"/ had several ideas about possible topics for my essay. After discussing
Finding an interesting topic
these with my supervisor' was able to
Deciding what to write about is a crucial step in the extended essay process. It is a
decide which one might be most likely
with your supervisor. There are many topics that for one reason or another are not
to be successful." (Sophie)
suitable and the choice that you arrive at needs to have the potential to lead to a
decision that should be taken after a period of consideration and only after consulting
successful extended essay. You are most likely to make the right choice by presenting your ideas and considering alternatives in an open-minded and objective discussion with your supervisor. A number of factors can contribute to the success of an extended essay. These include relevance, availability of resources, accessibility to treatment within the word limit and so on. Most important is your own level of interest and enthusiasm for the topic. If you are not interested it will be very difficult to sustain your motivation when you encounter difficulties. You may find it hard to keep going. The best way to ensure that this does not happen to you is to choose a topic in which you have a genuine interest. So how do you find a topic that will fuel your enthusiasm and have the potential to keep you motivated and engaged throughout the process?
These are just a few examples of where inspiration and interest can arise. Most of us do not spend our days constantly thinking about the things we would like to research if we had the time. So do not despair if none of these sources of inspiration seem to apply to you.
Becoming aware of what it is that particularly interests you may well involve a longer process of thought and preparation. One thing is certain: the research topic and question will not present themselves to you "out of nowhere" and you will need to do some searching and thinking before you decide. It is a good idea to be open-minded and willing to consider some alternatives at this stage. It may be a good idea to explore some of the alternatives by considering whether they are likely to be successful and by doing some preliminary research. This is not wasted time. On the contrary, by taking this approach you will be better able to address issues such as the justification for your research question and methodology and its academic context and significance. The decision you make at this stage is critical to the success of the entire process and should be made after careful consideration only.
~ ........ ............... ,
topic and a research question then you need to go through this process. Finding a suitable topic is often a process of compromise between your original interesting idea and what is possible based on the information or sources of data available to you.
How can 1tell if the topic 1 am interested in is likely to be
successful?
There are actually endless possibilities for finding suitable topics but there are a number of points to be considered along the way and certain types of topic are more likely to be successful than others. From the outset make sure that: • • • •
your topic falls within a recognized IB subject a supervisor is available for this topic you will be able to find information safety and ethical considerations can be addressed.
It is very important that your topic falls within a recognized IB subject and that you make the right decision in this regard. Many students begin the extended essay with a clear idea of a topic but with no idea about what subject it might "fit" into. If this is the situation you find yourself in then it is a good idea to consult the subject guidelines in the Extended essay guide for the subject you think might be appropriate before making a final decision. If you find that your topic does not fit easily within an IB subject then it may need to be modified or you may need to look at entering it in a different subject. Very often the most appropriate and potentially successful approach is to write the essay in one of the six diploma subjects that you have chosen to study. The reason for this is that your level of knowledge, both of the subject matter and the methodologies employed in the subject will most likely already be high. Many successful essays grow from an enthusiasm for one particular subject in the diploma which then leads to a search for a topic and finally a research question. In addition students often choose the subject that they intend to pursue in higher education.
If you already know what it is you would like to investigate and write about then you probably have already gone through a period of thou ght and consideration in which you focused your ideas and eli minated alternatives. If you do not already have a
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It is rarely a good idea to write the essay in a subject that is not taught at the school or is interdisciplinary or in a subject that you have not studied. All of these limit your chances in undertaking the research process; it may be difficult to find out what the required level of knowledge is (based on the syllabus) and it may be very difficult to find a suitably qualified supervisor at the school. If you decide to present an essay in a subject you are not studying for your diploma you must find a suitably qualified supervisor and you should study the appropriate IB subject guide before embarking on th e essay.
,
Establishing the research question
Decide on
a subject in
which to write
the essay.
How can the supervisor help me? Decide on a
The supervisor can help you to find a research question
topic within
within the topic that interests you, to narrow down a
th is su bject.
research question that is too broad or to decide whether the kind of information you will need might be accessible.
It sometimes helps with finding a topic if you have a look at the syllabus for the subject. You may find ideas for possible . . topics within the core or options part of the syllabus. It is important to be sure that the topic fits within the scope of the subject.
During the process of arriving at a suitable topic (yes, it is a process!) you need to consult with your supervisor. One of the most important jobs of the supervisor is to help you with this. Most supervisors are subject specialists, with expertise in one or
Explore some
a small number of subjects, so it will probably be useful if you
possible
have already some idea of the subject in which you would like to
research
submit the essay. There are a number of possible starting points
questions
for finding a suitable research question. For example, you might:
relati ng to th is
If you are not sure about this, get advice about what subjects are available in your school. You can only write in nrc a particular subject if a supervisor is available in that subject.
topic.
• already know exactly what it is you would like to write about • have an idea but are not sure what subject it belongs to • would like to do something in a particular subject but are not sure what you could do
Tell your supervisor about the process you have gone through in arriving at some possible research questions. Explain your motivation and the source of your interest. Look for advice about the suitability of the questions you are considering.
Discuss these with your supervisor.
• have no idea. The last of these is not necessarily the worst starting point. In any case you will need to consult with your supervisor and discuss the likely path to success from wherever it is that you are starting out. Even if you have a clear idea of what it is you would like to write about it is still a good idea to consider and discuss other alternatives with your supervisor; not only will this help you to
Decide on the
focus your ideas but your supervisor will provide extra motivation.
most suitable research question.
_ The research question must be about a topic that interests you, it must be possible to get your hands on the kind of information that you need to answer it and it must be possible to answer it within the word limit.
Give careful consideration to the advice given by your supervisor. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing each question. It sometimes helps at this point to do some more preliminary research before making a final decision. The decision is yours, it should be a well informed decision and should be made after considering advice. Be sure that your chosen research question can be answered within the constraints (word count, available resources, time).
A possible approach to finding a suitable research topic could look something like this:
Be aware that you can always come up with your own
approaches.
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-
-
-- - - - - -- - - - - -- - - -- -
-
-
Once you have identified a possible research question you need to decide whether it can be add ressed adequately and answered within the word limit. There are two extremes that you should try to avoid here. On the one hand there are what can be called "trivial" or "superficial" extended essays where the research question can be answered in one word or in a sentence, or simply by looking up the relevant information in a book or other source. Examples appear below.
History The History of films When an examiner sees this, their heart will sink. The student will probably have written a "history" (an account) of how the film industry developed and although a lot of research may have gone into writing the essay, it will be descriptive and not analytical. Think of it this way, what kind of conclusion could there be to an essay with this title? Instead, the student could have, for example, investigated Sergei Eisenstein's work in the USSR and asked about his ideological links to the regime and how this influenced his film-making. In this way, there could be a link to films but also to a topic that it is historical.
English A1 A comparison of brother-to-brother relationships in
Sf Hinton's Rumble Fish and The Outsiders
This would appear to be a potentially interesting and worthwhile topic. However, as the examiner delves into the main body, it becomes apparent that there is a blurring of the definition of "brotherhood": the essay discusses both "blood brothers" (family) and gang relationships without properly outlining the differences or relative importance of each. More seriously, the approach to the topic barely rises above the descriptive- and both these problems could have been addressed by the student revisiting the title and refining or adapting it before submitting the essay.
14
Biology Does classical music, rock music or silence in any way influence memory? This is a trivial question for a number of reasons. Because of the way it is posed it can be answered with a single word or a short statement ("yes", "no", "perhaps"). More importantly the question is not based on a biological theory or idea and falls more easily within the realm of psychology. The number of variables involved will be huge and it will be nearly impossible to identify, let alone control, all of them. The result will be that it will be possible to interpret whatever data are collected in any way you like. This is trivial science. Instead the student could identify one or two specific types of music or better, well-defined sounds, and look at trying to investigate their effect on a clearly biological process such as the germination or growth of a specific plant. Even this may well prove to be difficult.
Psychology The number of teens in America that is considered to be obese has tripled in the last 30 years! What has changed in America in the past 30 years that has caused this big an increase in the total number of teens who are obese? How do these changes cause numerous psychological issues in teens in America? Is there a solution to this deadly crisis? Although some areas of interest are outlined within the title there is not a single focused research question here but rather a number of questions; if all questions were to be answered the paper would exceed the word limit.
Economics How effective has the Monetary Policy Committee been in controlling UK inflation? This question is essentially too superficial, and is likely to result in a descriptive summary of secondary sources. Essentially, the answer to the question will be either that the MPC has been effective at controlling inflation, or it hasn't, almost like a yes/ no question. The scope of the essay is really too large, and does not lend itself to a 4,OOO-word analysis.
The other extreme is where the research question is hopelessly
Visual arts
broad or complex and would require a much longer piece of work
The art of type
appear below.
in order to address the research question properly. Examples
There is an abstract nature to this research question. First, it is not a clear question or hypothesis. Second, it is like a riddle as it is unclear as to what the student is investigating. The
History
topic is along the same vein as "What is art?" where the scope lacks a specific focus. The title does not allow for a concise or specific exploration into typography, calligraphy or even
Why did women's rights in the United States flourish in the 1960s as a result of World War II?
graffiti. This research question requires far more refinement
This is structured as a research question but it is too
and focus. An example of a clear and defined approach may
broad. Instead of trying to link the women's movement to
have been "Is the use of typography in the calligrams of
the Second World War, the student could have chosen to
Apollinaire a valid art form?"
investigate feminist links to the civil rights movement; to the 1968 election; or what impact feminism had on advertising
Physics
and the media at this time.
How did the theory of wove-particle duality begin and where will it toke us?
English A1
The research question seems to anticipate a description of context rather than the development of an analytical
The Melancholy and the Macabre: does Oscar Wilde's and Roald Dahl's work shore similarities in themes and writing styles?
investigation of a focused area. It also seems to produce
This too broad a topic is compounded by the fact that it
information and experimentation leading to an historical
personal opinions not necessarily based on scientific data,
involves texts for both an adult and child readership, the
more appropriate to other areas than experimental science.
attempt to compare a play (The Importance of Being Earnest)
The choice of the question falls within a series of topics that
with a novella (The Picture of Dorian Gray) and short stories
tend to stimulate students but present serious difficulties in terms of choosing a suitable question to carry out an
from both writers, and a mix of sub-genres (comedy, fairy tale)-all of which mean that there is little opportunity to
investigation of the nature required for the extended essay.
compare "like with like" and so the all-important detail of the investigation which follows is missing.
English B Biology Is Harry Potter on effective way to get children to read? This research question does not lend itself to a systematic
The evolution of reptiles
investigation and can be answered with yes/no or can easily
This is an issue that has concerned biologists for more than
be influenced (without the student knowing) by personal
one century. It is reasonable to expect that there will be lots
opinion .
of material available and that it will be fairly easy to access. A quick search on Google for "evolution of reptiles" reveals over
Mathematics
3,000 entries. So this might seem like an attractive and easy option to choose for an extended essay. The big problem will
An investigation of the Fibonacci Sequence in nature. Typically these trivial essays do not pose a question; they are descriptive rather than analytical and involve only elementary mathematics.
be the sheer mountain of material that would have to be read and analysed (not counting books and journal articles). This is clearly a topic that is far too broad and cannot be treated in 4,000 words. The other danger here is that the essay will become simply a report rather than an investigation.
There are lots of ways in which this topic could be refined. The student could select a particular species, fossil(s) or fossil location and investigate the specific issues relating to that. The student could examine a controversy that has arisen in the literature and re-examine the evidence.
The control of sound in rooms A typical area of investigation that seems to be suitable if a reasonable focus were narrowed down from it. As presented, the topic is too broad to be analysed successfully, as the
Psychology
number of variables affecting the issue is long and cannot be dealt with within the word limit. There are also numerous
Does diet have an effect on children's performance in an educational setting?
difficulties to control not just the sound but the variables present that affect it.
The research question here could at first sight seem clear. However, the question does not specify what could be
English B
understood as "children's performance" or "educational setting". So it is vague and at the same time too broad because the variables under investigation have not been specified; the major problem is that the variables under investigation are not operationalized so the reader will not know what to expect. Does "children's performance" refer to IQ testing or mathematics? Or another issue, does "educational setting" refer to children in pre-school , primary school or secondary school? And what exactly is understood by the term "diet"? The student should focus on what exactly
How and to what extent do British tabloids influence their readers? This idea appears to come from a media study perspective, but will it focus on language? The difficult key word here is
influence.
Will this be a linguistic study of persuasive
language? Is this meant to be an approach to culture and society? It is not a study of a cultural artifact as it is stated, though this may be the approach that has the most potential.
is investigated.
Mathematics Economics How is the changing role of women being reflected in advertising and how does this affect demand? This is a double-barrelled question which does not clearly focus on a topic to which economic theory may be applied. The
What exactly is the Riemann Hypothesis and how does it relate to other properties of mathematics? The topic is far too broad and challenging for an extended essay, it would require a much larger written response than the 4,000-word limit allows.
first part of the question may well be something that could be investigated in business and management. The second part of
Having a good research question will also help you to reach the
the question hints at economic theory, but does not specify a
higher assessment levels in other criteria. For example, you will
particular market, which makes it too broad.
be able to construct a good argument if your research question is well focused and can be addressed within the word limit.
Visual arts
You will also find it easier to show a good knowledge and clear understanding of a limited topic. The following outlines well focused research questions that will allow you to illustrate fully
Virgin Mary-changing depictions from the 14th century to the early 16th century In order to be able to cover and explore this very broad topic effectively, the student would need to explore the 14th to
your extended essay skills.
History
16th centuries of art. This in itself is quite a feat-especially of the Virgin Mary and the associated influences and artists
What was the influence of frnesto "Che" Guevara on the Cuban Revolutionary War 1956-59?
would have been more appropriate, or perhaps a study into
Rather than attempting to investigate the whole revolution,
in a 4,000 word limit! A comparison of two different images
the image or symbology of the Virgin Mary in the work of a
it specifies the influence of Che up to 1959. It could be a little
particular artist. Think about the theme that you are interested
tricky to measure the "influence" of Che but it is implied that
in and make a list of possible approaches.
what will be investigated is the role of Che in influencing Castro.
16
English A1
Economics
The use of natural imagery in Tess of the d'Urbervilies by Thomas Hardy and The Awakening by Kate Chopin
To what extent have the South Tyrolean government's policies been effective in reducing vehicle carbon emissions?
This title is firmly focused on literary technique and this tends to be a common factor in many of the best essays in English Al Students have the potential to achieve top marks for criteria C, D, and especially Eand F-simply because the investigation has been framed in such a way as to keep the analysis away from lapsing into mere "storytelling".
The question is clearly stated and focused. There is good scope for applying market failure theory to a real-world example. "To what extent" is a good starting point as it lends itself to evaluation. There is clearly the opportunity for both primary and secondary research.
Biology
Visual arts
The impact of sulphur dioxide pollution on the frequency and range of the lichen Lecanora muralis
Antonio Gaudi and Santiago Calatrara: How does Calatrara's work evoke the work of Gaudi?
This research question clearly identifies a biological issue relating to the impact of pollution on living organisms. The target organism is identified exactly and the type of pollution is limited to sulphur dioxide. The question also identifies the kind of data that will be collected and analysed (frequency and distribution) and as such it is clear and precise. The data collection phase of the work will require the student to employ a number of ecological techniques. Data on air pollution can often be obtained from local authorities and will require some research. This essay should result in an analysis of data collected by the student and data obtained from published sources and a conclusion on the ecology of Lecanoro muro/is drawn from this.
The comparison of artists is an effective and logical way to investigate ideas and gather evidence and opposing views in a clear context. It also allows the opportunity for research and analysis to be formed in a systematic manner. The research question is further refined with a focus question exploring Calatrara's work as compared to Gaudi.
Psychology Psychology: Can romantic love be explained by biological factors alone? This research question is sharply focused and the variables under investigation are clear. The research question is focused on the variable "romantic love" and whether this phenomenon can be explained by biological factors alone. This theoretical proposition has been put forward by evolutionary psychologists and this research question clearly shows that this theory is going to be investigated in the essay.
Physics Modeling seiches: Investigating the relationship between the length of a rectangular enclosed body of water and the period of the standing wave produced The question successfully anticipates the clear focus of the essay. The variables are clearly prescribed and allow for a simple but rich investigation. The topic will allow for some background research and then to focus on the experiment to carry out.
English B How was Affirmative Action an effective tool in the battle against racism toward AfrO-Americans in the US? This research question treats a policy or law as a cultural object or artifact. The potential for argument is clear and this should allow the student to show evidence of the policy's effectiveness in achieving its goal of reducing prejudice in the workplace. The essay should refer to specific documents or legislation that defines the policy as its "effectiveness" is determined.
17
Mathematics An examination of the role of prime numbers and
factorization in RSA encryption
This research question has a sharply focused topic. The scope of investigation clear and the mathematical theory discussed
•.:mn
is also clear.
Support for my research question Let's say that after consulting with your supervisor you decide on a provisional research question and begin to try to find relevant resources. You search for books, journal articles, web pages and other resources that may relate to your topic and allow you to
see
how it fits in to what you intend to research.
u ~~. \~ ~ ~ '_[[llIr:ru.~ ~ ~rl~ ~ ~ I~m ~ rf D.I ri~ .~ l1Ji'~lUirr-w ~~ ~l. g\'l'"'-\,~'!TiJrn!.t '"' ~
Answering the research question It is probably easier now than at any other time in history to
Well there are a number of possibilities. You could: expand your search-look at a wide range of different
find and distribute information. There are more sources of information and more ways of communicating information than
sources (books, journal articles, websites, newspapers
ever before. This applies not just to text but also to audio and
and magazines, etc)
visual information. In many ways we live in what may rightly be
get help from your supervisor or from the librarian
called "the age of information".
modify the research question, make it broader, include some new aspects that you had not considered abandon your original idea and search for a new research question.
As somebody engaged in academic research you must always be aware of the risk that the information you are accessing may be incorrect, inaccurate, only partly true, biased, deliberately or unintentionally misleading or in some other way flawed. Your work could contribute to misinformation if you use the information in the sources that you access uncritically. The task in writing an
Clearly then, it is important to look on your original idea as being provisional until you have established that you can find enough
extended essay is not only to generate and/or report information but also to subject that information to critical evaluation. Always
supporting information in published form. Be prepared to listen
apply high standards when selecting and evaluating the resources
to advice and follow the guidance of your supervisor. If your topic
that you intend to use.
is so obscure that you cannot find relevant published material then it is probably not a good idea to pursue it as an extended essay. One way to avoid reaching a dead end at this early stage of the process is to begin with a (small) number of possible topics and do some simultaneous preliminary research on these while discussing them with your supervisor.
There are some key individuals (and establishments) that may be able to help you with your research. These include: • your supervisor, who may be able to help you access materials and/or give you advice on where to look
18
• the school librarian, who will be able to help you to use the school collection and may be able to give you advice on whether certain items are available or not • schools running sessions on research and study skills.
These can be particularly helpful; take advantage of
them
• family and friends who may be able to advise you about sources of information in your area. Do not be shy about approaching other people for help. Their advice and guidance may allow you to find short cuts for some of the more tedious and time-consuming aspects of trying to find relevant information.
Finding resources When researching information for your topic you will probably try to use as wide a range of resources as possible. There are three mains sources of published information: books, journals and the internet. When starting to research it is often a good idea to make a list of key words from your topic (and closely related topics) and to use these as the basis for performing library and internet searches. If you find a piece of work (book, journal article or web page) that you think is useful and relevant, make a note of the author and look for other works by this same person (perform an "author search"). This may reveal some other useful materials. It can also be helpful to look at the bibliography of the sources you have selected and examine the titles (and dates of pUblication) of the works listed there. There may be other works listed that could be useful for your own research. Looking for journal articles can be a bit more challenging than finding a book but the rewards are worth the extra effort. There are two important reasons for using journal articles. Firstly, because they are published regularly, they are up to date, in other words they contain the most recent findings in the fi eld of research. Secondly, because each article is relatively short (compared to a book) they tend to be more specific. This has the disadvantage that you need to search carefully in order to find something that relates directly to your topic. A good way to quickly assess the suitability of a journal article is to read the abstract and scan the illustrations. You can then try and judge whether the article will be worth reading or not. There are many sources of journal articles on the internet. Many of these only give you access to the title and abstract and require a subscription in order for you to view the full article. One way around this is to make note of any useful-looking articles that you find and go to your school library to ask if they have the journal in their collection. You might even be lucky enough to have access to a local public or university library. Make use of these for getting the full text of journal articles.
In other cases you may find that the website does not give you access to the full-text version of the most recent issue of the journal but that in fact you can read the back issl,les. So if you find an article it is useful to go to the home page of the journal in which it is published to check out access. Nowadays it is often the case that journals specialize in particular types of information so it is likely that the same journal will have published other related articles to any you have already found.
Selecting resources It is important to be selective and critical about th e resources that you use. Don't just accept the first "search" that your browser throws up when you do a web search, just as you would not use the first book that you pick up at random from a library shelf. You need to look critically and evaluate whether the information contained in the source is useful, relevant and reliable. Remember, your bibliography should only contain those items that are cited in the text (that is, those that are given as in-text references) so you need to avoid the temptation of putting down a long list of every source you looked at including those that you did not use in the end. Evaluating resources means not just selecting those that you will use from an original list and rejecting others, but also referring to th e reliability of the sources that you end up using (citing) in your essay. Ask yourself the following questions every time you consult a resource. • Is this resource relevant? • In what way is the information in this resource related to my research question? • How can I build this information into my argument? • Is this resource reliable and what evidence do I have for believing that the contents are reliable?
Evaluating resources How do 1 know whether a resource is reliable?
A good first step is to find out the source of the information, effectively find out who (what person or organization) is the author. If you cannot identify this then you will have a difficult time convincing anyone else (your supervisor or the examiner) that the information is reliable.
19
It is often helpful to find out when the information was published. In some subjects the date of publication of the information is important in deciding whether the information is reliable or not. In the sciences in particular, knowledge about natural phenomena changes rapidly and information in certain fields may become out of date within a few years. If you cannot report the date of publication then the reliability of the source is also called into question. These first two steps are mostly easy to accomplish for printed sources (author and date of publication are usually printed prominently near the start of a book or journal article).
How do r know iF a we~site is reliable or not? You need to look carefully at the information on the website and take a number of factors into consideration. On a reliable web page you should be able to identify an author, it should be a page that is updated regularly and it should not rely heavily on advertising.
Finding out about the author and date of publication for a web based resource may involve a bit more work. It is often useful to examine the information contained in the URL as this can give some information about what kind of organization is behind the document you are using. If you are using personal or commercial websites you may need to be more critical regarding the reliability and/or objectivity of the information they contain. It may also be helpful to look at the home page of the site in order to find out more about the organization. Check to see if the website is updated regularly or at least has information about when and how often it is updated. If you have doubts about the quality or reliability of the information you have accessed, talk to a librarian or to your supervisor and get some advice before incorporating it into your essay. Next try to find out whether the author or organization has published other works and whether these might be of interest to your own research. A person or organization who publishes numerous related works is likely to be more informed and therefore more reliable. It is also useful and informative to see whether this person or organization has been cited by other authors. This means that they are considered to be reliable. For web-based resources, finding websites that link to the one you are using suggests that this is a reliable source of information. If you find an author or organization that has published widely on a range of related topics and is cited by or linked to, other authors or sites, then you have an additional argument for claiming that this is a reliable resource.
20
Why should r be particularly careFul about using
inFormation that is web-based?
Making information available over the web is easy and in many countries it is a process that is not strongly regulated. So while web-based information may be easy to find and use, in some cases the content may not have been carefully checked or edited and may be seriously biased depending on the target audience and the motivation of the author.
It is worth considering the intended audience of the source that you are using, as this may also help you to judge whether the information it contains is reliable or not. This may reveal a certain bias to the information, for example, if the audience is people of a particular political persuasion or social background the information may be tailored to suit their sensibilities. Information aimed at children may also not be at the level required for an academic essay. Similarly, magazines aimed at enthusiasts for a particular hobby may be limited in value.
Why is it important to put so much effort into evaluating
sources?
The essay you are writing is itself a source of information. If you include inaccurate, unsubstantiated or even untrue information then the quality of your research and the value of your work as a source of information for others is greatly reduced.
Evaluating your resources should be an ongoing process and not something to be left to the end of the writing process. It is not enough simply to claim that the sources used in the essay are reliable; you must also provide some evidence to support this claim. This may be more important in some subjects (the sciences) than in others (group 1 languages) and can be achieved by describing how you went about carrying out the evaluation. What factors did you consider? How did you make the decision to use or include a resource7
Other sources of information There are numerous different ways that you can gather your own primary information. Any or all of these may be relevant depending on the type of work you are doing. Some ways of gathering information include:
• • • • • • • • • • • •
conducting interviews carrying out surveys administering questionnaires performing experiments doing fieldwork reading books listening to music watching a performance looking at pictures studying maps reading documents performing calculations.
Just as you need to be critical of printed and online sources of information, you should be equally if not more critical of data or information that you collect yourself using your chosen methodology. Critically evaluating your own work means pointing out any weaknesses in the methodology you have used. In critically evaluating information you have generated by any of the methods listed above you are effectively answering the questions: How do I know? How sure am I? Could I be wrong?
Acknowledging your sources The success of your essay as a piece of academic writing depends to a large extent on how well you have gone about finding, evaluating and selecting information. A significant part of your work then is made up of not just your own thoughts and opinions, but of facts, information, quotations, data, opinions and insights of other people, gleaned from the sources you have read. Of course it is important to find a balance between providing information and writing about your own thoughts and insights. You must acknowledge these sources conscientiously and accurately in your writing. This means providing a bibliography of all of the works you have consulted and providing in-text references to show where in the essay each source has been used.
The bibliography for an extended essay must contain a list of all published sources of information. In addition, all items in the bibliography must be linked to an in-text reference.. Examiners will check the correspondence between these two elements. There is no prescribed style for presenting the bibliography and in-text references. The requirement is that you should select a style that is appropriate for your subject and you should apply this consistently throughout the essay. Common styles include MLA, APA, Chicago Manual and Turabian. You can find out the details of these from printed guides and numerous websites including so-called "Online Writing Labs" or OWLs.
.
How do 1 know which st~!e is most appropriate For m~
essay?
The bibliographic and in-text referencing style that you use will depend on the subject you are writing in and probably to some extent on what you are already familiar with . It is important to be able to apply the style correctly and consistently.
Be sure to acknowledge all web-based sources properly; simply providing a list of URLs does not meet this requirement. Modern style guides will help you with this but be sure to use a recent edition. You may find, for example, that you have to search the website you are using in order to find the relevant information that needs to be included. Be sure to consult your school librarian or your supervisor if you are unsure about any aspect of how to acknowledge sources.
You should be able to: • understand the importance of finding a suitable
research question
understand the importance of discussing your ideas with your supervisor • find, select and evaluate published resources
You do not have to acknowledge facts or information that you have learned in class or that you can reasonably expect to know at this stage of your education . A good guide is the syllabus for the subject of your essay; if you are presenting information from the syllabus you do not need to provide a reference.
• acknowledge your sources of information.
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