extended essay examples english literature

IB English A (Lang & Lit) EE examples

Filter exemplars, how does carol ann duffy construct the female voice in “mrs. quasimodo”, “pilate’s wife”, and “medusa” in her anthology “the world’s wife”, how do martin luther king jr’s eulogy for the martyred children and queen elizabeth i’s speech at tilbury compare in the methods used to achieve their respective purposes, want to get full marks for your ee allow us to review it for you 🎯, how are the revolutionaries and aristocracy of the french revolution characterised through shared symbolism in charles dickens’ a tale of two cities and baroness orzcy’s the scarlet pimpernel, to represent their differing social perceptions, how is visual imagery used to portray the black women experience in the poetry of audre lorde and maya angelou, how does george r.r. martin use the characters sansa and arya stark to represent the outcomes of challenging or aligning with gender-based societal norms in westerosi society, fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how does jeffrey eugenides explore the theme of decay in the virgin suicides, how do symbolism and dystopian atmosphere communicate john wyndham’s fear in ‘the day of the triffids, how does lewis carroll portray the theme of growing up through the perspective of the child protagonist, alice, in through the looking-glass, how does everything everywhere all at once explore the impact of generational trauma on the expression of individuality using stylistic devices, to what extent do the contrasting themes of feminism and power intersect throughout the literary texts of macbeth and the handmaid’s tale, how and why do albert camus in the outsider and john barth in lost in the funhouse explore absurdist themes through characterization and narrative perspective to comment upon humans’ reactions to societal turning points, how does the recurring motif of absence in integral traditional customs of society impact the treatment of morality in “oryx and crake”, to what extent does the author’s perception of reality affect the portrayal of the american dream’s futility in death of a salesman and of mice and men, how is art portrayed as a coping mechanism in emily st. john mandel’s station eleven, how and to what effect do patterns in speech and behavior demonstrate internalized misogyny in season 4 of bravo’s reality tv show the real housewives of beverly hills, gender: the skinning of identity how is the characterization of clarice and buffalo bill in “silence of the lambs” used to critique societal perspectives and expectations of gender identity, in what ways do heathcliff from wuthering heights conform or differ from the aristotelian depiction of a tragic hero, to what extent are the remains of middle english present in the english we speak today based on the analysis of vocabulary, pronunciation and spelling in geoffrey chaucer’s the canterbury tales: the general prologue, how does khaled hosseini’s characterization of women in his novel ‘a thousand splendid suns’ challenge the stereotypical notion of afghan women as being ‘weak & oppressed’, how effective is the language and the visuals in the documentary the game changers in persuading viewers about the benefits of veganism, how does maya angelou portray feminism in her famous poems, ‘still i rise’, ‘phenomenal woman’ and ‘i know why the caged bird sings’, to what extent has the godfather portrayed the idea of the great american dream, and how does the movie challenge the myths related to this american ideal, to what extent does disney propagate heteronormativity in their g-rated movie the princess and the frog, to what extent can friends portrayal of gender and sexuality be considered problematic for modern viewers, how does kendrick lamar depict racial discrimination against african americans in his album to pimp a butterfly (tpab) through both the album cover photo and a song titled alright, how can the idolization of technology alter human behavior according to jungian theories, as portrayed through the use of film techniques and language in the episodes “nosedive” and “men against fire” from the netflix series black mirror, exploring the theme of covid-19 in advertising campaigns, how and to what effect were the connotations to the pandemic transformed in the #socialiseresponsibly campaign into representing values, how do female characters in kate chopin’s the awakening utilize music to constitute rebellion against nineteenth century patriarchal social expectations, how is the theme of female friendship portrayed in khaled hosseini's a thousand splendid suns in regard to a patriarchal society, how does f. scott fitzgerald explore man’s downfall in pursuit of the american dream in the novel 'tender is the night', how does george saunders’ the brief and frightening reign of phil utilize satire to portray the corruption and power imbalances present within us society during the 2001-2005 administration of george w. bush, how is suicide presented in the tragic plays 'hamlet' and ajax', how do dreams characterize winston smith in george orwell’s 1984 and rodion raskolnikov in fyodor dostoevsky’s crime and punishment, what role do odours and tastes play in the evaluation of core memories in "10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world" by elif shafak, to what extent does madeline miller challenge the traditional gender roles of males through the representations in the song of achilles, in her novel banana heart summer, how does merlinda bobis explore the nature of personal belief through the character of nenita and her participation in systems of belief, in what ways are themes of feminism portrayed in the play, “hedda gabler” by henrik ibsen and the poem “the drunken husband” by marilyn chin, how are the black female characters in the novel the color purple used by alice walker to resist the narratives forced upon black women, effects of parallels and divergence in mythological retellings.

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International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

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Extended essay

The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students.

Read about the extended essay  in greater detail.

You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for the extended essay , find examples of extended essay titles from previous DP students and learn about the world studies extended essay .

Learn more about the extended essay in a DP workshop for teachers . 

DP subject briefs

Find out about what each subject offers within the Diploma Programme (DP).

Our DP subject briefs—for both standard and higher level—contain information about core requirements, aims and assessment.

• Explore the DP subject briefs

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Guide to the IB Extended Essay in 2024

January 24, 2024

If you’re an International Baccalaureate student getting ready to write your IB Extended Essay, you might be experiencing some very understandable trepidation. But have no fear—we’re here to help you understand what’s required of you, how to plan ahead (IB extended essay topics), and how you’ll be graded (IB extended essay rubric). Keep reading for a good dose of preparation and confidence before you begin the journey. In this article, we’ll cover:

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The ib extended essay—required content, ib extended essay topics.

IB Extended Essay—Sample Essays

IB Extended Essay Tips

Ib extended essay rubric, ib extended essay—more resources.

The IB Extended Essay is a 4,000-word paper that asks you to immerse yourself in research and academic writing. A required part of the IB program, the Extended Essay is a chance to dig deep into a topic that fascinates you.

Although it’s no small task, the IB Extended Essay is an opportunity to gain practical research and writing skills that will come in handy again in college. As you write, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify credible sources
• Formulate a research question and limit your scope of research
• Communicate ideas to an audience
• Develop a well-supported argument

The IB Extended Essay is largely an independent, self-directed project, but don’t worry—the IB program doesn’t throw you into the deep end. You do get to select a mentor (usually a teacher at your school) to help guide you through the process. As you write, you’ll be required to meet with your mentor three times. As part of your final evaluation, your mentor will interview you in a final reflection section called a viva voce . During the viva voce, your mentor will check for plagiarism and malpractice, ask you to reflect on challenges and difficulties, and prompt you to discuss what you’ve learned through the research and writing process. Your mentor will then generate a report that factors into your final grade.

Your final essay must include the following:

• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

For this essay, it will be up to you to generate a topic; the International Baccalaureate does not provide prompts. However, your essay will need to fit within one of six provided subject areas . You’ll choose from the following list of IB Extended Essay Topics:

• Language and literature
• Language acquisition
• Individuals and societies
• Mathematics

IB Extended Essay Topics (Continued)

At a glance, the subject areas might look limited, but the topics you can choose to write about are actually wide-ranging. The “Individuals and societies” category includes social science topics like economics, history, world religions, and philosophy. And, if you’re leaning toward “Science,” you can choose from classic subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics, or related topics like environmental systems or health science, among others.

The IB also offers a special “World Studies” option for students interested in researching global issues. This subject would allow you to center your writing on global issues such as migration, global health, cultural exchange, or climate change.

Wondering what an outstanding IB Extended Essay looks like? The International Baccalaureate provides quite a few sample student essays online . Here are five essays that earned A grades.

Language and literature: An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita

Environmental Systems and Societies: The economic impact of the 1995 reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone National Park

Psychology: To what extent do social networking sites (SNS) usage lead to experience of anxiety in adolescents?

Music: Composition techniques in the 1st movement of Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

Business Management: Corporate Culture at Oracle

1) Pick something you’re passionate about

As you can see from the titles above, the IB Extended Essay is a great place to delve into a niche topic that fascinates you. Since you’ll be spending many months on this essay, you’ll want to pick a topic you genuinely enjoy spending time learning about. It’s also smart to choose something you’ve already learned about in your IB classes so that you have a strong foundation of knowledge to start with. In music class, do you love pondering why music makes us feel a certain way? Maybe an essay about music theory will keep your gears turning. Do you come alive trying to solve seemingly impossible problems in physics class? Now’s your chance to put those equations into action.

Since this essay is all about your academic interests, it’s also a good idea to pick a topic that’s relevant to what you plan to study in college. Selecting a relevant topic will provide you with significant exposure to the field and will also give you something meaningful to talk about in your college admissions essays.

2) Limit your scope

What’s the meaning of life? Why do wars happen? What is time? Some questions are just way too big to answer, and your IB Extended Essay is not a good place to tackle expansive, philosophical questions. Instead, think of this essay as a place to investigate one piece of a big question. If, let’s say, you’re generally interested in what helps women reach positions of leadership in business, this is a good place to examine how one or a few companies approach this issue. Or, if you’re interested in studying what inspires surrealist painters, you’ll want to pick one or a few painters to research, likely all from the same time period. For both these topics, you’d need a whole textbook to tackle the full question, but limiting your scope will make it much easier to write a clear and cohesive 4,000 words.

On the other hand, it’s possible to narrow your focus too much. It would be impossible, for example, to write 4,000 words about a single sentence in a novel. Make sure you talk about scope early and often with your mentor. Together, you can find the perfect Goldilocks scope for your project that’s not too big and not too small.

3) Choose a good mentor

Speaking of mentors, choosing wisely will help you enormously as you embark on your IB Extended Essay. You’ll want to make sure you choose someone with existing knowledge in your research topic. Your English teacher may be able to give you great writing advice, for example, but they won’t be able to guide your research and scope if you’re writing about marine animals or modern dance.

Before you approach a teacher, make sure you have at least one topic idea (or even a few ideas) in mind so that you can make sure they’ll be a good fit to supervise your project. When you meet with them, find out what their mentorship style is like. Make sure they’ll have time to read several drafts of your essays, meet with you a few times, and give you feedback. Some IB schools will require your IB Extended Essay mentor to sign an agreement form too, so make sure you find out what paperwork is required in advance.

4) Get organized, way organized

The IB Extended Essay is not something you can crank out the night before it’s due. The essay is meant to be a substantive, in-depth, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched analysis, and Rome simply isn’t built in a day. This might be the longest paper you’ve written to date, and this project might require more research than you’ve been asked to do before. Timelines vary by school, but you’ll likely spend between eight months and a year working on your IB Extended Essay. So, how will you pull it all off? For these 8-12 months, organization will be your guiding light. We recommend you:

• Get started early. If your essay is due November of your senior year, start generating topic ideas during your junior year right after winter break.
• Create a long-view schedule for yourself. What will you accomplish each month of your process?
• Give yourself deadlines. Once you choose a mentor, suggest 2-3 draft deadline dates so that you will be held accountable throughout the writing process.
• Find a note-taking system that works for you. You’ll be reading many articles and books and it’s hard to keep track of all your sources. Create a document or spreadsheet where you keep track of the sources you’ve found and check them off as you read. As you finish reading a text, type up important quotes and a few notes explaining how it connects to your topic and to your other texts.

5)Write a messy first draft

Writing never comes out perfect the first time, even for New York Times bestselling authors and the most experienced researchers. In your first draft, give yourself permission to get all your thoughts out, no matter how unstructured or rambling they are. Call this your brainstorming draft. When you’re ready to revisit it, see what patterns emerge, what common ideas you can group together, what beginning buds of ideas you can make bloom into full-fledged analysis.

6) Communicate for an audience

When you’re used to producing writing that only your teacher reads, it can be hard to remember to write for an audience. But at the end of the day, writing is communication , and the best writing is clear and thorough communication that anyone could pick up and read. For your IB Extended Essay, you’ll want to remember that many people will be reading your final essay, and not all of them will be experts in the niche topic you choose to study. Ask yourself: how can I explain my research to an audience who doesn’t already agree with my analysis?

To communicate to an audience, you’ll want to:

• Provide lots of general background information on your topic.
• Don’t assume your reader is familiar with your sources. Introduce them as if they’re guest speakers about to walk up to a podium and deliver a lecture.
• After including quotes, facts, and figures, be sure to explain what those sources mean in your own words and how they connect to your bigger-picture argument.
• Don’t assume your arguments are self-evident. In this essay, communicating for an audience means supplying ongoing interpretation and analysis, even if it feels like you’re explaining the obvious. Your reader isn’t on your research journey with you, so your points might not be so obvious to your reader.

Although your IB Extended Essay provides a report that factors into your grade, your essay will also be assessed by external examiners the IB. Per the IB Extended Essay Rubric , essays are graded on a scale from 0 to 34 based on 5 different criteria:

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

As you can see, Critical Thinking is the most significant rubric category. This means that the IB wants to see you arrive at your own unique analysis of your topic, drawing connections between sources and data, and making well-supported arguments. This means they want a lot of you: your ideas, your interpretations, your thoughts. Make sure you emphasize that in your essay, but of course don’t forget the other categories.

The score a student receives corresponds to a letter grade scale that is slightly different than what we’re accustomed to in the U.S. Here’s the letter grade to numerical score breakdown:

You must earn a D or higher to receive your IB Diploma. To learn more about the different criteria included in the IB Extended Essay Rubric, you can explore the IB’s full guide to the Extended Essay .

We hope you found our look at the IB extended essay rubric and IB extended essay topics to be helpful. Ready to dive into research? You may want to read our 10 Expert Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension before you hit the books.

And if you’re a high school student in the process of mapping out your pathway to college, take a look at a few other useful guides:

• IB vs AP—Which Classes are Best for College Admission?
• How to Earn College Credit in High School
• High School Course Requirements for College Admission
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• ACT Score Calculator 
• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

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IB Extended Essay Ideas

What’s covered:, what is the ib extended essay, extended essay examples, how is the ee scored, how does the extended essay affect my admission chances.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP or IB) is a rigorous high school program considered to be equivalent to the AP system, if not harder. Along with coursework and examinations in this two-year long program, there are expectations to write an in-depth essay on one subject of your selection, called the Extended Essay (EE). The following article is about the EE and presents ideas for topics to write about. 

The EE is an essay required to gain the IBDP and pass the course. It’s not like any regular essay, as it gives the student a chance to write a college-level research paper at an earlier point of their lives, giving them useful exposure for their future endeavors in further education. The essay is written in a single subject of your choosing, giving you six options to choose from. The EE is usually done in one of your HL classes, as it could have more scope to produce a more in-depth paper based on the increased amounts of coursework available in HL. 

The essay is expected to be around 4,000 words long, making it not only lengthy to read but time-intensive to produce. This means students must usually figure out which subject they’re writing for early, to give them time to start earlier. The process of planning a draft, along with your appointed EE supervisor, can take up most of your time in the first year of IB (11th grade). It’s common to not start the actual writing until our 2nd year, where you not only have learned enough coursework for the subject, but have also drafted enough to create a well-written essay. 

Choosing a topic for the EE can be difficult, but hopefully the ideas and examples in this article can give you some inspiration to create your own. 

Given there are 6 subject groups in IB, each with numerous options for those groups it would be nearly impossible to suggest examples for each subject, instead we will show examples for popular subjects. These examples can serve as blueprints for crafting your own ideas! 

Example EE Topic 1 – Math HL

Example Topic: Practical Applications and Implementations of the Golden Ratio

This irrational number is often represented visually as such: 

This image contains fibonacci vectors, a visual representation of the golden ratio. It’s an interesting concept because it’s a shape/ratio that our brains are seemingly wired to prefer things to take form in, a subconscious level of attraction. Many architects and artists today use this ratio to produce visually appealing works of art, but what other practical applications have risen from this mathematical concept? An EE would be a great way to learn more about this and present it in an interesting manner! 

Example EE Topic 2 – Physics SL

Topic: Build Your Own Radio

This topic requires some fundamental understanding of circuitry and electronics, a big component of physics SL and HL. Building a radio requires thorough understanding of currents, resistances and circuit design aspects that are usually best understood through practical, hands-on learning. 

This project could also demonstrate your knowledge in waves, specifically radio and microwaves required to operate the radio. If documented right throughout the whole process, this could make for not only a very extensive and interesting EE, but fun as well! 

Example EE Topic 3 – English SL/HL

Topic: The Effects Of Shakespearean Literature On Modern English

English EE topics are a bit more difficult than other subjects because it may be the least objective class to write about. That being said, it can also be the most creative EE to write for, with this topic being an ideal example. 

Shakespeare contributed lots to literature and writing, especially in the form of plays and dramas, but how can these be observed in modern day literature? Focus on how forms of comedy from Shakespeare’s plays are implemented in modern comedy, or how some forms of artistic expression from that era could be considered problematic today. 

To make this better suited for HL, try going more in depth about other forms of literature that draw from Shakespearean influence, and more specific implementations of humor, such as slapstick (just an example of many). 

Talk about how literature personally influences you, because this EE is an opportunity to not only present information through research, but to also indulge the reader about yourself and your personality! 

IB scores the EE out of 34 points, with 5 letter grades being assigned as boundaries:

EE and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) are graded together along with CAS, to form the “core” of IB which is worth a total of 3 out of 45 points. The following table details this:

The EE doesn’t have much direct influence on your chances of admission, but learning how to write a great essay through the EE can. The admissions process requires writing a great quality essay to showcase yourself to the office of admissions as best as you can. The EE not only teaches you how to write an informative essay, but a high quality one as well! More factors are also responsible for your chances of admission, and for more info on this check out CollegeVine’s admissions calculator ! This intuitive tool uses your standardized test scores, GPA and more to calculate your chances of admission into a university of your choosing!

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2016-2017 IB Extended Essay: Sample IB EE's

• Workshop 1: Getting started
• Workshop 2: EE Options
• Workshop 3: Selecting a topic
• Workshop 4:Research Questions
• Workshop 5: Supervisors and Reflections
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• Biology (2018 new rubric)
• Biology Light Intensity
• Does Age Have an Effect on Short-term Memory of 6 to 18 Year Old Students?

Chemistry: 

• Chemistry 1
• What are the Alternative Fuels for the Depleting Fossil Fuels and which is the Best Fuel in Accordance with the Energy Output?
• A Copper Ions
• Chemistry 3

Design Technology

• Does Hull Trim and Balance Affect the Speed of a Boat?

Individuals & Society:

• Market Form of the Retail Petroleum Supply Industry in Parklands
• Economics 1
• Economics 2
• Economics 3

I have an exemplar but the file is too big to upload.  If you are interested in this topic I can share the essay with you.

• Geography 2
• History EE (2018 new rubric)
• To What Extent was the Establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine in 1948, Influenced by Theodor Herzl?

Information Technology in a Global Society

• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Psychology EE (2018 new rubric)
• Applied Behavior Analysis and Early Intervention: The Extent of Recovery from Autism
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3

Social & Cultural Anthropology

• Social & Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social & Cultural Anthropology 2

World Religions

• To What Extent do the Core Scriptural Teachings of Sikhism Permit them to Marry Outside of the Religion?
• World Religions 1
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Language Acquisition:

• French: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Literature & Language 

•   Journeys in the Inferno and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz   
•   Toni Morrison 

Math: 

•   Cryptography and Rubik's Cube: An Investigative Analysis   
•   Pascal's Triangle 

Visual Arts: 

•   How Does the work of Yinka Shonibare Illustrate the Changing Role of African Art in a Global Society? 
• Ballet's Accessibility and Costumes Affecting Society's View of the Art Form
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 4

Interdisciplinary Essays:

Environmental Systems & Societies

• ESS Extended Essay (2018 new rubric)

World Studies

• World Studies EE History, Economics, & Politics  (2018 new rubric)
• Does the Production of Dairy and Meat from Dairy Cows in the United States affect the Environment and Well Being of Animals and Humans?
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Extended Essay: Language and Literature

• Step 1 - Choosing a Subject
• Step 2 - Choosing a Topic
• Step 3 - Draft a Research Question
• Step 4 - Finding Sources
• Step 5 - Evaluating Information
• Step 6 - Bibliography & Citation
• Step 7 - Organizing Information
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• Individuals & Societies: Business Management
• Individuals & Societies: History
• Individuals & Societies: Psychology
• Language Acquisition

Language and Literature

• Sciences: Biology
• Sciences: Sports, Exercise, and Health Sciences
• Interdisciplinary Papers: World Studies
• Assessment Criteria
• Research Questions
• Investigation

Extended Essays in Language and Literature

Choosing a topic.

• Categories 1 & 2

Categories 1 & 2

***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English***

Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.  

NB: When investigating a film in category 2, the film must be analyzed for its literary value, not filmic. Filmic analysis is allowed in category 3.

Category 3 papers also analyze works, however they are not restricted to literary works! Topics in Category 3 emphasize the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.

Approaches to Research

Categories 1 and 2

**Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but analyze works not written in English**

Primary research in Language and Literature may require close reading of one or more texts. Secondary research may also be necessary for information like historical context, biographical information,  and established literary criticism. Students should consider things like the effect of the work, the devices it uses, or the way it is written.

Students should give a focused analysis of the texts being considered. The approach should be balanced, coherently argued, use relevant examples to illustrated the point.

Examples of language in a cultural context

Examples of language and mass communication

Language and Literature Sources

Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established literary interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.

Essay Types

An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A

Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

Assessed Student Work

• An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita
• How did the World State government in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World impact the individuality of the citizens residing in it?
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Extended Essay: Group 1: English Language and Literature

• General Timeline
• Group 1: English Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
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• Group 5: Mathematics
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• Sources: Finding, Organising and Evaluating Them
• Conducting Interviews and Surveys
• Citing and Referencing
• Check-in Sessions
• First Formal Reflection
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Group 1: Language and Literature

From the IB Subject Specific Guide :

A Group 1 Extended Essay in studies in language and literature gives students an opportunity to undertake independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A.

It must be written in the language for which it is registered. Students must  not  submit a Group 1 EE in their Group 2 language. Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

Category 1:  Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented.

Category 2: Studies of a literary work or works originally written in the language of the essay compared with one or more literary works originally written in another language. (The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation.)

Category 3: Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language. Where a comparative approach is taken, and at least one of the text types is non-literary and/or multimodal, the essay would be a category 3.

At the point of submission, the category of Language A essay must be identified

Category 1 and 2

An EE in categories 1 and 2 gives students an opportunity to:

• study in depth a literary topic
• engage in independent literary criticism
• engage with established critical comment (where appropriate)
• develop the ability to put forward their views persuasively and in a well-structured manner, using a register appropriate to the study of literature.

Students must place their analysis of their chosen text(s) in the wider context of the discipline. This may include other literary texts, or particular critical perspectives or insights. However, this wider discussion should not detract from the main focus of their chosen text(s).

A category 3 studies in language and literature EE gives students the opportunity to:

• demonstrate skills of textual analysis by considering how language, culture and/or context influence the ways in which meaning is constructed in texts
• examine critically the different relationships and interactions that exist between texts, audiences and purposes
• engage with established (or developing) critical writing, as appropriate
• develop the ability to put forward their views persuasively and in a well-structured manner, using a register and terminology appropriate to the subject.

Helpful Websites

IB Language and Literature Subject Specific Guide  - Use tabs on the left under Language and Literature: Subject Specific Guide for more information. 

Gale Literature Resources Center

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Search: extended essay

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• Using AI in the Research Process (Extended Essay) (Tim, AI, artificial intelligence, extended essay, research, research process) ...AI in the Research ProcessAI can:Help you understand the steps you need to take in order to conduct research and write your Extended Essay .Recommend a variety of literature work(s) or non-literary texts to read to support with initial, but very vagu...
• Extended Essay (Extended Essay) The extended essay is an IB core requirement, where students explore a subject in depth. The subject must relate to one of the courses offered in Groups 1 - 6 of the IB Diploma Programme. The extended essay is an opportunity to demonstrate research...
• Extended Essays: Studies in Language Sample Topics and Research Questions ...torical strategies employed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in its (contemporary) press releases. Doing this kind of Extended Essay involves developing an appreciation of a specific historically and culturally situated issue, including the ro...
• HL Essay: Exemplar 5 (Small Axe) Students, increasingly, write Higher Level Essay s and Extended Essay s on film and television. They also discuss these things in their Individual Orals. Presumably, in part, this is because teachers are teaching film and television in their classes. H...
• HL Essay: Exemplar 7: The Awakening ...ow. It doesn’t receive full marks; we’ll tell you that too. It is, however, exactly 1500 words and cannot, therefore, be extended . Something needs to be changed and improved to attain full marks. What, in this generally excellent essay , can be ma...
• HL Essay: Exemplar 11 (The Remains of the Day) ...the suppression of desire and personal fulfillment, that underpins the novel’s comic and tragic qualities.Stevens uses the extended metaphor of the ‘tiger under the table’ to illustrate the English quality of self-restraint. He demonstrates thi...
• Q&A For Students: The Higher Level Essay and the Individual Oral ...our students. They are studying English A: Language and Literature, five other subjects, studying TOK, doing CAS, writing an Extended Essay , negotiating life and perhaps, we hope, actually having and enjoying their lives. The IB is a tall order. It&#...
• Sample Essays (pre-2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essays, old extended essays, pre-2018 extended essays) All of these Extended Essay s were written before 2018.  The EE guide changed for first examinations in 2018.  The Extended Essay s housed here (pre-2018) were written under "old" requirements.  These EEs were also marked using different...
• EE Category 3 (The Language of Self-Help) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay, Category 3, The Language of Self-Help, Exemplar, model essay, IB Core) ...who fall somewhere in between these two extremes.  It is often with this vast majority of students where the spirit of the Extended Essay can shine.  Even if the essay is not the most analytical or insightful, the purpose of the EE is to instill i...
• Requirements (first exam in 2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay, Requirements, IB Core, IB Diploma Core) While the extended essay is an excellent opportunity to explore a topic of choice in depth, it is important that we adhere to the basic requirements of the IB.  It is easy to become carried away with an idea that seems fantastic, but in the end is n...

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• 2018 EE Category 1 (Othello) (Tim, Extended Essay, Category 1, exemplar, model example, Othello, EE, literature) The Extended Essay went under significant revision and students in the May 2018 cohort were the first to submit essay s using completely new marking criteria.Here at InThinking, we have published several Extended Essay s.  For example, we have shown...
• 2019 EE Category 1 (N.W.A Song Lyrics) (Extended Essay, Black Lives Matter, EE, Category 1, NWA, song lyrics, exemplar, Tim) ...5th and final one in the series, looks at how a student could take a personal interest (a love of music) and turn it into an Extended Essay .  The student analyzes N.W.A songs under the larger question "How is police brutality protrayed through...
• Post 5 – a 2019 EE Category 1 (N.W.A Song Lyrics) (Extended Essay, Black Lives Matter, EE, Category 1, NWA, song lyrics, exemplar, Tim) ...5th and final one in the series, looks at how a student could take a personal interest (a love of music) and turn it into an Extended Essay .  The student analyzes N.W.A songs under the larger question "How is police brutality protrayed through...
• Criteria (first exam in 2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay Criteria, Criteria, EE) The assessment criteria for the extended essay are both general to all subjects and specific to each subject. The criteria given below are the specific to the Language A: Language and Literature course. These are summaries of the actual criteria, whi...
• 2020 EE Category 2 (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and We Have Always Lived in the Castle) (Tim, EE, C2 EE, Extended Essay) ...ept appearing.  She kept thinking about them and thinking about why the authors included them?  That thinking lead to this Extended Essay .It is not a top scoring EE (it scores a low B at 22 total points).  Instead, it is a good example of a studen...
• IB Core (Extended Essay, TOK, ) The English A: Language and Literature course is part of the holistic IB learning explerience. The Extended Essay requirement provides students with the opportunity to write a 3,000 - 4,000 words on a topic of interest from one of their subject area...
• EE Category 1 (The House of Blue Mangoes) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance David Davidar’s debut novel The House of Blue Mangoes – originally written in the language (English) in which the essay ...
• EE - Studies in Language - Sample 1 For the first time, in 2013, students were able to submit a Group 1 Extended Essay (EE) in ‘Studies in Language’. The Group 1 essay s, now, are sub-divided into 3 categories as follows:Category 1—Studies of a literary work(s) originally written...
• EE C2 S1 (Chaucer) The following Extended Essay compares and contrasts Giovani Boccaccio's version of Griselda's Tale from the Decameron with Geoffrey Chaucer's version of Griselda's Tale from the Canterbury Tales. Taking on such a comparison is a chall...
• EE Category 1 (The Virgin Suicides) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance Jeffrey Eugenides’ 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides – originally written in the language (English) in which the essay is p...
• EE Category 1 (Great Expectations) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance Charles Dickens’ widely known and highly regarded novel Great Expectations – originally written in the language (English...
• EE Category 1 (Oryx and Crake) ...ispensable if students are to replicate good practice in their own craft.Below, students have the opportunity to appraise an Extended Essay (EE) written about Margaret Atwood’s celebrated novel Oryx and Crake. It’s a good, intelligent essay , but...
• EE C1 S1 (Disgrace) ...it according to the criteria below. Do your marks match the examiner's marks? Where do the differences lie?Sample essay   Extended Essay Category 1 Sample 1 (Disgrace)Title pageTitle: “The search for identity in South African post-apartheid lit...
• Using Supporting Quotations in Paper 2 ...sses. It does not have to be an English class. It could be something you have written in another subject or, for example, an Extended Essay or TOK Exhibition. What sources have you quoted? Is it clearly integrated? Is it well introduced? Is it effect...
• EE Category 1 (Lewis Carroll) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . Unlike previous Category 1 essay s published on the site, this essay is comparative, comparing and contrasting Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Gl...
• 2022 EE Category 2 (The Bell Jar and The Vegetarian) (Tim, EE, The Bell Jar, The Vegetarian, Category 2) This Category 2 Extended Essay is excellent.  The student takes a well-known, classic piece of literature and compares and contrasts it to a contemporary award-winning novel from South Korea.  In her essay , the student asks this question: How do S...
• 2019 EE Category 1 (When Breath Becomes Air) (Tim, EE, When Breath Becomes Air, memoir, Category 1) ...ontains such beauty and it’s no wonder that students also love the memoir. It was from this beginning that the seed of an extended essay grew.  This is technically a C1 EE even though it is nonfiction.  The memoir is too rich not to be considere...
• P2 SL (The Kite Runner and A Hero of Our Time) ...90 minutes to complete their essay . With this in mind, it is perhaps unreasonable to anticipate that the student could have extended the discussion by any significant margin. The student uses two novels to exemplify the discussion: Lermentov’s A H...
• Skills The extended essay is the culmination of a long process. You could say that the final product is like the tip of a very deep iceberg. While you 'only' see 3,000 - 4,000 words, hours of research, writing, editing and reviewing lie below the s...
• Research questions ...r music videosConcern for stereotyping, bias and prejudiceAim to define a dialect or non-standardized form of language Good extended essay research questions as downloadable PDF.Rewrite the questionTaking what you know now about the key characterist...
• Bodies of work (Tim, bodies of work, new IB course, new course, 2021 exams, body of work) ...(first assessment 2021) published in February of 2019 and updated in August of 2019, the IB defines a body of work as “an extended , full-length non-literary text or a group of shorter non-literary texts that are of one same text type and that shar...
• Sample essays (EE) ...without saying that sample material is an excellent way to make yourself more familiar with the assessment criteria for the extended essay . You can compare your marks with the examiner's. The samples have been labeled 'EE' for 'exten...
• P1 SL (The Language of African Literature) ...peasant family: father, four wives and about twenty-eight children. I also belonged, as we all did in those days, to a wider extended family and to the community as a whole. We spoke Gĩkũyũ as we worked in the fields. We spoke Gĩkũyũ in and out...
• Opinion column (opinion column, blog, editorial, ) ...piece on existentialism. But in more concrete terms, popular works of non-fiction, such as No Logo or Buyology make cases as extended essay s should. You may not write either forms of essay writing for your written task. Blog - With the arrival of the...
• EE Category 3 (Breaking Bad) ...s some familiarity with Breaking Bad is not, to a greater or lesser extent, captivated by it.Students in their search for an Extended Essay (EE) topic, frequently ask if they can engage with some aspect of popular culture – Breaking Bad, say - for...
• Paper 2: Sample Response 11 (A View from the Bridge and Persepolis) ...ning, and there are many good illustrations of this in the essay . Comparison and contrast is good, but, again, this could be extended or made more explicit.Criterion C: Focus and organisation (5 marks)How effectively does the student structure and pr...
• Solar: Getting things wrong and the power of stories ...gun ownership. Your fellow passenger argues that owning and carrying guns would make people safer. You know – you wrote an Extended Essay on this, no less – that what the other passenger says is statistically insupportable. To change his mind, wo...
• Just Do It - Protest! (Tim, Just do it, protest, advertising, advertisement, Nike, Colin Kaepernick, controversy, controversial) ...tfolio over two or three lessons.  This should include all the advertisements being used, the annotations of those ads, and extended thinking about them. 4.  Decide if you want to have an assessment task (of your choosing) connected to #1- #3.  F...
• WT2 Q4 (Persepolis) (Persepolis, WT2, written task 2, Marjane Satrapi) ...h a text that seems to parody another text, act as a pastiche on a particular genre, or allude to another regularly, like an extended metaphor, then this question may be appropriate. See texts on this page for several non-literary commercials that wo...
• Representations of Women in Cartoons (A Body of Work) (Tim, representation, perspective, readers writers and texts, body of work, cartoons, Liza Donnelly, women) ...eptual questions (or area of exploration questions) using these two cartoons in their Learner Portfolio.  This should be an extended written response, but not yet an essay or guided textual analysis (think one page of writing).  In the lesson, have...
• Understanding Modality ...ries and advertisements. Students can show an awareness of modality in response to Paper 1 texts. The activites above can be extended to a Further Oral Activity (FOA). If Orwell is studied in the literature components of the course, modality is one a...
• Faction ...to the Balti, who trekked long distances to graze their animals in summer, and he handed them out to members of Haji Ali’s extended family. To Sakina, he gave his camping stove, capable of burning the kerosene found in every Balti village. He drape...
• What is this thing called free speech? ...may be these: (i) What is the value of free speech? (ii) What limits should we set to free speech?This page was updated and extended in December 2018.Activity 1: Choose the Aphorism Choose the AphorismTeachers should place the following statements...
• Course Construction: Q&A ...is – has to be – transferable. That is, moving through the course, understandings established now will be revisited and extended in the future. Also, these magazine covers are multimodal texts – there is a visual and written mode, although the...
• Undocumented worker or illegal immigrant - The language of immigration (with body of work) (Tim, immigration, body of work, immigrant, undocumented worker, illegal immigrant) ...n find them here and here.  In the resources below, you will find many single text types and two opportunities to create an extended or further study of a body of work.  In other words, when you think it is appropriate, zoom into a body of work if...
• Undocumented worker or illegal immigrant - The language of immigration (with bodies of work) (Tim, immigration, body of work, immigrant, undocumented worker, illegal immigrant, perspective, representation) ...n find them here and here.  In the resources below, you will find many single text types and two opportunities to create an extended or further study of a body of work.  In other words, when you think it is appropriate, zoom into a body of work if...

Blog Posts: 9 results

4 full matches:.

• 2022 Category 2 Extended Essay (The Bell Jar and The Vegetarian) (Tim, 2022, EE, C2, Category 2, Extended Essay, The Bell Jar, The Vegetarian) ...the questions that arise from the powerful conclusion - there's a whole lot to celebrate in this EE!  You can find the Extended Essay here.  Best,Tim and David...
• Extended Essay in Studies in Language ..., our students are preparing for Theory of Knowledge (TOK) presentations, and they are beginning to work with supervisors on Extended Essay s (EEs). Students, as you may know, are now able to write a Group 1, Category 3 EE in ‘Studies in Languag...
• Working with Artificial Intelligence - 2 New Pages (Tim, AI, artificial intelligence, extended essay, research, research process, great debate, AI or student) ...st page is pretty self-explanatory.  It involves helping students use artificial intelligence in the process of writing the Extended Essay .  The second page we are publishing this week is a lesson plan that asks students to debate each other about...
• An Open Letter to Students (about the subject reports) (Tim, Blog, Letter, Subject Reports) ...ore precise—it details all the ways that students and teachers screwed up in 2015.Because I know you are busy writing your Extended Essay , completing your CAS reflections, and trying to figure out what the heck you are actually learning in ToK, let...

5 Partial matches:

• For Students: Higher Level Essay (Tim, Higher Level Essay, for students section, for students) This week, I’ve been working on the “For Students” section of the site with a specific focus on the Higher Level Essay .  I’ve created the following pages for this week’s update:Higher Level Essay What is it?How am I graded?Can I read an ex...
• HL Essay: Exemplar 8 (Graphic Novel - Hostage) (Tim, HLE, Higher Level Essay, graphic novel, Hostage, exemplar, model example) ...the formatting right.  Students will be well-served to study this exemplar to see how to correctly embed evidence into the essay itself.  Students will also be well-served to notice what is missing in this exemplar and how the student could have u...
• Supporting Students with the Higher Level Essay (Tim, Higher Level Essay, For Students, Helping students, process) This week, I’ve finalized the Higher Level Essay pages in the “For Students” section of the site.  The title of each page is written in the form of a question with the answer in the actual post itself.  You’ll find posts about the line of...
• Paper 2: Writing About Literature ...s frequently struggle with, you are likely to receive a range of replies. Some of the answers will highlight the minutiae of essay writing, and that is reasonable enough. However, one big and frequently observed problem with Paper 2 responses is that...
• Bodies of Work (Tim, bodies of work, body of work, new course, 2021 exams) ...with the entire text.  Instead, a student would write using the entire Gap advertisement, if they could write an analytical essay – and not a commentary – on it.  The guide states this: “Care must be taken to make sure that the chosen non-lit...

Comments: 115 results

Kindly comment if the following research questions for category 1 Extended Essay are suitable. I am supervising this for the very first time and your input in this will be highly appreciated

Hello both;

Hi David and Tim,

We have a student who is exploring the following for her Extended Essay : How do Tamil artists utilize art and literature to express the generational impacts of persecution and genocide?

EE Candidate 1: Category1:

Can you please clarify the following regarding an English A: Language and Literature Extended Essay Cat 3:

I have a student who is interested in writing about a non-literary text for their Extended Essay and then also including it as part of their IOA. Is that possible?

Hi Coralie,

Since neither writer is on the PRL, I would suggest the essay is a category 3 essay , in part because of the nature of the works, and perhaps also because of the student's emphasis on language.

Kind regards,

I have one question regarding HL essay - can students write their essay on two texts by two different authors ? Or is it advisable to stick to one author only ?

Best regards,

Good morning

I am instructing my students about the HL essay and seem to remember there was a compulsory OUTLINE that had to be handed in with the HL essay . Is this (still) true?

One of my student wants to use a film that we have worked with in class for her HL essay . The thing is that she is not analysing language per se.

A:5 B:3 C:3 D:4

Do you have any advice on when a good deadline would be for the HLE essay , assuming the IO would take in place in semester 1 of year 2?

Thanks for your help,

Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language.

Please note we normally guide students to clearly distinguish texts they plan to use for the oral, Higher Level essay , and Paper 2 to avoid double dipping.

Laura Kearsley

Students can write their HL essay on a film studied. In almost all instances, students should include relevant still images, and these should be embedded into the body of the response (i.e. not as an appendix).

So then for cat 1, since it says "Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented." - can the student look at multiple Rossetti's poems? Thanks again

Many thanks,

Hello gentlemen,

No outline is required for the HL Essay . On the other hand, an outline is required for the Individual Oral (IO).

Is it ok to use 1st person POV in the EE, like "my essay will explore" or is it better to keep everything in 3rd person POV? Thank you,

Hi Everyone!

Happy new year!!!!

I have a question. What happens if in the HL essay the student needs a big quote and includes it as a foot note? Is that Allowed? Can you please help me with this?

Thank you so much!

As this is my first year teaching Language A I am struggling a bit with the HL essay . I have these two questions which I think are fine, but could you give me some feedback please?

I have a student who would like to complete a cat 3 essay focusing on advertisements. On this, must students pick one brand to focus on or can they choose advertisements from different brands but the connection is thematic?

Dear David and Tim,

Dear Tim and David,

One of my students has chosen this for her HL essay :

The HLE does not require students to explicitly mention one of the seven course concepts in the essay . It's not in the grading criteria, for example.

I have a group of ten HL students and four of them have chosen to do their HL essay on The Stranger by Camus, The four have very different titles but they all consider the narrative voice as that was the focus of my teaching

Can the Monbiot essay s be considered literary in terms of the IO? For example, could you pair a Monbiot essay with a Steve Cutts image? Or would that be disqualified?

If she is only considering the lyrics, it is a category 1 essay . I believe one of the seasons on the Dissect podcast (season 11?) considered Radiohead. I think it would be very worthwhile for the kid to listen to this podcast.

Extended Essay

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Studies in language and literature Sample A

Studies in language and literature sample b, studies in language and literature sample c, studies in language and literature example.

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IB Extended Essay: Research Questions

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IB Command Terms

Command terms are the key terms and phrases used in examination questions. 

See the lists below for the terms and definitions for each IB subject

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Sample research questions

Source: IBO.org

Question Starters

Source: Oxford Course Companion, p.17

Research Questions: Class of 2020

Visual Arts: To what extent are the developments in American military aircraft nose designs from World War 2, Vietnam War and Gulf War more connected to individual crew preference than to the visual culture of America, 1940 - 1990?

English A: To what extent does William Shakespeare employ Elizabethan elements in Romeo and Juliet to build towards the eventual tragedy?

English A: To what extent did news media outlets, specifically CNN and Fox News, use different reporting methods to portray the candidates in the 2016 United States presidential election?

English A: How do aspects of real-life societies inform and shape A Clockwork Orange and The Handmaid’s Tale?

English A: How were African Americans portrayed in American sitcoms from 1980 to 2000?

English B: To what extent does 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green reflect 'The Hero's Journey'?

English B: To what extent does social media influence or have an effect on the english language usage?

English B: To what extent does the usage of AAVE affect an individual’s social status and mobility?

English B: To what extent does the development of the Super Bowl mirror specific aspects of American cultural, social, and economic trends?

Psychology: To what extent is the phenomenon of Karoshi, the overworking of office workers in Southeast Asia, interconnected with symptoms of depression?

Psychology: To What Extent is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as an addition to traditional pharmacotherapy necessary for the successful treatment of Schizophrenia?

Psychology: To what extent is Δ9-THC an effective antidepressant that can be used to treat patients with depression?

Chinese B: 论新时代网络语言对现代汉语有何种影响？

Chinese B: 中国嘻哈歌手如何运用歌词传播中华文化？How do Chinese Hip-hop Artists Promote Chinese Culture through Lyrics?

Economics: To what extent have increases in rental prices (2017-2018) shrunken the market for Korean restaurants in Chegongmiao, Shenzhen?

Economics: How does President Moon's minimum wage policy affect convenience store market in Seocho 1-dong, South Korea?

Business: To What Extent Does the WeChat Application in Tencent's Business Model Play a Role in its Success?

Business: To what extent has Samsung's acquisition of Harman Kardon helped in increasing revenue and access to new markets?

Research Questions: Class of 2019

World Studies (Biology & Economics): How does mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) ecotourism support and strengthen local economies while ensuring the mountain gorillas’ health and survival?

English A, Category 3: How are skincare companies like: Neutrogena, Nivea, and Dove promoting white supremacy?

English B, Category 2B: To what extent do the changes in Cersei’s and Daenerys’s character development in the HBO series Game of Thrones show they are ultimately both motivated for and by power?

Visual Arts: To what extent did visual qualities in Coco Chanel’s Little Black Dress 1913, influence black dresses created by Chinese fashion designer Vivienne Tam and haute couture designer Yiqing Yin in regards to development in visual elements and societal acceptances in the 21st century?

Business Management: “To what extent was Apple Inc.’s acquisition of Beats Electronics, LLC an effective growth strategy?”

Math, Group 5: Investigating the Korean MERS outbreak using the SEIR model: How would hypothetical diseases be simulated if variables of the SEIR model were to be altered?

Business Management : To what extent has the benefits offered by Shekou International School helped them retain staff?

Economics: To what extent has the subsidy that was introduced in 2016 for hybrid electric vehicles led to a rise in demand for domestic car producers in Baden Württemberg?

Chemistry: How does the addition of salt (NaCl) which modifies the salinity affects the interfacial tension and stability of oil-in-water emulsion?

World Studies (History & Literature): What aspects of the anti-vaccination movement, and “The Crucible” relate to mass hysteria during the Salem Witch Trials?

Psychology: To What Extent Do Behavioural Addictions Fit The Criteria for ‘The Disease Model of Addiction’?

World Studies (Economics & Politics): To what extent has the political decision to host the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro affected Brazils’ economy and the financial welfare of its citizens?

Physics: To what extent does the volume of water affect the altitude gained by adding a constant pressure?

Psychology: To what extent are sociocultural and biological factors major causes of elderly people’s depressive behavior?

World Studies (History & Economics): To what extent did the LGBTQ community contribute to making attractive neighborhoods in the US and why are they pushed to leave them now?

Economics: To what extent is the cafe market in Shekou, Shenzhen, monopolistically competitive?

Economics: “Which is the most important factor that changes the real estate price rate in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul Korea?”

Business Management: To what extent has McDonald’s marketing strategies played a major role in becoming a prominent fast-food company in Korea?

World Studies (Physics & Geography): To What Extent is the Design of the Standard Houses that Gawak Kalinga Builds Able to Withstand the Seismic Hazards Present in Manila?

World Studies (Economics & Music): To what extent is electronic music’s economy expanding?

Visual Arts: To what extent did artistic influences and material sources impact the chair designs of Gerrit Thomas Rietveld Zig-Zag (1934), Verner Panton Panton S (1956), and Tom Dixon, Capellini, S Chair (1991)?

Business Management: To what extent has Apple Inc.’s prioritization of product innovation and advertising led to sales of iPhone X?

World Studies (Psychology & Geography): How do the combined effects of Socioeconomic Status and Diabetes increase prevalences of Alzheimer’s Disease in different regions within China (PRC)?

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English Extended Essay Topics: 30+ Examples for Inspiration

by  Antony W

July 30, 2022

You learned quite a lot about English extended essays so far. You know about the English EE categories as well as how to write a comprehensive essay for the subject. In the following section, we put together a list of some of the best English extended essay topics that you can focus on if you choose to write an extended essay on an English subject.

English Extended Essay Writing Help

Do you have a hard time finding a topic for your English extended essay? Maybe you’re running out of time already and have no idea where to start? Click here to take advantage of your extended essay writing help and we’ll have our expert IB writers help you get the work done fast.

Best English Extended Essay Topics

The following are examples of the best English EE topics:

English Extended Essay Topics on American Literature

• When we read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we can observe the opposition to the abolition of slavery in America via the slaves.
• How can the American aspirations, as depicted in numerous American novels and other literary works, out to be a complete failure?
• How can death and a love of the outdoors manifest themselves in American literature?
• What are the key works of American literature that illuminate the failure of the American dream, absurdity, and environmental destruction?
• How does the American author Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road show the destruction of nature caused by weaponry, which alludes indirectly to the American armaments industry?
• How can we witness the resistance of slaves to slavery in America via numerous literary works?

English Extended Essay Topics on the Age of Romanticism

• How did people go from urbanization back to the villages and countryside during the romantic period?
• Why are there hints of modernism in the age’s literary masterwork, Kubla Khan, authored by Samuel Taylor Coleridge?
• How does the English romantic period of literature vary from the American romantic period?
• How does S.T. Coleridge defend nature during the Romantic Era through the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?
• Which poetry embodies the romantic period’s themes, such as nostalgia, escapism, and naturalism?
• Which circumstances led to romanticism’s rebellion against classical literature?

English Literature Extended Essay Topics

• What does Samuel Johnson’s poem about the futility of human desires from the classical age of literature convey?
• Why did classical poetry during the neoclassical period contain heroic couplets and rhyme schemes?
• Can we regard The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope to be the quintessential epic of the neoclassical period?
• Why did novels and plays suddenly become prominent in post-classical literature with the development of the European middle class?
• How does the American classic literature vary from the European classic literature? Justify the modern works of literature that are significant.
• Can we argue that modernism and romantic poetry were written in straightforward language and do not reflect the upper class?
• How poetry used to be a marker of class in the classic era of literature, and why lower-class individuals had no relationship to poetry.
• Why do individuals begin to adhere to defined norms of poetry and prose when the neoclassical period begins in English literature?

English Extended Essay Topics on Renaissance

• How does the renaissance bring about a radical shift in people’s attitudes toward literature?
• Why William Shakespeare is regarded one of the best dramatists, poets, and playwrights of all time.  
• Is the notion of universality in William Shakespeare’s work the cause for his international popularity?
• What role did the printing press play in the huge growth of literature during that era?
• What were the sociopolitical and economic conditions of the Renaissance era? Which writings best portray them?
• Why the Renaissance is the ideal time for the flourishing of literature, and how did contemporaneous queens and monarchs support literary figures and their art.
• What indications can be found in the literature of the Renaissance that demonstrate the growth in commerce following the invention of the printing press?
• How is the Renaissance period linked to both metaphysical poetry and contemporary man? Can we comprehend it through the poetry of John Donne and the drama Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlow?

Poetry Extended Essay Topics

• How poetry was the text of the higher classes in English literature during the Renaissance and Classical periods.
• Why did the form of English poetry change significantly from Shakespearean sonnets to Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and John Milton’s Paradise Lost?
• How the heroic couplets of the neoclassical period differed from those of the romantic period, and why classical poetry had so many rules.
• At the conclusion of the romantic period, when there was a fad for prose like novels among the general populace, what caused the dramatic decline in the significance of poetry?
• Can we claim that novae rich was the reason for this dynamic movement in poetry that is reflected in literature?
• Why does modernist poetry have fragmentation and no interconnection between the distinct stanzas?
• From the English Renaissance through modernism and postmodernism, how many different styles of poetry can we observe?
• Does colonialism have an effect on modern poetry and the manner in which it evolves during the many eras of colonial rule?

Extended Essay Topics on Language Development

• Why has euphemism been so prominent in the English language for so long and how does this affect the lexicon and structure of the language?
• Can we argue that, unlike other languages of the globe, English is a language of conventions and traditions with no hard and fast rules?
• What function does slang play in the English language, and how are slang terms now preserved in official and academic dictionaries?
• What are the primary causes of the gradual shift in the spelling of English words through time?
• Impact of globalization on the evolution of the English language as it becomes the universal language.

Writing an English extended essay doesn’t have to be difficult after all. From our experience, English is an easy subject on which an extended essay is easy write. As long as you start working on the assignment early and attend all the reflection sessions, you should score top marks if not a 34.

If you feel like writing the extended essay is a difficult task, especially because it’s a long, 4,000-word document with a strict structure, consider hiring our extended essay writing help to get experts to work on the subject on your behalf.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

US - Extended Essay Guide: Examples of Extended Essays

• Class of '25 EE Deadline Calendar
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• Computer Science
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ZIS Sample Essays 2018

• Sample ZIS Extended Essays 2018 These ZIS student essays from 2018 scored either an A or B. Access is only given to anyone with the link at Zurich International School. Use them to analyse style and formatting as well to brainstorm ideas for topics. However, be aware that these are not research questions to be reused.

Extended Essay & RPPF Exemplars

• (Language B) Studies in language and literature: Punk music in the UK How did the punk movement influence certain aspects of the British culture did in the 20th century?
• (Language B) Language acquisition: Linguistic Strategies in the United States Presidential Election Debates 2016 How did the language used by Clinton and Trump in the first, the second and the third presidential debate influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in the United States?
• (Business management) To what extent is it a good idea for Escan ltd to end a strategic alliance with Qupid? To what extent is it a good idea for Escan ltd to end a strategic alliance with Qupid?
• (Information technology in a global society) The growing digital divide in financial markets To what extent has algorithmic trading led to an increased digital divide in financial markets?
• (Philosophy) Accidents in driverless cars What is the most appropriate ethical framework for the programming of driverless cars?
• (Social and cultural anthropology) An investigation of secondary education having an impact on divorce rates: a comparison between Caribbean-born women and African-American women Does secondary education have an impact on divorce rates: a comparison between Caribbean-born women and African-American women.
• (World religions) Christian and Islamic eschatology What do Islamic and Christian followers believe about the endtimes and how does each belief influence the religion?
• (Design Technology) Plants in modern architecture. The future of sustainability. To what extent could the implementation of plants in modern building design be a feasible method for future construction, to fight pollution and improve well-being in and around the building environment?
• (Literature and performance) The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A moving novel and a stigmatized film Why might Charlie's mental illness be portrayed differently in the movie adaptation of the Perks of Being a Wallflower than it is in the book?
• (Economics) The impact of demonetization on agriculture and farmers in Sultanganj To what extent has India's 2016 demonetization act impacted farmers, Kharif sale and Rabi sowing in Sultanganj?
• (Environmental systems and societies) Developing a model to evaluate the sustainability of marine turtle conservation organisations What are the criteria that may be used to evaluate the sustainability of marine turtle conservation projects and why?
• (Geography) The effects of transnational corporations on urban areas To what extent has the influx of technological and financial transnational corporations in the Grand Canal Dock area given rise to disparities between this and the Irishtown-Ringsend area?
• (Global politics) Violation of human rights: incompatibility of harmful traditional practices and human rights What are the major hindrances in Tanzania and Pakistan to the achievement of human rights and how can they be tackled?
• (History) Battle of Stalingrad To what extent did German tactical mistakes affect the outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad?
• (Philosophy) Artificial General Intelligence: a modern pursuit of the Platonic “good life” No stated research question
• (Psychology) The copycat effect: An analysis of suicides emulated from non-fictional and fictional media To what extent does the “copycat effect” explain similar suicide occurrences subsequent to mass media coverage on non-fictional and fictional suicides?
• (Biology) Effects of different calcium salts in growth solutions on the growth of the stems of basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants grown hydroponically What effects do different calcium salts in growth solutions have on the growth of the stems of basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants grown hydroponically?
• (Chemistry) An investigation into the synthesis of Aspirin in accordance with the principles of green chemistry To what extent can the industrial method of synthesis of aspirin be altered to best comply with the principles of green chemistry?
• (Computer science) An evaluation of malware How does the ILOVEYOU virus compare to the Koobface worm in terms of damage infliction and methods of duplication?
• (Physics) Aerodynamics What is the relationship between frequency and surface area against lift of the propeller of a toy helicopter?
• (Sports, exercise and health science) What can influence a better reaction time in martial artists? Does the warm-up of martial artists influence their reaction time in contrast to not warming up?
• (Mathematics) The use of hyperbolic cosine function in catenary bridge structure The analysis of the relationship between force and other variables in different bridge supporting scenarios.
• (Dance) Ballet Dance: The influence of choreographer George Balanchine on the style worldwide How has George Balanchine's creativity influenced the style of ballet dance worldwide?
• (Film) In depth study of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983) and Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971) Sympathy in film: To what extent does the portrayal of graphic violence in film impart the ability to sympathize with real world situations?
• (Music) Sibelius' Seventh To what extent did Sibelius write his Seventh Symphony as a one movement compression of traditional symphonic form?
• (Theatre) Character Development Within Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years How do motifs, patterns and tones in Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years contribute to the character development and subtext throughout the musical?
• (Visual arts) Parallels in fashion To what extent did Japanese aesthetics and fashion have an influence on contemporary Danish fashion?
• (World Studies) Analyse the effects and impacts of the 2003 invasion of Iraq How and to what extent did the Iraq invasion and occupation between the years 2003 and 2005 impact the rise of radical Islamic terrorism?
• (Language and literature) Criticism towards expectations of masculinity and the idea of patriotism used in the Great War How does All Quiet on the Western Front reveal the expectations of masculinity and patriotism during the early 20th century?
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