It is compulsory for all IB Diploma students to submit an Extended Essay. This is a 4000 word essay, written on a subject of 'special interest'. This means that 40 hours of your own personal time will be spent researching and writing an essay on a subject of your choice. The topic may not be included in one of the subject areas that you are studying for the IB Diploma, but it is recommended that you have sufficient knowledge and interest in the chosen subject to enable you to write the essay. The purpose of the Extended Essay is to provide the opportunity for you to research independently in a subject area of interest.
Emphasis is placed on researching skills, communicating ideas, structuring and presenting the essay.
By the time you have completed this work you will have thoroughly investigated a subject, and reached a level in presentation and writing skills expected at University. All extended essays are externally assessed on a scale of 0-36. General assessment criteria- your grade in this area will depend on how appropriately you have constructed your research question. The examiners will also consider how you have handled the material, your level of analysis, and how well the argument has been constructed. A combination of the score gained from The Theory of Knowledge assignments and the Extended Essay will determine your overall score.