Prior to choosing their subject to undertake the EE, all DP students receive instruction upon the nature of the EE, different subject requirements, research skills, and critical thinking as part of their Core lesson scheme of work. This helps them to choose their EE subject from a more informed and aware position of what they are going to have to undertake.
Each student is allocated with a supervisor from the department in which they are undertaking their EE. This ensures a wealth of subject knowledge and expertise is at their disposal.
The allocation of supervisors is determined by the subject Head of Department in discussion with their staff based on particular skill sets, knowledge, expertise, and workload/part-time status. This is in accordance with our advised restriction that each member of staff should not supervise more than three EEs.
Students are informed of their supervisor either in person or through email contact.
Supervisors meet with the student and discuss the suitability, strengths, and potential pitfalls of the initial ideas that the student has considered. This helps the student to choose their topic and focus towards a research question. These initial meetings generally take place outside of lesson time so that it does not distract from the individual subject courses.
Throughout the EE process supervisors review and ensure that the student progresses appropriately for successfully undertaking this project:
Supervisors undertake the first of the three formal interview sessions to discuss the initial progress and direction of the essay, leading to the first reflection being written.
From this point, meetings between the student and supervisor are arranged to discuss the quality/suitability of research, planning, formation of argument, etc to support the student. The onus is placed on the student as the EE is a product of personal application, but the supervisor supports their journey through the different steps. The level of engagement from the student can obviously vary, with the supervisor seeking to direct the student focus but it ultimately comes down to the individual student.
Upon submission of a first draft of the essay, the supervisor gives detailed feedback giving comments focused on the improvement of the essay, raising questions about the focus, argument, structure, etc. This feedback is then discussed with the student in the second formal interview in a framework of constructive criticism to enable the student to realise the tasks that they need to undertake to develop the essay further. This leads to the student writing their second reflection.
From this point the student is redrafting and improving their essay, making contact with their supervisor to discuss progress made and clarify further required development.
Upon submission of the finished essay, the supervisor conducts the viva voce as the third formal interview, focusing the discussion around the personal growth of the student as a result of undertaking this project. This leads to the final reflection being written.
Throughout the process, the relationship between supervisor and student is one of gentle steering and questioning to ideally allow the student to come to their own realisations about the improvements required.
The EE coordinator is available and accessible to all students (and supervisors) through their Core lessons for additional support and direction, though this is not subject specific, but rather generic EE support.
The EE coordinator ensures that all EE supervisors have access to information surrounding academic honesty, assessment, critical thinking, EE exemplar database, Harvard referencing, process and deadlines, reflections, research questions, research skills, subject-specific guidance, ToK, upload, and word count. This is completed through the school’s ‘EE @ DC’ website, email contact, staff training, and personal support.