The EE

What is the EE?

The Extended Essay (EE) is a compulsory element of every IB student’s coursework.  It is an extensive piece of independent and original writing for which the student researches a focused topic of his or her choosing.  It is usually based on one of the student’s six chosen IB areas of study.  By its nature, it promotes “academic research, intellectual initiative and rigour, self-management, communication skills, and reflection.” (Source:  IB Extended Essay Guide) 

While the EE is developed individually, it is written under the guidance of an EE Supervisor – a Choctaw teacher, not necessarily an IB teacher, who agrees to advise the student in the writing process.  Reflection sessions with the EE Supervisor are an integral and required part of the planning, research, and writing processes.  The development of the EE begins in the Junior year, in conjunction with work in the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class and with a good deal of support from the TOK teacher and other IB faculty members.  The essay is not submitted until the fall of the student’s Senior year. 

The EE can be described as:

• a formally presented, original written work of no more than 4000 words,

• representative of investigation of topics chosen to answer an original Research Question posed by the student,

•  demonstrative of the student’s ability to critically evaluate the findings of experts in a field and synthesize those findings to construct a reasoned argument around the student’s original Research Question, and

• evidence of approximately 40 hours of work on the part of the student and 3-5 hours of reflection time spent in consultation with the student’s EE Supervisor.