Guide to the Extended Essay

Guide to the Extended Essay From subject selection to the final draft IBO DIPLOMA PROGRAMME Student name: ______________________________________ Subject area: _______________________________________ Supervisor’s name: __________________________________ Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 Key dates for students and supervisors in 2007 ............................................................. 5 Intellectual Property Rights ........................................................................................... 8 Regulations .................................................................................................................... 8 Regulation 1 – The Requirement ........................................................................... 8 Regulation 2 – Supervision .................................................................................... 8 Regulation 3 – Language of the Essay ................................................................... 8 Regulation 4 – Malpractice .................................................................................... 8 Regulation 5 – Choice of Subject .......................................................................... 8 Research skills ............................................................................................................. 10 Keeping a research journal....................................................................................... 11 Use of sources .......................................................................................................... 11 Where to look for sources of information ............................................................ 12 Using the internet - planning your search ............................................................ 12 The phases of planning, research and writing .......................................................... 14 1. Selecting a subject................................................................................................ 14 The Choice of Subject .............................................................................................. 14 2. Approaching an extended essay supervisor ......................................................... 15 Key responsibilities of the supervisor .................................................................. 17 3. Selecting a topic ................................................................................................... 18 4. Formulating a research question .......................................................................... 18 The nature of the research .................................................................................... 19 What makes a research question unsuitable? ....................................................... 19 How should I formulate the research question? ................................................... 21 5. Planning your research ......................................................................................... 22 6. Conducting your research .................................................................................... 22 Evaluating your method ....................................................................................... 23 7. Analysis and interpretation .................................................................................. 23 8. Writing the rough draft ........................................................................................ 23 9. Writing the first draft ........................................................................................... 23 Formal Presentation ............................................................................................. 24 The length of the extended essay ......................................................................... 24 Title Page ............................................................................................................. 24 Title ...................................................................................................................... 24 Abstract ................................................................................................................ 24 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. 25 Contents page ....................................................................................................... 25 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 25 Body ..................................................................................................................... 26 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 26 Illustrations .......................................................................................................... 27 References / Bibliography.................................................................................... 27 Appendices ........................................................................................................... 28 The Use of Other Media and Materials................................................................ 28 Computers ............................................................................................................ 28 Videotapes............................................................................................................ 28 Audiotapes ........................................................................................................... 28 Specimen Materials .............................................................................................. 28 10. Writing the final draft ........................................................................................ 29 11. Submission guidelines ....................................................................................... 29 The Viva Voce (concluding interview)………………………………………...…30 References .................................................................................................................. 311 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... 31 Appendix 1. Assessment of extended essays ............................................................... 32 Diploma Points Matrix for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge .......... 323 Appendix 2. Assessment Criteria ............................................................................... 354 A Research question ............................................................................................ B Approach to the research question ................................................................... C Analysis/interpretation ..................................................................................... D Argument/evaluation........................................................................................ E Conclusion ....................................................................................................... F Abstract ............................................................................................................ G Formal presentation ......................................................................................... G Formal presentation (general descriptors) ....................................................... H Holistic judgement ........................................................................................... Appendix 4. MLA Referencing ................................................................................. 430 Presenting Quotations ............................................................................................ 430 Citing Sources ........................................................................................................ 441 The Basics .......................................................................................................... 441 Citing the Author ................................................................................................... 441 Works that Require Special Citation...................................................................... 452 Documenting Books in a List of Works Cited ....................................................... 463 Appendix 5. Extended Essay log of meetings with supervisor ................................... 48 Appendix 6. Research Journal .................................................................................. 574 Selecting the topic and formulating the research question. ............................... 574 Preliminary reading, research methodology and research plan. ........................ 586 Conducting the research. ...................................................................................... 58 Analysis and interpretation. ................................................................................. 59 Discussion. ........................................................................................................... 63 Timeline summary………………………………………………………………. Form 1 Form 2 Form 3 3 Introduction The extended essay is at the core of the IB Diploma curriculum. It is a 4000-word report of an original research project carried out by each student. You should spend around 40 hours on your extended essay. You will be supervised by a member of staff who will offer support, guidance and reassurance. Submission of an extended essay is a requirement of the IB Diploma. Certificate students are usually NOT required to complete an EE. The IBO define the extended essay in the following way: …an in-depth study of a limited topic within a subject. Its purpose is to provide candidates with an opportunity to engage in independent research. Emphasis is placed on the process of engaging in personal research, on the communication of ideas and information in a logical and coherent manner, and on the overall presentation of the extended essay in compliance with these guidelines. The extended essay ―offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest and acquaints students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university‖. It is likely that you will use the extended essay to further your understanding of a subject that you are studying at Higher Level, and one that you are interested in pursuing at University level. Universities are often interested in finding out more about students‘ extended essays which can be decisive in helping students gain admission to competitive courses. This booklet, which must be brought to each meeting with your supervisor, is intended to: provide detailed information for students and their supervisors about the extended essay process from subject selection through to completion of the final draft help students stay on track throughout the process and plan their time effectively help students and their supervisors keep a record of their regular meetings and set manageable targets It is not intended that this booklet becomes the only reference source for the extended essay. Supervisors must provide students with a copy of subject guidelines for their subject, found in the Extended Essay Guide. Supervisors should also be familiar with: references to the extended essay in their Subject Guide and the Vade Mecum the Examiners‘ Reports for the extended essay in their subject extended essay exemplars and moderators‘ comments for their subject (see OCC for exampes). Students may ask their supervisors for access to these materials. 4 Key dates for students and supervisors in 2008 Research and writing process Selecting the subject and approaching a supervisor Time / hours Key Date / Deadlines Activity Outcome Tick when completed February 13th Presentation: ―The Extended Essay – an Introduction‖ All students introduced to the extended essay by the IB Diploma Coordinator. Students select a subject area and a teacher agrees to be their supervisor February February 26th Students consider which subject they will choose for their extended essay. Students approach a teacher with expertise in the subject and invite them to be their supervisor Students fill out the extended essay Form 1 listing their subject, questions, resources and supervisor. Form 1 submitted to IB Diploma Coordinator Selecting the topic and formulating the research question 4-6 February March March 24th Students arrange meetings with their supervisors to discuss extended essay topic and research question. Supervisors give students advice about resources. Students conduct preparatory reading. Students present proposed research topics and questions to supervisors and solicit feedback. Students complete the extended essay Topic Proposal listing topic area and research question. Students select an appropriate topic and research question (this MAY change as the essay develops) Form 2 Topic Proposal and research question submitted to IB Diploma Coordinator Research and writing process Planning and conducting research, analysis and interpretation Time / hours Key Date / Deadlines Activity Outcome Tick when completed 16 - 25 March April / May Students continue to search for sources relevant to their research question. Preparatory reading is carried out. Students develop a research plan with advice from their supervisor. This will include where and how primary (or secondary) data will be obtained. Students conduct background research as outlined in the Research Plan. Students submit a written Research Plan to their supervisors Secondary (or primary) data is obtained May Students consider appropriate methods of collecting & Primary Data collection is organised analysing primary (or secondary) data over the summer for completion during summer holidays. Students discuss proposed methods of holidays analysis with supervisors and solicit feedback. Students write a rough draft (approximately 1500 words, not including bibliography): the introduction and research question the body of the essay including research method(s) used data and data analysis evaluation bibliography The rough draft can include a copy of notes, pages from a research journal and other materials assembled in a coherent and logical sequence. Students complete rough draft. The rough draft will be used to monitor your progress and help supervisors to verify that the extended essay is your own work Rough draft 2-3 June – July August August 25th Submit Form 3 and rough draft of extended essay to supervisor 6 Research and writing process First draft Time / hours Key Date / Deadlines Activity Outcome Tick when completed 13 - 17 August, early in start of term August / September Discussion session: ―Presentation of the Extend Essay‖, covering the General Assessment Criteria, including conclusion, formal presentation, bibliography, and abstract Students continue to draft their essay, adding the conclusion, title page and contents page. The IB Diploma Coordinator leads a session on Extended essay presentation with students and their supervisors Electronic version of first draft completed September 28th Electronic version of first draft (4000 words) completed along with one paper copy Paper copy of first draft submitted to supervisor Final draft 5-7 October October 30th Total 40 - 58 Supervisors read first drafts and provide feedback to students but do not edit the drafts. It is the students‘ ―responsibility to correct mistakes and verify the accuracy of the contents of the extended essay‖ (IBO 1998, p6). Students format and edit essay and write abstract Electronic version of final draft (4000 words) completed along with one original paper copy and a second paper copy. Electronic version of final draft completed Original final draft (TWO copies) & Electronic version submitted to IB Diploma Coordinator. 7 Intellectual Property Rights All examinations, papers, scripts, documents, materials, programs, films, audiotapes, videotapes, photographs, drawings, data, plans, artwork and designs in any form whatsoever prepared and produced by candidates and submitted to the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) for marking, moderation and/or assessment purposes shall upon such submission to the IBO become the absolute property of the IBO. Regulations Regulation 1 – The Requirement Every IB diploma candidate must submit an extended essay. Regulation 2 – Supervision Each candidate submitting an extended essay is supervised by a teacher at the school with appropriate qualifications and/or experience in the subject chosen by the candidate. Regulation 3 – Language of the Essay Extended essays submitted in a group 1 or group 2 language must be written in that language. Extended essays in all other subjects must be written in English, French or Spanish. Regulation 4 – Malpractice The IBO defines malpractice as the attempt by a candidate to gain an unfair advantage in any assessment component. Collusion is when a candidate knowingly allows his or her work to be submitted for assessment by another candidate. Plagiarism is defined by the IBO as the submission for assessment of the unacknowledged work, thoughts or ideas of another person as the candidate‘s own. In order to avoid charges of plagiarism, candidates must always ensure that they acknowledge fully and in detail the words and/or ideas of another person. The same piece of work, or two versions of the same work, cannot be submitted to meet the requirements of both the extended essay and another assessment component of a subject contributing to the diploma. All EE‘s will be processed through TURNITIN before being sent for marking. Choice of Subject It is HIGHLY recommended that the subject of the EE be one that the student is currently studying, preferably at Higher Level. Extended essays cannot be submitted in Theory of Knowledge. Responsibilities of the student It is required that students: · choose a topic that fits into one of the subjects on the approved extended essay list (in the Vade Mecum) · observe the regulations relating to the extended essay · meet deadlines · acknowledge all sources of information and ideas in an approved academic manner. It is strongly recommended that students: · start work early · think very carefully about the research question for their essay · plan how, when and where they will find material for their essay · plan a schedule for both researching and writing the essay, including extra time for delays and unforeseen problems · record sources as their research progresses (rather than trying to reconstruct a list at the end) · have a clear structure for the essay itself before beginning to write · check and proofread the final version carefully · make sure that all basic requirements are met (for example, all students should get full marks for the abstract). Advice to students from examiners Recommended: things to do Examiners’ reports frequently emphasize the following positive steps. Before starting work on the extended essay, students should: · read the assessment criteria · read previous essays to identify strengths and possible pitfalls · spend time working out the research question (imagine the finished essay) · work out a structure for the essay. During the research process, and while writing the essay, students should: · start work early and stick to deadlines · maintain a good working relationship with their supervisor · construct an argument that relates to the research question · use the library and consult librarians for advice · record sources as they go along (rather than trying to reconstruct a list at the end) · choose a new topic and a research question that can be answered if there is a problem with the original topic · use the appropriate language for the subject · let their interest and enthusiasm show. After completing the essay, students should: · write the abstract · check and proofread the final version carefully. 9 Recommended: things to avoid Examiners’ reports also mention these things to be avoided at all costs. Students should not work with a research question that is too broad or too vague, too narrow, too difficult or inappropriate. A good research question is one that asks something worth asking and that is answerable within 40 hours/4,000 words. It should be clear what would count as evidence in relation to the question, and it must be possible to acquire such evidence in the course of the investigation. If a student does not know what evidence is needed, or cannot collect such evidence, it will not be possible to answer the research question. In addition, students should not: · forget to analyse the research question · ignore the assessment criteria · collect material that is irrelevant to the research question · use the Internet uncritically · plagiarize · merely describe or report (evidence must be used to support the argument) · repeat the introduction in the conclusion · cite sources that are not used. One further piece of advice is as follows: the more background a student has in the subject, the better the chance he or she has of writing a good extended essay. Choosing to write the extended essay in a subject that is not being studied as part of the Diploma Programme often leads to lower marks. Research skills Before we start to consider the various phases of the extended essay process, it is wise to discuss effective research skills. Research skills and methodologies specific to your subject area will be discussed by your supervisor. As stated in the Extended Essay guidelines: The supervisor must provide advice and guidance appropriate to the particular requirements of the candidate, including assistance with: defining a suitable topic formulating a precise research question access to appropriate resources (such as people, a library, a laboratory) techniques of gathering and analysing information/evidence/data documentation methods for acknowledging sources writing an abstract. 10 In this section, I will outline some general research skills that you can use to help you conduct research effectively and complete your essay. Keeping a research journal This booklet contains a research journal section in Appendix 6. A research journal is not a diary, nor is it extra work. It is a place for you to reflect upon and focus your research. You will record key concepts, ideas and discoveries, outline problems that you have encountered and possible solutions to them, and note your next steps. Ideally you will write an entry into your journal at the end of each block of research, e.g. at the end of an experiment, having read a research paper or after completing an interview. In order for it to be effective, the research journal should be written immediately after the block of research, not retrospectively. Include the date with each entry that you make. Keep an extended essay research journal to record thoughts and reflections on: the planning process and how you arrived at your research question the line of enquiry that you take and why a description and assessment of the methods that you use your interpretation of the data as it emerges any unexpected problems that you encounter and the strengths and weaknesses of possible solutions. Much of the reflection that you enter into your journal will find its way into the body of your essay, so: you will effectively be writing the essay as you go if you keep your journal up to date! Your supervisor will want to discuss your research journal entries with you at each meeting. Use of sources As you will discover, there is a need for you to refer to the work of others during your preliminary research and when you are planning and conducting your research. Your work does not exist in a vacuum and so should relate to the work carried out by other researchers in your field. Whether you are using primary (or secondary) data published by others or using established research methodologies suitable for your subject area, your project will be influenced by the work of others in your field. It is entirely suitable (and expected) that you include references to the work of others in your extended essay. However your essay should not become merely a series of citations strung together. Instead, you should include references to material in order to: support your arguments by quoting an author recognised as an authority in your field present a case that you wish to attack illustrate or confirm facts or a point of view that you state to be so present a brief statement that is relevant. 11 Whether you include the exact words of your source (in quotation marks) or whether you put their ideas into your own words, it is extremely important that these words are referenced correctly using the MLA format. This will make it clear that you are referring to the work of others and avoid the charge of plagiarism. Please refer to the extensive guidelines on MLA referencing reproduced in Appendix 4. Keep an annotated bibliography of the sources that you read. It will ultimately find its way into your extended essay. ―Your bibliography is vital: not only does it illustrate what you have read, but it also supports what you have written and gives your reader access to further information in an informed way‖ It is essential that you record full details of all your sources following the MLA format as you conduct your research – this will save you considerable time in the long run as you will not have to spend hours searching all over again for the sources that you have referred to and need to place in your bibliography. Where to look for sources of information 1. Your supervisor may have relevant information in their own collection of resources, or may be able to show you departmental resources that are relevant to your research. 2. The resource centre contains a good selection of written resources and the librarians will be more than happy to help you search for relevant material. 3. Good quality newspapers such as the UK‘s Guardian or the USA‘s Washington Post are often accessible via the internet. 4. Information can be found in television or radio programmes, for example news, magazine, reportage or documentary programmes. 5. It is of course possible to find resources on the World Wide Web through a search engine such as Google, but please note the following comment about reliability and internet use. Some sources will be more reliable than others. The World Wide Web has a wealth of information, much of it very unreliable. The information found at www.wikipedia.com is a notorious example as readers are able to edit any content found there. Extended essay examiners regularly criticise students‘ over-reliance on the internet as a source of information, and recommend that students refer to printed materials more than they do. The reliability, relevance and age of the information referred to must be carefully considered. Please note that Questia is an online database that gives you access to printed materials, not to internet sources. Using the internet - planning your search Kirk (3:46 – 58) suggests techniques for improving the quality of sources that you can find using an internet search engine. I have summarised Kirk‘s ideas in this section. It might seem that the easiest thing to do would be to open Google and to type in as many relevant search terms that you can think of. If you plan your search you will 12 save time as your search becomes more efficient. The strategy suggested by unknown is as follows: 1. describe your research topic as carefully as you can in one sentence – an example might be: The ozone hole, UV radiation and its possible effect on the growth of Lepidium sativum 2. underline the key concepts in your research topic The ozone hole, UV radiation and its possible effect on the growth of Lepidium sativum 3. find synonyms for the key concepts that you have underlined - use dictionaries, encyclopaedias or thesauruses to help you do this A Ozone hole: ozone depletion, ozone loss, O3, ozone B UV radiation: electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic radiation, ultra violet, ultra-violet, light C Effect: consequence, outcome, change D Growth: germination, mitosis, cell division, enlargement, size, length, height, thickness E Lepidium: plant, plantae, cress, brassicaceae, brassica 4. use the Bolean operators OR, AND, and NOT to enter all your synonyms into the search. Combine each of the terms in each of the concepts A to E with OR. Now join the combined concepts together with AND. ozone depletion OR ozone loss OR O3 OR ozone AND electromagnetic spectrum OR electromagnetic radiation OR ultra violet OR ultra-violet OR light AND consequence OR etc… NOT can be used to exclude any results that contain a specific reference. 13 The phases of planning, research and writing I have broken the process down into the following phases. These phases are common to all subject areas and should occur in the order shown: 1. Selecting a subject 2. Approaching a supervisor 3. Selecting a topic 4. Formulating a research question 5. Planning your research 6. Conducting your research 7. Analysis and interpretation 8. Writing the rough draft introduction body conclusion references appendices 9. Writing the first draft title page abstract acknowledgements contents page 10. Writing the final draft Each of these phases is discussed below. 1. Selecting a subject The Choice of Subject The subject in which the extended essay is registered must be chosen from the list of available subjects given in the Vade Mecum. It is advisable to choose the subject for the extended essay before deciding what the topic or research question of the extended essay will be. Since the IBO specifies the range of permitted subjects, certain topics may not be appropriate for an extended essay. The subject chosen for the extended essay does not have to be one of the subjects being studied by the candidate for the diploma, but care should be taken to choose a subject about which the candidate has sufficient knowledge and skills. Candidates should also base the choice of subject on the level of personal interest they have in that subject. Your extended essay must be carried out within one of the official IB Diploma subjects. I recommend that you choose a subject: 14 that you are currently studying at Higher Level that you are interested in studying that relates to your future university course or career interests. The extended essay is an opportunity to gain a greater insight into a subject area that you have a special interest in. It may help you in your university aspirations. You will need to sustain your motivation to complete the project which may feel daunting at times. It is important that you choose a subject that you enjoy. If you choose a subject that you do not study as part of your Diploma, you should already have a working knowledge of the nature of that subject area. 2. Approaching an extended essay supervisor Once you have selected a subject you should approach a member of the teaching staff and invite them to be your supervisor. A polite and informal request made at an appropriate time is usually well received. Your supervisor must have appropriate qualifications and / or experience in your subject area but does not have to be an IB Diploma subject teacher – for example a member of the Primary teaching staff may have specific expertise in your field. The extended essay supervisor has four principal responsibilities: to encourage and support the candidate throughout the research and writing of the extended essay to provide the candidate with advice and guidance in the skills of undertaking research to ensure that the extended essay is the candidate‘s own work to complete the supervisor‘s report. The supervisor should help candidates understand the relative importance of the extended essay in the overall context of the diploma. It is recommended that candidates spend about 40 hours in total on the extended essay. Since candidates will be faced with many other commitments during the Diploma Programme, the demands of the extended essay may appear daunting at times. An important role of the supervisor is to offer encouragement, support and reassurance during the preparation and writing of the extended essay. The amount of time spent by the supervisor with each candidate will vary depending on the circumstances, but will usually be between two and three hours in total. To help candidates organize the time they spend on the extended essay, schools are encouraged to set internal deadlines for important stages in writing the extended essay. A schedule of stages will permit supervisors to maintain close contact with the candidates and may include: selecting the subject; deciding on 15 the topic; formulating the research question; completing the research; drafting a rough copy; and submitting the final version. The supervisor must ensure that the candidate is thoroughly conversant with all the pertinent information in this guide. The supervisor must provide advice and guidance appropriate to the particular requirements of the candidate, including assistance with: defining a suitable topic formulating a precise research question access to appropriate resources (such as people, a library, a laboratory) techniques of gathering and analysing information/evidence/data documentation methods for acknowledging sources writing an abstract. While the supervisor is encouraged to discuss the choice of topic and research question with the candidate, the candidate must be allowed to decide on the topic and the research question and develop his/her own ideas. The supervisor must ensure that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards with regard to health and safety, confidentiality and human rights, and animal welfare and environmental issues. Further information about such issues is given in the relevant subject guidelines. The supervisor is encouraged to read and comment on the first draft of the extended essay, but is not permitted to edit this draft for the candidate. It is the candidate‘s responsibility to correct mistakes and verify the accuracy of the contents of the extended essay. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that a completed extended essay cover accompanies the final version of the extended essay. If the extended essay cover is not signed by either the candidate or the supervisor, the essay will not be accepted for assessment and may be returned to the school. The supervisor must complete the supervisor‘s report on the inside of the cover and submit the extended essay in its cover to the IB coordinator. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the extended essay is the candidate‘s own work, by monitoring the progress of the essay. In addition, the supervisor should read the final version of the extended essay. If the supervisor suspects that malpractice, such as plagiarism, has occurred, he/she must write a full report outlining the reasons for suspicion. The supervisor should present this report to the IB coordinator who will then follow the appropriate procedures. It may be necessary for the candidate to consult an external resource person during the research. This is permissible but it is the 16 responsibility of the candidate‘s extended essay supervisor within the school to complete all the formalities described above. It is recommended that you spend two to three hours in total discussing your extended essay with your supervisor (IBO 1998, p5). You will probably spend more time with your supervisor in the crucial early stages of the process as you attempt to decide upon your topic and narrow the focus of your research. Later, frequent short meetings with your supervisor at key times will be the most effective way of proceeding, particularly through the research and data analysis phase. These meetings must be recorded in both your copy and your supervisor’s copy of this booklet. Key responsibilities of the supervisor Key responsibilities of the supervisor are summarised below: to ensure that you read the information in this booklet to provide you with a copy of the Subject Assessment Criteria for your subject and to ensure that you read it to meet with you regularly and as appropriate, and to keep a log of those meetings in their copy of this booklet to check that you keep your Research Journal up to date (see the section on Research Journal below and the Research Journal itself in Appendix 6) to help you set targets for your next meeting to offer encouragement and support to help you select your topic and narrow your focus (see the section on Narrowing Your Focus below) to provide advice and guidance in appropriate research skills and methodologies (see the section on Research Skills below) to ensure that your research conforms to ―appropriate legal and ethical standards with regard to health and safety, confidentiality and human rights, and animal welfare and environmental issues‖ to ensure that the extended essay is your own original work by monitoring the work in progress to report any suspected malpractice, e.g. plagiarism, in a written report to the IB Diploma Coordinator to read and comment on your first draft, but not to edit it for you to help you keep to the internal deadlines set by OSC to read your final draft to complete the supervisor‘s report. Your supervisor will expect you to be proactive and to drive the process. For example, actively identify your problems and propose a number of solutions, then discuss your suggestions with your supervisor who may help you identify the best course of action. Do not expect your supervisor to do your thinking for you! 17 Once you have selected your subject and a member of the teaching faculty has accepted your invitation to be your supervisor, submit an Initial Proposal slip to the IB Diploma Coordinator. 3. Selecting a topic Once you have selected a subject area and a supervisor, you will begin to narrow your focus and decide upon a research question. This is a crucial aspect of the extended essay that will determine whether the essay will be successful or not. The topic of the extended essay is the particular area of study within the chosen subject. Before a final decision is made about the choice of topic the relevant subject guidelines should be carefully considered. Candidates should aim to choose a topic that is both interesting and challenging to them. The topic chosen should be limited in scope and sufficiently narrow to allow candidates to examine an issue or problem in depth. It should present the candidate with the opportunity to collect or generate information and/or data for analysis and evaluation. Candidates are not expected to make a contribution to knowledge within a subject. A broad topic is unlikely to result in a successful extended essay. A topic which requires no personal research and/or requires an essentially narrative or descriptive approach is not suitable for an extended essay. Similarly, although a reliance on secondary sources is sometimes necessary, an extended essay which only provides a summary of such sources will not be successful. Writing a précis of a well-documented topic is unlikely to result in a successful extended essay. You may already have a clear idea about what you want to research. If so you are one of the lucky few! Most students have trouble selecting an appropriate topic and narrowing their focus. Firstly, consider general topics within your subject area that interest you. Scan the subject guide to help refresh your memory about what is included. Your supervisor will arrange access to this if you already do not have it. Some topics will be better suited to an extended essay than others, so try not to limit yourself at this point. 4. Formulating a research question When an appropriate topic has been chosen, candidates should narrow the focus of the investigation and formulate a specific research question. For many extended essays this will be phrased in the form of a question, but alternatives such as launching the investigation with a hypothesis are acceptable. By frequently referring to this research question, candidates should be able to maintain the purpose and orientation of the investigation. 18 Candidates are encouraged to formulate a challenging research question but to ensure that it can be explored within the constraints of essay length, time and resources available to them. The research question should: be limited in scope and focus so that it can be treated in depth within the word limit present opportunities to collect or generate information and / or data for analysis, interpretation, argument and evaluation be formulated as a specific question, or as a hypothesis provide the central focus of the extended essay, continually referred to throughout be challenging The nature of the research Your research could involve: a comparison of theoretical positions an appraisal of interpretations of an issue a critical analysis of a topic an analysis of changing views over time, and the causes of these changes an analysis of primary experimental data and whether it fits accepted theory surveys using questionnaires or interviews. a comparison of primary data generated by you through questionnaires or interviews with current secondary data obtained from newspapers, magazines or books The different approaches described above are not all be suitable for all subject areas. The nature of the subject will determine which approach or approaches are appropriate. Above all, you must avoid writing a narrative or descriptive essay which is unsuitable in any subject. What makes a research question unsuitable? General assessment criteria A, C and D refer to inappropriate research questions, which fall into two main types. There are some research questions which are too broad in scope to be dealt with effectively, on more than a superficial descriptive level, within the limits of an extended essay. Many examples of such research questions are given in the subject guidelines. Such research questions will not achieve greater than level 1 on criterion A, and may well fail to successfully address some of the other general and subject assessment criteria. 19 Many examples of such questions are given in the subject guidelines found on pages 25 to 137 of the extended essay guide . I have reproduced a selection below for quick reference. Category 1: Religious imagery in ‘Wuthering Heights’ is better than The Brontës. Languages 2 Category 1: A comparison of the language used in different newspaper articles on one topic is better than The press. Category 2: The influence of tourism on the Spanish language is better than The tourist industry in Spain. Category 3: The bullfight in the works of Lorca is better than Lorca’s life. Economics Measuring the price elasticity of demand for products in the school shop is better than Price elasticity: Brazil’s exports since 1960. History Explanations of the collapse of the Mayan civilization is better than The Mayan civilization. ITGS A study of the impact of virtual reality on people’s leisure is better than Virtual reality. Biology The ozone hole, UV radiation and its possible effect on the growth of Lepidium sativum is better than Consequences of the ozone hole. Chemistry Spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of lead in drinking water is better than Water analysis. Physics Wind power: a clean source of energy? is better than Alternative energy sources. Mathematics Prime numbers in cryptography is better than Prime numbers. Psychology The fallibility of memory in eyewitness testimony: a review of evidence and implications is better than Human memory. English A1 Visual arts How did Wassily Kandinsky use colour? is better than The Bauhaus. The other category of inappropriate research question involves those studies which are too simplistic, too limited in scope or too speculative, providing either an easily accomplished or insignificant outcome, or a self-evident outcome which should have been predicted in advance. Such extended essays will be awarded a level 0 on criterion A and, because they can in theory satisfy the requirements of criteria C and D with some ease, they will be restricted to a maximum of level 2 in both these cases. Examples of the second category of research question, which are defined as not lending themselves to systematic investigation in the context of an extended essay, are: 20 Biology Biology Environmental systems Geography Geography History History History Mathematics Theatre arts How is photosynthesis affected by the absence of light? What causes genetic diseases? The annual net productivity of a pet gerbil. The potato – areas of cultivation and the uses of the potato. Does Sydney have a central business district? Why did the Emperor Claudius have a limp? Would the native people of North America have won the frontier wars if they had first invented firearms? Tracing human evolution in the Rift Valley in Africa to extraterrestrial origins. The duodecimal system. An investigation into whether stage lighting has an effect. It is important to note that judgement on the suitability of the above research questions could not be made on the basis of the title alone. Some research questions which appear trivial from the title may be given a sophisticated treatment and produce worthy findings. Thus, although the title of the extended essay may act as a guide, decisions about the awarding of criteria levels in regard to this matter can only be made on the basis of the whole essay. How should I formulate the research question? It should be clear that you will need to do a substantial amount of preliminary research in order to help you formulate a research question. Please see the section below for advice regarding general research skills and methods that you will need to use regardless of your subject area. In the subsection The nature of the research on page 19 I gave you examples of the kinds of research that your research question might encompass. For research where you are relying on the primary (or secondary) data published by others, e.g. when making a comparison of theoretical positions, you will have to find sources of that primary (or secondary) data. Your preliminary research will give you an opportunity to: find published data read what other researchers in your field have already found see if there are questions within your field that have not yet been answered by other researchers read the theories that have been proposed by other researchers. 21 As I mentioned above, you should meet regularly with your supervisor during this crucial phase of your extended essay process. Your research journal will be an important place to record your thoughts. 5. Planning your research Now that you have a research question, it is time to plan your research. It is important to ask yourself questions such as: What methodologies are suitable for my subject area? What methodologies will help me answer my research question? How should I choose between different possible approaches? How can I make sure that I use the methodology correctly so that my evidence is valid? 5. Will the method I use allow me to generalise, or will my evidence hold for only a specific situation? 6. Can I explain or justify the research approach I have taken? Furthermore, it is important to ensure that your research conforms to ―appropriate legal and ethical standards with regard to health and safety, confidentiality and human rights, and animal welfare and environmental issues‖ . Your supervisor will help you in this respect. Before you start your research, it will be necessary to carry out preliminary research and reading. You may need to investigate suitable techniques and methods that other researchers have used that you could use yourself, and other issues relevant to your research: research methods suitable for your subject area experimental techniques questionnaire writing interview technique ethical conduct statistical analysis of data. If you are planning to generate your own primary data, it will be necessary to trial any experimental techniques, questionnaires or interview questions. Again you will need to record the outcomes of your preliminary research and write your reflections in your journal. A brief account of preliminary research used to help you arrive at your final approach should be included in the body of your extended essay. Write a journal entry after each significant block of research. Keep your list of bibliographic references up to date as you go. 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. Conducting your research Whilst conducting your research, it pays to be methodical. Make sure that you have all the materials that you will need to hand before you start each session. 22 If you are requesting help from others (e.g. the science technicians) make sure that you communicate your requirements politely and clearly and with a few days‘ notice. Keep MLA style records of reference materials for inclusion in your bibliography later. Keep complete notes about the results of any investigations that you carry out, including problems or ethical issues that arose and how you resolved them. Evaluating your method It will be important to revisit the questions that you asked when you were planning your research (see above). These questions will help you to evaluate your method, an important aspect of the extended essay. 7. Analysis and interpretation Methods of analysis and interpretation of your research will be determined by the subject area you are working within. For example if you are conducting scientific research in the natural sciences, a statistical analysis of your quantitative data will be required. Some forms of data lend themselves to graphical presentation that helps to illustrate trends or the degree of correlation to a theoretical position. Critical analysis is essential. What is required is not a restating of the raw data or information found, or a description of the sources that you have read. What is needed is an analysis of the reliability of the sources or the data and an informed discussion of the degree to which they support any arguments or claims that they allow you to make. As soon as you start your research, patterns should begin to emerge from your data. It is important to reflect on these patterns as they emerge and whether the answer to your research question is emerging also. You should write your reflections in your journal. 8. Writing the rough draft The rough draft is due for submission before the end of the summer term. The rough draft should include the introduction, body, references, and appendices (see below for a description of these sections), albeit in a ‗rough‘ form. The rough draft can include a copy of notes, pages from a research journal and other materials assembled in a coherent and logical sequence. 9. Writing the first draft The first draft should be in an assessable form. You should address all of the general and subject criteria (see Appendix 2 below). The general descriptor G - Formal presentation should be closely followed. Correct any mistakes in grammar, punctuation or spelling before submission – this is not your supervisor‘s responsibility. It will be a good idea for you to team up with a friend and proof-read each other‘s work. The general sections that should be included in your essay are listed in the correct sequence below. Your supervisor will look at your first draft and give you feedback 23 and points for consideration. Your supervisor will not edit this draft for you – that is up to you to do. Formal Presentation The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal style appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. The use of typewriters or word processors is encouraged. The length of the extended essay The upper limit is 4000 words for all extended essays. This upper limit includes the introduction, the body, the conclusion and any quotations, but does not include: the abstract acknowledgements the contents page maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and tables the references/bibliography appendices. Essays in excess of 4000 words are subject to penalties and examiners are not required to read material in excess of the word limit. Candidates writing their extended essay in Japanese or Chinese should use the following conversions: Japanese: 1 word = approximately 2 Japanese characters Chinese: 1 word = approximately 1.2 Chinese characters Title Page Your name, title of the research project, subject and word count (as defined above) should be clearly presented on a title page. Title The title should provide a clear indication of the focus of the essay. It should be precise and not necessarily phrased in the form of a question. Abstract An abstract not exceeding 300 words must be included. It does not serve as an introduction but presents a synopsis of the extended essay, and therefore should be written last. The inclusion of an abstract is intended to encourage candidates to examine closely the development of an argument within the extended essay and the pertinence of any conclusions that are reached. It is also designed to allow readers to understand quickly the contents of the extended essay. 24 The minimum requirements for the abstract are to state clearly: the research question being investigated the scope of the investigation the conclusion/s of the extended essay. The abstract should be typed or word processed on one side of a sheet of paper, and placed immediately after the title page. According to the May 2004 ITGS extended essay moderator‘s report the abstract ―is simply a factual synopsis (a compressed version) in 300 words of the entire Extended Essay including the research question, scope of the research and conclusion.‖ The abstract should summarise the entire research report. It is worth noting that the ―scope of the research‖ includes how the research was conducted and how the limits of the research were defined. New ideas or personal remarks should not be included in the abstract. Nor should the abstract be a ‗justification‘ for the choice of topic or simply a summary of the introduction. Acknowledgements You should acknowledge your supervisor and anyone else who has given their time or expertise to help you complete the extended essay. Contents page A contents page must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all pages should be numbered. An index is not required. The contents page should list all the main sections of your essay with accurate page numbers. It is possible to do this easily in Word using . All pages must be clearly numbered. Introduction The introduction is a short section in which you clearly state your research question. You should also explain how you arrived at your research question and why it is important. The introduction should include: an indication of why the topic chosen is interesting, important or worthy of study some background information and an attempt to place the topic in an appropriate context an indication of whether the topic has been narrowed to a focus of more manageable proportions a clearly and precisely stated research question a clear concluding statement of the thesis and argument, i.e. the response to the research question that will subsequently be developed in the body of the essay. 25 Body The essential feature of the major section, or body, of the essay is the systematic development of a convincing answer to the research question. The structure and the approach to this section will be shaped by the conventions of the particular subject in which the extended essay is being undertaken. Some subjects may require sub-headings for major sections within the main body. For example, scientific investigations will usually have separate sections for method and results. In some other subjects, however, sub-headings should be avoided because they disrupt the flow and unity of an essay. You will need to organise this section in a way that is appropriate for your subject area. Sub-headings may or may not be required as appropriate. In the body of the essay it is important that you: regularly refer back to the research question and / or hypothesis to help make your arguments explicit describe and explain your approach to the research question; in other words, include a justification of your research method(s) include a summary of your data, with the bulk of the raw data in appendices if appropriate include a thorough analysis and interpretation of the data or sources that you are referring to and relate them to the research question systematically build up a clearly articulated argument based on a clear sequence of ideas include charts, diagrams or other graphical representations only if they are directly related to your arguments and refer to them explicitly in your text make it clear how the data and sources being referred to in the essay help to answer the research question do not introduce new ideas and arguments that are irrelevant to the research project at a late stage in the discussion it should be clear to the reader whether you have answered the research question, to what extent you have answered the research question and what the answer that you have found is. Conclusion The requirements of the conclusion are that it is clearly stated is relevant to the research question being investigated is substantiated by the evidence presented indicates issues, unresolved questions and new questions that have emerged from the research. (2:10) You should have already let the reader know whether you have answered your research question. Here in the conclusion you must: restate the findings of your research 26 say to what extent the research question has been answered or your hypothesis supported identify questions that remain unanswered and make suggestions for further work. Illustrations Presentation and overall neatness are important, and it is essential that illustrative material, if included, is well set out and used effectively. Graphs, diagrams, tables and maps are effective only if they are well labelled and can be interpreted with ease. All such material which is incorporated into the extended essay must be directly related to the text and acknowledged where appropriate. The use of photographs and postcards is acceptable only if they are captioned and/or annotated and are used to illustrate a specific point made in the extended essay. (2:12) References / Bibliography The direct or indirect use of the words of another person, written, oral or electronic, must be acknowledged appropriately as must visual material in the essay, derived from another source. A candidate‘s failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as plagiarism, and will therefore be treated as a case of malpractice. The bibliography or list of references should include only those works, such as books and journals, that have been consulted by the candidate. An accepted form of quoting and documenting sources should be applied consistently. The major documentation systems are divided into two groups, parenthetical in-text systems and numbered systems; either may be used, provided this is done consistently and clearly. It is good practice to require candidates to study a major style guide appropriate to the subject of the extended essay so that they can present their list of references professionally. Each work consulted, regardless of whether or not it has already been cited as a reference, must be listed in the bibliography. The bibliography should specify: author/s, title, date and place of publication, and the name of the publisher, following consistently one standard method of listing sources. Note that, for personal e-mail listings, the address should be omitted. (2:12) All references should be made in the MLA format as stated elsewhere in this booklet. Furthermore your references list should: include all and only those sources that you have referred to in your essay be listed in alphabetical order of authors. 27 Appendices Appendices are not an essential section of the extended essay and examiners are not required to read them, so care should be taken to include all information of direct relevance to the analysis and argument in the main part of the essay. Unless considered essential, complete lists of raw data should not be included in the extended essay. An extended essay should not constantly refer to material presented in an appendix as this may disrupt its continuity. (2:13) The appendices if appropriate should only include information or data that is directly relevant to the extended essay. The information in the appendices should be referred to explicitly in the body of the essay. The Use of Other Media and Materials Apart from graphic material, materials in other media may be submitted only as supporting appendices and should not detract from the written extended essay. Computers The use of computers is encouraged where they are appropriate as tools for analysing data relevant to the subject of the extended essay. Material such as a hard copy of computer output may be included in the extended essay, but any associated program should be referred to or reproduced, if original, only as an appendix. Only in computer science and physics (in particular circumstances) may programs be included as part of the extended essay. (See subject guidelines for Computer science, page 57, and for Physics, page 108 for further details.) Videotapes The use of videotapes as supporting material is not permissible. Audiotapes The use of audiotapes as supporting material is permissible, but is not encouraged, and extra merit will not be given for the inclusion of audiotapes in support of an extended essay. Digital audiotapes are not acceptable. Specimen Materials Specimen materials used in or produced by investigations do not form part of the extended essay and must not be submitted. Photographic evidence may be submitted in place of such material. (2:13-14) 28 10. Writing the final draft Follow the advice of your supervisor and edit your first draft. Once again team up with a friend for proof-reading. Check the accuracy of your bibliography – have you included all the works that you have referred to? Have you updated the number of words on the title page? Assess your extended essay using all of the general assessment criteria (Appendix 1) and the subject assessment criteria. If you have not got full marks, can you identify anything that you can improve on? 11. Submission guidelines 1. Two hard copies and an electronic copy must be submitted in full. 2. Each hard copy should have a cover sheet that clearly includes: a. Your name b. The title of your extended essay c. The subject that your extended essay relates to d. The word count, which includes: i. the introduction, ii. the body, iii. the conclusion iv. and any quotations but does not include: v. the abstract vi. acknowledgements vii. the contents page viii. maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and tables ix. the references/bibliography x. appendices. 3. Both hard copies must be submitted to the IB Diploma Coordinator before 4.00pm. Make sure that you print out your extended essays and copies in advance of this time. 4. The electronic copy should be named: _extended_essay. 5. The electronic copy can be submitted by: a. Email to the Diploma Coordinator b. Bringing the electronic version on a flash drive to Diploma oordinator so he / she can copy it Extended essays will not be accepted past the deadline in circumstances reasonably within the control of the candidate, as per IBO regulations. “Shortterm illness is not acceptable as a reason for not completing assessment components” (4:F5). 29 The viva voce (concluding interview) The viva voce is a short interview between the student and the supervisor, and is a recommended conclusion to the extended essay process. Students who do not attend the viva voce may be disadvantaged. The viva voce serves the following purposes. · A check on plagiarism and malpractice in general · An opportunity to reflect on successes and difficulties in the research process · An opportunity to reflect on what has been learned · An aid to the supervisor‘s report The viva voce should last between 10 and 15 minutes. This is included in the recommended amount of time the supervisor should spend with the student. The following are examples of questions that can be asked, which should be adapted to the particular essay and student. · ―I am not clear what you mean on page XXX. You quote Y: could you explain a little more about what this tells us?‖ · ―On page *** you cite Z. I couldn‘t find this reference (for example, web site). Could you tell me more about it?‖ · ―What have been the high and low points of the research and writing processes?‖ · ―What were the most interesting aspects of the process? Did you discover anything that surprised you?‖ · ―What have you learned through writing this essay? Is there any advice you would want to pass on to someone just starting out on an extended essay?‖ · ―Is there anything else that you would particularly like me to mention in my report?‖ In conducting the viva voce and writing the report, supervisors should bear in mind the following. · Examiners want to know that students understand any material (which must be properly referenced) that they have included in their essays. This is particularly important in subjects like mathematics. If the way the material is used in context in the essay does not clearly establish this, the supervisor can check the student‘s understanding in the viva voce and report on it. · Minor slips in citation and referencing may lose the odd mark. If there appear to be major shortcomings, the supervisor should investigate thoroughly. No essay should be authenticated if the supervisor believes it contains plagiarism. · In assessing criterion K (holistic judgment), examiners will take into account any information given in the report about unusual intellectual inventiveness or persistence in the face of unexpected difficulties. · The report should not attempt to do the examiner‘s job. It should refer to things, largely process-related, that may not be obvious in the essay itself. · Unless there are particular problems, the viva voce should end positively. Completion of a major piece of work such as the extended essay is something for students to feel good about. 30 References 1 Boyce, C. Extended essay guidelines. Hong Kong: Chinese International School, 2005. Diploma programme: The extended essay. IBO, 1998. Kirk, R. ―Exploring the existing body of research‖. 2002. In Coleman, M. and Briggs, A. (eds). Research methods in educational leadership and management. London: Paul Chapman, 2002. The Vade Mecum 2007. IBO, 2006. 2 3 4 Acknowledgements I have written this extended essay guide using the experience I have gained over the last few years. I have had an opportunity to experience a variety of approaches and to see which have worked well and which have not worked well at all. I would like to thank my colleagues at the Overseas School of Colombo and The International School of Azerbaijan for their part in those learning experiences. Ray Lewis IB DP Co-ordinator Overseas School of Colombo P.O. Box 9 Pelawatte Battaramulla Sri Lanka Email : rlewis@osc.lk 31 Appendix 1. Assessment of extended essays All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IBO, and are marked on a scale from 0 to 36. This maximum score is made up of the total criterion levels available for each essay. The total score obtained on the scale 0 to 36 is used to determine in which of the following bands the extended essay is placed. This band, in conjunction with the band for theory of knowledge, determines the number of diploma points awarded for these two requirements. See the following ―Award of diploma points‖ section for further details. The band descriptors are: A B C D E Work of an excellent standard Work of a good standard Work of a satisfactory standard Work of a mediocre standard Work of an elementary standard. Grade Boundaries The points awarded for each general and subject criterion are totalled and converted to an A – E grade. The following grade boundaries were reported in the May 1999 examination session: Total achievement level 0–8 9 – 16 17 – 24 25 – 29 30 – 36 Grade E D C B A 32 Award of diploma points The extended essay contributes to the overall diploma score through the award of points in conjunction with theory of knowledge. A maximum of three points are awarded according to a student‘s combined performance in both the extended essay and theory of knowledge. Both the extended essay and theory of knowledge are measured against published assessment criteria. According to the quality of the work, and based on the application of these assessment criteria, a student‘s performance in each of the extended essay and theory of knowledge will fall into one of the five bands described previously. The total number of points awarded is determined by the combination of the performance levels achieved by the student in both the extended essay and theory of knowledge according to the following matrix. 33 A candidate who, for example, writes a good extended essay and whose performance in Theory of Knowledge is judged to be satisfactory will be awarded 1 point, while a candidate who writes a mediocre extended essay and whose performance in Theory of Knowledge is judged to be excellent will be awarded 2 points. A candidate who fails to submit an extended essay will be awarded N for the extended essay, will score no points, and will not be awarded a diploma. Performance in both the extended essay and Theory of Knowledge of an elementary standard is a failing condition for the award of the diploma. 34 Appendix 2. Assessment Criteria This section is a reproduction of pages 25 - 31 of the extended essay guide. This section provides an overview of what each criterion assesses in the extended essay. Further advice on interpreting the assessment criteria is provided within the guidelines for each subject in the ―Details—subject specific‖ section. Ask your supervisor to go through this with you. A: Research Question This criterion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the aim of the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the ―research question‖. However, certain disciplines may permit or encourage different ways of formulating the research task. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 B: Introduction This criterion assesses the extent to which the introduction makes clear how the research question relates to existing knowledge on the topic and explains how the topic chosen is significant and worthy of investigation. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 35 C: Investigation This criterion assesses the extent to which the investigation is planned and an appropriate range of sources has been consulted, or data has been gathered, that is relevant to the research question. Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 3 4 36 D: knowledge and understanding of the topic studied Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2. ―Academic context‖, as used in this guide, can be defined as the current state of the field of study under investigation. However, this is to be understood in relation to what can reasonably be expected of a pre-university student. For example, to obtain a level 4, it would be sufficient to relate the investigation to the principal lines of inquiry in the relevant field; detailed, comprehensive knowledge is not required. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 3 4 37 E: Reasoned Argument This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay uses the material collected to present ideas in a logical and coherent manner, and develops a reasoned argument in relation to the research question. Where the research question does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in the subject in which the essay is registered, the maximum level that can be awarded for this criterion is 2. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 3 4 38 F: Application of analytical and evaluative skills appropriate to the subject Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 3 4 G: Use of language appropriate to the subject Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 3 39 4 H: Conclusion This criterion assesses the extent to which the essay incorporates a conclusion that is relevant to the research question and is consistent with the evidence presented in the essay. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 I: Formal presentation This criterion assesses the extent to which the layout, organization, appearance and formal elements of the essay consistently follow a standard format. The formal elements are: title page, table of contents, page numbers, illustrative material, quotations, documentation (including references, citations and bibliography) and appendices (if used). Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 40 3 4 J: Abstract The requirements for the abstract are for it to state clearly the research question that was investigated, how the investigation was undertaken and the conclusion(s) of the essay. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 K: Holistic judgment The purpose of this criterion is to assess the qualities that distinguish an essay from the average, such as intellectual initiative, depth of understanding and insight. While these qualities will be clearly present in the best work, less successful essays may also show some evidence of them and should be rewarded under this criterion. Achievement level Descriptor 0 1 2 41 3 4 Appendix 3. Grade Boundaries The points awarded for each general and subject criterion are totalled and converted to an A – E grade. The following grade boundaries were reported in the May 1999 examination session: Total Grade achievement level 0–8 9 – 16 17 – 24 25 – 29 30 – 36 E D C B A 42 Appendix 4. MLA Referencing (The text for the following section was sourced from the World Wide Web on 9th January 2007 at: http://www.geocities.com/athens/aegean/6354/mla.html) Sources Consulted Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: Modern Language Association, 1999. Lunsford, Andrea, and Robert Connors. Documenting Sources: 1998 MLA Guidelines. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 1998. Presenting Quotations If a quotation is no longer than four complete lines, place it within quotation marks and include it within your paragraph. Example: The ability of England to survive the Sphinx's question is the ability it has to recognize Justice. Carlyle issues this warning at the conclusion of the chapter: "As many men as there are in a Nation who can withal see Heaven's invisible Justice, and know it to be on Earth also omnipotent, so many men are there who stand between a Nation and perdition" (19). If a prose quotation is longer than four lines, or if a verse quotation is longer than three lines, set it apart from the paragraph by beginning the quotation on the next line and by double-indenting from the left margin. Use quotation marks only as they are used by the author. Note that the terminal punctuation comes before, rather than after, the parenthetical citation. Example: Robert Browning, in "Bishop Blougram's Apology," has the narrator recommend a questioning faith: "Leave it in peace" advise the simple folk-Make it aware of peace by itching-fits Say I -- let doubt occasion still more faith! (673-75) If you are quoting more than one line and fewer than three lines of verse, show the division between lines by using a slash ( / ). Example: As the narrator desires to remain in the protective seclusion of the Carthusian abbey, he senses accusatory "whispers" from the modernist intellectuals by whom he has been trained: "Even now their whispers pierce the gloom: / What dost thou in this living tomb?" (71-72). 43 Citing Sources The Basics Your in-text citations should accomplish three things. First, they should clearly announce to your readers that you are presenting material from a source other than yourself. In accomplishing this, you avoid the charge of plagiarism. Second, they should properly direct your readers to the full documentation provided in your Works Cited page. Therefore, as you create your citations, it is important that you consider the manner in which your sources are documented, as there must be an agreement between the citations and the documentation. Third, they should provide reference to the specific location of the quotation or information being cited. Example: In evaluating Professor Dryasdust's overall effectiveness as a teacher, we might conclude, to borrow a line from Dickens, "If he had only learned a little less, how infinitely better he might have taught much more!" (15; bk. 1, ch. 2). Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. 1854. New York: Penguin Classics, 1995. In this example above, the in-text citation accomplishes all three purposes. First, by identifying the author of the quotation and by using quotation marks, this citation effectively announces to the readers that the line "If he had only learned . . . " is not original with the author of the paper. Second, by providing the source's name, Dickens, this citation properly directs the reader to the full documentation in the Works Cited, wherein this particular work is documented under the name "Dickens." Third, the parenthetical citation provides specific reference to the page in the Penguin Classics edition from which this quotation is taken. (Because Hard Times is a literary work, the more general reference to bk. 1, ch. 2 is also provided.) Citing the Author Whenever possible, the author's name should be cited. There are two methods to citing the name of the author. The name may be given in what is called a "signal phrase." The first time that an author's name is given in a signal phrase, both the first and last names should be given. Example: Graham Storey observes, "What Dickens shared with Carlyle was a hatred of Bentham's doctrine of utility and its social and economic consequences" (12). The other method is to include the author's name within the parenthetical citation. Use no punctuation between the author's name and the page reference. 44 Example: Dickens shared Carlyle's "hatred" of Benthamite Utilitarianism (Storey 12). Additional Rules: If there are two or three authors, provide all of the authors' names in your citation. If there are more than three authors, you may either provide only the first author's name followed by "et al." ("and others"), or you may list all of the authors' names. This rule also applies to documentation. If the author is unknown, give the title of the work instead. If the title is long, provide an abbreviated version. In abbreviating a title, omit words from the ending, never from the beginning, with the exception of articles (i.e., "a," "an," "the"). For example, when citing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an acceptable abbreviation is Sir Gawain, whereas Gawain is unacceptable. Keep in mind that the citation must properly direct your readers to the full documentation provided in alphabetical order in the Works Cited. If there are two or more authors with the same last name, include the authors' first names in your citations. Works that Require Special Citation A work that is one volume in a multi-volume set: Oliver Elton describes Trollope's novels as "a rest-cure after oversexed fiction and priggish satire" (2: 282). A literary work: According to Disraeli, William III's reign resulted in "a mortgaged aristocracy" and "a degraded people" (45; bk. 1, ch. 3). Verse plays: Lear eulogizes with patriarchal nostalgia, "Her voice was ever soft, / Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman" (5.3.247b-48). Bible: Identify quotations or references by book, chapter, and verse (e.g., Phil. 4:16). In parenthetical citations, use an abbreviation for books with titles of five or more letters. If you are citing the King James (or Authorized) Version, you do not need to include documentation in your Works Cited. 45 One-page texts: Do not cite the page reference. This will appear in your documentation in the Works Cited. Documenting Books in a List of Works Cited List all entries in alphabetical order. Basic documentation for books will include the author, title, and publication information. However, full documentation may include any or all of the following in this order: 1. Author. (Give the last name first.) 2. Title. (Underline the full title. Use a colon to separate the main title from the subtitle. Capitalize the first word in the title and all words that follow except preposition, conjunctions, and articles [i.e., "a," "an," "the"].) 3. Editor, Translator, or Compiler. (Example: "Trans. Richard Howard.") 4. Edition. (Example: "6th ed.") 5. Volume number. (Example: "Vol. 3.") 6. Series name. 7. Place of publication, name of the publisher, and date of publication. (Abbreviate the publisher by omitting end words such as "Press," "Publications," and "Inc." Represent "University Press" as "UP," without any period, space, or quotation marks.) 8. Inclusive page numbers (for an essay or chapter within a book). One author: Roe, Frederick William. The Social Philosophy of Carlyle and Ruskin. London: Kennikat, 1921. Two or more authors: McCoy, Kathleen, and Judith Harlan. English Literature from 1785. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. Unknown author: List the entry alphabetically by title. If the title begins with an article (i.e., "a," "an," "the"), list the entry by the second word in the title. 46 Two or more books by the same author: C. S. Lewis. The Allegory of Love: A Study in Medieval Tradition. New York: Oxford UP, 1936. ---. The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1964. Edited books: Edited books by a single author should be listed by the name of the author, not the editor. Carlyle, Thomas. Past and Present. 1843. Ed. Richard D. Altick. New York: New York UP, 1965. Todd, Margo, ed. Reformation to Revolution: Politics and Religion in Early Modern England. New York: Routledge, 1995. An essay or chapter in an anthology: If the essay or chapter is reprinted in the anthology, your documentation should include information on the original publication first. "Reprinted" should be abbreviated as "Rpt." Document the inclusive pages. Lovejoy, Arthur O. "On the Discrimination of Romanticisms." Essays in the History of Ideas. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1948. 228-53. Rpt. in English Romantic Poets. Ed. M. H. Abrams. New York: Oxford UP, 1975. 3-24. Two or more works from a single anthology: Document the anthology itself within your Works Cited. Then, document each selection from the anthology by author and title, and include a cross-reference to the anthology. Chase, Cynthia, ed. Romanticism. New York: Longman, 1993. De Man, Paul. "Time and History in Wordsworth." Chase 55-77. Hartman, Geoffrey. "Romanticism and Anti-Self-Consciousness." Chase 43-54. Preface, Foreword, Introduction, or Afterword: Peterson, William S. Introduction. The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford. By William Hale White. New York: Oxford UP, 1990. viixviii. Article in a reference work: List the author first, if known. For a wellknown reference work, document only the edition and date. "Milton, John." Oxford Companion to English Literature. 5th ed. 1985. A book that is part of a series: Give the series name and number within the series after the book title. 47 Pollard, Arthur, ed. The Victorians. The Penguin History of Literature 6. New York: Penguin, 1993. A republication: Give the date of original publication after the title. Gaskell, Elizabeth. North and South. 1855. New York: Penguin Classics, 1986. A book title within a book title: Knoepflmacher, U. C. Wuthering Heights: A Study. Athens, Ohio: Ohio UP, 1989. Documenting Articles in a List of Works Cited List all entries in alphabetical order. Basic documentation for articles includes the following items in this order: 1. Author: (Give the last name first.) 2. Article Title: (Enclose in quotation marks the full title. Use a colon to separate the main title from the subtitle. Capitalize the first word in the title and all words that follow except preposition, conjunctions, and articles [i.e., "a," "an," "the"].) 3. Publication Information: (Underline the periodical title, and capitalize major words. Include the volume number and, if appropriate, the issue number. Include the date of publication. Include the inclusive page reference.) Article in a journal paginated by volume: Loesberg, Jonathan. "Dickensian Deformed Children and the Hegelian Sublime." Victorian Studies 40 (1997): 625-54. Article in a journal paginated by issue: Follow the volume number with a period and the issue number (e.g., "40.4"). If an issue number is not given, give the month or season of publication. Jones, Tod E. "Matthew Arnold's 'Philistinism' and Charles Kingsley." Victorian Newsletter 94 (Fall 1998): 1-10. Article in a monthly magazine: Bethell, Tom, and Irvin Matus. "Looking for Shakespeare." The Atlantic Oct. 1991: 43-82. Article in a weekly magazine: Document in the same manner as an article in a monthly magazine, but include the day of the month before the month (e.g., "7 Oct. 1991"). Article in a newspaper: Underline the name of the newspaper; omit initial articles (i.e., "a," "an," "the"); add the name of the city in brackets after the name of the title, if it does not appear within the title. After the 48 date, note if the paper if a particular edition (e.g., "late ed." or "eastern ed."). If the article appears on discontinous pages, give the first page, followed by a plus sign. Thomas, Craig, and Susan Nedza. "Drunk Driving: Should Emergency Physicians Report Blood Alcohol Levels of Crash Victims?" Washington Post 14 Dec. 1998, local ed.: B1+. Unsigned article: List the entry alphabetically by title. If the title begins with an article (i.e., "a," "an," "the"), list the entry by the second word in the title. Editorial or Letter to the Editor: After the title, write "Editorial." or "Letter." If there is no title, write this after the author. If there is neither title nor author, list the work alphabetically under "Editorial." or "Letter." Documenting a WWW Site in a List of Works Cited Basic documentation of a World Wide Web site will include the following items in this order: author, title (underlined), institution or organization associated with the site, date of access, and the URL (in angle brackets). If no title exists, include a description, such as "Home page" (neither underlined nor enclosed in quotation marks). World Wide Web site: Jones, Tod E. Matthew Arnold and the Jesus Seminar. 25 Apr. 1999. . Documenting Nonprint Sources in a List of Works Cited A Film or Video Recording When documenting a film or video recording, begin with the title, which is underlined, then include the name of the director, the distributor, and the year in which the film was released. Other pertinent information, such as the names of the writer, performers, and producer--if added-should be included between the title and the name of the distributor. Example: The Wolf Man. Perf. Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney Jr. Dir. George Waggner. Universal Pictures, 1941. An Interview Not all interviews are non-print media. Some appear in periodicals or books. If this is the case, present the title of the interview in quotation marks, after the name of the person interviewed, and follow the bibliographical guidelines provided on this website. For non-print sources, follow the examples below. 49 Example of an interview on a television program: Jay Lennow. Interview with Rudolphus Juliano. The Jay Lennow Show. MBC. WXYZ, New York. 15 Apr. 2000. Example of an interview on a radio program: Lush Rimbaugh. Interview with Jeff Clinton. The Lush Rimbaugh Hour. WMAD, Washington D.C. 24 Nov. 1997. When documenting an interview that you, the author, conducted, begin with the name of the person interviewed rather than the name of the interviewer. Examples: Talker, Bea A.. Personal interview. 10 Oct. 2000. Faraway, Johnny. Telephone interview. 4 June 1998. 50 Appendix 5. Extended Essay log of meetings with supervisor Subject area: _________________________________________________________ Title: _______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Research question: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 51 Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 52 Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 53 Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 54 Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 55 Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: Date of meeting: Discussion: Targets for next meeting: Date / Time / Location of next meeting: 56 Appendix 6. Research Journal Selecting the topic and formulating the research question. 57 Preliminary reading, research methodology and research plan. 58 Preliminary reading, research methodology and research plan. 59 Conducting the research. 60 Conducting the research. 61 Analysis and interpretation. 62 Discussion. 63 Introduction and conclusion. 64 Abstract. 65 Bibliography. 66 Other notes. 67 Other notes. 68 

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