Upper VI IB Extended Essays

Not long after going into Lockdown, IB students were faced with the task of undertaking a research project to produce a 4000 word essay on a topic based on one of their subjects. 

As the months went by, the students rose to the challenge as they carried out academic research, met with supervisors and developed key essay skills such as critical thinking in writing, referencing and using advanced academic language. Their effort paid off, and last week they celebrated the completion of this task. 

This year there were a range of essay topics and it was amazing to see the lengths students went to build up their research. Whether it was remotely organising experiments to explore how music affects sporting performance, writing code to investigate the behaviour of prime numbers or contacting research projects across Africa to better understand the impact of people on animal life and the ecosystem, the students showed persistence and focus in order to produce interesting essays on a range of topics. 

The skills that students have developed through completing their Extended Essay leave them well prepared for their future academic endeavours. We know from Alumnae that completing the Extended Essay gives them a definite advantage and is hugely valued by the universities. Once again, well done everyone. 

Some essays titles included: 

Unicorn Creation in the United States and China: To what extent does the country in which a start-up is based affect the chances of that business becoming a Unicorn?  – Business and Management 

Exploring the effects of digital screen use at night by adolescents on the biological and psychological processes of sleep: To what extent can digital screen use explain the changes that occur in the processes of sleep in adolescents in Scotland? – World Studies: Science, Technology and Society 

Gender Differences in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Do gender differences in the development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have a biological origin? – Psychology 

Dr Philip Gannon, Extended Essay Coordinator

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