IB Diploma Candidates Celebrate Completion of the Extended Essay

December 2, 2022

Academics

GNS

The Extended Essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper, that students begin in May of Grade 11 and complete by mid-October of Grade 12. Students choose a topic related to one of the IB Diploma courses they are studying and work with GNS teachers who act as their supervisors throughout the process.

Faye Dryden wrote her essay in World Studies focussing on Biology and Economics. The question she researched was “How is the palm oil industry in Sumatra, Indonesia both essential for sustaining the economy by lifting the country out of poverty, yet equally as destructive for the region’s natural biodiversity in its environment?”

“I choose this topic because I’m interested in the environment, so I thought it would be cool to look into how it affects the different animal and plant species,” explained Faye. “Also I know from doing economics at school that it’s really important for the economy, so I wanted to see the pros and cons of the industry and how it affects the country.”

If she had the option to redo her essay question, Faye noted she would choose it again. As for the process of the Extended Essay, Faye said while it was long it was enjoyable.

“There is a lot of research, meetings and pieces involved with the reflections and writing,” she said. “It was cool to go through the process over time and learn a bunch of new things.”

Bowen Cao choose Mandarin for his subject areas and the question he researched was “How does Daoist philosopher Chuang Tzu’s The Equality of Things impact the Spring and Autumn period and modern society of China?”

“At first I was lost, I didn’t know which topic to choose. Most people choose economics or science, so I wanted to make something more unique,” he said. “The toughest part about the process was to gather the information, as people had different opinions on the philosophical ideas. I had to read the book myself, and then combine all the information I gathered. It took about two months to do the research.”

World Studies was the category for Angelina Blum’s essay incorporating Biology and Economics. The question she explored was “How is the issue of nicotine addiction biologically developed and combatted through Pigouvain taxation?”

“I was interested in the neurology and biology of nicotine addiction. I know that it’s a pretty intense topic in the world right now and I wanted to learn more about it,” she said. “I wanted to learn about the nature of nicotine and what makes it so addictive and the processes that go on within your body and brain.

While the work involved in the Extended Essay can be challenging, Angelina said time management was key.

“I had to find times in my schedule to work on it, but overall it was worth it,” she said. “Even when times were hard, I had to persevere through the difficulties and I’m happy with all the time I put into it and the product.”

Keenan Warhurst looked at the topics that also fell under World Studies as he looked at Global Politics, Geography and Biology for his essay question of “What factors contribute to rural communities being at risk for forest fires and how and what strategies can be used to mitigate these risks?”

“I grew up in a rural community that was affected by wildfires every summer, so I wanted to look at that issue and how it is becoming more prominent,” said Keenan. “The process of putting my essay together was long, and I think that once I formed a plan it became a lot easier. I noticed before I had a plan it was a mix and match.”

Rohan Bandechha choose to look through a Global Politics lens when he tackled the question “How and in what ways does an increase in globalization in contemporary global politics erode sovereignty?”

“I wanted to pick this topic so I would have a case study to do for my exam,” he said. “The toughest part about the process was time management in the summer.”

The students had a lot of advice for next year’s IB Diploma Candidates.

“Get it done for the different deadlines they give you, so you can get good feedback and carry it forward to be successful,” said Faye.

“Make sure you have a plan from the beginning instead of trying to build it piece by piece,” said Keenan.

“Put a lot of focus into your topic, because it has to be something you like and you’re passionate about. It will make the writing process so much easier,” said Angelina.

“Manage your time well. Once you get into Grade 12 things start getting so busy and you don’t have time for EE anymore. Try to get as much done through the summer, so it will be easier to start your Grade 12 year,” said Bowen.

“Try to work on it for 30 minutes a day in the summer, then you will feel like you’re ahead of the game when school starts,” said Rohan.

The successful completion of the Extended Essay journey requires a great support system. Thank you to all the supervisors, parents, and host parents who came along for the ride!