Extended Essay

Central to the aims and philosophy of the IB, and the element perhaps most valued by the universities, is the research project, called the Extended Essay.

Soon after your entry into the Diploma Programme you will choose a subject which you would like to pursue to a deeper level. This does not have to be one of the six academic subjects which you have chosen to study, but does need to be something about which you feel passionately and can write in-depth. Once you have chosen your subject, you receive a supervisor and work together with her/him to narrow down your topic to one that can be handled thoroughly in 4000 words.

Over a period of approximately twelve months, ending at the very start of Year 13, you work through the various stages of research and creation: developing your thesis, making notes and learning how to reference properly, gathering evidence, revising your thesis in the light of the evidence, drafting your essay, discussing the draft with your supervisor and then writing a final essay.

At the very end, you will also have a viva (an oral examination) with your supervisor. When you have finished, you will be prepared for any research work that a university might present to you, either as an undergraduate or a postgraduate, and you are therefore extremely well-equipped for the next stage in your education.