IB Students: What are your extended essay topics?

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Reply 2020

I wanted to do my essay about the evolution of a particular parasite (have yet to decide which one) and link it to bio, but I heard that if you do a science subject you have to base it on an experiment. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas how I could get around that, because (I knwo it's weird) but I'm really interested by how parasites have evolved around humans and animals, and their dependance on us.

If this doesn't work, I had the idea to do it on "the science of lying" and link it psychology...but since my school doesn't offer psychology I don't think I can do this either.

I'm so stuck and stressed out, I have a month to come up with a topic and a research plan!!
HELP!!!!!!

Reply 2021

HadesSecret

I'm about to go into my second year of IB and my Tok teacher hasn't even started to talk to us about EEs. Is this normal? However, I think my topic is going to be:
The role of religion in ancient roman government.
Does this sound good or feasible to anyone? :confused:

Reply 2022

Tetris-Blocks-For-Brains

My topic's 'To what extent is a building's external aesthetic success dependant on it's relationship with it's immediate surroundings?' I want to apply for architecture, so this is also known as 'something to talk about at the interview.' :P
And it's sorta awesomely interesting, which helps. :smile:

Reply 2023

Mykk3i

I really need help T_T.
I had my research topic done, done a lot of research and my EE supervisor say it is not profound enough and I already started the experiment. It is acid rain pH4.4-5.6 on lettuce, I am probably trying to out the factors that are changing (Height, my lab technician said it was impossible to find out the pH of the soil and the pH within the plants that I had watered them with acids), but they all look the same to me and many of them died. I am so in a tight spot here.
Could anyone suggest some ideas so I can put my research topic back together neatly and in a more profound way? and is there anything I could do to get more data out of it and making it stay on the BIOLOGY side, not quite the geography side??

Or should I just ask my supervisor if I could do a bacteria experiment.. (doubt I can change it now though)

Reply 2024

SDK94

Original post by HadesSecret

It sounds a little bit too broad in my opinion. You should concentrate on a particular aspect of religion affecting ancient roman government, make the subject more focused. But anyways, I thought that the EE had to be in a particular subject such as English or History or Geography...I'm not exactly sure which subject this would go into, and I'm pretty positive that you're not allowed to do an extended essay in TOK. And well, if you're TOK teacher hasn't been mentioning the extended essay, but other teachers have, then it's normal, but if nobody's been mentioning them: it's not normal. They already started stressing us in my school in the 4th quarter of the 1st year of IB.

Reply 2025

BenGolds93

Can people help focus my EE question please? I'm pulling my hair out here trying to think of how to alter 'To what extent is culture the biggest factor in conformity?' Any help would be muchos appreciated!

Reply 2026

Pigeon93

Original post by BenGolds93

Maybe narrow it down to a particular culture (or region)? It sounds very broad and almost impossible to deal with in only 4000 words at the moment. I think you should think less about the exact wording right now and more about setting parameters on your question.
In which subject is this? And why that question? The more info you give, the easier it is to help :smile:

Reply 2027

BenGolds93

Original post by Pigeon93

That's my thinking, not enough space at all aha This is for Psychology and I know there's lots of studies to do with conformity out there. Possibly between collectivist and individualistic cultures but that's still not specific enough :/ I'm panicking so much to find a question as it's nearing the end of the holidays. I'm also finding it really hard to find studies for anything without having to take out a loan!

Reply 2028

Scribblet

Original post by anchal12

LOL haha wow, and for some reason i had hopes that i cud get away with writing 3000 words lol thanks anyway for the heads up :smile:

Trust me by the time you get to 3000 you find yourself thinking 'C**P I'm gonna run out of words here!!!! 4000 ISN'T ENOUGH!'

Reply 2029

BenGolds93

Original post by Pigeon93

Another change of mind. (I''m so indecisive). How about the symptoms and prevalence of schizophrenia between Africans and British citizens?

Reply 2030

Pigeon93

Original post by BenGolds93

Another change of mind. (I''m so indecisive). How about the symptoms and prevalence of schizophrenia between Africans and British citizens?

Don't worry, I went through 3 or 4 questions before settling for mine. Hmm I don't really see what it is you'd be arguing with that question... but the specificity is better. Then again, I know almost nothing about psychology so I'm not a very appropriate source of advice here, sorry. Would it help to include a specific period, or is that more of a history approach to EE's?

Reply 2031

BenGolds93

Original post by Pigeon93

Yeah, I don't know what I'd argue :/ What did you do yours on?

Reply 2032

Scribblet

Original post by Mykk3i

The trouble is that it sounds a little too much like a regular I.A.

With your experiment: Research ways of testing soil pH and plant pH. I'm sure there must be a way that you will be able to. If not you need to rethink your method.

You say that your EE is 'Acid Rain on Lettuce' but what specific changes are you looking for? At the minute it sounds a little too vague. It needs to be something quantitative as that will allow you to graph data and use statistical analysis. You said yourself that you couldn't see the difference between them so any qualitative data needs to be an addition to the quantitative rather than the whole experiment.

As for the profound-ness, try to link it to the wider world. After all there are marks for the holistic nature of the essay. E.g 'What will be the long term consequences of sustained increase in acid rain worldwide', 'Will some regions be affected more than others' (rock permeability etc. affecting it.) Whilst you don't want to have too much geography you do want to be able to consider the essay question in light of other subjects (again, holistic approach.)

I hope this helps.

Reply 2033

Pigeon93

Original post by BenGolds93

Yeah, I don't know what I'd argue :/ What did you do yours on?

I assessed the needs and risks of Gorbachev's perestroika policy (in history). It was quite interesting and I would definitely recommend the topic.

Reply 2034

wongzai

Judge Holden as the Embodiment of Nihilism in the Apocalyptic Vision of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian
A1 English

Reply 2035

francescafrancesca

This time last year... >.< Anyway all over now and I got 3 extra points. People make such a big deal over EE - just remember it counts just as much as your TOK essay. My advice if you want 3 points: make sure you get an A in your TOK, read the mark scheme and follow it - it's not too hard to do. Then try your best for your EE and hopefully you get a B.

Good luck!

Reply 2036

hoo44

I'm doing my extended essay on econ, and my topic is about the impact of earthquake in March on Japanese economy
SO my research question is "to what extent has the earthquake affected the Japanese economy?"
Do you think it is a great idea?
I think I have to clarify and specify my research question.
Any idea???

Original post by hoo44

i was going to do that, but my supervisor told me it would be too hard because not all the consequences have happened yet... it would also be quite hard to obtain any kind of primary data unless youre in japan.

now i look back at it, i do agree with my supervisor that it was too vague and uncertain. if i were you, id switch to a topic which is a little bit more local and involves more micro theory than macro

Reply 2039

Scribblet

Original post by francescafrancesca

Yeah, there was serious disagreement between our TOK teachers as to what the mark schemes meant. WHAT IS A KNOWLEDGE ISSUE???? D:
I still have absolutely no clue and yet somehow I managed to get a B. The mysteries, the mysteries...

Valid point though, don't stress too much over EEs. Just enjoy writing about whatever it is you're writing about it, follow the mark schemes and don't push every other bit of coursework aside for it - after all at the most it is worth 1.5 points. Do the best you can without compromising marks elsewhere and start writing it with a lot of time left before the deadline! That way you have plenty of time to check through for errors.