IB History SL Extended Essay Example

The student clearly defines a specific historical topic and keeps the investigation anchored in the Second Congo War.

The student's research question is evaluative and gives the essay a clear line of enquiry.

The student identifies and uses a relevant mix of sources, including institutional and scholarly material.

The scope shifts at times between different actors and different stages of the conflict.

The methodology would be stronger if the student explained more clearly how sources were selected and compared.

Some source use is not fully consistent across the text and bibliography.

The student uses source material that is mostly relevant to the question and often tied to mining, trade routes, and armed-group financing.

The student shows clear contextual knowledge of the conflict and its regional dimensions.

The student uses subject-specific terminology such as war economy, proxy conflict, and resource control with reasonable accuracy.

Some evidence is broad or only indirectly connected to the 1998–2003 focus.

A few claims are stated too strongly without enough supporting detail.

Key terms such as escalation, cause, and prolongation are sometimes used loosely.