1. Don’t stress yourself into finding a topic
You can do all the research you like but the final topic or even research question probably won’t come to you through hours of googling things like “What topic should I chose for my EE?” Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t do research—research helps immensely—but know that it might not be your main source of inspiration. One day, it’ll just come to you, even if it’s the most random situation. For example, it only hit me that I wanted to write about the Great Gatsby when I watched the 2012-version of the movie (and not just because of Leonardo DiCaprio).
2. Don’t get intimidated by the word count
4,000 words are a lot of words, I know. It’s scary, maddening, frustrating and intimidating all at once but whilst you’re writing, try not and think about the words too much. You may find, as many of my classmates did, that the word count doesn’t allow you to talk about topics you want to touch upon and can actually limit you. Trust me, once you’ve finished, the word count doesn’t seem that enormous anymore.
3. Put as much thought as possible into your topic before the summer begins
Otherwise you’ll end up not liking your topic or wanting to change it a month before school starts and you’ll get little to no guidance from any of your teachers. Be sure that you choose a topic you are willing to write 4,000 words on and won’t hate afterwards! The less you like your topic, the less motivated you’ll be to write. I admit, I changed my topic about three times before I came to my final conclusion, meaning I was pretty behind, but I was able to start it as soon as summer came around because I was certain I had found the ideal subject for me.
4. Make sure you have enough information
It is essential that you can back up any statement you make with some kind of explanation, example or evidence. Find a topic that allows you to find enough proof to support your claims; if you don’t, your arguments will sound weak, resulting in marks being taken off. You need to do primary research and access a wide variety of reliable (and even unreliable, in case you’re contradicting a statement) sources. If you rely on interviewing a large company or an individual, make sure they are willing to answer your questions before a given deadline, set by you.
5. Plan it out extensively
Don’t skip this step! Plan and write out every section of your EE, even if you feel it’s unnecessary. Jot down any ideas, thoughts or questions you have. After all, you’re going through a process and that’s exactly what examiners want to see. Send it to your supervisor once you’re sure of how you want your EE to look—it’ll save you a lot of time and trouble, since fixing your plan is a thousand times easier than fixing a 4,000 word essay. Also, your final draft is due September and without a plan, you probably won’t remember what you thought back in July.
A Guide to the Extended Essay for All Helpless 11th Graders
By Stella Hattemer