US IB Extended Essay: Research Questions

Your topic:

• Must fall into one of the approved IB categories found in the IB Vade Mecum.
• Must NOT be from a TOK subject area.
• Should be something that interests you and that you have studied in your coursework.  Maybe an idea touched on in class that you would like to explore further, or perhaps you have wondered about connections between two ideas.
• Should be an area in which there is data and material to support your research.
• Should be managable!
• Remember, this is a 4,000 word essay, which is meant to be completed within 40 hours of work.  
• A good essay is one which poses a question worth answering, and is worth your time and effort.

• DO NOT FORGET to read the specific guidelines for the subject area in which you are interested. Read through several sample essays if you want to have a feel for what has been successful.

A well-crafted and succinct research question is essential to a successful extended essay.  If too broad, it will be difficult to answer effectively in your essay, and if too narrow will limit the research available and thus your writing as well.  As you consider topics within your subject, keep in mind that you need to find a specific question to answer.

Too Broad:

• The novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Economic Depression in the 19th century
• Bernini's Fountains of Rome

Good Questions:

• History: The Spread of Vaccination Through 19^th Century Europe: Why was the spread of Vaccination so rapid in the early  years of the 19^th century despite the turmoil of the Napoleonic war?
• English: How does Cormac McCarthy Portray Common Thematic Elements in No Country for Old Men and The Road?
• Economics:Market Form of the Retail Petroleum Supply Industry in Parklands

Time to begin researching your topic broadly.  You may already have a question in mind to write your essay about, but you have to survey the broad literature first to see what is available, how much you already know about the topic, and you might, in the process, discover new, intriquing ideas about it.

Beginning resources include:

• The Internet, including Google, Wikipedia, and broad websites on the topic
• Encyclopedias, indexes, and general reference books
• Books on the topic in the library
• Conversations with someone in the field

KEEP A RECORD OF WHAT RESOURCES YOU EXAMINE!  It is a common trap among high school students to think that they will later go back to find something that was interesting but have no record of where to find it, or waste time revisiting sources, especially electronically.  See the page on note-taking and organization for more details.

KEEP A LIST OF PERTINENT TERMS, CONCEPTS, AND KEYWORDS THAT APPEAR IN YOUR RESEARCH.  These will help you formulate your question and determine search terms for your research.  This is also the beginning of your acquisition of the vocabulary of a field in which you have some interest.

As you begin your research, note the questions that occur to you.  You may do some preliminary investigation into several potential areas before you find the one you will choose.  Check to see if there is enough information to pursue a specific area, or if you might need to shift your queries somewhat to consider other elements.

Once you have determined your topic question, you can begin to refine your actual research question.  Start by asking basic general questions to establish certain facts: the Who, What, When questions.  Sketch those out loosely.  Then begin to ask more probing questions that break the topic down into components, or look for commonalities or differences, or for a problem that needs solving.  Don’t confuse having a topic with having a problem to solve.  Questions will help you determine what the focus of your work is.