Hinkley High School

Extended Essay Guidelines

A requirement of the IB diploma program all over the world is the completion of the Extended Essay. This is a 4000 word research paper completed by a diploma candidate in one of the approved IB subject areas. Students may select the IB subject area and their expert faculty supervisor. This research project is a scholarly pursuit done by the student under the supervision of a faculty expert. The Extended Essay must meet the guidelines established by IB and the guidelines established by your faculty expert. Extended Essays cannot be done on the same topics you are completing for Internal Assessments in your IB classes. Furthermore, two or more diploma candidates can not submit projects on the same topic. Should a diploma candidate NOT SUBMIT an Extended Essay he/she cannot receive an IB diploma even if all exams are passed.

PROCEDURES

1. Selection of your IB subject area and your expert faculty supervisor must be completed in the spring of your junior year. Three copies of the Extended Essay form are to be completed by you and your faculty supervisor. One copy of the form is for you, one copy for your faculty supervisor, and one copy for Ms. Tucker. Each faculty supervisor will have a maximum number of students to supervise during this process. Therefore, do not delay in getting yourself organized and meeting with the faculty supervisor you most want to work with during this process. Have clear ideas before approaching a faculty supervisor.
2. Your faculty supervisor will set the process deadlines for you to meet. However, two copies of a complete rough draft must be submitted early in August of the senior year. If you elect to do your Extended Essay in a science field, please note that this means completing an experiment. Some topics in science may be unsuitable for investigation because of ethical issues. Experiments likely to inflict pain on living organisms, have a harmful effect on health, or those which may involve access to or publication of confidential medical information should be avoided. In chemistry, topics unsuitable for investigation are those related to safety issues. For example, experiments involving toxic or dangerous chemicals, carcinogenic substances, or radioactive materials should be avoided. Other topics in science may be unsuitable because the outcome is already well known and documented in standard text books, and the candidate may not be able to show personal input. See your faculty supervisor concerning specifics for your selected subject area, and sign his or her separate contract.
3. IB guidelines ask that you spend a minimum of four hours working with your faculty supervisor. Your supervisor is there to guide you in meeting the IB requirements for the Extended Essay. Therefore, since you are receiving credit you must be responsible for keeping appointments and meeting the deadlines established for you by the supervisor. Failure to follow these requirements will result in a failing grade and your supervisor may drop you as an Extended Essay diploma candidate. You may not be able to select another faculty supervisor because you will have missed their deadlines. So do not procrastinate!
4. FINAL VERSION of your Extended Essay must include a title page, abstract, table of contents, proper source citations, and bibliography. Each page after the abstract and table of contents should have your last name, candidate number (you will receive this after exam registration in September of your junior year), and page number. Three copies of the final version of your Extended Essay are due October 1st, 2008.

Extended Essay Point Ranges