On this page you will find:
Guidance from the EE guide
Sample EE essays
Comments and Marks
Sample RPPF Forms
Process hyperdoc for download
The Extended Essay is part of the core component in the IBDP
The extended essay is required to receive the full IB Diploma. Failure to submit an extended essay will result in a failure of the Diploma.
The extended essay may be no longer than 4,000 words.
The essay is assessed externally by an IB examiner.
The topic of the extended essay is focused around a research question.
The topic of the extended essay is chosen by students. It must relate to one of the DP courses. Schools often decide that the topic must relate to a course that the student takes and the school offers.
Each student is assigned a supervisor who spends 5 hours monitoring, consulting and supervising the project. The supervisor is usually a teacher of the subject that the essay is based on.
Students must meet internal deadlines set by the school, both for the final result and for tasks that the supervisor and school set.
Students are required to fill out the "Reflections on Planning and Progress Form" or RPPF during the process of the extended essay
The essay is assessed according to the assessment criteria.
The final marks from both the extended essay and the Theory of Knowledge assessment are combined in a matrix to form a maximum of three points for the IB Diploma. (A total of 45 points are possible for the IB Diploma; 7 points for each of the 6 subjects, plus 3 for extended essay and Theory of Knowledge. You must have at least 24 points to earn an IB Diploma, excluding the points (0-3) earned for TOK and extended essay.) The matrix, which has been taken from the Extended Essay guide, can be found by clicking here.
If a student gets an E on their extended essay, they will fail to get their IB diploma.
From The Guide
Overview
An extended essay (EE) in studies in language and literature gives students an opportunity to undertake independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.
The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A.
It must be written in the language for which it is registered.
Students must not submit a Group 1 EE in their Group 2 language.
Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:
Categories 1 and 2
An EE in categories 1 and 2 gives students an opportunity to:
study in depth a literary topic
engage in independent literary criticism
engage with established critical comment
develop the ability to put forward their views persuasively and in a well-structured manner, using a register appropriate to the study of literature.
Students must situate their analysis of their chosen text(s) in the wider context of the discipline. This should include other literary texts, or particular critical perspectives or insights. However, this wider discussion should enhance the knowledge and understanding of their chosen texts for the reader, without detracting from the main focus of their research question.
Category 3
A category 3 studies in language and literature EE gives students the opportunity to:
demonstrate skills of textual analysis by considering how language, culture and/or context influence the ways in which meaning is constructed in texts
examine critically the different relationships and interactions that exist between texts, audiences and purposes
engage with established (or developing) critical writing, as appropriate
develop the ability to put forward their views persuasively and in a well-structured manner, using a register and terminology appropriate to the subject.
Choice of topic
The EE may relate to work students have already completed during the course, but they must also demonstrate relevant wider reading and individual study.
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the topic of their EE does not overlap with any other work they are preparing for assessment in language A—for example, the written assignment in the literature course, or the written task in the language and literature course. Students risk their diploma if academic misconduct is detected.
Choice of topic for EEs submitted from 2021
Effective first submission for assessment May 2021, EEs submitted in studies in language and literature (language A registrations) cannot be based on a text studied as part of a student’s course. Students can base their essays on different texts by the same author. Please note that this applies to all students without exception, including those retaking the EE from earlier sessions.
It is the school’s responsibility to develop internal processes to ensure adherence to this rule for each of their students. Confirmation will be via the authentication of work in the eCoursework portal. Work should not be authenticated and submitted if the rule has not been followed: doing so would constitute school malpractice.
If a school discovers that a student has overlooked the requirement, then the student must redo their essay regardless of where they are in the process, revisiting any reflection entries as necessary. Please contact IB Answers if an extension is required to facilitate the rewriting.
Clarification on the use of non-fiction in a Language A EE:
Works of non-fiction can be considered as part of literary investigations provided that the works in question are of literary nature. Additionally, as with any other literary form, candidates should ensure that the work that they wish to investigate has a body of established literary criticism before deciding that the work is worthy of investigation. The availability of secondary sources to support arguments is vital to fulfilling criterion C (Critical thinking).
Important note on the use of film in studies in language and literature category 1 and 2 essays:
If a student wishes to study a film adaptation of a literary work with the original written text as part of their studies in language and literature essay they must refer to “Option 3: Literature and film” in the “Syllabus content” chapter of the Language A: literature guide (first examinations 2015) for guidance on how film may be used. Students should also refer to the “Visual skills” section of “Approaches to the teaching of language A: literature” in the same publication. The use of film has to be in light of the requirements as detailed in the guide. The focus of the essay must be clearly on the screenplay (the written or spoken word), its delivery and effect. It must not be about the filmic qualities in terms of technology—essays focused on these aspects may be more appropriately placed (depending on their focus) in a category 3 essay, or in the subjects “film” or “literature and performance” and will be self-penalizing if submitted as a category 1 or 2 essay.
Important note on the use of film in studies in language and literature submitted from May 2021:
If students wish to base their essays on a film or screenplay, they must be aware of the fact that films and screenplays have been defined in the studies in the language and literature guides (first assessment 2021) as non-literary. An EE about a film or screenplay will therefore be a category 3 essay. This also applies to film adaptations of literary works.
Clarification on the use of song lyrics
For essays submitted from May 2021, song lyrics will continue to be considered literary texts belonging in the poetic literary form. An EE focusing on song lyrics will therefore be either a category 1 essay if the texts are not in translation, or a category 2 essay if there is a comparison involved between a text written originally in the language of the essay and others written in another language. In the case of an essay studying music videos, however, the correct category would be category 3, since music videos are multimodal and as such are non-literary.
Categories 1 and 2—literature
Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented.
Studies of a literary work or works originally written in the language of the essay compared with one or more literary works originally written in another language. (The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation.)
Through the work they have already undertaken, students may have developed an interest they wish to pursue further, for example:
a particular genre of writing
a particular author
a philosophical, political or social question addressed by a literary work.
Categories 1 and 2—appropriate texts
Students can choose literary works from any source, including the IB Diploma Programme prescribed list of authors.
Crucially, students’ chosen text(s) should be of sufficient literary merit to sustain in-depth analysis.
Categories 1 and 2—examples of topics
These examples are just for guidance. Students must ensure their choice of topic is focused (left-hand column) rather than broad (right-hand column).
Category 3
Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language.
A category 3 EE emphasizes the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.
Category 3—appropriate texts
For the purpose of a category 3 language EE, “texts” include the widest range of oral, written and visual materials present in society:
single and multiple images with or without written text
literary written texts and text extracts
media texts, for example, advertising campaigns; films, radio and television programmes and/or their scripts
electronic texts that share aspects of a number of media texts, eg video-sharing websites, web pages, SMS messages, blogs, wikis and tweets
oral texts, eg readings, speeches, broadcasts and transcripts of recorded conversation.
When writing the essay, students must bear in mind that any narrative and/or descriptive material included should be directly relevant to the critical analysis. A summary of the student’s reading is not sufficient.
Where relevant to the topic, students may compare and contrast different languages and cultures. However, the essay’s main focus should be the language and culture(s) of the language in which the student is writing.
Category 3—examples of topics
These examples are just for guidance. Students must ensure their choice of topic is focused (left-hand column) rather than broad (right-hand column). Where students take a comparative approach, at least one of the texts must have originally been written in the language of submission and studied in translation into the language A.
Interpreting the EE assessment criteria
Criterion A: Focus and method
(Strands: Topic, Research question, Methodology)
For all three categories of studies in language and literature essays, the term “research” should be interpreted as “research material(s)” or “area of investigation” or “the topic under investigation”.
In terms of the choice of topic, the research question must be specific and sharply focused. It should be formulated as a question, not a statement or proposition for discussion. Its purpose should be made clear to the reader and be related to the knowledge and understanding in context.
Overly broad topics that cannot be dealt with adequately within the scope of the word limit should be avoided. Similarly, too obvious a topic is unlikely to score highly in terms of criterion C.
The introduction should state briefly why the student has chosen that particular research question and what it has to offer. It should also indicate clearly how it relates to existing knowledge on that topic.
The subsequent planning of the essay and its focus for discussion should involve analysis of the text(s) in the light of the research question. The essay should also include a critical perspective on secondary source material so that the views of critics are used to support the students’ own arguments. The sources used must provide sufficient material to develop and support an argument and a conclusion relevant to the research question.
For categories 1 and 2 essays, appropriate sources include the literary text or texts that form the focus of the investigation and secondary sources such as published criticism on those texts.
In both these categories, students should be aware that they may be limiting themselves by choosing texts that are not capable of sustaining a detailed in-depth literary analysis, eg some types of children’s literature or teenage fiction.
Category 2 essays should include a brief rationale for the pairing of the texts chosen, indicating what might be gained from the comparative study being undertaken. Students should avoid taking an approach where such texts are dealt with in two separate discussions.
Category 3 language essays based on a primary text or texts from the range indicated in the subject guide should also use secondary sources to provide a framework for a critical analysis of how language, culture and context shape meaning.
If the topic or research question is deemed inappropriate for the subject in which the essay is registered, no more than four marks can be awarded for this criterion. This applies to language A essays that are based on inappropriate texts.
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding
(Strands: Context, Subject-specific terminology and concepts)
For all three categories of essay, supporting source materials should be chosen appropriately and used effectively and purposefully to demonstrate an understanding of the wider issues involved.
Clarity and precision of communication in a studies in language and literature essay includes the correct use of language. Students should be able to convey their ideas fluently and articulately. They should also be able to use subject-specific terminology appropriate to the discipline and apply it to their chosen topic with discernment.
For categories 1 and 2 literature essays, the context should be established succinctly and should not be an excuse for padding out an essay with a lengthy account of the historical or biographical context of a literary text: the quality of the student’s understanding of the primary text is the main concern. The use of secondary source materials is helpful in terms of establishing a wider framework for the discussion; however this should not replace the student’s personal engagement with the primary text(s).
For category 3 language essays, the introduction of the essay should focus on the chosen topic and how it relates to existing knowledge of that subject and/or why it is of special interest to the target language and/or culture. The text(s) should be explored and understood through a critical consideration of their specific cultural and/or linguistic background. The student’s personal experience or personal opinion should only be included if relevant to a discussion of, for example, the target audience for the text, and not as unsupported assertion.
If the topic or research question is deemed inappropriate for the subject in which the essay is registered, no more than four marks can be awarded for this criterion. This applies to language A essays that are based on inappropriate texts.
Criterion C: Critical thinking
(Strands: Research, Analysis, and Discussion and evaluation)
For all three categories of studies in language and literature essays, the analysis and argument should focus on the research question and support a personal interpretation.
Students should aim for a detailed and critical consideration that develops their own argument rather than simply adopting the views of critics. Second-hand interpretations or viewpoints that are derived solely from secondary sources, or purely descriptive essays, will not score highly.
The essays must focus on the analysis of the research material presented. Personal views should not simply be stated but need to be supported by reasoned argument.
The conclusion should present a considered evaluation of the topic in the light of the discussion as well as findings or results from the research (as appropriate).
Students are also encouraged to take a critical perspective on secondary sources: in particular, if students make use of internet-based sources, they should do so critically and circumspectly in full awareness of their potential unreliability.
For categories 1 and 2 literature essays, a straightforward description of a literary text through plot summary or narration of the action does not usually advance an argument and should generally be avoided.
This also applies to category 3 language essays that give only straightforward descriptive or narrative accounts of a text or texts that lack critical analysis.
If the topic or research question is deemed inappropriate for the subject in which the essay is registered, no more than three marks can be awarded for this criterion. This applies to language A essays that are based on inappropriate texts.
Criterion D: Presentation
(Strands: Structure, Layout)
This criterion relates to the extent to which the essay conforms to current academic standards concerning the presentation of research papers. It also relates to how well these elements support the reading, understanding and evaluation of the essay.
Essays in studies in language and literature would normally be presented as a continuous body of text, although some category 3 topics may benefit from a section and subsection structure to their essays, with appropriate informative headings.
The use of charts, images and tables may also be appropriate for category 3 essays. They should only be used if they are directly relevant to the research question, contribute towards the understanding of the argument and are of a good graphic quality.
A bibliography is an essential structural element, contributing as far as it is visually presented, to criterion D, in addition to the other presentation requirements: title page, table of contents, page numbers, and so on.
While there is no explicit penalty in criterion D for exceeding 4,000 words, students should be aware that examiners will not read beyond the 4,000-word limit, therefore affecting the application of multiple criteria. Criterion D specifically may be impacted if, in exceeding 4,000 words, one of the structural requirements of the essay (for example, the conclusion, or important illustrative material) is unassessed by the examiner because he or she is not required to read beyond 4,000 words.
Any material that is not original must be carefully acknowledged, with specific attention paid to the acknowledgement and referencing of quotes and ideas. This acknowledgment and referencing is applicable to audiovisual material, text, graphs and data published in print and electronic sources. If the referencing does not meet the minimum standard as indicated in the guide (name of author, date of publication, title of source and page numbers, as applicable), and is not consistently applied, work will be considered as a case of possible academic misconduct. Incomplete references and those that do not meet the minimum requirements as detailed in the Effective citing and referencing document are not penalized in criterion D, but examiners are required to alert the IB to candidates who overlook these minimum requirements, for further investigation. Criterion D assesses references and bibliography purely on how they are presented (for example, consistent, laid out in an appropriate academic manner).
Criterion E: Engagement
(Strands: Process, Research focus)
This criterion assesses the student’s engagement with their research focus and the research process. It will be applied by the examiner at the end of the assessment of the essay, and is based solely on the candidate’s reflections as detailed on the RPPF, with the supervisory comments and extended essay itself as context.
Students are expected to provide reflections on the decision-making and planning process undertaken in completing the essay. Students must demonstrate how they arrived at a topic as well as the methods and approach used. This criterion assesses the extent to which a student has evidenced the rationale for decisions made throughout the planning process and the skills and understandings developed.
For example, students may reflect on:
the approach and strategies chosen, and their relative success
the Approaches to learning skills they have acquired and how they have developed as a learner
how their conceptual understandings have developed or changed as a result of their research
challenges faced in their research and how they overcame these
questions that emerged as a result of their research
what they would do differently if they were to undertake the research again.
Effective reflection highlights the journey the student has engaged in through the EE process. In order to demonstrate that engagement, students must show evidence of critical and reflective thinking that goes beyond simply describing the procedures that have been followed. Reflections must provide the examiner with an insight into student thinking, creativity and originality within the research process. The student voice must be clearly present and demonstrate the learning that has taken place.
Sample essay
Category 1
Example A (IT)When Breath Becomes Air
Example B(IB)
Example C (IT) - NWA Rap
Example D - (IB)
Category 2
Example E - (IT) Murakami/Temple
Category 3
Example F - (IT) Breaking Bad
Example G -(IT) The language of Self -help
Example H -(IT) Samsung Commercials
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