Extended Essay Day 2023

Forty-three IB2 students each took turns in the hot seat during our annual “EE Day”, which marks the culmination of several months hard work. When we introduce the concept of a 4000-word essay in the spring of IB1 many students are initially daunted at the prospect of such a major undertaking. They are even more bewildered to discover that they are expected to pose their own question prior to conducting research. But they soon come to realize how liberating this can be. Each student decides their topic, then selects an intriguing question (and it is really important that they don´t already know the answer!) before selecting an appropriate methodology for the research to follow.

Students are assisted every inch of the way by experienced supervisors, who hold tutorials, read a draft and patiently answer the many questions that arise. The school librarian plays her own key role in helping students access online and physical research papers.

On EE Day the supervisor poses a series of questions about how they went about the task and what they learnt about the process of research. In truth, this process is more important from an IB perspective that the conclusions that are drawn. What is particularly gratifying about EE Day is the expertise and enthusiasm on display. Every student somehow manages to shine in front of a sympathetic audience of students from the IB and national line.

No longer novices, the IB2 students (as veterans!) are in a position to dispense advice. Here is a taster: “Don´t procrastinate!”, “Do your first draft well”, “Already start coming up with ideas”, “Have others read your work”. All good advice. Someone simply wrote “cake”. This refers to the now legendary fruit cake from Kaisa´s Café, which everyone shared after the last EE session wrapped up.

David Crawford

EE Supervisor