Once you have explored your topic, focused your thinking, and tested your research question, you are ready to write your Extended Essay proposal. Your proposal is a short piece of academic writing that shows you have a thoughtful, feasible and ethical plan for your investigation.
A proposal is not a contract. Your ideas may continue to evolve. Its purpose is simply to demonstrate that you are beginning your Extended Essay in a clear and informed way. A good proposal shows that you have a question worth exploring, a clear plan for investigating it and an understanding of what it will take to begin the Extended Essay with purpose.
What your proposal should do:
Communicate your research question clearly.
Explain the thinking behind it.
Show evidence of early reading/research.
Describe how you intend to investigate the question.
Reflect on feasibility and ethical considerations.
Demonstrate readiness to begin your Extended Essay.
Every proposal looks different, but these elements are common to all subjects and both pathways.
Your working research question should be clear, focused and analytcial. Good questions often:
Investigate a specific issue.
Require interpretation or evaluation.
Connect to academic ideas in your subject or subjects
Allow for depth rather than breadth.
Avoid questions that are vague, descriptive, or too general.
Explain what makes your question worth investigating.
Show that you have begun to explore your topic through credible sources.
Describe the approach you intend to take. This will differ depending on your pathway, but the aim is the same everywhere: to show that your question can be answered through an appropriate academic method. This includes an explanation of the types of sources, data, or texts you will examine, the analytical approach or method you expect to use, any theories, concepts, or frameworks that may guide your thinking, and/or how the method suits your subject.
The proposal should reassure the reader that your investigation is feasible and responsible. This means thinking ahead about what you will need and how you will conduct your research.