ib itgs extended essay examples

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

What's Next?

Trying to figure out what extracurriculars you should do? Learn more about participating in the Science Olympiad , starting a club , doing volunteer work , and joining Student Government .

Studying for the SAT? Check out our expert study guide to the SAT . Taking the SAT in a month or so? Learn how to cram effectively for this important test .

Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

2016-2017 IB Extended Essay: Sample IB EE's

• Workshop 1: Getting started
• Workshop 2: EE Options
• Workshop 3: Selecting a topic
• Workshop 4:Research Questions
• Workshop 5: Supervisors and Reflections
• Finding Books & Ebooks
• Primary Sources
• Citation Guide
• Subject guidance
• Sample IB EE's
• Biology (2018 new rubric)
• Biology Light Intensity
• Does Age Have an Effect on Short-term Memory of 6 to 18 Year Old Students?

Chemistry: 

• Chemistry 1
• What are the Alternative Fuels for the Depleting Fossil Fuels and which is the Best Fuel in Accordance with the Energy Output?
• A Copper Ions
• Chemistry 3

Design Technology

• Does Hull Trim and Balance Affect the Speed of a Boat?

Individuals & Society:

• Market Form of the Retail Petroleum Supply Industry in Parklands
• Economics 1
• Economics 2
• Economics 3

I have an exemplar but the file is too big to upload.  If you are interested in this topic I can share the essay with you.

• Geography 2
• History EE (2018 new rubric)
• To What Extent was the Establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine in 1948, Influenced by Theodor Herzl?

Information Technology in a Global Society

• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Psychology EE (2018 new rubric)
• Applied Behavior Analysis and Early Intervention: The Extent of Recovery from Autism
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3

Social & Cultural Anthropology

• Social & Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social & Cultural Anthropology 2

World Religions

• To What Extent do the Core Scriptural Teachings of Sikhism Permit them to Marry Outside of the Religion?
• World Religions 1
• World Religions 2

Language Acquisition:

• French: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Literature & Language 

•   Journeys in the Inferno and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz   
•   Toni Morrison 

Math: 

•   Cryptography and Rubik's Cube: An Investigative Analysis   
•   Pascal's Triangle 

Visual Arts: 

•   How Does the work of Yinka Shonibare Illustrate the Changing Role of African Art in a Global Society? 
• Ballet's Accessibility and Costumes Affecting Society's View of the Art Form
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 4

Interdisciplinary Essays:

Environmental Systems & Societies

• ESS Extended Essay (2018 new rubric)

World Studies

• World Studies EE History, Economics, & Politics  (2018 new rubric)
• Does the Production of Dairy and Meat from Dairy Cows in the United States affect the Environment and Well Being of Animals and Humans?
• << Previous: Subject guidance
• Last Updated: Apr 9, 2024 10:44 AM
• URL: https://lewishs-fcps.libguides.com/IBExtendedEssay

The Fast Track To Excellent .css-vhyll0{margin:0;font-weight:700;line-height:1.25;font-size:2.5rem;font-family:Public Sans,sans-serif;color:#66ccff;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-vhyll0{font-size:3.25rem;}}@media (min-width:960px){.css-vhyll0{font-size:3.625rem;}}@media (min-width:1280px){.css-vhyll0{font-size:4rem;}} Coursework

Struggling to navigate the complexities of your ib coursework feel like you're in a labyrinth with no map that's why we created clastify., our marked exemplars are moderated by .css-1o71sd4{font-weight:900;color:#66ccff;} ib examiners with 10+ years of experience.

It’s no secret: writing IAs, EEs and TOKs is difficult, unclear, and often confusing. Whether it’s your first coursework or you’ve done a few before, it can be daunting looking at a blank page and wondering what to write. To solve this problem, Clastify has the world’s most extensive library of exemplar essays marked by top tutors and double-checked by IB examiners . Each exemplar is designed so you can work alongside of it as an example.

Join the .css-a161sv{color:#66ccff;} 75% of IB Students Already Excelling With Clastify

Let Clastify transform your academic journey, like we have done for 1.4 million IB students worldwide . By choosing Clastify, you not only gain access to a treasure trove of top-quality exemplar essays, but you also become part of a community where success is the norm. With Clastify, you won't just pass, you'll excel.

Clastify helped me a lot in writing my own IAs. I loved the examiner comments because they showed me what exactly has to be done to score marks. This is the best source I have found so far.

It's extremely convenient because of how easy it is to search for the exemplars I need.

Clastify is the only reason that I have completed or even started any of my IAs. Thank you.

Clastify has helped me improve my IAs, I was confused what to write, but after looking at a similar IA, and its mark scheme, I was able to get inspired and I knew what to include.

Clastify helped me be more precise with my work, as I get an idea of what I should be focusing on when writing.

Clastify is truly helpful with my IAs and EEs and stuff so I can't live without it! Especially when I have some teachers who never explain IA structures to us :').

Clastify IAs have their grades verified so I can be sure that the IA I'm basing on is top quality.

This website is the most useful place I have found to access IA exemplars.

How Clastify Can Help

Exemplar ias, ees, and tok.

Unsure how to approach your coursework? Our curated collection of marked exemplars serves as the ideal inspiration, with detailed mark schemes showing what went right, and where improvements can be made.

Personalized Review Service

For an added layer of support, you can upload your own work to receive personalized feedback and guidance from our tutors, with moderation from official IB examiners.

Are you an IB graduate?

Get rewarded for your coursework

You’ve put in the hard work, now let it pay off. Submit your coursework to Clastify and receive real money in return. It's our way of recognizing and promoting academic excellence, while building our library of exemplars for other IB students.

Get started with Clastify today

Useful Pages

Copyright © 2024 Clastify

All content on this website has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate and IB are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

ITGS News - Articles, social issues, and resources for IB ITGS

Itgs extended essay topic ideas.

March 13, 2013 itgsnewsauthor Uncategorized 50

It is the time of year again when we start thinking about writing Extended Essays. The blog post Thinking of Writing an ITGS Extended Essay? explains some of the things to consider when deciding whether or not to write an ITGS extended essay. This post is going to focus on topics that are suitable for an ITGS EE.

Note that the ideas listed below are topic ideas and areas, not Research Questions . They need refining into a specific and sharply focused Research Question before they are suitable for an extended essay. However, you receive marks in Criterion A for doing this, so I am not going to do it for you here!

Business and Employment EE topic ideas:

• The effectiveness of solutions to prevent online fraud
• The use of employee monitoring technology
• Cost savings of FOSS compared to commercial software
• The use of social networks by small businesses

Education EE topic ideas: 

• The use of computer models to replace science experiments in schools
• The impacts of 1-1 computer programmes in schools
• The use of student information systems to improve teaching and learning
• The privacy impacts of student tracking systems
• Effective solutions to ensure appropriate technology use in a school

Environment EE topic ideas:

• The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) when planning construction projects
• The awareness and impact of electronic waste
• The use of virtualisation as a method of reducing server power consumption

Health EE topic ideas:

• The use of tele-medicine to treat patients in rural areas
• The impacts of implementing electronic health records in a hospital
• The effectiveness of mobile phone technology for distributing health advice and education
• Software and hardware to help disabled users with poor eyesight

Home and Leisure EE topic ideas:

• The impact of software / music / film piracy

Politics & Government EE topic ideas: 

• The impacts of open government sites on service provision
• The use of online technology for election campaigning

This is not a definitive list by any means – there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other possible topics. But remember – these are only topic areas. An extended essay (ITGS or otherwise) needs a sharply focused research question that can be addressed within the 4000 word limit.

ITGS Extended Essay help

There are several books available to help you complete the EE process.

• IB Extended Essay Course Book (IB Diploma Program)
• Extended Essay for the IB Diploma: Skills for Success
• An Extended Essay Guide: A guide to helping you through your IBDP Extended Essay

You might also enjoy reading:

• extended essay

50 Comments

I would like like ask you if i can use your posts on my blog with your reference as they are of great help to my students and me.

Sure – but it would probably be better to just link directly to the posts, in case I make any additions or alterations to them.

I wanted to ask if Social and Ethical of social networking is a good topic? Or can you help me in framing a proper research question related to social networking??

Well, it is rather vague. I would suggest you look more closely at some articles relating to social networking and check the list of specific ITGS social and ethical issues to see which issues are raised. This should help you better understand the topic options that are out there.

I just wanted to know if you thought "Privacy issues of RFID Technology" would be a good topic. Thanks for the great post.

It probably needs focusing down: RFID tags are used in a lot of areas and by a lot of different stakeholders (for example, everything from monitoring good in supermarkets to monitoring students). To achieve the level of detail required in the extended essay, you should definitely narrow things down.

I would to know if Virtual Learning Environments are an appropriate IT system that I can write an EE about.

As an IT system Virtual Learning Environments fall into ITGS, definitely. In fact they are in section 2.2 of the syllabus (Education). However, you cannot just write an extended essay about an IT system – you need to add context so that you can examine the social and ethical impacts of the system in that context. For example, a good topic might be the use of VLEs in schools or the use of VLEs in prisons. Once you have a 'general' topic, then you need to refine it to produce the research question.

I was wondering how you would approach the research question of To what extent has the development of new technologies accelerated the outsourcing of white collar jobs from the United States to Southeast Asia.

I'd say you need to narrow it down, a lot. "New technologies" is very vague (and remember that not all technology is information technology and therefore not suitable for ITGS). "White collar jobs" is also very broad. I would focus on a particular area of technology and a particular industry, and perhaps even narrow down the geographical area too.

Can someone please help me, i am trying to write an extended essay on e waste but dont know what exactly should i focus on?

Well, obviously you need to focus on social impacts….so start by finding out who is involved in the e-waste “situation” (the stakeholders). Then you will need to do a little bit of research on each to see how they are affected. This will probably lead you to discard some ideas. You should consider the quality and quantity of research material available, and also what *primary* research you can do. This will help you narrow things down. The focus should be quite narrow: something like “The impacts of e-waste on LEDCs and MEDCs and manufacturers of equipment across the world” is FAR too broad and would make a bad question.

Thanks alot!

I decided to write my extended essay in ITGS. i’m interested in writing about the introduction of IT systems in schools, libraries. its effects on people life style. IS IT A GOOD TOPIC??? IF YES, CAN ANYONE plz RE-FRAME THE QUESTION?

I’m thinking of writing my essay on ransomware yet I am having difficulty structuring a question. I would like to discuss the impacts of ransomware on different stakeholders and strategies used to tackle the problem of ransomware.

I was thinking of a question along the lines of “To what extent has the rise of ransomware changed the way technology is used”, however it is too broad and I’m not quite sure how to make it more specific.

You’re right, it is too broad. It sounds obvious, but tighten up the bits which are too broad. “Technology” and “is used” are prime candidates. Which technology? And used where? The impacts of ransomware will be somewhat different for home users compared to large businesses. That second question might depend a fair bit on your initial research. Even last week a Canadian university paid ransomware authors to get their data back: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36478650

could “To what extent is the design process dependent on CAD/CAM software’s for prototyping a product.” be a RQ for EE.

Do let me know.

I’d look to see if you can incorporate some of the ITGS social and ethical issues into the question. “Dependent” isn’t really much of an impact – something either “is dependent” or isn’t, which doesn’t offer you a lot of opportunity to explore the question in depth. It might also be a good idea to narrow it down to a particular industry / type of product – obviously which one would depend on your primary research sources.

Hello there!

I have this one topic I have been thinking about writing an ITGS Extended Essay on, but I am not certain if it’s completely appropriate. I will elaborate.

I want to write an essay about the advances of Physically Based Rendering and the effects it had (is still having?) on the field of computer graphics and rendering. (It is not the research question yet, I will narrow it down to something neat and specific later.) It is a subject that I’m knowledgeable about, and I’m confident I should be able to reach some people related to the field to conduct my research. (In fact I originally intended to write a CS EE on the subject, but some of the essay requirements related to that particular subject made me realize that it was unfeasible.) However, I a little worried that it might be a little /too/ niche and insignificant for the ITGS subject. It is the “society” part that worries me a little here. This new trend of rendering methods, while groundbreaking and completely flipping some aspects of computer graphics upside down, may not have the same impact on an average person as implementing electronic health records in a hospital or student tracking systems in schools.

Furthermore, however you look at it, computer graphics are already a discipline born from information technology, so it really only boils down to one kind of information technology enriching another, something I’m not sure is acceptable as a topic. I am also not completely sure if there are any ethical sides to it at all (although I could probably dig something here, as the opponents on PBR claim that due to introduction of standardized physical parameters it makes all the graphics look the same, which I could potentially spin as an issue against artistic freedom or something to this effect).

It would really help me if you could advise me on this. I don’t think there’s anyone knowledgeable about ITGS on my continent (let alone my school).

I think you’ve really answered your own question there. I agree – it is very niche. That is not necessarily a problem, but I wonder if the impacts of the technology are rather “one dimensional” – it doesn’t seem to me like there would be a lot to analyse. A CS EE would probably need an algorithmic angle, but you say CS has already been discounted?

Yes, I would say so unfortunately. The levels of programming and mathematics/physics involved in rendering processes are a bit of an obstacle for me, and I was more interested in practical implications of the technology rater then the meanders of algorithms involved anyway. It would also be somewhat problematic to compare different rendering systems in terms of output in an exact objective “data-ish” way (other then maybe measuring their performance I guess), since their effectiveness is directly related to subjective human perception.

This said, the implications of the physically based rendering technology aren’t necessarily as one dimensional as they might seem – although they might be contained socially to the group of computer artists and their customers/recipients. I’ve noticed that there are already some topics on the list that are related to businesses and cost savings related to the use of open software, and as such also have their social scopes limited (to entrepreneurs and companies).

In terms of there not being enough to analyse however I think it’s not quite true. PBR completely changes the way many aspects of computer graphics are handled, not only in terms of internal processing but also content creation. I was thinking about spinning it in such a way as to prove that PBR reduces the amount of work required significantly, averting the existing trend of requiring more and more manpower to produce top-shelf content as the standards of technology improve. I suppose that I could then, in turn, link it to allowing smaller parties to create content comparable to AAA-companies and thus allowing more creative freedom or something to this effect. So, as you can see, the impacts can be pretty complex!

Thank you a lot for responding! It helps me to know that at least I’m not going into it completely blind anymore.

Hello there

i have one question regarding the topics, is it okay if i use lets say Pokemon GO as my ee topic or would it be better to find something else?

It depends a large amount on what your research question would be. The EE needs to be an investigation rather than a descriptive report, so your first line of thought should be which aspect of Pokemon Go you want to investigate / research.

Hello there i was wondering if this question, “Are the use of Apps on mobile phones actually resourceful or are a waste of time, money and resources?” is too vague and if it needs a bit of tweaking. I had ideas to set up questionnaires, which i would give to random people, helping me collect my data. Should i make the question more specific to what kind of apps i am talking about or make general?

Please help

Yes, it definitely needs tweaking. I’d say there are a few issues. First of all, the answer to the question is obvious: thousands of companies create and use apps all over the world – if they were a ‘waste of time, money, and resources’, wouldn’t at least one of them have realised it by now? So the answer to your EE question is ‘Yes, they are. Somewhere. To some people’. So one problem is that the question is binary – it has a yes/no answer.

Which brings us to another problem – you need more focus on a specific type of app, area (e.g. education, health), and stakeholder. 4000 words is not a lot, so you really need to narrow this down.

I want write my ITGS EE on how 3D-printing has helped athletes with disabilities – prosthetic limbs (health) but have no idea how to narrow down my research question. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Actually, your initial idea does seem quite focused to me: you have a clear stakeholder (athletes with disabilities rather than something vague like “people”), and you have a clear technology too. It might be wise to focus it on a single team or sport, which brings me to my main concern: are you sure this is actually happening? I’d suggest doing some reason to find some concrete examples of athletes who have used 3D-printed limbs (I’d be very interested to learn about these examples too, if you post the links as comments). Good luck!

I thought it was but now realize may be not! “Pistorius’ bio-engineered carbon-fiber prosthetics are not actually 3D printed (it will be a while yet before 3D printing materials are capable of absorbing the same strains as carb0n-fiber), it won’t be long before they are.”http://blog.stratasys.com/2012/08/12/3d-printing-and-the-london-olympics/ I will keep looking as this was published in 2012.

So far I have found this: Denise Schindler to become world’s first Paralympic cyclist to use 3D-printed prosthesis https://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/12/video-interview-denise-schindler-worlds-first-paralympic-cyclist-3d-printed-prosthesis-autodesk-movie/ Do I need more examples? Can I use journal articles about the ethics of all prosthetics in sports/athletes to examine the ethics of 3D prosthetics?

Hello! I am trying to do an ITGS EE on ‘to what extent does technology help people with traumatic brain injuries?’ I am deciding whether to focus on diagnostic technology or rehabilitation. I would like some guidance. Thanks!

I’d say your focus would depend on several factors – probably the most important being the available of sources. I’d spend some time doing some initial research. If you can’t find any reading on (for example) rehabilitation, that would automatically strike it from the list of possibilities.

Hello, For my extended essay, my question that I have now is “How are networks effected by security issues?”. I am getting quite a good amount of information on networks and how they can be affected by security. It was suggested to me that I could relate this to file torrenting. I am finding quite a large amount of current events about torrenting and how it works and how it effects copyright laws. Thanks.

It sounds to me like you are going too broad. Torrents may raise security issues, but security and copyright are two completely different issues. Your question itself is quite broad (“security issues”). Is there a way you can narrow it down some more? 4000 words is not as many as you think.

I think that I may push more towards making the topic torrents and make the social ethical concern policies and form a question from that, does that sound good?

It sounds a bit more focused. I think you’re still going to need to narrow it down to a stakeholder or group of stakeholders though. Who is affected by this issue?

I am planning to write EE on “effects of using anime on students”. I will be covering the social and ethical aspects of it. I will be conducting research on my school students first. Please suggest is it ok or do iI need to change it. Thanks

I don’t really understand what you mean by “using anime”. Do you mean watching anime? If so, I don’t really see how it involves information technology specifically (since anime was largely hand drawn, at least originally).

What I mean is anime games and how it is effecting the behavior of students…

Personally I’d usually advise students to avoid topics like this. I would consider the following questions and see how well you are able to answer them: what would be your primary source of data? Where would you get your secondary data? Are these sources reliable? How do you quantify “behaviour”? How can you link changes in a person’s behaviour with (a) video games and (b) one specific type of video game?

Thanks a lot I will certainly work on these first ….

Hi, i am writing my extended essay on ITGS, i am doing my research on the benefits that RFID and IT healthcare sytems could bring to the it sector in my country, that lakes for these technologies. what do your recommend me to do my essay on? should i focus on the economic factors? or is it better to do my essay on an existing system?

A large amount will depend on what sources you have available – for both secondary and primary data. There is no point focusing on what particular area if there is no research you can perform.

I always think it is best to focus on an existing system – but you could easily examine existing RFID systems in other places and analyse how well they would fit into your country / context.

Hello, I am currently writing my extended essay in ITGS with the topic of an analysis and comparison of VR as a training tool in the field of medicine and education. Will this be a suitable RQ in the EE? Thank you.

hi there can you please advice me whether the topic “Could game based learning teach the subject of mathematics to primary kids more effectively than traditional school based teachers?” a good topic, and if so how do i proceed with the topic regarding primary research and secondary research. thanks

Hi there. Potentially the topic could be a good one. I would advise you to consider replacing the word “Could” with a command term though. It is possible to answer a “Could” question with a yes/no – which would leave you with 3999 words to write!

Hi, I’m writing my extended essay about Phet simulations, and I want to check if these can replace some experiments that are done in the lab. The social and ethical question would be reliability.

could i do an ee on the effects of networks AND the software and hardware applications on agricultural industry.

To me that sounds like a huge topic, too large for 4000 words. A lot of students don’t realise how little 4000 words is once you start writing. I’d recommend narrowing the topic.

Hi I was thinking of writing my extended essay on financial technology, Is that a topic I can work with?

At the early stage of the EE, the answer is usually “it depends”. You’ll need to do more research into the types of technology you might want to cover, the situation, and most importantly, the potential social and ethical impacts that may arise from it. Only then will you know whether this is a suitable topic for an ITGS EE.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Copyright © 2024 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes

EXTENDED ESSAY

Nature of the extended essay

The extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of approved Diploma Programme

Subjects —normally one of the student’s six chosen subjects for the IB diploma. It is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity. It provides students with an opportunity to engage in personal research in a topic of their own choice, under the guidance of a supervisor (a teacher in the school). This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing, in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner, appropriate to the subject chosen. It is recommended that completion of the written essay is followed by a short, concluding interview, or viva voce, with the supervisor.

The extended essay is assessed against common criteria, interpreted in ways appropriate to each subject.

The extended essay is:

• Compulsory for all Diploma Programme students

• Externally assessed and, in combination with the grade for theory of knowledge, contributes up to three points to the total score for the IB diploma

• A piece of independent research/investigation on a topic chosen by the student in cooperation with a supervisor in the school chosen from the list of approved Diploma Programme subjects, published in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

• presented as a formal piece of scholarship containing no more than 4,000 words

• The result of approximately 40 hours of work by the student

• concluded with a short interview, or viva voce , with the supervising teacher (recommended).

In the Diploma Programme, the extended essay is the prime example of a piece of work where the student has the opportunity to show knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm about a topic of his or her choice. In those countries where it is the norm for interviews to be required prior to acceptance for employment or for a place at university, the extended essay has often proved to be a valuable stimulus for discussion.

Information technology in a global society (ITGS) is concerned with how information technology (IT) systems affect people. All IT systems do affect people—this is why they were devised in the first place. Most IT systems are designed to bring some economic or quality-of-life benefit to people. Most also affect the way that people work. It is also true that IT systems can have deleterious effects on people’s lives—usually, but not always, unintentionally produced. An ITGS extended essay should examine how an IT system or systems has affected people in positive and/or negative ways, with particular reference to the underlying technology. An extended essay in ITGS offers an opportunity to undertake research into an IT-related topic in an area of personal interest to the student. It gives students a framework to develop research skills, to develop their technical understanding of IT, and to relate an IT system in the real world to its effects on individuals, organizations and society in general.

What is an ITGS extended essay?

An ITGS extended essay needs to focus on the social impacts (positive or negative) information technology has on society. The EE also needs to clearly cover the information technology in enough detail to make it clear how it causes the problem. In short, the EE needs to cover all parts of the ITGS triangle. As the EE guide says:

ITGS extended essay should examine how an IT system or systems has affected people in positive and/or negative ways, with particular reference to the underlying technology.

(Extended Essay Guide, First exams 2013, IB)

ITGS EEs should not be primarily focused on how technology works - topics like this might be better suited to Computer Science extended essays. For example, an EE about the best sorting algorithm or a comparison of compression technologies is not suitable as an ITGS EE because it does not focus on social impacts.

For first assessment in 2018 (first teaching in August 2016), the Extended Essay is changing. The new IB Extended Essay website includes information on the changes. It also has a table of poor questions which are too broad (a common mistake made by students), and a selection of better, more focused questions.

Examples of ITGS extended essay topics

All ITGS extended essays needs a topic area and a Research Question (RQ). Teachers can help students select a topic area but students must formulate the Research Question themselves because there are awarded marks for this in criterion A. Often a student will need to perform some initial research to ensure that sufficient sources are available to successfully complete the EE.

Business and Employment topic ideas:

• The effectiveness of solutions to prevent online fraud
• The use of employee monitoring technology
• Cost savings of FOSS compared to commercial software
• The use of social networks by small businesses

Education topic ideas:

• The use of computer models to replace science experiments in schools
• The impacts of 1-1 computer programmes in schools
• The use of student information systems to improve teaching and learning
• The privacy impacts of student tracking systems
• Effective solutions to ensure appropriate technology use in a school

Environment topic ideas:

• The use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) when planning construction projects
• The awareness and impact of electronic waste
• The use of virtualization as a method of reducing server power consumption

Health topic ideas:

• The use of tele-medicine to treat patients in rural areas
• The impacts of implementing electronic health records in a hospital
• The effectiveness of mobile phone technology for distributing health advice and education
• Software and hardware to help disabled users with poor eyesight

Home and Leisure topic ideas:

• The impact of software / music / film piracy

Politics & Government topic ideas

• The impacts of open government sites on service provision
• The use of online technology for election campaigning

Examples of bad ITGS extended essay topics

I advise my students to avoid the following topics because they are either totally unsuitable to an ITGS extended essay, or because they typically lead to low quality essays being produced.

• "Laptops in schools", "Facebook in schools", or similar. Often these topics are chosen by students looking for an "easy" option. However, in my experience the students will struggle to find reliable research relating to these topics - a lot of information out there is vague and anecdotal and students will struggle to come to any meaningful conclusion. In these cases students also frequently try to interview their friends as primary sources - a sure path to disaster.
• Any topic where primary research cannot be performed. While "Robotics in medicine" might interest a student, finding a doctor who uses robots and is willing to be interviewed is difficult. The same applies to "Computers in space", "smart homes", and many more ITGS topics. If you cannot find primary research sources, you can't do the topic - it's that simple.
• Topics about IT products (e.g. "New iPad released", "Faster graphics card released"). The social impact of these is minimal.
• Topics about things which haven't happened yet or have only just happened. How can you find examples if something hasn't happened yet? (E.g: new nano-computers to be released, Saudi Arabia will monitor Blackberry use, Google will release new Google Glasses)

Focusing the Extended Essay Research Question

The EE title needs to be accompanied by an Extended Essay Research Question (RQ). Students often think that 4000 words is a lot (it isn't!) and subsequently write a very broad research question that addresses a wide range of technologies, people, or areas. Instead students should narrow down their question and use their 4000 words to reach the appropriate level of depth and detail.

Examples which are too broad

• The effects of e-waste
• Social media and business

Better examples

• An evaluation of the e-waste policies of small businesses in El Salvador
• The effectiveness of social media for customer relations in the hotel industry in El Salvador

Notice how the better examples all refer to a specific stakeholder or small group of stakeholders rather than "people", "businesses", or other broad group. Equally the technology which is the focus of the EE is clearly stated, and the aspect which will be investigated ("evaluation of policies", "effectiveness of social media for customer relations").

ITGS Extended Essay Checklist

The following is an initial checklist to see if a topic qualifies for an ITGS extended essay:

• Are you able to reference social impacts and ethical issue(s)?
• Are these issues and impacts caused by information technology?
• Do you have sufficient, reliable sources to support these issues and impacts?
• Are you able to find expert stakeholders to perform quality primary research?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you may need to think of a different topic.

Choice of topic

The choice of topic may result from a news story, issues brought up in class discussion or a personal interest. The topic must be firmly focused on an issue that has IT at its core. A topic that concentrates on another discipline but which has an IT angle is not suitable for the development of an ITGS extended essay. Students writing an ITGS extended essay must be capable of demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of some aspect of IT. It is expected that IT terminology is used accurately in order to describe the system or systems under investigation, and that a level of expertise is shown that goes well beyond general knowledge. IT provides a rich field for the choice of an extended essay because of its extremely rapid development. We are living through an information revolution that is so far-reaching that unprecedented moral and ethical issues are emerging. This gives the ITGS extended essay student much opportunity to be original and innovative in approach—qualities that can enhance and enrich an extended essay in ways that few other subject areas can match. Much of the evidence quoted will inevitably be obtained from internet sources, but essays should also include other sources, such as books, newspapers and magazines, as well as primary evidence collected by the student. Students should be aware of the pitfalls in relying on unsubstantiated material, from whatever source, when undertaking their research. The essay should, therefore, include some critical analysis of the evidence. In choosing their topic, students are strongly advised to concentrate on developing a research question, carrying out relevant research, and applying IT theory, tools and techniques. It is important that the research question is sufficiently focused to allow adequate treatment within the word limit. Topics that depend entirely on summarizing general secondary data should be avoided, as they are likely to lead to an essay that is essentially narrative or descriptive in nature. However, the effective use of relevant secondary data to support primary data in answering the research question will be fully rewarded by the examiner. Students are encouraged to research a current issue. A successful essay will concentrate on one issue, but the issue should be significant enough to provide a wide variety of suitable evidence. The following examples of titles for ITGS extended essays are intended as guidance only. The pairings illustrate that focused topics (indicated by the first title) should be encouraged rather than broad topics (indicated by the second title). • “An investigation into the ways in which IT can assist patients with motor-nerve damage” is better than “IT and physical disabilities”.

• “Flight simulators as a means of training pilots to deal with wake turbulence” is better than “Virtual reality systems”.

• “Measures that can be taken to protect the transmission of banking information” is better than “Hacking”.

• “How the layering of network protocols has contributed to the rapid development of music downloads” is better than “Music and the internet”.

• “Issues in developing natural language interfaces” is better than “The uses of robots”.

• “How Open Source software has led to improved corporate networking” is better than “Modern operating systems”.

It is essential that the topic has an IT system or IT systems at its core. This means that the system(s) concerned must involve some form of data processing. Essays that focus on technology such as engineering, or on a science topic, are not suitable for ITGS essays. Similarly, an essay that has a social problem as its focus with only tenuous relevance to IT is unlikely to have sufficient depth.

Treatment of the topic

Although an ITGS extended essay is not intended to be an exercise in demonstrating IT skills, it must clearly demonstrate in-depth technical understanding of the chosen area. Students who do not have well-developed IT practical skills are unlikely to show the level of insight that is required for the highest levels of attainment. Although an ITGS essay should clearly demonstrate technical expertise, the inclusion of program code, markup codes (for example, HTML) or detailed electronics should only ever be supportive and not the main focus of the essay. It may help if the student defines the topic chosen for study in the form of a research question, followed by a statement of intent that indicates which broad process is going to be used in answering the question. In this way, the approach to the topic chosen may be even further clarified. Some examples of this could be the following.

Topic The future of natural language interfaces

Research question

To what extent is it likely that natural language interfaces will replace the keyboard in the production of office documents?

Approach Primary data is collected through interviews with university lecturers and researchers working in the field of natural language interfaces (qualitative research). The algorithms used, difficulties faced and progress to date are discussed. Questionnaires are emailed to office managers to determine to what extent there is a need for natural language data input and whether this could improve productivity. Public domain examples of natural language software are downloaded and its effectiveness assessed. Secondary research is collected by accessing internet-based reports from universities working in the field.

Topic The effectiveness of e-learning as an enhancement to conventional teaching

Does the addition of e-learning systems improve the performance of students in mathematics?

Approach an internet survey of e-learning systems, highlighting methodologies used by different systems. Quantitative comparisons are made of examination results before and after its adoption from schools that have adopted e-learning methods. Teacher and student opinions are surveyed by issuing questionnaires to teachers who have adopted e-learning and those who have rejected it. Secondary research is carried out by surveying teacher discussion boards.

Topic The impact of Open Source software

Has the wide availability of Open Source software resulted in improved security for networks? Approach Primary research is carried out by means of circulating questionnaires to network managers. Network managers who make use of Open Source are interviewed. Questionnaires are emailed to website developers. A study is made of an example of an Open Source e-business system. Secondary research is carried out by looking at recent articles in IT trade magazines and surveying “help” websites for network managers.

Assessment criteria EE

Criterion A: Focus and method

This criterion focuses on the topic, the research question and the methodology. It assesses the explanation of the focus of the research (this includes the topic and the research question), how the research will be undertaken, and how the focus is maintained throughout the essay.

The topic is communicated accurately and effectively.

• Identification and explanation of the research topic is effectively communicated; the purpose and focus of the research is clear and appropriate.

The research question is clearly stated and focused.

• The research question is clear and addresses an issue of research that is appropriately connected to the discussion in the essay.

Methodology of the research is complete.

• An appropriate range of relevant source(s) and/or method(s) have been applied in relation to the topic and research question.
• There is evidence of effective and informed selection of sources and/or methods.

Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding

This criterion assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area/discipline used to explore the research question, or in the case of the world studies extended essay, the issue addressed and the two disciplinary perspectives applied, and additionally the way in which this knowledge and understanding is demonstrated through the use of appropriate terminology and concepts.

Knowledge and understanding is excellent.

• The selection of source materials is clearly relevant and appropriate to the research question.
• Knowledge of the topic/discipline(s)/issue is clear and coherent and sources are used effectively and with understanding.

Use of terminology and concepts is good.

• The use of subject-specific terminology and concepts is accurate and consistent, demonstrating effective knowledge and understanding.

Criterion C: Critical thinking

This criterion assesses the extent to which critical-thinking skills have been used to analyse and evaluate the research undertaken.

The research is excellent.

• The research is appropriate to the research question and its application is consistently relevant.

Analysis is excellent.

• The research is analysed effectively and clearly focused on the research question; the inclusion of less relevant research does not significantly detract from the quality of the overall analysis.
• Conclusions to individual points of analysis are effectively supported by the evidence.

Discussion/evaluation is excellent.

• An effective and focused reasoned argument is developed from the research with a conclusion reflective of the evidence presented.
• This reasoned argument is well structured and coherent; any minor inconsistencies do not hinder the strength of the overall argument or the final or summative conclusion.
• The research has been critically evaluated.

Criterion D: Presentation

This criterion assesses the extent to which the presentation follows the standard format expected for academic writing and the extent to which this aids effective communication.

Presentation is good.

• The structure of the essay clearly is appropriate in terms of the expected conventions for the topic, the argument and subject in which the essay is registered.
• Layout considerations are present and applied correctly.
• The structure and layout support the reading, understanding and evaluation of the extended essay.

Criterion E: Engagement

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.

Engagement is excellent.

• Reflections on decision-making and planning are evaluative and include reference to the student’s capacity to consider actions and ideas in response to challenges experienced in the research process.
• These reflections communicate a high degree of intellectual and personal engagement with the research focus and process of research, demonstrating authenticity, intellectual initiative and/or creative approach in the student voice.

Reference: http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/dp/drq/extended_essay/d_0_eeyyy_gui_1012_1_e.pd

Extended Essay

Guide to the IB Extended Essay in 2024

January 24, 2024

If you’re an International Baccalaureate student getting ready to write your IB Extended Essay, you might be experiencing some very understandable trepidation. But have no fear—we’re here to help you understand what’s required of you, how to plan ahead (IB extended essay topics), and how you’ll be graded (IB extended essay rubric). Keep reading for a good dose of preparation and confidence before you begin the journey. In this article, we’ll cover:

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The ib extended essay—required content, ib extended essay topics.

IB Extended Essay—Sample Essays

IB Extended Essay Tips

Ib extended essay rubric, ib extended essay—more resources.

The IB Extended Essay is a 4,000-word paper that asks you to immerse yourself in research and academic writing. A required part of the IB program, the Extended Essay is a chance to dig deep into a topic that fascinates you.

Although it’s no small task, the IB Extended Essay is an opportunity to gain practical research and writing skills that will come in handy again in college. As you write, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify credible sources
• Formulate a research question and limit your scope of research
• Communicate ideas to an audience
• Develop a well-supported argument

The IB Extended Essay is largely an independent, self-directed project, but don’t worry—the IB program doesn’t throw you into the deep end. You do get to select a mentor (usually a teacher at your school) to help guide you through the process. As you write, you’ll be required to meet with your mentor three times. As part of your final evaluation, your mentor will interview you in a final reflection section called a viva voce . During the viva voce, your mentor will check for plagiarism and malpractice, ask you to reflect on challenges and difficulties, and prompt you to discuss what you’ve learned through the research and writing process. Your mentor will then generate a report that factors into your final grade.

Your final essay must include the following:

• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

For this essay, it will be up to you to generate a topic; the International Baccalaureate does not provide prompts. However, your essay will need to fit within one of six provided subject areas . You’ll choose from the following list of IB Extended Essay Topics:

• Language and literature
• Language acquisition
• Individuals and societies
• Mathematics

IB Extended Essay Topics (Continued)

At a glance, the subject areas might look limited, but the topics you can choose to write about are actually wide-ranging. The “Individuals and societies” category includes social science topics like economics, history, world religions, and philosophy. And, if you’re leaning toward “Science,” you can choose from classic subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics, or related topics like environmental systems or health science, among others.

The IB also offers a special “World Studies” option for students interested in researching global issues. This subject would allow you to center your writing on global issues such as migration, global health, cultural exchange, or climate change.

Wondering what an outstanding IB Extended Essay looks like? The International Baccalaureate provides quite a few sample student essays online . Here are five essays that earned A grades.

Language and literature: An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita

Environmental Systems and Societies: The economic impact of the 1995 reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone National Park

Psychology: To what extent do social networking sites (SNS) usage lead to experience of anxiety in adolescents?

Music: Composition techniques in the 1st movement of Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

Business Management: Corporate Culture at Oracle

1) Pick something you’re passionate about

As you can see from the titles above, the IB Extended Essay is a great place to delve into a niche topic that fascinates you. Since you’ll be spending many months on this essay, you’ll want to pick a topic you genuinely enjoy spending time learning about. It’s also smart to choose something you’ve already learned about in your IB classes so that you have a strong foundation of knowledge to start with. In music class, do you love pondering why music makes us feel a certain way? Maybe an essay about music theory will keep your gears turning. Do you come alive trying to solve seemingly impossible problems in physics class? Now’s your chance to put those equations into action.

Since this essay is all about your academic interests, it’s also a good idea to pick a topic that’s relevant to what you plan to study in college. Selecting a relevant topic will provide you with significant exposure to the field and will also give you something meaningful to talk about in your college admissions essays.

2) Limit your scope

What’s the meaning of life? Why do wars happen? What is time? Some questions are just way too big to answer, and your IB Extended Essay is not a good place to tackle expansive, philosophical questions. Instead, think of this essay as a place to investigate one piece of a big question. If, let’s say, you’re generally interested in what helps women reach positions of leadership in business, this is a good place to examine how one or a few companies approach this issue. Or, if you’re interested in studying what inspires surrealist painters, you’ll want to pick one or a few painters to research, likely all from the same time period. For both these topics, you’d need a whole textbook to tackle the full question, but limiting your scope will make it much easier to write a clear and cohesive 4,000 words.

On the other hand, it’s possible to narrow your focus too much. It would be impossible, for example, to write 4,000 words about a single sentence in a novel. Make sure you talk about scope early and often with your mentor. Together, you can find the perfect Goldilocks scope for your project that’s not too big and not too small.

3) Choose a good mentor

Speaking of mentors, choosing wisely will help you enormously as you embark on your IB Extended Essay. You’ll want to make sure you choose someone with existing knowledge in your research topic. Your English teacher may be able to give you great writing advice, for example, but they won’t be able to guide your research and scope if you’re writing about marine animals or modern dance.

Before you approach a teacher, make sure you have at least one topic idea (or even a few ideas) in mind so that you can make sure they’ll be a good fit to supervise your project. When you meet with them, find out what their mentorship style is like. Make sure they’ll have time to read several drafts of your essays, meet with you a few times, and give you feedback. Some IB schools will require your IB Extended Essay mentor to sign an agreement form too, so make sure you find out what paperwork is required in advance.

4) Get organized, way organized

The IB Extended Essay is not something you can crank out the night before it’s due. The essay is meant to be a substantive, in-depth, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched analysis, and Rome simply isn’t built in a day. This might be the longest paper you’ve written to date, and this project might require more research than you’ve been asked to do before. Timelines vary by school, but you’ll likely spend between eight months and a year working on your IB Extended Essay. So, how will you pull it all off? For these 8-12 months, organization will be your guiding light. We recommend you:

• Get started early. If your essay is due November of your senior year, start generating topic ideas during your junior year right after winter break.
• Create a long-view schedule for yourself. What will you accomplish each month of your process?
• Give yourself deadlines. Once you choose a mentor, suggest 2-3 draft deadline dates so that you will be held accountable throughout the writing process.
• Find a note-taking system that works for you. You’ll be reading many articles and books and it’s hard to keep track of all your sources. Create a document or spreadsheet where you keep track of the sources you’ve found and check them off as you read. As you finish reading a text, type up important quotes and a few notes explaining how it connects to your topic and to your other texts.

5)Write a messy first draft

Writing never comes out perfect the first time, even for New York Times bestselling authors and the most experienced researchers. In your first draft, give yourself permission to get all your thoughts out, no matter how unstructured or rambling they are. Call this your brainstorming draft. When you’re ready to revisit it, see what patterns emerge, what common ideas you can group together, what beginning buds of ideas you can make bloom into full-fledged analysis.

6) Communicate for an audience

When you’re used to producing writing that only your teacher reads, it can be hard to remember to write for an audience. But at the end of the day, writing is communication , and the best writing is clear and thorough communication that anyone could pick up and read. For your IB Extended Essay, you’ll want to remember that many people will be reading your final essay, and not all of them will be experts in the niche topic you choose to study. Ask yourself: how can I explain my research to an audience who doesn’t already agree with my analysis?

To communicate to an audience, you’ll want to:

• Provide lots of general background information on your topic.
• Don’t assume your reader is familiar with your sources. Introduce them as if they’re guest speakers about to walk up to a podium and deliver a lecture.
• After including quotes, facts, and figures, be sure to explain what those sources mean in your own words and how they connect to your bigger-picture argument.
• Don’t assume your arguments are self-evident. In this essay, communicating for an audience means supplying ongoing interpretation and analysis, even if it feels like you’re explaining the obvious. Your reader isn’t on your research journey with you, so your points might not be so obvious to your reader.

Although your IB Extended Essay provides a report that factors into your grade, your essay will also be assessed by external examiners the IB. Per the IB Extended Essay Rubric , essays are graded on a scale from 0 to 34 based on 5 different criteria:

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

As you can see, Critical Thinking is the most significant rubric category. This means that the IB wants to see you arrive at your own unique analysis of your topic, drawing connections between sources and data, and making well-supported arguments. This means they want a lot of you: your ideas, your interpretations, your thoughts. Make sure you emphasize that in your essay, but of course don’t forget the other categories.

The score a student receives corresponds to a letter grade scale that is slightly different than what we’re accustomed to in the U.S. Here’s the letter grade to numerical score breakdown:

You must earn a D or higher to receive your IB Diploma. To learn more about the different criteria included in the IB Extended Essay Rubric, you can explore the IB’s full guide to the Extended Essay .

We hope you found our look at the IB extended essay rubric and IB extended essay topics to be helpful. Ready to dive into research? You may want to read our 10 Expert Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension before you hit the books.

And if you’re a high school student in the process of mapping out your pathway to college, take a look at a few other useful guides:

• IB vs AP—Which Classes are Best for College Admission?
• How to Earn College Credit in High School
• High School Course Requirements for College Admission
• SAT Score Calculator
• ACT Score Calculator 
• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

I am a... Student Student Parent Counselor Educator Other First Name Last Name Email Address Zip Code Area of Interest Business Computer Science Engineering Fine/Performing Arts Humanities Mathematics STEM Pre-Med Psychology Social Studies/Sciences Submit

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

EE guide ITGS v1

Related Papers

Khairil Fiqri

Markéta Gregorová

Lesson 11 in a one-term course of academic writing. The course aims at providing students with basic instruction in essay writing, with a special emphasis on literary critical essays. The students are guided through all the stages involved in the process of writing, ranging from choosing the topic to compiling a bibliography. The course deals with a logical structure of the essay, its unity and coherence, with using secondary sources as well as with the issue of plagiarism. Other topics include the suitable language and style and formal requirements in academic writing.

Teaching Philosophy

David Sackris

There is an array of resources on how to write a philosophy paper, both in print and online. However, the existing resources rarely discuss writing a research paper within the discipline of philosophy. What is typically missing from philosophical writing instruction is the point made by Richard Watson: a philosopher should seek to " enter the dialogue—the conversation—that is the lifeblood of philosophy " (1992). Philosophical writing happens within a community, and what occurs in journals and monographs is the continuation of a conversation that has been going on for over 2000 years. Here I argue for the merits of encouraging students to think of philosophy scholarship as an ongoing conversation, as this will help them to discover significant problems to write on and form more manageable theses; I also describe specific methods for helping students to find scholarly conversations on topics that interest them and enter into that dialogue.

Changing English

Ann Hewings , Mary Jane Curry

ETS Research Report Series

Arlene Archer

Writing is one of the main means of assessment in tertiary institutions and helping students with writing could improve their overall academic performance and could ensure that students proceed to graduation. More and more, Academic Development initiatives are being ‘driven to demonstrate their ‘success’ by substantiating the rhetoric of their mission statements with researched evidence of performance’ (Yeld and Visser, 2001, 6). This paper describes in detail one study investigating Writing Centre interventions by looking at improvement in assessed writing in the context of the curriculum. The context-embedded nature of the methodology coheres with an ‘academic literacies’ approach to student writing (Lea and Street, 1998), rather than a skills-based approach. The study was achieved through interviewing forty first year students on their perceptions of the Centre and its influence on their writing; looking at consultants’ comments; looking at grades; comparing independent assessments of the students’ first and final drafts. This multi-faceted approach enabled a holistic and contextualized picture of student writing to emerge.

Bruno Di Porto

Dental Materials

Makdad Chakmakchi

The Bulletin, Journal of the Military Historical Society (UK)

Denis Anthony Darmanin

The history of the Uniforms, badges and insignia of the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery, 1861-1889.

RELATED PAPERS

Medicina Clínica

Jamil Cedeño

Gustavo Scarpin

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Richard van Kranenburg

The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business

Abdul Ismail

Pharmaceutical statistics

Dermatologic clinics

Jason Giacomel

Archivos de Bronconeumología

Paolo Macri'

Rheumatology

Michelle Marshall

Anna Berbesz

British Journal of Haematology

Tim Illidge

Revista DAE

Fabio Giordano

Junta de Gobierno de la …

Marcela Cristina Falsetti

Jurnal Peradaban Masyarakat

Agus Hadi Prayitno

Blackford Middleton

Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento

Emanuel Zaldua

Sandhya Chaudhari

Revista Igualdad de Género del Poder Judicial del Estado de Nuevo León.

Claudia E S T H E L A Espinoza Cid

First International Conference on the Advancements of Artificial Intelligence in African Context (AAIAC)

Titus Fihavango

Joshua Munger

The Journal of Immunology

Bernard Vanhove

Harry Minas

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Acing the Extended Essay in ITGS guide 4: formal elements

Subject: Computing

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Other

Last updated

22 February 2018

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 16%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

Acing the Extended Essay in ITGS

A collection of four guides covering every aspect of the Extended Essay process for ITGS students, including: 1\. Choosing a topic 2\. Background reading 3\. Primary research 4\. Formal elements

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• [email protected]

Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) IA Topics

Hello ITGS enthusiasts! As a seasoned IB writer with years of experience, I’m here to share my insights and tips on topics for ITGS Internal Assessments (IA) . Trust me, with the right approach, your ITGS IA can be a rewarding experience.

Understanding the ITGS Internal Assessment

The ITGS IA requires a blend of rigorous research and critical analysis. Students are immersed in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, often through surveys, interviews, or engagement with relevant case studies. The goal is to gather and critically evaluate information, consider a range of perspectives, and understand potential biases.

In addition, the IA provides a platform for creativity and innovation within the IT landscape. Students are encouraged to approach problems with fresh perspectives and present inventive solutions. This process also includes a deep ethical consideration of the role and consequences of technology, challenging students to think about the broader societal implications of their work.

In writing their IA , students must meticulously document their path, ensuring that their final presentation is coherent, logical, and in line with the IB’s rigorous academic standards. Through this exercise, they gain a deeper understanding of ITGS content and hone essential skills such as analytical thinking, thorough research, and ethical reasoning, which are vital in the ever-evolving digital world. Also, you must understand the difference between IA and EE .

🎓✍️ Acing Your Internal Assessment Has Never Been Easier! ✍️🎓

Are you struggling with your Internal Assessment? Let our experts take care of it! We’ve successfully completed hundreds of IA projects across different IB courses, and we know the IB criterium inside out.

🌟 Our writers are all human and do not use CHAT-GPT, ensuring a unique and personalized touch to your project. Plus, our service is 100% confidential and risk-free, so you can trust us with your academic success.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to secure the grade you deserve! Get started with our IB IA Writing Service​ today! 💡📚🔝

The Best ITGS IA Topics with Research Questions

Here are 60 topic ideas each for Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) in Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS), along with corresponding research questions. These ideas are designed to inspire thought-provoking and relevant investigations in ITGS.

Standard Level (SL) ITGS IA Topics

These topics stimulate critical thinking and research in ITGS, offering a broad range of subjects for SL students:

• Social Media and Mental Health . How does the use of social media platforms impact the mental health of teenagers?
• Online Learning and Education . How has the shift to online learning platforms affected the quality of education in high schools?
• E-Commerce and Consumer Behavior . How has e-commerce transformed consumer buying behaviors in the past decade?
• Cybersecurity in Personal Banking . What are the most common cybersecurity threats in personal online banking, and how can they be mitigated?
• Mobile Health Apps and User Privacy . To what extent do health-tracking apps compromise user privacy?
• Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life . How is artificial intelligence integrated into everyday consumer products, and what are its implications?
• Video Games and Cognitive Skills . Can playing video games enhance cognitive skills in young adults?
• Digital Marketing Trends . What are the latest trends in digital marketing, and how do they affect consumer behavior?
• Remote Work and Productivity . Has the shift to remote work significantly impacted employee productivity in IT companies?
• Smart Home Technology and Security . What are the security risks associated with smart home technologies?
• Tech Startups and Innovation . What role do tech startups play in driving technological innovation?
• Renewable Energy and Technology . How is technology advancing the use of renewable energy sources?
• Technology in Sports . How has technology changed the way athletes train and perform?
• Online Privacy Laws . How effective are current online privacy laws in protecting individuals?
• Technology in Music Production . How has technology transformed the music production process?
• Impact of Digital Assistants on Privacy . How do digital assistants like Siri and Alexa affect user privacy?
• Technology in the Fast Food Industry . How has technology transformed the fast-food industry in recent years?
• Online Shopping and Small Businesses . What is the impact of online shopping platforms on small local businesses?
• Wearable Fitness Trackers and Health . How accurate are wearable fitness trackers in monitoring health?
• Social Media’s Role in Political Campaigns . What role does social media play in modern political campaigns?
• Rise of Telemedicine . How effective is telemedicine compared to traditional in-person healthcare?
• Technology in Disaster Response . How has technology improved disaster response and management?
• Virtual Reality in Real Estate . How is virtual reality changing the real estate industry?
• Impact of eSports on Youth Culture . How do eSports influence youth culture and behavior?
• 3D Printing in Manufacturing . What are the advantages of 3D printing in small-scale manufacturing?
• Technology and Language Learning . How effective are mobile apps in aiding language learning?
• Cyberbullying and Social Media . What are the most effective strategies to combat cyberbullying on social media platforms?
• Environmental Impact of Electronic Waste . What is the environmental impact of electronic waste, and how can it be mitigated?
• Tech in Personal Finance Management . How have personal finance apps changed the way individuals manage their finances?
• Drones in Agricultural Monitoring . How are drones being used to improve agricultural practices?

SL IAs are generally less complex than HL IAs. They require students to apply their knowledge to a project or investigation but don’t demand the same depth and detailed analysis level as HL tasks.

Higher Level (HL) ITGS IA Topics

These topic ideas spark in-depth research and critical analysis in various ITGS areas:

• Blockchain and Financial Transactions . What impact could blockchain technology have on international financial transactions?
• Machine Learning in Healthcare Diagnostics . How can machine learning improve diagnostic accuracy in healthcare?
• Ethical Implications of AI in Employment . What are the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence for job displacement?
• Big Data and Urban Planning . How can big data analytics improve urban planning and management?
• Internet of Things (IoT) in Industrial Automation . What role does IoT play in the advancement of industrial automation?
• Augmented Reality in Education . How can augmented reality technologies enhance learning experiences in higher education?
• Quantum Computing and Its Future Applications . What are the potential future applications of quantum computing?
• Cyber Warfare and National Security . How does cyber warfare pose a threat to national security?
• Genetic Data Storage . How can genetic material be used for data storage, and what are the implications?
• Autonomous Vehicles and Urban Traffic . How could autonomous vehicles transform urban traffic management?
• 5G Technology and Telecommunications . What are the potential impacts of 5G technology on global telecommunications?
• Virtual Reality in Medical Training . How is virtual reality technology revolutionizing medical training and procedures?
• AI Ethics in Law Enforcement . What are the ethical considerations of using AI in law enforcement?
• Sustainable Technology in Agriculture . How can technology contribute to sustainable agricultural practices?
• Biometric Security Systems . What are the advantages and potential risks of biometric security systems?
• Artificial Intelligence in Predictive Policing . Can artificial intelligence improve the accuracy of predictive policing without bias?
• Deepfakes and Media Integrity . What are the implications of deepfakes on media integrity and public trust?
• Bioinformatics in Personalized Medicine . How is bioinformatics revolutionizing personalized medicine?
• Facial Recognition Technology in Public Spaces . What are the privacy concerns associated with facial recognition technology in public spaces?
• Blockchain in Voting Systems . Can blockchain technology make electronic voting systems more secure and transparent?
• Neural Networks in Language Translation . How effective are neural networks in providing accurate language translation services?
• Cybersecurity in Critical Infrastructure . What are the key cybersecurity challenges in protecting critical infrastructure?
• Ethics of Autonomous Military Drones . What are the ethical implications of using autonomous drones in military operations?
• Nanotechnology in Medicine . How can nanotechnology be used to enhance drug delivery systems in medicine?
• Quantum Computing and Cryptography . What is the impact of quantum computing on current cryptography methods?
• Smart Grid Technology and Energy Distribution . How can smart grid technology improve energy distribution efficiency?
• Machine Learning in Weather Prediction . How has machine learning improved the accuracy of weather prediction models?
• Augmented Reality in Surgical Procedures . How is augmented reality being utilized in complex surgical procedures?
• AI in Financial Fraud Detection . How effective is AI in detecting and preventing financial fraud?
• Technology’s Role in Sustainable Urban Development . How is technology shaping sustainable urban development?

Remember, the HL IA may require a more sophisticated approach, involve a larger project, or demand a more comprehensive analysis.

How to Choose the Right ITGS IA Topic?

To start, consider what aspects of technology and society genuinely captivate you. It could be anything from the latest advancements in artificial intelligence to the ethical dilemmas of digital surveillance. The key is to pick a subject that sparks your curiosity and promises to hold your engagement throughout the research process.

However, ensuring your chosen theme fits within the ITGS framework is equally important. If you don’t want to fail IA , your topic should be relevant to the course content and lend itself to an in-depth analysis of the interplay between technology and societal issues. For instance, a topic on the impact of social media on youth culture would offer ample scope for research on both the technical aspects of social media platforms and their societal implications.

Moreover, feasibility is a factor you cannot afford to overlook. To conduct your research effectively, you must assess whether you can access the necessary resources, such as data, tools, and expert opinions. It’s also wise to consider the scope of your topic — it should be neither too broad nor too narrow, allowing for a comprehensive yet focused investigation in the required word count .

Lastly, consult with your teachers or mentors. Their insights and experience can be invaluable in helping you refine your topic choice and ensuring it aligns with the ITGS criteria. With a well-chosen theme, you can write an excellent IA and provide meaningful insights into the intersection of technology and society.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, choosing your IA topic is a thoughtful process that balances your interests, the practicability of your research approach, and the demands of the IB curriculum. These considerations are crucial for laying a solid foundation for a successful IA. Opting for a genuinely engaging topic can make the research more enjoyable and insightful. Additionally, our IB IA Writing Service specialists can assist you if you need guidance or support.

Nick Radlinsky

Nick Radlinsky is a devoted educator, marketing specialist, and management expert with more than 15 years of experience in the education sector. After obtaining his business degree in 2016, Nick embarked on a quest to achieve his PhD, driven by his commitment to enhancing education for students worldwide. His vast experience, starting in 2008, has established him as a reputable authority in the field.

Nick's article, featured in Routledge's " Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization ," highlights his sharp insights and unwavering dedication to advancing the educational landscape. Inspired by his personal motto, "Make education better," Nick's mission is to streamline students' lives and foster efficient learning. His inventive ideas and leadership have contributed to the transformation of numerous educational experiences, distinguishing him as a true innovator in his field.

IB TOK Essay Rubric. Grading Criteria

This article provides essential insights and strategies for understanding the assessment process and helping you write essays that meet and exceed the rigorous standards of the IB curriculum. Whether you’re striving for clarity of argument, effective integration of knowledge, or personal engagement, our tips will help you achieve a higher score.

IB Internal Assessment Rubric and Grading Criteria

The IB IA rubric is carefully structured to assess students’ understanding, skills and application of subject matter in a nuanced and comprehensive manner. Each subject rubric, whether for sciences such as Biology and Chemistry, humanities such as History and Psychology, or Mathematics, emphasizes a unique set of criteria tailored to assess specific competencies and skills.

Visual Arts IA Topics: The Best Topic Ideas

In the vast world of art, the possibilities for your IA topic are nearly limitless. Yet, this abundance of choice can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re drawn to traditional painting techniques, the avant-garde movements of the 20th century, or the intersection of digital media and art, your chosen topic should ignite a spark of curiosity and passion within you.

Theatre IA Topics: SL and HL Topic Ideas

Choosing the right topic for IA in the IB Theatre course is a crucial step that significantly influences your research process and overall learning experience. Whether in the Standard Level or Higher Level track, selecting your topic requires careful thought and consideration, aiming to balance personal interest with academic rigor. This guide offers a rich array of topic ideas and research questions to spark your creativity and intellectual curiosity in the vast world of theatre.

Music IA Topics for SL and HL Students

When selecting a topic for your IB Music Internal Assessment, both SL and HL students face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. As a seasoned IB educator with years of experience guiding students through this process, I’ve come to recognize the importance of choosing a topic that aligns with the IB criteria and resonates with your musical interests and strengths.

Film IA Topics: SL and HL Topic Ideas

Choosing a topic for your IB Film Internal Assessment (IA) can be exciting and daunting. Whether you’re enrolled in the Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL), the key is to select an option that not only intrigues you but also meets the criteria of the IB Film course. In this article, we dig into a variety of creative and thought-provoking ideas for both SL and HL Film IA topics.

© 2023  I Bstudenthelp.com. This website is owned and operated by Udeepi OU Harju maakond, Tallinn, Lasnamäe linnaosa, Sepapaja tn 6, 15551. Disclaimer : Services we provide are only to assist the buyer like a guideline to complete any kind of writing assignment. Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Cookie Policy Revision Policy Refund Policy

Extended Essay: Exemplar Essays

• General Timeline
• Group 1: English Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts
• Interdisciplinary essays
• Brainstorming
• Pre-Writing
• Research Techniques
• The Research Question
• Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quotations
• Writing an EE Introduction
• Writing the main body of your EE
• Writing your EE Conclusion
• Six sub-categories for WSEE
• IB Interdisciplinary EE Assessment Guide
• Sources: Finding, Organising and Evaluating Them
• Conducting Interviews and Surveys
• Citing and Referencing
• Check-in Sessions
• First Formal Reflection
• Second Formal Reflection
• Final Reflection (Viva Voce)
• Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS) Examples
• Information for Supervisors
• How is the EE Graded?
• EE Online Resources
• Stavanger Public Library

Exemplar Essays

• Extended Essay Presentations
• ISS High School Academic Honesty Policy

Please note that many of these examples mentioned below were written prior to the publication of the new IB Guide 2018.  Therefore, changes such as the abstract no longer being required, will not be reflected in some of these examples. 

You can also refer to the IB Extended Essay Guide for Assessed Student Work for more updated examples. 

• << Previous: Stavanger Public Library
• Next: Extended Essay Presentations >>
• Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024 10:42 AM
• URL: https://isstavanger.libguides.com/c.php?g=695888

• TTS Libguides
• Tanglin LibGuides
• Senior Library

IB Extended Essay (EE)

• Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)
• Extended Essay Main Page
• Business & Management
• Computer Science
• Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)
• Human Rights
• Mathematics
• Peace and Conflict Studies
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Visual Arts
• World Religions
• World Studies

Find a password

Excellent extended essays - information technology in a global society (itgs), find example excellent essays, click on the subjects to browse the list of excellent extended essays..

• << Previous: Human Rights
• Next: Languages >>
• Last Updated: Oct 18, 2022 9:00 AM
• URL: https://libguides.tts.edu.sg/EE

Extended essay

The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students.

Read about the extended essay  in greater detail.

You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for the extended essay , find examples of extended essay titles from previous DP students and learn about the world studies extended essay .

Learn more about the extended essay in a DP workshop for teachers . 

DP subject briefs

Find out about what each subject offers within the Diploma Programme (DP).

Our DP subject briefs—for both standard and higher level—contain information about core requirements, aims and assessment.

• Explore the DP subject briefs

We use cookies on this site. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies.   Read more about cookies

Extended Essay: Criterion E: Engagement (Reflection)

• Kick Off Day
• Define Topic
• Locate Resources
• Annotated Bibliography
• Evaluating Sources
• Integrating Quotes
• Citations & Referencing
• Evaluation Criteria & Examiner Reports
• Criterion A, B, C: Assessment of Research
• Criterion D: Presentation
• Criterion E: Engagement (Reflection)
• The Viva Voce
• EE Draft Feedback Template for Supervisors
• Language of Analysis
• Approaches to Learning (ATL)
• Roles and Responsibilities

Criterion E: Reflection (6 pts max)

Remember to include discussion of the Approaches to Learning (ATL's) in your reflections. This discussion needs to be specific and well-illustrated with clear examples. For specific language related to each of the ATL's, please click here .

Reflection One- Initial Stage

This will be after one of the early sessions with your supervisor where you outline:

• Your ideas regarding the topic in general
• The research question you have in mind
• Initial background reading or research you may have conducted
• Possible approaches
• Initial thoughts about the answer to your research question
• Roughly 100 words in length

Guiding Questions:

What exactly do you want to find out?

What resources do you plan to use?

What problems do you anticipate in your research?

What writing and research have you done since last session?

Have you found any sources with conflicting viewpoints?

Have you been able to find relevant sources from different eras?

What challenges did you encounter in finding relevant sources?

How do you think you might use your sources?

Have you collected sufficient data?

Have you finished note taking from your text?

• What am I interested in researching and why?
• What are my motivations for undertaking research in this area?
• How will I begin the research process?
• Is my chosen topic appropriate for the subject I have chosen to complete it in?
• Do I have sufficient knowledge of the subject area to fulfill the criteria of an EE?
• What possible question(s) might I research?
• How might I go about undertaking this research?
• Do I have access to appropriate sources?
• Are my chosen research methods appropriate for the subject I have chosen to complete it in?
• Are there any ethical issues I need to consider before pursuing this area of research?
• Is there sufficient focus to my research area?

Examples of Reflection One

• Sample History EE Reflection

I was attracted to Anna Comnena's The Alexiad as a result of some extra readings which formed part of my IB History course (Crusades). As the first female historian, she stands in a unique place in terms of historiography, something which appealed to me as both a woman and budding historian. I was initially considering writing about her accounts of the First Crusade but quickly found the topic to be far too wide in scope. A reading of Paul Magdalino's article "The Pen of the Aunt" helped refocus me on the issue of historical purpose, i.e., why she wrote the history she did. I have now allocated time to reading historical accounts of Manuel I's reign to decide how closely the events Anna mentions in her history of her father's reign (Alexius) so as to validate my current hypothesis-  that Anna intended the work as a celebratory account of her father so as to cast a negative light on the rule of her nephew Manuel I. My current list includes Runciman, France, Macrides, Christomides, and Hill.

Reflection Two- Interim Stage

This reflection session will usually fall somewhere in the middle to latter half of your EE process, usually before the first draft is completed.

• Discuss how the research question has become more refined.
• Comment on any challenges you have encountered & what solutions you have attempted.
• Discuss how your thinking on your topic has evolved.
• Roughly 200 words in length

Where was I? Where I am now? Where am I going?

What sources do you find helpful?

How have you evaluated your sources?

Have you adopted a structure for writing based on what the IB requires?

What do you need to do next?

Examples of Reflection Two

I was finding it hard to come up with a satisfactory counter to the question of accuracy and authenticity which feature prominently in modern readings of her work. Historians ranging from Edward Gibbon and John France to the more direct Howard-Johnson paper which completely challenges her authorship effectively negated my hypothesis entirely. Using Magdalino and Hill as a focus point, I re-read key sections of The Alexiad and mapped out her account against the policital events of Manuel I's reign and quickly discovered some interesting overlaps (building works, military campaigns, relations with the West, etc.). Though occasionally obscure and subtle, the criticisms emerge by means of an unspoken comparison which Byzantine readers of her account would have well understood. This approach is providing me with a suitable counter to the aforementioned criticisms. I have also begun structuring my work accordingly with sections devoted to historical context followed by a section on The Alexiad which compares and contrasts events from Alexius' time with those of Manuel's. I am considering a chapter on the historiographical tradition of Byzantium but may integrate it into the main body in the end.

Reflection Three- Looking Back

This final reflection should be written BEFORE the Viva Voce meeting. It should:

• Offer your final reflections on the process
• Discuss any achievements realized or challenges overcome
• Discuss elements that allowed you to complete the task that may not be readily apparent in the essay itself.
• Discuss any relevant ATL's (Approaches to Learning) that you have developed through the process & be ready to provide good examples.

Guiding Questions

What did you discover that surprised you?

Is writing the EE mainly about process or product AND why?

What would you have done differently and why?

What advice would you give to a student just beginning this process?

What have been the high and low points of the research and writing processes?

What would you have done differently?

What is the most important thing that you learned?

What was your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?

What would you change if you did another EE?

What was the most valuable experience that you took away from the process?

What was your greatest challenge and what did you do to overcome it?

What IB learner profile attribute would you say helped you through the process (communicator, risk-taker, etc.)?

Would you like to continue reading on this topic?

What questions did this process raise?

What conclusions have you drawn about the topic?

Examples of Reflection Three

I am very pleased with how the essay has turned out. Skills wise, I had no problems with referencing which I picked up quickly though integrating source analysis did prove a challenge at times due to my narrative tendencies. I believe I've been able to challenge the orthodox interpretations of Anna's work as a piece of fantasy fiction at the hands of a disgruntled woman by showing that Anna was effectively using one of the few weapons still permitted her in her diminished political state- the power of words- to criticize the existing leadership. Hill's works proved of particular use to me as they examined female power in a broader context and thus gave me a framework for interpreting what Anna was able to do within the context of her time.

IB-provided exemplars of "Reflections on Planning and Progress"

• Lang. Lit. Examplar #1
• Lang. Lit. Exemplar #2
• Lang. Lit. Exemplar #3
• History Exemplar #1
• History Exemplar #2
• Psychology Exemplar
• Biology Exemplar
• Math Exemplar #1
• Math Exemplar #2
• Visual Arts Exemplar #1
• Visual Arts Exemplar #2
• World Studies Exemplar #1
• World Studies Exemplar #2

Reflection Sentence Starters and Key Words

Click here or on the image below to go to the list of sentence starters you can use to help you write up your reflections. Regarding word count, we recommend 100 words for first reflection, 200 words for second reflection, and 200 words for third reflection (roughly).

• << Previous: Criterion D: Presentation
• Next: Group 1 >>
• Last Updated: Mar 5, 2024 11:47 AM
• URL: https://ismanila.libguides.com/extendedessay

We use cookies to personalise your experience.

IB Extended Essay – 10 Steps, Dos, Don’ts and Examples

The IB Extended Essay (EE) is a vital component of the IB Diploma Programme , serving as a challenging but rewarding opportunity for students to conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choice. This 4,000-word essay is a significant undertaking that not only contributes to the IB diploma but also prepares students for future academic endeavours.

At its core, the EE is an essential academic task that allows IB students to explore a question that fascinates them, while developing university-level research and writing skills . It’s a rigorous process that can significantly impact your final diploma score, making it a crucial step for those aiming to excel in the IB curriculum.

Tip For Success – IB Mentor For Guidance 

If you’re feeling stuck on deciding your research topic, question or just struggling with writing your essay, it might be best to seek assistance from an IB advisor – be it a teacher or a private tutor  

Your IB advisor, alongside your IB teacher, plays a pivotal role in the EE process. These mentors guide you through the complexities of the EE, from initial topic selection to the final stages of writing. They are there to help you refine your research question, structure your argument, and ensure that you stay on track with the EE timeline.

What is The Best Subject for EE?

If you’ve also had this question and pondered which subject to choose for your essay, here you can see which ones are chosen most often, as well as how they’re ultimately graded.

Writing the Extended Essay Step-by-Step

Step 1 – what is ib extended essay and what’s the purpose of the ee.

Before you begin, it’s essential to grasp what the EE entails. It’s an independent, self-directed piece of research , culminating in a 4,000-word paper. The EE is an opportunity to explore a topic of interest related to one of the subjects you are studying.

Step 2 – Choosing Your Topic Wisely

Select a topic that aligns with one of the IB subjects you are studying. Your topic should be narrow enough to be manageable but broad enough to facilitate in-depth research. Consult with your IB advisor or IB teacher to ensure your chosen topic meets IB criteria.  

Step 3 – Formulating Your Research Question

Your research question guides your investigation and writing. Make it focused, precise, and open to analytical debate. An effective research question often leads to a more successful EE.

Step 4 – Researching and Gathering Data

Start your research early, utilising a variety of sources such as books, academic journals, and credible websites. Keep meticulous records of your sources to aid with citations and ensure your research is well-rounded.

Step 5 – Creating an Outline

Organise your findings into an outline. This should include an introduction, body sections divided by subtopics or arguments, and a conclusion. A structured outline keeps your writing focused and ensures you cover all aspects of your research question.

Step 6 – The Writing Process

Begin writing your EE, expanding on each section of your outline. Ensure each paragraph introduces a clear idea and is supported with evidence. Stay on track with your research question and thesis, avoiding tangents or unnecessary information.

Step 7 – Reflection

The IB requires three reflection sessions after certain milestones in your EE process. These reflections are critical for the ‘Reflections on Planning and Progress Form’ and encourage you to consider the successes and challenges of your research journey.

Step 8 – Reviewing and Revising

After completing your first draft, take the time to revise. Check for clarity, coherence, and academic rigour. Ask for feedback from your IB advisor or peers, and be ready to make substantial edits for improvement.

Step 9 – Finalising Your Essay

Incorporate the feedback you’ve received, correct any errors, and ensure your essay meets the IB extended essay structure. Pay special attention to the required components such as the title page, abstract, and contents page.

Step 10 – Proofreading and Submission

Before submitting, check your essay against the IB’s formal presentation guidelines to ensure proper formatting. Verify that your word count is within the limit and that all sources are correctly cited.

Ensure you understand the submission deadline for the IB Extended Essay, typically around the end of the first term of the final year. Submit your EE via the IB’s required method, and ensure you have a submission confirmation.

Do’s and Don’ts When Writing the IB Extended Essay

Phrases to use.

– “This essay seeks to explore…”

– “The research question being investigated…”

– “A critical analysis of [topic] reveals…”

– “The evidence suggests that…”

– “Consequently, it can be argued…”

– “The data indicates…”

– “In light of these findings…”

Phrases to Avoid

– “I think…” or “I believe…” (instead, present evidence to support your claims)

– “This essay will cover everything about…” (be specific about what you will discuss)

– “Everybody knows that…” (avoid assumptions and generalisations)

– “In my opinion…” (the essay should be analytical rather than personal)

– “It is obvious that…” (make a case for your argument instead of assuming it is self-evident)

– “Stuff,” “things,” etc. (use precise and academic vocabulary)

– “In conclusion, this is a complex topic…” (your conclusion should summarise your specific findings, not restate the complexity of the topic) 

Remember – The Extended Essay is a formal academic piece, so maintaining a formal tone, adhering to a structured format, and demonstrating a high level of analysis are key to achieving a good grade.

IB Extended Essay Grading

The ee assessment criteria.

The IB Extended Essay is evaluated using a set of criteria that focus on different aspects of writing and research. These include:

1. Focus and Method (6 points) – This criterion assesses the clarity and purpose of the research question, the appropriateness of the methodology, and how well these align with the chosen topic.

2. Knowledge and Understanding (6 points) – Here, the essay is evaluated for the demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the topic studied, including the context and significance of the research question.

3. Critical Thinking (12 points) – Critical thinking is key, and this section reviews the extent to which the essay uses analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge to support the argument.

4. Presentation (4 points) – The structure and presentation of the essay, including adherence to guidelines on word count, formatting, and clear, coherent use of language, are assessed.

5. Engagement (6 points) – This criterion considers the student’s reflection on their research process, the challenges encountered, and the skills and insights gained.

The EE Grading Scale

The Extended Essay is graded on a scale from A to E, with A being the highest and E being the lowest. Here’s how the points contribute to the final grade:

Award of the IB Diploma

The Extended Essay contributes to the total score of the IB Diploma in tandem with the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) through a points system. Students can earn up to three additional points based on their performance in these two core components.

Both the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge are evaluated according to specific assessment criteria that measure the quality of work. The performance of the student in each component is graded within one of the five bands that have been outlined previously.

The cumulative points awarded for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge are derived from a matrix that correlates the levels achieved in both components. This matrix decides the number of additional points that will be added to the student’s overall diploma score, reflecting the interconnectedness of knowledge and research within the IB framework.

Analysing IB Extended Essay Example

IB Extended Essay Examples

If you still need some guidance on how to get an A in your EE, here are some examples by subjects:

Mathematics

Social and Cultural Anthropology

Visual Arts

World Religion

Closing Thoughts

For aspiring IB students, the journey of crafting your Extended Essay is both a challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for intellectual development. Embrace this venture with enthusiasm, knowing that it is a unique chance to explore your academic interests in depth.

If you feel like you might need some extra assistance during this difficult process that is writing your IB Extensive Essay, don’t hesitate to reach out to IB tutors from Edumentors – a platform where they truly care for your success.

As we conclude, I extend my best wishes to all students embarking on this rigorous but rewarding endeavour. May your Extended Essay not only be a gateway to academic success but also a fulfilling learning experience that stays with you long after your IB journey has ended.

• IB Extended Essay

Enjoy History GCSE – Simple Revision Methods

IB Students Can Now Use ChatGPT in Their Essays

Find a tutor.

Online tutors from top UK universities

By submitting this form you agree to be contacted by Edumentors

Recent Posts

We are educating children from 11 different countries

Fill out this form to get matched with a tutor & book a free trial

Get matched with a tutor & book a free trial.

Consult with expert and request free trial session

Request was sent

Thank you for submitting the form. One of our team members will be in touch with you soon

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

IB ITGS IA: The Complete Guide to Get a 7

by  Antony W

August 24, 2023

Have you searched for an oversimplified yet comprehensive guide to IB ITGS IA but came out empty? You’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, you’ll learn what ITGS stands for, the assessment criteria used for the assignment, as well as some of the most common mistakes to avoid.

Let’s get started.

Key Takeaways

• ITGS stands for Information Technology in a Global Society. 
• The subject gives you a framework you can use to make sound judgments about how to use information technology within the social contexts.
• In addition to considering ethical philosophical questions, the subject shares crucial analysis and critical investigation within social sciences.

What is IB ITGS IA Exactly?

The IB ITGS IA is task that requires you to evaluate a real-world client scenario and utilize information technology to develop and implement a solution.

While IB provides a paper with potential solutions, you need to show at least three advanced possibilities in your answer.

You’ll need to include a video demonstrating the functioning of your product, along with paperwork and related materials.

To do well in IB ITGS IA, you must pay attention to your teacher’s guidance and make effective use of the materials they provide. Time management is equally key, so organize your daily activities accordingly to complete the task.

ITGS Training Session

Before you dive into your IA, it’s important to give yourself training sessions on operating various programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Access, and Microsoft Excel.

While you may not have access to all the editing tools whenever you want, we recommend devising a strategy to leverage these tools for your IA.

To be clear, your video doesn’t have to be super professional. This is not a business commercial. It’s a school assignment, and the primary focus is to demonstrate to the IB that you have learned how and where to utilize different applications and that you can effectively describe your process.

IB ITGS IA Project Management Process

The emphasis is on delivering a logical and cohesive conclusion supported by primary and secondary information, along with reliable facts. The project revolves around creating an authentic brand with accompanying resources and documentation.

1. Choose a Client

Look for potential clients within your families or the local community, as they can serve as the primary target audience for your Internal Assessment.

• The clients should be adults, at least 18 years old.
• If you happen to select a client under 18, you’ll need to identify a guardian who will be present for all meetings and approve necessary paperwork.

Choose someone you already know, as doing so will make it easy for you to engage in the best conversation possible. 

2. Identify a Problem

Identify a problem, discuss it with your client, and then develop IT solutions tailored to their needs.

Start by exploring the potential “issue” that any client could face. You should let the ideas flow, and of course with a burst of creativity.

3. Interview the Client

Schedule a formal structured interview. Remember, this project isn’t about your own problems but your client’s. Use this opportunity to gain their valuable viewpoint on the project.

Remember, this interview is crucial in establishing a strong connection with a passionate client who is dedicated to finding a solution for a real problem.

• Begin the interview by introducing yourself, providing a broad overview of the project, and explaining why you’re there.
• Describe the client’s role. Explain how you aim to assist them in resolving a societal issue using the knowledge gained from your ITGS coursework.
• Next, ask the client to introduce himself or herself, describe their role, and explain how it relates to your project.
• Delve deeper into the issue during the interview, exploring its connections to various cultural contexts, both significant and minor.
• Discuss who might benefit from finding a solution to this problem. And don’t hesitate to ask thought-provoking questions to uncover your client’s opinions and perspectives.

Remember, despite having a stake in your project, you’re working to fulfill their preferences and requirements. Document the conversation, clarify any doubts, and take concise notes.

Capture your insights in a journal or record the remarks for convenience.

As to how long the interview should take, we do recommend that you allocate at least five minutes for the client interview. Also, you should submit a recording of the conversation and your client’s contact details to authenticate your IA.

Remember to structure the discussion with pre-determined questions and be mindful of important keywords to probe further.

IB ITGS IA Assessment Criteria

Final thoughts on ib itgs ia.

We hope that this guide has helped you to understand what the IB ITGS IA is all about, and how to complete the project. If you have questions or need help with this kind of an assignment, feel free to get in touch with us.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.