By Ela Sigin, Y12
The Extended Essay (EE): for most of us, the biggest cause for dread in the IB. For those of us in Year 12, we’ve had some mention of the EE during mentor, but many of us are still left confused and terrified. So, here’s a piece of advice: if you’re totally lost and have no idea what to do, or even if you have a topic and subject in mind and you want to do some research (good news: you’re ahead of most Y12 students), go and talk to the librarians.
Following everyone’s advice to start early, I started to think about my EE (what subject(s) to write it in, and what topic to choose.) I finally decided to do a World Studies EE, combining Chemistry and Geography, on the topic of biofuels. However, after some general online research, I was lost and didn’t know what path to take. So, following Mrs. Newman’s brilliant advice, I visited the library for some guidance.
At first, I thought I would discover a few reliable books and websites, and maybe receive some general advice, but in the end I got so much more out of it. The librarians were extremely friendly and eager to help, so don’t hesitate to talk to them. They’re well versed in the EE. They can help you, all the way from finding the topic you want, to coming up with a question, to finding reliable and useful sources and citing them — it’s really worth the effort.
The librarian who helped me, Ms. Widmer, showed me some academic magazines on both of my subjects, namely, the “Chemistry Review” and the “Geography Review.” It was helpful, as I found some articles to help with my topic, which used studies and specific, reliable information. Then, she taught me how to use the EDS, or Ecolint Discovery Service, where you can find thousands of general and specific articles on your topic, and I learned how to navigate it and narrow down my search. Moreover, she showed me some related books they had, and even ordered some books from the Nations library which we didn’t have in our library. The librarians really don’t hold back and try to provide you with every available resource. Finally, she gave me a method on how to find my research question, and this was especially helpful to me, because I was really struggling.
Overall, this was a very positive experience and I now have a much clearer idea of where to go with my EE. I’d recommend this for all the Y12s.
