to give written feedback on that single draft only.

The following is a list of what supervisors cannot do:

1. Correct spelling and punctuation
2. Correct experimental work or mathematics
3. Re-write any part of the essay
4. Indicate where whole sections of the essay would be better placed
5. Proofread the essay for errors
6. Correct bibliographies or citations

Academic Integrity

1. The IB takes academic honesty extremely seriously and the EE is no exception.
2. Any work that is not the work of the student must be correctly cited.

The actual reference style is not prescribed, but whatever style is used, it should include the name of the author, the date of publication, the title of the source, page number, date of access for electronic sources, and the URL (where applicable).

Choosing a Topic

1. The choice of topic for a Biology Extended Essay (EE) should be based on the student’s personal interest and enthusiasm.
2. It is strongly recommended that students choosing a Biology EE also take Biology as a subject, as some schools may require this.
3. This ensures the student has the necessary subject knowledge and skills to complete the essay successfully.
4. The topic must be grounded in Biology.
5. While this may seem obvious, it is crucial to remember that interdisciplinary topics are assessed only on their Biology content.

1. Students should also consider the time and resources available at school. Extended essays conducted with simple apparatus are often acceptable.
2. There is no fixed time limit for data collection within the recommended 40 hours for the EE, but students should discuss available time and resources with their supervisor at the start.
3. Topics that are too simple or too complex may be unsuitable.
4. Having background knowledge of the topic can be helpful, but it is not essential.
5. Once the topic is chosen, students are expected to conduct background research, so prior knowledge is not required.

Key points

1. It is strongly recommended that students who are undertaking an EE in Biology also take the subject in the DP.
2. The chosen topic must be firmly grounded in Biology.
3. Consider the available time and resources when choosing the topic.
4. The EE is a 4000-word academic research paper, and as such, the choice of topic must be of suitable complexity.
5. The topic does not have to be chosen from the DP Biology syllabus as long as the topic is suitable.

The Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS)

1. It is strongly recommended that students use the researcher’s reflection space (RRS) to document the EE process.
2. The RRS is an important resource when writing the 500-word reflective statement and can take the form of a reflective journal, which can be an online resource or a physical resource.