IB Psychology SL Extended Essay Example

The student's investigation has a clear psychological focus and a well-stated research question.

The student uses a recognizable research method and brings in a relevant range of sources and approaches.

The student shows awareness of how sources were selected by using studies that connect attachment, father absence, and academic outcomes.

The scope shifts between physical absence, emotional absence, and attachment style without always separating them clearly.

The methodology would be stronger if the student explained why specific sources were chosen and how they were prioritized.

Some of the evidence is only indirectly related to adolescents, which weakens the tightness of the focus.

The student demonstrates solid knowledge of attachment theory and related developmental ideas.

The student uses subject-specific terminology in a generally accurate way, including concepts such as secure attachment, operationalization, correlational design, and confounding variables.

The student often connects theory to research findings in a way that shows they understand how psychological ideas apply to the topic.

Some attachment concepts are not always used with full precision, especially when distinguishing different attachment labels or forms of absence.

At times the student moves too quickly from correlation to causal language.

A few studies are applied rather broadly, especially when findings from younger children are used to support claims about adolescents.