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Extended Essay (IB): EE Writing Days

To guide IB students through the Extended Essay process.

EE Writing Days

EE Writing Days

At the end of the Spring Term, your Planning and Writing Day, you will have a seminar covering:

  • Constructing your understanding as you prepare to write
  • Structuring your essay
  • Academic writing

It will focus on the Working with ideas tab.

In the Summer Term you will have a further Writing Day to work on the first draft of your essay, including advice on:

  • Including your research in your writing
  • The formal presentation requirements of the EE
  • The importance of rewriting

It will focus on the Expressing your ideas tab.

EE Seminar 5 and beyond

Second Writing Day and EE Prep Week

If you missed the introduction to the second EE Writing Day or want to check on something that was said, here is the presentation. If you need any help or advice, don't forget there are lots of people who can help you.

EE Seminar 4

Introduction to the Writing Days

If you missed the introduction to the EE Writing Days or want to check on something that was said, here is the presentation.  Just remember, if you are not sure about something, ASK!

After the seminar you need to:

  1. Set up your EE document
  2. Have a look at the example EEs with mark schemes
  3. Construct your understanding of your topic (using the Constructing your understanding graphic organisers on the Expressing your ideas tab, or some other form of plan)
  4. Get writing!

Image by Gordon Johnson from PixabayHave you put your Research Question into ManageBac? If you haven't (or if it has changed), please do that this morning. It is very important that we know who is on track and has a suitable Research Question. If it does change slightly during the writing process, you can always edit it.

 


IT Guidance

Setting up your EE document on a Mac

If you follow the instructions in this video, pausing where necessary, your document will be set up according to the IB formatting requirements, ready to start writing your essay by the time you have finished.

If you have any difficulty accessing the embedded video, you can also find it on Oakham TV here.


Managing your sources on a Mac

This video shows you how to move all the bibliographic information from your Investigative Journal into your essay, without needing to retype anything (if you cited your sources properly in your Investigative Journal in the first place).

If you have any difficulty accessing the embedded video, you can also find it on Oakham TV here.

Now spend some time 'constructing your understanding' (making sure you really understand what your argument is going to be) before you begin writing your essay. 

Setting up your EE document on a PC

If you follow the instructions in this video, pausing where necessary, your document will be set up according to the IB formatting requirements, ready to start writing your essay by the time you have finished.


Managing your sources on a PC

This video shows you how to move all the bibliographic information from your Investigative Journal into your essay, without needing to retype anything (if you cited your sources properly in your Investigative Journal in the first place).

[NOTE: ignore the reference to a short quiz at the end of the video. This was required during remote learning but is not required this year.]

Now spend some time 'constructing your understanding' (making sure you really understand what your argument is going to be) before you begin writing your essay. 

Setting up your EE document on an iPad Pro

If you are working on an iPad or iPad Pro then unfortunately you will not be able to automatically generate a contents list or bibliography. However you will still be able to use the styles in the Academic Writing Template and features like headers, footers, footnotes and page breaks. Watch the 'Mac' video, below (even though it says it isn't for iPad users!) to see how to set up your document, being aware that there will be features you cannot access.

You will need to manually type your contents list and either manually generate your bibliography or import it from Zotero (see below). Ask if you need help.

Importing your Bibliography using Zotero

If you have been using Zotero to reference your sources (as suggested in IT Workshop 1) then you might want to watch all or part of the Introduction to Zotero video from that workshop (repeated below) to remind yourself how to copy your references into your bibliography. The in-text citations (Author, Year) can just be typed. If you need any help with how these should look, have a look at the Using sources in your writing page of the Citing and Referencing LibGuide. Ask if you need any help.

Now spend some time 'constructing your understanding' (making sure you really understand what your argument is going to be) before you begin writing your essay. 

Where can I get help?

If you need support, please contact the people below:

  • For support with technical aspects of the essay, such as setting up your document or citing and referencing: Mrs Breag (LRB) or Miss O'Hanlon (BOH)  Note that there is also a new Citing and Referencing LibGuide, which contains answers to many commonly asked citation questions. Let Mrs Breag know if the answer to your question isn't in there and we will investigate it;
  • For support with locating resources: Mrs Breag, Miss O'Hanlon or your supervisor;
  • For subject specific support: Your supervisor. It would be advisable to meet with your supervisor at some point during the writing days, whether you need support or not, to make sure you are on the right track.

There is also lots of online support available for the Writing Days in the Working with ideas and Expressing your ideas tabs of this LibGuide.

Citing and referencing

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For detailed information and guidance on how to use sources in your writing and how to cite and reference them accurately using the tools in Microsoft Word, consult the Citing and Referencing LibGuide. Note that this site includes IB specific guidance, such as how the IB require you to reference websites and interviews (which is slightly different to standard APA referencing) and what to do if you are using a source written in a language that is not the language of your essay.

Normal term-time Library opening hours:
Mon-Fri: 08:30-21:15
Sat: 08:00-16:00
Sun: 14:00-18:00 (Summer Term only)