EE: For Supervisors

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE REFLECTION SESSIONS

2nd Session in MAY

Focus:

• Reviewing a range of credible sources
• Finessing a clear and refined research question
• Reviewing the methodology used
• Considering a clearly defined and viable argument on which to base the essay
• Assessing the development of the essay

Possible Guiding Questions:

• Where are you now in the research process?
• What have you achieved so far and how did you manage this?
• What challenges have you faced and what strategies have you used to overcome these?
• Have you encountered any obstacles or problems in the research process and how have you overcome them?
• How are you ensuring that you are carrying out independent research and adhering to the academic integrity policy?
• Is the research question clear and refined?
• How has your understanding of the question or topic changed?
• What changes do you need to make to complete this research?
• What have you learned that might affect the way you continue?
• Are there any inconsistencies in your argument and analysis?
• Is your argument well-structured and coherent?
• Have you provided enough evidence to support a reasoned argument?
• Have you critically evaluated your research?
• Will the examiner be able to follow your line of argument throughout the essay?
• Are there any last-minute adjustments or changes that you might make to improve your essay?

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE REFLECTION SESSIONS

3rd Session in October (Viva Voce)

The viva voce is conducted once the student has submitted the final version of their extended essay. At this point in the process, no further changes can be made to the essay. The viva voce is a celebration of the completion of the essay and a reflection on what the student has learned from the process.

The viva voce should last 20–30 minutes. This is included in the recommended amount of time a supervisor should spend with the student.

Begin and end positively. This is the end of a long, sometimes tough, process.

Focus:

• Celebrating the completion of the essay
• Transferable skills of IB approaches to learning that have been developed
• Reflecting on what has been learned, both in terms of the research topic and process

Possible Guiding Questions:

• To what extent were your initial ideas realized?
• Were your original plans or ideas realistic and appropriate?
• What do you think your successes were in this process?
• What was the most rewarding aspect of the entire process?
• How will this experience prepare you for future work of this nature, in college or employment? 
• What have been the high and low points of the research and writing processes?’
• What would you have done differently in the research process?
• What is the most important thing that you learned?
• What was your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?
• What would you change in your research if you did another EE?
• How rewarding did you find the experience??
• What was the most valuable experience that you took away from the process?
• What was your greatest challenge and what did you do to overcome it?
• What advice would you give to the next year’s group?
• What IB learner profile attribute would you say helped you through the process (communicator, risk-taker, etc.)?
• Would you like to continue reading on this topic?
• What questions did this process raise?
• What conclusions have you drawn about the topic?
• What ATL skills did you develop the most through this process?

Also, use this reflection session as a way to check on the authenticity of the student's work

• Pick points out of the essay - ask specific questions, ask for clarifications

The supervisor can help the student reflect by careful questioning across three different categories.

• Basic questioning: “Why did you do that?”
• Academic questioning: “How might you explain this?”
• Personal questioning: “How are you getting on?”

Questions that help prompt student reflection can be divided into five categories,

The SAFE approach requires the supervisor and the student to decide together what type of response is most appropriate at any given time. Negotiating what type of response would be most useful can be very helpful, with some provisos.

Under the Assessment tab in Toddle choose the appropriate number for each criterion (descriptors are included).  The total points will be shown in the box on the bottom of the page. DO NOT FILL OUT THE COMMENT BOX ON THE ASSESSMENT TAB.

With the new EE Curriculum, there are no existing grade boundaries in place.  You are encouraged to fill out the rubric on Toddle, but you must also give a holistic grade for each student.

For more details about assessment, look at the 'Assessment' tab above.

Five Criteria:

• A: Framework for the Essay (6)
• B: Knowledge and understanding (6)
• C: Analysis & Line of Argument (6)
• D: Discussion & Evaluation (8)
• E: Reflection (4)

Total: 30 points

Holistic grade descriptors for the extended essay

Grade A
• The student demonstrates effective research skills, resulting in a well-focused and appropriate research question that can be explored within the scope of the chosen topic.
• There is effective engagement with relevant research areas, methods and sources.
• There is excellent knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the relevant discipline.
• There is effective application of source material and correct use of subject-specific terminology and/or concepts that further supports this.
• Conclusions are consistent, relevant and proficiently analysed.
• Arguments show sustained reason and are supported effectively by evidence.
• Research is critically evaluated.
• Coherence, consistency and effective use of structural conventions support readability to an excellent degree.
• Reflection on the extended essay learning experience is consistently evaluative and includes specific examples.
• Reflection shows consistent evidence of the student’s growth and transfer of learning.

Grade B
• The student demonstrates appropriate research skills, resulting in a research question that can be explored within the scope of the chosen topic.
• There is reasonably effective engagement with relevant research areas, methods and sources.
• There is good knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the relevant discipline.
• There is a reasonably effective application of source material and reasonable use of subject-specific terminology and/or concepts.
• Conclusions are consistent and accurately analysed.
• Arguments show reason and are often supported by evidence.
• Research at times shows critical evaluation.
• Coherence, consistency and use of structural conventions support readability to a good degree.
• Reflection on the extended essay learning experience is partially evaluative and includes specific examples.
• Reflection often shows evidence of the student’s growth and transfer of learning.

Grade C
• The student demonstrates evidence of research undertaken, leading to a research question that is not necessarily expressed in a way that can be explored within the scope of the chosen topic.
• There is partially effective engagement with mostly appropriate research areas, methods and sources. However, there are some discrepancies in those processes, although these do not interfere with the planning and approach.
• There is some knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the discipline, and the knowledge is mostly relevant.
• There is an attempted application of source material and appropriate terminology and/or concepts; an attempted synthesis of research results with partially relevant analysis.
• Conclusions are partly supported by the evidence.
• Arguments are descriptive rather than analytical.
• There is a partially successful evaluation of the research.
• The essay is not always coherent and consistent, and structural conventions are irregularly applied, but this does not significantly hinder readability.
• Reflection on the extended essay learning experience is descriptive and includes some specific examples.
• Reflection sometimes shows evidence of the student’s growth and transfer of learning.

Grade D
• The student demonstrates a lack of research, resulting in unsatisfactory focus and a research question that is not answerable within the scope of the chosen topic.
• At times, there is engagement with appropriate research, methods and sources, but discrepancies in those processes occasionally interfere with the planning and approach.
• There is some relevant knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the discipline but at times the knowledge is irrelevant.
• There is an attempted application of source material but with inaccuracies in the use of, or underuse of, terminology and/or concepts.
• There is irrelevant analysis and inconsistent conclusions as a result of a descriptive discussion.
• There is a lack of evaluation.
• The limited coherence and consistency of the essay and absence of structural conventions hinders readability.
• Reflection on the extended essay learning experience is descriptive.
• Reflection on the student’s growth is limited to a description of the process and there is no evidence of transfer of learning.

Grade E (a failing condition)
• The student demonstrates little or no research, a lack of focus and an ineffective research question.
• There is a generally unsystematic approach and a resulting unfocused research question.
• There is limited engagement with limited research and sources.
• There is generally limited and only partially accurate knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the discipline.
• There are ineffective connections in the application of source material, and inaccuracies in the terminology and/or concepts used.
• The results of research are summarized with inconsistent analysis.
• There is an attempted outline of an argument but one that is generally descriptive in nature.
• The lack of coherence and consistency and absence of structural conventions significantly hinders readability.
• Reflection on the extended essay learning experience is very limited, with no evidence of transfer of learning.

EE Guide pg 115-117

For EE supervisors: Here is the standard description for everyone to post (copy and paste) for EE in grade S2 G11 and D1 G12 reports:

The Extended Essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic resulting in a 4,000 word analytical essay. It promotes academic research and writing skills, providing students with an opportunity to engage in independent research on a topic of their choice under the guidance of their supervisor. By engaging with the theories, tools and techniques of their discipline, students gain valuable experience and further develop their ability to think critically.

• For Extended Essay please comment on their work throughout the process.
• For grade mark N/A.