Grade 12 parents will be very familiar with the Diploma Programme Extended Essay – but for those of you who don’t know, it is an independently-written, in-depth 4,000 word research piece into an area of the student’s own interest. Written to full academic standards in terms of referencing, abstracts, language and presentation, students started it last November, and handed in their completed work on Monday.
What this first cohort of students have achieved is once again remarkable – without any preceding year for them to follow, they set the standards for others in future and I have never seen in a year group such enthusiasm (despite the pain of 4,000 words), such willingness to engage with ideas at a high level, and such close adherence to deadlines.
To give you a taste of what has been accomplished here, let me give you a sample of research questions. These are of the student’s own making:
- How effective are the antimicrobial properties of Asian natural ingredients, used for cooking, compared to the active ingredient, benzoyl peroxide, found in many topical acne medications, on Micrococcus Luteus, measured by the zone of inhibition?
- How did the evolution of Gothic tracery in Western Europe between the 12th and 16th Century affect the internal spaces of a church?
- To what extent has the Singapore government’s intervention in the central public transport system led to a socially optimal production?
- To what extent does Facebook affect adolescent self-esteem?
- To what extent has the European Union’s policy of austerity in Greece achieved its goals, and what regional differences exist in its efficacy?
- ‘And you, miss, are no lady.’ To what extent can Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell be considered a feminist novel?
- To what extent is heightened risk-taking in adolescents due to biological phenomena?
- From a standing start, at what angle of a sailing boat to the wind is forward acceleration maximised?
From classic academic inquiry, to personal passion, these are the sorts of questions more often pursued at undergraduate level, and give an insight into the depth and ambition shown by our students. You can imagine how impressive these Extended Essays are to universities! Here is a link to a full list of questions – please do take a look.
The long-term value of the Extended Essay is rooted in the skills it teaches and the enthusiasm of learning that it (perhaps surprisingly) engenders. Here are comments from a two students on Monday afternoon, having just handed their essays in:
When I first heard about the Extended Essay I was scared by the figure: 4000 words. However, since I could chose whatever topic I was interested in, I even wanted to write more than the limit. Discovering the “secrets” that your topic of interest hides becomes an enjoyable experience, especially when you arrive at “surprising” conclusions. Ana Sanchez
With only a few hours of hindsight, I think of the EE as a painful, but rewarding component of the IB program. Through the process of creating this investigation, I have not only gained skills which have proved to be useful in my classes (such as how and where to research, how to cite properly and a better writing style), but more importantly, it has helped me realize, and allowed me to research a topic that I am passionate about. Istvan Cselotei
So a huge ‘well done’ to the students, their supervisors, and to Guy Roberts, who
has led this so thoughtfully for our first graduating cohort.
