Banner

Extended Essay: Language and Literature

  • Step 1 - Choosing a Subject
  • Step 2 - Choosing a Topic
  • Step 3 - Draft a Research Question
  • Step 4 - Finding Sources
  • Step 5 - Evaluating Information
  • Step 6 - Bibliography & Citation
  • Step 7 - Organizing Information
  • The Arts: Visual Arts
  • Individuals & Societies: Business Management
  • Individuals & Societies: History
  • Individuals & Societies: Psychology
  • Language Acquisition

Language and Literature

  • Sciences: Biology
  • Sciences: Sports, Exercise, and Health Sciences
  • Interdisciplinary Papers: World Studies
  • Assessment Criteria
  • Research Questions
  • Investigation

Extended Essays in Language and Literature

Choosing a topic.

  • Categories 1 & 2

Categories 1 & 2

***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English***

Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.  

NB: When investigating a film in category 2, the film must be analyzed for its literary value, not filmic. Filmic analysis is allowed in category 3.

Category 3 papers also analyze works, however they are not restricted to literary works! Topics in Category 3 emphasize the production and reception of texts in social, historical and/or cultural contexts. Essays that simply offer a general overview of a topic are not appropriate.

Approaches to Research

Categories 1 and 2

**Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but analyze works not written in English**

Primary research in Language and Literature may require close reading of one or more texts. Secondary research may also be necessary for information like historical context, biographical information,  and established literary criticism. Students should consider things like the effect of the work, the devices it uses, or the way it is written.

Students should give a focused analysis of the texts being considered. The approach should be balanced, coherently argued, use relevant examples to illustrated the point.

Examples of language in a cultural context

Examples of language and mass communication

Language and Literature Sources

Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established literary interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.

Essay Types

An extended essay in language and literature gives students an opportunity to do independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a language A

Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

Assessed Student Work

  • An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita
  • How did the World State government in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World impact the individuality of the citizens residing in it?
  • << Previous: Language Acquisition
  • Next: Sciences: Biology >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 6:27 AM
  • URL: https://k497.libguides.com/extendedessay

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

body-notes-notetaking-cc0-pixabay

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

body_ibeescore.png

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

  • A title page
  • Contents page
  • Introduction
  • Body of the essay
  • References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

  • Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
  • Group 2: Language Acquisition
  • Group 3: Individuals and Societies
  • Group 4: Sciences
  • Group 5: Mathematics
  • Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

  • A check on plagiarism and malpractice
  • Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
  • Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

body-lightbulb-idea-pixabay-cc0

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

  • Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
  • Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
  • English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
  • Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
  • Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
  • Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

body-pen-A+-test-grade-exam-cc0-pixabay

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

body-narrow-crack-stuck-cc0-pixabay

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

  • January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
  • February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
  • April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
  • Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
  • August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
  • September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
  • November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

body-bird-worm-cc0-pixabay

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

  • Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
  • Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
  • Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
  • Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
  • Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

body-theory-of-knowledge

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

  • Business Management 1
  • Chemistry 1
  • Chemistry 2
  • Chemistry 3
  • Chemistry 4
  • Chemistry 5
  • Chemistry 6
  • Chemistry 7
  • Computer Science 1
  • Economics 1
  • Design Technology 1
  • Design Technology 2
  • Environmental Systems and Societies 1
  • Geography 1
  • Geography 2
  • Geography 3
  • Geography 4
  • Geography 5
  • Geography 6
  • Literature and Performance 1
  • Mathematics 1
  • Mathematics 2
  • Mathematics 3
  • Mathematics 4
  • Mathematics 5
  • Philosophy 1
  • Philosophy 2
  • Philosophy 3
  • Philosophy 4
  • Philosophy 5
  • Psychology 1
  • Psychology 2
  • Psychology 3
  • Psychology 4
  • Psychology 5
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
  • Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
  • Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
  • Visual Arts 1
  • Visual Arts 2
  • Visual Arts 3
  • Visual Arts 4
  • Visual Arts 5
  • World Religion 1
  • World Religion 2
  • World Religion 3

body-whats-next-stars

What's Next?

Trying to figure out what extracurriculars you should do? Learn more about participating in the Science Olympiad , starting a club , doing volunteer work , and joining Student Government .

Studying for the SAT? Check out our expert study guide to the SAT . Taking the SAT in a month or so? Learn how to cram effectively for this important test .

Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Get eBook: 5 Tips for 160+ Points

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Join the Conversation

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

  • For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Banner

IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

  • Research Questions
  • Past Essays
  • Notes & Outlines
  • Works Cited Page
  • In-Text Citations
  • Assessment Criteria
  • Reflections
  • Supervisor Info
  • Net Valley Library This link opens in a new window

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Check these CAREFULLY to be sure your topic fits with IB expectations!

  • Language & literature (language A)
  • Language acquisition (language B)
  • Mathematics
  • Visual Arts
  • World Studies

Business Management

English a & b ee examples.

  • English A EE Example
  • English A EE Example 1
  • English A EE Example 2
  • English A EE Example 3
  • English B EE Example
  • English B EE Example 1
  • English B EE Example 2
  • English B EE Example 3
  • English B EE Example 4
  • English B EE Example 5
  • English B EE Example 6

Philosophy EE Examples

  • Philosophy Example 1
  • Philosophy Example 2
  • Philosophy Example 3
  • Philosophy Example 4

Economics EE Examples

  • Econ Example 1
  • Econ Example 2
  • Econ Example 3
  • Econ Example 4
  • Econ Example 5
  • Econ Example 6
  • Econ Example 7
  • Econ Example 8

Review Past Papers

  • From the IB:  papers from other students and how they scored
  • Renaissance Library Past Essays :  Links to all subject area examples

Music EE Examples

  • Music EE Example 1
  • Music EE Example 2
  • Music EE Example 3
  • Music EE Example 4

Psychology EE Examples

  • Psych EE Example 1
  • Psych EE Example 2
  • Psych EE Example 3

Chinese EE Examples

  • Chinese EE Example 1
  • Chinese EE Example 2
  • Chinese EE Example 3
  • Chinese A EE Cat 1
  • Chinese A EE Cat 2
  • Chinese A EE Cat 3
  • Chinese B EE Example 1
  • Chinese B EE Example 2
  • Chinese B Example 3
  • Business EE Example 1
  • Business EE Example 2
  • Business EE Example 3

Visual Arts EE Examples

  • Visual Arts EE Example 1
  • Visual Arts EE Example 2
  • Visual Arts EE Example 3
  • Visual Arts EE Example 4

Film EE Examples

  • Film Example 1
  • Film Example 2

Chemistry EE Examples

  • Chemistry EE Example

Biology EE Examples

  • Biology EE Example
  • Biology EE Example 1
  • Biology EE Example 2
  • Biology EE Example 3

Physics EE Examples

  • Physics EE Example
  • Physics EE Example 1
  • Physics EE Example 2
  • Physics EE Example 3
  • Physics EE Example 4
  • Physics EE Example 5

Math EE Examples

  • Math EE Example 1
  • Math EE Example 2
  • Math EE Example 3
  • Math EE Example 4
  • Math EE Example 5
  • Math EE Example 6

World Studies EE Examples

  • World Studies Example 1
  • World Studies Example 2
  • World Studies Example 3
  • World Studies Example 4
  • World Studies Example 5
  • World Studies Example 6
  • World Studies Example 7
  • World Studies Example 8
  • World Studies Example 9
  • World Studies Example 10
  • World Studies Example 11
  • World Studies Example 12
  • World Studies Example 13
  • World Studies Example 14
  • World Studies Example 15
  • World Studies Example 16
  • World Studies Example 17
  • World Studies Example 18
  • << Previous: Research Questions
  • Next: Notes & Outlines >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 9, 2024 9:39 AM
  • URL: https://sis-cn.libguides.com/ExtendedEssay

help for assessment

  • Customer Reviews
  • Extended Essays
  • IB Internal Assessment
  • Theory of Knowledge
  • Literature Review
  • Dissertations
  • Essay Writing
  • Research Writing
  • Assignment Help
  • Capstone Projects
  • College Application
  • Online Class

English Extended Essay: The Complete Guide for IB Students

Author Image

by  Antony W

March 13, 2023

english extended essay

Group 1 Extended Essay subjects give IB students the opportunity to conduct independent research into a topic of interest in English, Language, and Literature.

Apart from promoting creativity and intellectual discovery, the subject group helps you to appreciate the value of advanced research and improve your writing skills.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about English Extended Essay.

In particular, we will look at the definition of English EE, English EE categories, and some English Extended Essay topics to get you started.

English Extended Essay Categories

Category 1: language.

This category focuses on the analysis of some aspects of English.

Topics such as national language policies of English speaking countries, the influence of technology on English vocabulary, and use of dialects and ascents would fit into this category.

The primary sources of information for this category would be newspapers, interviews, and websites. You secondary sources would be articles and journals.

Category 2: Culture and Society

We divide Culture and Society further into two sub-categories.

In the first sub-category, the focus is on the effect of cultural change on a language in a particular issue on the use or form of the language itself.

In this case, your essay can focus on topic to do with gender, communities, or social groups.

For example:

  • Does language reflect a shift in gender roles in the workplace?
  • To what extend has the rise and use of slang among teenagers affected the English language?

Such are important and interesting questions that your Extended Essay can focus on if you choose to work on this sub-category.

The second sub-category focuses on artefacts. While this sub-category is general in its cultural nature, it must be specific to a country or community that speaks the language.

To research topics in this sub-category, you will have to use cultural artefacts, which can be visual documents (such as architectures and films), written documents (such as newspapers, articles, adverts, and magazines), spoken documents (such as interviews and screenplays), and fashion icons (such as food dishes or brands).

Category 3: Literature

This category of English Extended Essay is based on a specific work of literature wit text written in the English language.

How to Write English Extended Essay

Writing a 4,000-word essay takes time. You have to identify a topic of interest, develop a research question, determine what to base your research on, and find the right information to include in the essay.

In the following section, you’ll learn how to write a comprehensive English Extended Essay using an easy to follow, systematic approach – even if you think your topic of interest in the subject looks complicated.

Step 1: Pick a Topic of Meaningful Interest to You

Explore the topics and themes taught in you English class and pick one that’s not only of interest to you but also one you’d like to know more about.

Generally, the English EE topic you choose should:

  • Be something you’re keen to investigate
  • Allow you to formulate a relevant research question
  • A subject that you can answer in 4,000 words

After identifying your area of interest and the topic that you would like to explore, it should be easy for you to develop a relevant research question to explore.

Step 2: Develop a Research Question

Many IB students fail Extended Essay because they get the research question part completely wrong. Quite too often, they choose narrow or broad topics that they can’t answer in 4,000 words.

You shouldn’t make the same mistake with your English Extended Essay. What you need is a workable research question with a clear focus that you can answer within the word limits of an Extended Essay.

To arrive at more concise topic to explore in your English Extended Essay, it’s best to employ relevant limiting factors to the broad topic.

For example, the theme “how technology and social media impact our lives” is obviously too broad because it doesn’t tell us what part or component of our lives social media affects exactly.

By applying limiting factor to this theme, we can come up with a more focused research question that will be easily to evaluate within the limits of the expected word count.

A question such as “ to what extent social media corrupted or contributed or corrupted the English language” would be an interesting and more specific topic to explore in your EE.

Step 3: Choose What to Base Your Research On

The third step to writing an English Extended Essay is to find relevant sources to support your research into the topic you selected in step 1.

Start by determine which English category you wish to base your Extended Essay on. That’s because there are minimum expectations when it comes to primary as well as secondary sourcing.

Step 4: Find More Information for Your Extended Essay

If you’ve ticked all the boxes in step one to three, schedule an appointment with your supervisor for more guidance on how to proceed further with your research project.

English Extended Essay Topics

You shouldn’t worry too much if you feel stuck on choosing the best topic for your English Extended Essay . We’ve put together a list of some topic ideas that cover different areas in literary themes, literature, and the English language.

English Extended Essay Topics for College and University

  • Is the English a language of customs and traditions with no hard and fast rules unlike other languages in the world?
  • How is the American English different from British English, and which one is superior to the other?
  • Has globalization played a role in the development of the English language?

English Extended Essay Topics on English Poetry

  • Was poetry a text of upper classes in English literature in the classical age and in the era of renaissance?
  • Why are there fragmentation and lack of interconnectivity between the stanzas of poems in modern poetry?

English EE Topics on American Literature

  • Do various American novels and other literary texts show how the American dream proves to be a complete failure?
  • Why were slaves against the anti-slavery movement in the United States of America?

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Example essays

The International Baccalaureate® (IB)  programme resource centre,  a key resource for educators at IB World Schools, includes several examples of  extended essay titles .

These highlight the diverse range of topics covered by International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students during their extended essays.

Some examples are:

  • “An analysis of costume as a source for understanding the inner life of the character”
  • “A study of malnourished children in Indonesia and the extent of their recovery after a period of supervised improved nutrition.”
  • “Doing  versus  being: language and reality in the Mimamsa school of Indian philosophy.” 
  • “The effects of sugar-free chewing gum on the pH of saliva in the mouth after a meal.”
  • “To what extent has the fall in the exchange rate of the US dollar affected the tourist industry in Carmel, California?”
  •  “What level of data compression in music files is acceptable to the human ear?”

Also available in the programma resource centre , the Diploma Programme Assessment Procedures has guidance on choosing a subject for the extended essay.

The PRC is only available to existing IB World Schools.

You can also purchase examples of essays in the IB Store . These essays fulfil the requirements for an ‘A’ grade in the extended essay.

If your school is not one already, learn how to become an IB World School  in order to implement the DP.

english lang and lit extended essay examples

We use cookies on this site. By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies.   Read more about cookies

Banner

Extended Essay

  • Mathematics
  • Studies in language and literature
  • World studies extended essay
  • Visual arts
  • Language Acquisition

Studies in language and literature Sample A

Studies in language and literature sample b, studies in language and literature sample c, studies in language and literature example.

  • Studies in language and literature exampleA_RPPF
  • Studies in language and literature sample A
  • Studies in language and literature sample B
  • Studies in language and literature sample C
  • Last Updated: Oct 14, 2021 3:31 PM
  • URL: https://keystoneacademy-cn.libguides.com/extended-essay

Extended Essay Essentials

  • Individuals and Societies
  • Interdisciplinary
  • Mathematics

Contact Your Librarian

Photograph of Trish Pearson

Trish Pearson

she/her/hers

[email protected]

What's in this guide?

decorative image

In this guide, you will find essential documents for writing the EE in the following subjects

  • Language and Literature

Language Acquisition

Essential documents include Subject Specific Guidelines and Sample Essays for each of the Languages essays.

Language & Literature

decorative image

  • Language and Literature Subject Specific Guidelines - A short guide on how to write the Language and Literature EE
  • Score Reports - See what students did (and did not do well) in these short reports from the chief examiner.
  • Sample Papers - Read sample EE papers provided by IB and see how they scored.

Introduction to the EE in Language and Literature

From the Guide:

An extended essay (EE) in studies in language and literature gives students an opportunity to undertake independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity. The essay is open to students who are writing in a language that they would be capable of offering as a Language A. It must be written in the language for which it is registered. Students must  not  submit a Group 1 EE in their Group 2 language.

Studies in language and literature EEs are divided into three categories:

  • Category 1 - Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented.
  • Category 2 - Studies of a literary work or works originally written in the language of the essay compared with one or more literary works originally written in another language. (The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation.)
  • Category 3 - Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language.

For more detailed information about the Language and Literature EEs see Studies in language and literature: An introduction . This document contains information on:

  • Topic Selection
  • Literature Review
  • The Research Question
  • Research Methods
  • A Framework for the EE in Language and Literature

Other essential documents for the EE in Language and Literature:

  • Language and Literature Subject Specific Guidelines  - A short guide on how to write the Language and Literature EE
  • Score Reports  - See what students did (and did not do well) in these short reports from the chief examiner.
  • Sample Papers  - Read sample EE papers provided by IB and see how they scored.
  • Language and Literature Subject Specific Guidelines
  • 2021 Language and Literature Score Report - English A
  • 2018 Language and Literature Score Report - English A
  • 2021 Language and Literature Score Report - Chinese A
  • 2018 Language and Literature Score Report - Chinese A

decorative image

  • Language Acquisition Subject Specific Guidelines - A short guide on how to write the Language Acquisition EE
  • Sample Papers   - Read sample EE papers provided by the IB and see how they scored.

Introduction to the EE in Language Acquisition

And extended essay (EE) in language acquisition gives students an opportunity to:

  • develop their awareness and knowledge of the target language they are studying
  • demonstrate their understanding of the culture associated with their target language.

The essay requires students to carry out research based on:

  • texts (taken to be any meaningful piece of spoken or written language, e.g. an article, a book, a play, a poem), or
  • specific cultural artifacts, e.g., works of fine art, architecture, films, radio or television programmes, or lyrics from popular music.

The essay is intended for students who are studying a second modern language. It must be written in the language for which it is registered (the target language) and focus on matters related to the target culture. Students may  not  write a language acquisition EE in a language that they are studying for the Diploma as a language A literature, or language A studies in language and literature. Students are assessed on the basis of their skills in research and analysis, not their language proficiency.

For more detailed information about the Language Acquisition EEs see Studies in Language Acquisition . This document contains information on:

  • A Framework for the EE in Language Acquisition.
  • Language and Literature Subject Specific Guidelines  - A short guide on how to write the Language Acquisition EE
  • Language Acquisition Subject Specific Guidelines
  • 2021 Language Acquisition Score Report - English B
  • 2018 Language Acquisition Score Report - English B
  • 2021 Language Acquisition Score Report - Chinese B
  • 2018 Language Acquisition Score Report - Chinese B
  • 2021 Language Acquisition Score Report - Spanish B
  • 2018 Language Acquisition Score Report - French B
  • 2021 Language Acquisition Score Report - German B
  • << Previous: Interdisciplinary
  • Next: Mathematics >>
  • Last Updated: Mar 26, 2024 1:52 PM
  • URL: https://uwcchina.libguides.com/extendedessayessentials

Clastify logo

IB English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay Internal Assessments below for inspiration.

profile cover

All English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA Examples

Filter exemplars, line of inquiry: how does the representation of women in liza donnelly’s cartoons convey harmful societal norms and expectations as a barrier to women’s empowerment in different levels of society, how does marjane satrapi portray western stereotypes about the iranian culture in her graphic novel, persepolis i , want to get full marks for your ia allow us to review it for you 🎯, how does gabriel garcía márquez’s chronicle of a death foretold explore the connection between cultural norms surrounding female virginity as a marker of honor with issues of gender and power, and what does it reveal about the community, in what ways does primo levi’s autobiography, if this is a man, present the difficulties of communication in auschwitz, how is symbolism used by marjane satrapi to depict the turbulent society of 20th-century iran in the graphic novel ‘persepolis’., fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how and to what effect do the structural devices in lokasenna’s mimetic dialogue demonstrate the possession and transfer of power between characters, how does the ad agency goodby, silverstein and partners use testimonial technique in their ‘got milk’ print advertising campaign to convey the message of milk being more beneficial and emphasizing its wholesomeness, in what ways does henrik ibsen, in his play, a doll’s house, employ stylistic features to communicate the victorian social codes of the 1870s, how does beyoncé portray the american black southern identity struggle by reclaiming cultural elements in the visual album lemonade, how does lauren greenfield portray body image and its effect on identity in generation wealth, how does the film 'the platform' use metaphors to represent the problem of class hierarchy in society and how this leads to wealth inequality, how does noviolet bulawayo explore the themes of identity and belonging in three of her selected works: blak power, hitting budapest, and diaspora christmas, how do dimitry moor’s propaganda posters promote the ideologies of socialism to the proletariats of russia, the seven days as an exploration of the complexities within blackness, how does chekhov use the theme of faith within romantic relationships to commend the evolving pre-bolshevik russian hierarchical class system in agafya (1886) and the lady with the dog (1899), how does barbara kruger’s usage of imagery, text, and coloring in her different artworks create relations in order to employ women’s bodies and beauty standards in society, how does chimamanda ngozi adichie reveal the social and psychological effects of triple oppression through the main character in her short story “the thing around your neck”, how do angela carter’s short stories in “the bloody chamber” portray gender roles through associations with nature to resist patriarchal and androcentric customs in society, how does jordan peele represent racism in the 21st century in his thriller movie ‘get out’, how does duffy present different perspectives of people in war, how does sylvia plath use literary devices in “lady lazarus” and “a birthday present” to deliver the themes of suicidal thoughts and mental illness, jana curcio's exploration of racial generalization leading to the distortion of identity and freedom in the photo collection skin tones: visualize racism, how and to what effect does william shakespeare use notions of duplication and duality in hamlet to explore the cyclical adversity of revenge, how does süskind’s perfume represent the changing historical epochs of western society through grenouille’s life, how does angie thomas’ use of symbolism in “the hate u give” explore systemic and structural discrimination of african-americans in 21st-century usa, how does wilfred owen use imagery to address the mental trauma of combat, how does jordan peele convey the intelligence of chris in his film get out to represent the power of resistance, how and to what effect do the motifs of light and darkness represent the presence and interconnectedness of both joy and suffering in banana yoshimoto’s kitchen, how does wilfred owen convey the traumatizing experience of war in his poetry, to what effect did the visual features and captions used in lewis hine’s photographic body of work transform the public’s opinion on child labour in early 20th-century america, how does jonathan swift use satire in a modest proposal to effectively criticise class disparity in 18th-century ireland, how does percy shelley’s portrayal of nature in his poem, the cloud, convey his critical perspective on anthropocentrism, an analysis of the language and stylistic devices used in martin luther king’s speech “i have a dream” in order to portray the racism and inequality faced by the blacks americans in the american society, how does el-saadawi’s characterisation of firdaus’ growing resistance in the novel woman at point zero illustrate the struggle for freedom in a patriarchal society in egypt, how does henrik ibsen portray a woman's identity in a male-oriented society and develops a different perspective of women through nora's character in his play "a doll's house", in her poems, how does szymborska provide a commentary on the dehumanizing process of the progressive concession of identity for capitalistic success, ‘to what extent does ibsen show that torvald’s assumption of the ‘good husband’ role is a result of societal expectations’, how does nawal el saadawi represent women objectification through the character firdaus and its consequences, how does charles dickens represent the theme of industrialisation leading to a loss of identity through setting and character in his novel, "hard times", how does robert browning use structure and symbolism in the poems ‘my last duchess’ and ‘porphyria’s lover’ to criticise victorian society's acceptance of men's control over women.

Banner

Extended Essay: Exemplar Essays

  • General Timeline
  • Group 1: English Language and Literature
  • Group 2: Language Acquisition
  • Group 3: Individuals and Societies
  • Group 4: Sciences
  • Group 5: Mathematics
  • Group 6: The Arts
  • Interdisciplinary essays
  • Brainstorming
  • Pre-Writing
  • Research Techniques
  • The Research Question
  • Paraphrasing, Summarising and Quotations
  • Writing an EE Introduction
  • Writing the main body of your EE
  • Writing your EE Conclusion
  • Six sub-categories for WSEE
  • IB Interdisciplinary EE Assessment Guide
  • Sources: Finding, Organising and Evaluating Them
  • Conducting Interviews and Surveys
  • Citing and Referencing
  • Check-in Sessions
  • First Formal Reflection
  • Second Formal Reflection
  • Final Reflection (Viva Voce)
  • Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS) Examples
  • Information for Supervisors
  • How is the EE Graded?
  • EE Online Resources
  • Stavanger Public Library

Exemplar Essays

  • Extended Essay Presentations
  • ISS High School Academic Honesty Policy

Please note that many of these examples mentioned below were written prior to the publication of the new IB Guide 2018.  Therefore, changes such as the abstract no longer being required, will not be reflected in some of these examples. 

You can also refer to the IB Extended Essay Guide for Assessed Student Work for more updated examples. 

  • << Previous: Stavanger Public Library
  • Next: Extended Essay Presentations >>
  • Last Updated: Apr 15, 2024 11:11 AM
  • URL: https://isstavanger.libguides.com/c.php?g=695888

IB English HLE Explained

Free introductory guide to IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) by IB44 and IB45 graduates Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover.

In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!)  Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE).

Lareina achieved an IB44, and Saesha achieved an IB45 as well as the coveted IB7 in IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

Photo of LitLearn instructor Jackson Huang

What is IB English HLE?

The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.

The HLE will make up  25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry   (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).

How do I choose my text for HLE?

Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you're interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests  you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.

You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.

How do I choose my line of inquiry for HLE?

The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:

"To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?"

Now, it's your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it's not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).

This summary is vague, so let's go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.

Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:

  • What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
  • What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
  • How would someone describe you in three words?

Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.

  • How would you describe this character in three words?
  • How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
  • How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?

Let's take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy's move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.

Let's look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:

The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn't understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú

This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let's think through it together…

Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?

What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?

Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim's sense of identity.

the young waiter reminded me that I couldn't have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú

Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.

Culture seems to be this confusing thing.  Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?

The easiest way to put it is this:  Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.

Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?

  • When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
  • How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
  • What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?

It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts' as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art' museums. But hey, what's creative to me might not be creative to you!

english lang and lit extended essay examples

When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:

  • Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the  Learn Analysis section of LitLearn.
  • Recurring stylistic choices by the author

Now, for this concept, let's look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses  epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.

Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let's investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:

english lang and lit extended essay examples

These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.

Representation

Representation is all about how something is  portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented' within a text, and it doesn't have to be tangible.

For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.

Again, let's explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We'll consider an HLE on how a text  represents the  impact of political turmoil on society .

Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:

In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil.  Example HLE Introduction

Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:

Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph

This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:

  • What is the main idea of the chapter?
  • Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
  • What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?

Brainstorming Tips

If you're having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:

  • For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
  • Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
  • Repeat for all of your texts.
  • Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.

How do I ensure my HLE question has a good scope?

Choosing a question with good scope is extremely   important, and it's one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here's why:

  • If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won't be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
  • If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!

So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of  Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).

  • Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
  • Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
  • Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”

How to get a 7 on IB English HLE

There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it'd have to be this: Get really good at analysis .

Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn't matter if it's Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.

Start with the basics

Start with the basic foundations of analysis for free inside LitLearn's Learn Analysis course.

Our free and Pro resources have helped IB English students skyrocket their grade in weeks, days and even overnight...   Learn Analysis for IB English , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.

Basic Analysis

No sign up or credit card required.

Free signup required.

Pro members only

Level up to Advanced Analysis

Since you're in HL, you'll also be needing Advanced Analysis skills if you want to impress your examiner. We've got all of that covered inside our Pro lessons.

Advanced Analysis

Finding Quotes

Also, you'll need to find good quotes for your text. Some good sources where you can find relevant quotes include  Goodreads , SparkNotes ,  LitCharts , and Cliffnotes . Of course, you could just find quotes yourself directly–this will ensure your quotes are unique.

Understanding the IB English HLE rubric

An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.

The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.

Use the checklist below to make sure you're not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

  • Accurate summary of text in introduction
  • Focused and informative thesis statement
  • Effective and relevant quotes
  • Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

  • Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features 
  • Relevant analysis of tone and/or atmosphere
  • Relevant analysis of broader authorial choices i.e. characterization, point of view, syntax, irony, etc.

Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development

  • Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
  • Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
  • Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented

Criterion D: Language

  • Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don't”)
  • Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
  • Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
  • Correct usage of punctuation
  • Appropriate register – no slang
  • Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In  The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work   together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
  • Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.

Here's everything we discussed:

  • IB English HLE is tough work! Start early.
  • Brainstorm using the table of concepts to come up with a strong HLE question. Don't give up on this!
  • Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English HLE (and in fact all IB English assessment). Check out LitLearn's course  Learn Analysis for IB English   for immediate help on the exact steps to improve in IB English analysis.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor 💪

Question​bank

Paper 1 Practice Exams

Past Paper 1 Solutions

Paper 2 Guide

From Struggling to Succeeding in IB English

How IB English students like you have improved their grades with LitLearn Pro... Read the reviews.

IB4 to IB6 in 12 days " LitLearn helped me understand exactly what I was doing wrong and how to improve upon those mistakes. " Read the full review
IB6 to IB7 in 1 week " I ended with a 7 in English Literature HL and I am so happy about that. Thank you Jackson. " Read the full review

Photo of LitLearn student Saesha Grover

IB5 to Perfect 20/20 in 1 week " I managed to be the only person in my IB cohort of 120 students to get a perfect score of 20/20 " Read the full review

Photo of LitLearn student Ankur Boyed

IB4 to IB6 in 2 weeks " The lessons are really effective in grabbing my attention and making English more fun to learn. "

Photo of LitLearn student Harsheen Punjabi

IB4 to IB6 in 1 day " With just day 1 of the course, I improved immediately and overnight when I did a practice essay and improved by 4 marks from my previous grades " Read the full review
IB5 to IB7 " I got 5s since my first year of DP and now my final grade is 7! I can't thank you enough 🙂 LitLearn is truly a lifesaver. "

Every resource to ace IB English

Voted #1 IB English Resource 2022 by IB Students & Teachers at ibresources.org

Learn Analysis

Master the essential skill of IB English with a step-by-step course.

Questionbank

Practice analysis with 60+ short questions and IB7 answers.

Exam prep guide, practice papers, past paper solutions.

Exam prep, planning and writing guide. Exemplar essay.

Individual Oral

Preparation guide, examples and full exemplar script.

Higher Level Essay

Crash course on HLE basics.

Banner

US - Extended Essay Guide: Examples of Extended Essays

  • Class of '25 EE Deadline Calendar
  • 2024 EE Deadline Calendar
  • Examples of Extended Essays
  • Computer Science
  • Design Technology
  • Global Politics
  • Studies in Lang. and Lit. (Group 1)
  • Studies in Lang. and Lit. (Group 2)
  • Mathematics
  • Sports, Exercise, and Health Science
  • World Studies
  • Print and eBooks
  • Web Resources
  • Searching Tips
  • Referencing and citing
  • Notetaking Advice
  • Tools and Strategies to Narrow Your Topic
  • Supervisor Support

ZIS Sample Essays 2018

  • Sample ZIS Extended Essays 2018 These ZIS student essays from 2018 scored either an A or B. Access is only given to anyone with the link at Zurich International School. Use them to analyse style and formatting as well to brainstorm ideas for topics. However, be aware that these are not research questions to be reused.

Extended Essay & RPPF Exemplars

  • (Language B) Studies in language and literature: Punk music in the UK How did the punk movement influence certain aspects of the British culture did in the 20th century?
  • (Language B) Language acquisition: Linguistic Strategies in the United States Presidential Election Debates 2016 How did the language used by Clinton and Trump in the first, the second and the third presidential debate influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in the United States?
  • (Business management) To what extent is it a good idea for Escan ltd to end a strategic alliance with Qupid? To what extent is it a good idea for Escan ltd to end a strategic alliance with Qupid?
  • (Information technology in a global society) The growing digital divide in financial markets To what extent has algorithmic trading led to an increased digital divide in financial markets?
  • (Philosophy) Accidents in driverless cars What is the most appropriate ethical framework for the programming of driverless cars?
  • (Social and cultural anthropology) An investigation of secondary education having an impact on divorce rates: a comparison between Caribbean-born women and African-American women Does secondary education have an impact on divorce rates: a comparison between Caribbean-born women and African-American women.
  • (World religions) Christian and Islamic eschatology What do Islamic and Christian followers believe about the endtimes and how does each belief influence the religion?
  • (Design Technology) Plants in modern architecture. The future of sustainability. To what extent could the implementation of plants in modern building design be a feasible method for future construction, to fight pollution and improve well-being in and around the building environment?
  • (Literature and performance) The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A moving novel and a stigmatized film Why might Charlie's mental illness be portrayed differently in the movie adaptation of the Perks of Being a Wallflower than it is in the book?
  • (Economics) The impact of demonetization on agriculture and farmers in Sultanganj To what extent has India's 2016 demonetization act impacted farmers, Kharif sale and Rabi sowing in Sultanganj?
  • (Environmental systems and societies) Developing a model to evaluate the sustainability of marine turtle conservation organisations What are the criteria that may be used to evaluate the sustainability of marine turtle conservation projects and why?
  • (Geography) The effects of transnational corporations on urban areas To what extent has the influx of technological and financial transnational corporations in the Grand Canal Dock area given rise to disparities between this and the Irishtown-Ringsend area?
  • (Global politics) Violation of human rights: incompatibility of harmful traditional practices and human rights What are the major hindrances in Tanzania and Pakistan to the achievement of human rights and how can they be tackled?
  • (History) Battle of Stalingrad To what extent did German tactical mistakes affect the outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad?
  • (Philosophy) Artificial General Intelligence: a modern pursuit of the Platonic “good life” No stated research question
  • (Psychology) The copycat effect: An analysis of suicides emulated from non-fictional and fictional media To what extent does the “copycat effect” explain similar suicide occurrences subsequent to mass media coverage on non-fictional and fictional suicides?
  • (Biology) Effects of different calcium salts in growth solutions on the growth of the stems of basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants grown hydroponically What effects do different calcium salts in growth solutions have on the growth of the stems of basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants grown hydroponically?
  • (Chemistry) An investigation into the synthesis of Aspirin in accordance with the principles of green chemistry To what extent can the industrial method of synthesis of aspirin be altered to best comply with the principles of green chemistry?
  • (Computer science) An evaluation of malware How does the ILOVEYOU virus compare to the Koobface worm in terms of damage infliction and methods of duplication?
  • (Physics) Aerodynamics What is the relationship between frequency and surface area against lift of the propeller of a toy helicopter?
  • (Sports, exercise and health science) What can influence a better reaction time in martial artists? Does the warm-up of martial artists influence their reaction time in contrast to not warming up?
  • (Mathematics) The use of hyperbolic cosine function in catenary bridge structure The analysis of the relationship between force and other variables in different bridge supporting scenarios.
  • (Dance) Ballet Dance: The influence of choreographer George Balanchine on the style worldwide How has George Balanchine's creativity influenced the style of ballet dance worldwide?
  • (Film) In depth study of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983) and Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971) Sympathy in film: To what extent does the portrayal of graphic violence in film impart the ability to sympathize with real world situations?
  • (Music) Sibelius' Seventh To what extent did Sibelius write his Seventh Symphony as a one movement compression of traditional symphonic form?
  • (Theatre) Character Development Within Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years How do motifs, patterns and tones in Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years contribute to the character development and subtext throughout the musical?
  • (Visual arts) Parallels in fashion To what extent did Japanese aesthetics and fashion have an influence on contemporary Danish fashion?
  • (World Studies) Analyse the effects and impacts of the 2003 invasion of Iraq How and to what extent did the Iraq invasion and occupation between the years 2003 and 2005 impact the rise of radical Islamic terrorism?
  • (Language and literature) Criticism towards expectations of masculinity and the idea of patriotism used in the Great War How does All Quiet on the Western Front reveal the expectations of masculinity and patriotism during the early 20th century?
  • << Previous: 2024 EE Deadline Calendar
  • Next: Subject Specific Guides >>
  • Last Updated: Oct 30, 2023 11:30 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.zis.ch/ee2024

IBDP English A: Language & Literature

Website by David McIntyre & Tim Pruzinsky

Updated 19 April 2024

InThinking Subject Sites

Subscription websites for IB teachers & their classes

Find out more

  • thinkib.net
  • IBDP Biology
  • IBDP Business Management
  • IBDP Chemistry
  • IBDP Economics
  • IBDP English A Literature
  • IBDP English B
  • IBDP Environmental Systems & Societies
  • IBDP French B
  • IBDP Geography
  • IBDP German A: Language & Literature
  • IBDP History
  • IBDP Maths: Analysis & Approaches
  • IBDP Maths: Applications & Interpretation
  • IBDP Physics
  • IBDP Psychology
  • IBDP Spanish A
  • IBDP Spanish Ab Initio
  • IBDP Spanish B
  • IBDP Visual Arts
  • IBMYP English Language & Literature
  • IBMYP Resources
  • IBMYP Spanish Language Acquisition
  • IB Career-related Programme
  • IB School Leadership

Disclaimer : InThinking subject sites are neither endorsed by nor connected with the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

InThinking Subject Sites for IB Teachers and their Classes

Supporting ib educators.

  • Comprehensive help & advice on teaching the IB diploma.
  • Written by experts with vast subject knowledge.
  • Innovative ideas on ATL & pedagogy.
  • Detailed guidance on all aspects of assessment.

Developing great materials

  • More than 14 million words across 24 sites.
  • Masses of ready-to-go resources for the classroom.
  • Dynamic links to current affairs & real world issues.
  • Updates every week 52 weeks a year.

Integrating student access

  • Give your students direct access to relevant site pages.
  • Single student login for all of your school’s subscriptions.
  • Create reading, writing, discussion, and quiz tasks.
  • Monitor student progress & collate in online gradebook.

Meeting schools' needs

  • Global reach with more than 200,000 users worldwide.
  • Use our materials to create compelling unit plans.
  • Save time & effort which you can reinvest elsewhere.
  • Consistently good feedback from subscribers.

For information about pricing, click here

Download brochure

See what users are saying about our Subject Sites:

Find out more about our Student Access feature:

Search: extended essay

Results : 50 Site Pages | 9 Blog Posts | 116 Comments | To search for an exact match, use "quotation marks".

Site Pages: 50 results

50 full matches:.

  • Using AI in the Research Process (Extended Essay) (Tim, AI, artificial intelligence, extended essay, research, research process) ...AI in the Research ProcessAI can:Help you understand the steps you need to take in order to conduct research and write your Extended Essay .Recommend a variety of literature work(s) or non-literary texts to read to support with initial, but very vagu...
  • Extended Essay (Extended Essay) The extended essay is an IB core requirement, where students explore a subject in depth. The subject must relate to one of the courses offered in Groups 1 - 6 of the IB Diploma Programme. The extended essay is an opportunity to demonstrate research...
  • Extended Essays: Studies in Language Sample Topics and Research Questions ...torical strategies employed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in its (contemporary) press releases. Doing this kind of Extended Essay involves developing an appreciation of a specific historically and culturally situated issue, including the ro...
  • HL Essay: Exemplar 5 (Small Axe) Students, increasingly, write Higher Level Essay s and Extended Essay s on film and television. They also discuss these things in their Individual Orals. Presumably, in part, this is because teachers are teaching film and television in their classes. H...
  • HL Essay: Exemplar 7: The Awakening ...ow. It doesn’t receive full marks; we’ll tell you that too. It is, however, exactly 1500 words and cannot, therefore, be extended . Something needs to be changed and improved to attain full marks. What, in this generally excellent essay , can be ma...
  • HL Essay: Exemplar 11 (The Remains of the Day) ...the suppression of desire and personal fulfillment, that underpins the novel’s comic and tragic qualities.Stevens uses the extended metaphor of the ‘tiger under the table’ to illustrate the English quality of self-restraint. He demonstrates thi...
  • Q&A For Students: The Higher Level Essay and the Individual Oral ...our students. They are studying English A: Language and Literature, five other subjects, studying TOK, doing CAS, writing an Extended Essay , negotiating life and perhaps, we hope, actually having and enjoying their lives. The IB is a tall order. It&#...
  • Sample Essays (pre-2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essays, old extended essays, pre-2018 extended essays) All of these Extended Essay s were written before 2018.  The EE guide changed for first examinations in 2018.  The Extended Essay s housed here (pre-2018) were written under "old" requirements.  These EEs were also marked using different...
  • EE Category 3 (The Language of Self-Help) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay, Category 3, The Language of Self-Help, Exemplar, model essay, IB Core) ...who fall somewhere in between these two extremes.  It is often with this vast majority of students where the spirit of the Extended Essay can shine.  Even if the essay is not the most analytical or insightful, the purpose of the EE is to instill i...
  • Requirements (first exam in 2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay, Requirements, IB Core, IB Diploma Core) While the extended essay is an excellent opportunity to explore a topic of choice in depth, it is important that we adhere to the basic requirements of the IB.  It is easy to become carried away with an idea that seems fantastic, but in the end is n...

Load all results

  • 2018 EE Category 1 (Othello) (Tim, Extended Essay, Category 1, exemplar, model example, Othello, EE, literature) The Extended Essay went under significant revision and students in the May 2018 cohort were the first to submit essay s using completely new marking criteria.Here at InThinking, we have published several Extended Essay s.  For example, we have shown...
  • 2019 EE Category 1 (N.W.A Song Lyrics) (Extended Essay, Black Lives Matter, EE, Category 1, NWA, song lyrics, exemplar, Tim) ...5th and final one in the series, looks at how a student could take a personal interest (a love of music) and turn it into an Extended Essay .  The student analyzes N.W.A songs under the larger question "How is police brutality protrayed through...
  • Post 5 – a 2019 EE Category 1 (N.W.A Song Lyrics) (Extended Essay, Black Lives Matter, EE, Category 1, NWA, song lyrics, exemplar, Tim) ...5th and final one in the series, looks at how a student could take a personal interest (a love of music) and turn it into an Extended Essay .  The student analyzes N.W.A songs under the larger question "How is police brutality protrayed through...
  • Criteria (first exam in 2018) (Tim, EE, Extended Essay Criteria, Criteria, EE) The assessment criteria for the extended essay are both general to all subjects and specific to each subject. The criteria given below are the specific to the Language A: Language and Literature course. These are summaries of the actual criteria, whi...
  • 2020 EE Category 2 (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and We Have Always Lived in the Castle) (Tim, EE, C2 EE, Extended Essay) ...ept appearing.  She kept thinking about them and thinking about why the authors included them?  That thinking lead to this Extended Essay .It is not a top scoring EE (it scores a low B at 22 total points).  Instead, it is a good example of a studen...
  • IB Core (Extended Essay, TOK, ) The English A: Language and Literature course is part of the holistic IB learning explerience. The Extended Essay requirement provides students with the opportunity to write a 3,000 - 4,000 words on a topic of interest from one of their subject area...
  • EE Category 1 (The House of Blue Mangoes) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance David Davidar’s debut novel The House of Blue Mangoes – originally written in the language (English) in which the essay ...
  • EE - Studies in Language - Sample 1 For the first time, in 2013, students were able to submit a Group 1 Extended Essay (EE) in ‘Studies in Language’. The Group 1 essay s, now, are sub-divided into 3 categories as follows:Category 1—Studies of a literary work(s) originally written...
  • EE C2 S1 (Chaucer) The following Extended Essay compares and contrasts Giovani Boccaccio's version of Griselda's Tale from the Decameron with Geoffrey Chaucer's version of Griselda's Tale from the Canterbury Tales. Taking on such a comparison is a chall...
  • EE Category 1 (The Virgin Suicides) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance Jeffrey Eugenides’ 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides – originally written in the language (English) in which the essay is p...
  • EE Category 1 (Great Expectations) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . That is, it is the study of a literary work – in this instance Charles Dickens’ widely known and highly regarded novel Great Expectations – originally written in the language (English...
  • EE Category 1 (Oryx and Crake) ...ispensable if students are to replicate good practice in their own craft.Below, students have the opportunity to appraise an Extended Essay (EE) written about Margaret Atwood’s celebrated novel Oryx and Crake. It’s a good, intelligent essay , but...
  • EE C1 S1 (Disgrace) ...it according to the criteria below. Do your marks match the examiner's marks? Where do the differences lie?Sample essay   Extended Essay Category 1 Sample 1 (Disgrace)Title pageTitle: “The search for identity in South African post-apartheid lit...
  • Using Supporting Quotations in Paper 2 ...sses. It does not have to be an English class. It could be something you have written in another subject or, for example, an Extended Essay or TOK Exhibition. What sources have you quoted? Is it clearly integrated? Is it well introduced? Is it effect...
  • EE Category 1 (Lewis Carroll) This Extended Essay is a Group 1, Category 1 Extended Essay . Unlike previous Category 1 essay s published on the site, this essay is comparative, comparing and contrasting Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Gl...
  • 2022 EE Category 2 (The Bell Jar and The Vegetarian) (Tim, EE, The Bell Jar, The Vegetarian, Category 2) This Category 2 Extended Essay is excellent.  The student takes a well-known, classic piece of literature and compares and contrasts it to a contemporary award-winning novel from South Korea.  In her essay , the student asks this question: How do S...
  • 2019 EE Category 1 (When Breath Becomes Air) (Tim, EE, When Breath Becomes Air, memoir, Category 1) ...ontains such beauty and it’s no wonder that students also love the memoir. It was from this beginning that the seed of an extended essay grew.  This is technically a C1 EE even though it is nonfiction.  The memoir is too rich not to be considere...
  • P2 SL (The Kite Runner and A Hero of Our Time) ...90 minutes to complete their essay . With this in mind, it is perhaps unreasonable to anticipate that the student could have extended the discussion by any significant margin. The student uses two novels to exemplify the discussion: Lermentov’s A H...
  • Skills The extended essay is the culmination of a long process. You could say that the final product is like the tip of a very deep iceberg. While you 'only' see 3,000 - 4,000 words, hours of research, writing, editing and reviewing lie below the s...
  • Research questions ...r music videosConcern for stereotyping, bias and prejudiceAim to define a dialect or non-standardized form of language Good extended essay research questions as downloadable PDF.Rewrite the questionTaking what you know now about the key characterist...
  • Bodies of work (Tim, bodies of work, new IB course, new course, 2021 exams, body of work) ...(first assessment 2021) published in February of 2019 and updated in August of 2019, the IB defines a body of work as “an extended , full-length non-literary text or a group of shorter non-literary texts that are of one same text type and that shar...
  • Sample essays (EE) ...without saying that sample material is an excellent way to make yourself more familiar with the assessment criteria for the extended essay . You can compare your marks with the examiner's. The samples have been labeled 'EE' for 'exten...
  • P1 SL (The Language of African Literature) ...peasant family: father, four wives and about twenty-eight children. I also belonged, as we all did in those days, to a wider extended family and to the community as a whole. We spoke Gĩkũyũ as we worked in the fields. We spoke Gĩkũyũ in and out...
  • Opinion column (opinion column, blog, editorial, ) ...piece on existentialism. But in more concrete terms, popular works of non-fiction, such as No Logo or Buyology make cases as extended essay s should. You may not write either forms of essay writing for your written task. Blog - With the arrival of the...
  • EE Category 3 (Breaking Bad) ...s some familiarity with Breaking Bad is not, to a greater or lesser extent, captivated by it.Students in their search for an Extended Essay (EE) topic, frequently ask if they can engage with some aspect of popular culture – Breaking Bad, say - for...
  • Paper 2: Sample Response 11 (A View from the Bridge and Persepolis) ...ning, and there are many good illustrations of this in the essay . Comparison and contrast is good, but, again, this could be extended or made more explicit.Criterion C: Focus and organisation (5 marks)How effectively does the student structure and pr...
  • Solar: Getting things wrong and the power of stories ...gun ownership. Your fellow passenger argues that owning and carrying guns would make people safer. You know – you wrote an Extended Essay on this, no less – that what the other passenger says is statistically insupportable. To change his mind, wo...
  • Just Do It - Protest! (Tim, Just do it, protest, advertising, advertisement, Nike, Colin Kaepernick, controversy, controversial) ...tfolio over two or three lessons.  This should include all the advertisements being used, the annotations of those ads, and extended thinking about them. 4.  Decide if you want to have an assessment task (of your choosing) connected to #1- #3.  F...
  • WT2 Q4 (Persepolis) (Persepolis, WT2, written task 2, Marjane Satrapi) ...h a text that seems to parody another text, act as a pastiche on a particular genre, or allude to another regularly, like an extended metaphor, then this question may be appropriate. See texts on this page for several non-literary commercials that wo...
  • Representations of Women in Cartoons (A Body of Work) (Tim, representation, perspective, readers writers and texts, body of work, cartoons, Liza Donnelly, women) ...eptual questions (or area of exploration questions) using these two cartoons in their Learner Portfolio.  This should be an extended written response, but not yet an essay or guided textual analysis (think one page of writing).  In the lesson, have...
  • Understanding Modality ...ries and advertisements. Students can show an awareness of modality in response to Paper 1 texts. The activites above can be extended to a Further Oral Activity (FOA). If Orwell is studied in the literature components of the course, modality is one a...
  • Faction ...to the Balti, who trekked long distances to graze their animals in summer, and he handed them out to members of Haji Ali’s extended family. To Sakina, he gave his camping stove, capable of burning the kerosene found in every Balti village. He drape...
  • What is this thing called free speech? ...may be these: (i) What is the value of free speech? (ii) What limits should we set to free speech?This page was updated and extended in December 2018.Activity 1: Choose the Aphorism Choose the AphorismTeachers should place the following statements...
  • Course Construction: Q&A ...is – has to be – transferable. That is, moving through the course, understandings established now will be revisited and extended in the future. Also, these magazine covers are multimodal texts – there is a visual and written mode, although the...
  • Undocumented worker or illegal immigrant - The language of immigration (with body of work) (Tim, immigration, body of work, immigrant, undocumented worker, illegal immigrant) ...n find them here and here.  In the resources below, you will find many single text types and two opportunities to create an extended or further study of a body of work.  In other words, when you think it is appropriate, zoom into a body of work if...
  • Undocumented worker or illegal immigrant - The language of immigration (with bodies of work) (Tim, immigration, body of work, immigrant, undocumented worker, illegal immigrant, perspective, representation) ...n find them here and here.  In the resources below, you will find many single text types and two opportunities to create an extended or further study of a body of work.  In other words, when you think it is appropriate, zoom into a body of work if...

Blog Posts: 9 results

4 full matches:.

  • 2022 Category 2 Extended Essay (The Bell Jar and The Vegetarian) (Tim, 2022, EE, C2, Category 2, Extended Essay, The Bell Jar, The Vegetarian) ...the questions that arise from the powerful conclusion - there's a whole lot to celebrate in this EE!  You can find the Extended Essay here.  Best,Tim and David...
  • Extended Essay in Studies in Language ..., our students are preparing for Theory of Knowledge (TOK) presentations, and they are beginning to work with supervisors on Extended Essay s (EEs). Students, as you may know, are now able to write a Group 1, Category 3 EE in ‘Studies in Languag...
  • Working with Artificial Intelligence - 2 New Pages (Tim, AI, artificial intelligence, extended essay, research, research process, great debate, AI or student) ...st page is pretty self-explanatory.  It involves helping students use artificial intelligence in the process of writing the Extended Essay .  The second page we are publishing this week is a lesson plan that asks students to debate each other about...
  • An Open Letter to Students (about the subject reports) (Tim, Blog, Letter, Subject Reports) ...ore precise—it details all the ways that students and teachers screwed up in 2015.Because I know you are busy writing your Extended Essay , completing your CAS reflections, and trying to figure out what the heck you are actually learning in ToK, let...

5 Partial matches:

  • For Students: Higher Level Essay (Tim, Higher Level Essay, for students section, for students) This week, I’ve been working on the “For Students” section of the site with a specific focus on the Higher Level Essay .  I’ve created the following pages for this week’s update:Higher Level Essay What is it?How am I graded?Can I read an ex...
  • HL Essay: Exemplar 8 (Graphic Novel - Hostage) (Tim, HLE, Higher Level Essay, graphic novel, Hostage, exemplar, model example) ...the formatting right.  Students will be well-served to study this exemplar to see how to correctly embed evidence into the essay itself.  Students will also be well-served to notice what is missing in this exemplar and how the student could have u...
  • Supporting Students with the Higher Level Essay (Tim, Higher Level Essay, For Students, Helping students, process) This week, I’ve finalized the Higher Level Essay pages in the “For Students” section of the site.  The title of each page is written in the form of a question with the answer in the actual post itself.  You’ll find posts about the line of...
  • Paper 2: Writing About Literature ...s frequently struggle with, you are likely to receive a range of replies. Some of the answers will highlight the minutiae of essay writing, and that is reasonable enough. However, one big and frequently observed problem with Paper 2 responses is that...
  • Bodies of Work (Tim, bodies of work, body of work, new course, 2021 exams) ...with the entire text.  Instead, a student would write using the entire Gap advertisement, if they could write an analytical essay – and not a commentary – on it.  The guide states this: “Care must be taken to make sure that the chosen non-lit...

Comments: 116 results

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Kindly comment if the following research questions for category 1 Extended Essay are suitable. I am supervising this for the very first time and your input in this will be highly appreciated

Hello both;

Hi David and Tim,

We have a student who is exploring the following for her Extended Essay : How do Tamil artists utilize art and literature to express the generational impacts of persecution and genocide?

english lang and lit extended essay examples

EE Candidate 1: Category1:

Can you please clarify the following regarding an English A: Language and Literature Extended Essay Cat 3:

I have a student who is interested in writing about a non-literary text for their Extended Essay and then also including it as part of their IOA. Is that possible?

Hi Coralie,

Since neither writer is on the PRL, I would suggest the essay is a category 3 essay , in part because of the nature of the works, and perhaps also because of the student's emphasis on language.

Kind regards,

I have one question regarding HL essay - can students write their essay on two texts by two different authors ? Or is it advisable to stick to one author only ?

Best regards,

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Good morning

I am instructing my students about the HL essay and seem to remember there was a compulsory OUTLINE that had to be handed in with the HL essay . Is this (still) true?

One of my student wants to use a film that we have worked with in class for her HL essay . The thing is that she is not analysing language per se.

english lang and lit extended essay examples

A:5 B:3 C:3 D:4

Do you have any advice on when a good deadline would be for the HLE essay , assuming the IO would take in place in semester 1 of year 2?

Thanks for your help,

Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language.

Please note we normally guide students to clearly distinguish texts they plan to use for the oral, Higher Level essay , and Paper 2 to avoid double dipping.

Laura Kearsley

english lang and lit extended essay examples

Students can write their HL essay on a film studied. In almost all instances, students should include relevant still images, and these should be embedded into the body of the response (i.e. not as an appendix).

Many thanks,

So then for cat 1, since it says "Studies of one or more literary works originally written in the language in which the essay is presented." - can the student look at multiple Rossetti's poems? Thanks again

Hello gentlemen,

No outline is required for the HL Essay . On the other hand, an outline is required for the Individual Oral (IO).

Is it ok to use 1st person POV in the EE, like "my essay will explore" or is it better to keep everything in 3rd person POV? Thank you,

Hi Everyone!

Happy new year!!!!

I have a question. What happens if in the HL essay the student needs a big quote and includes it as a foot note? Is that Allowed? Can you please help me with this?

Thank you so much!

english lang and lit extended essay examples

As this is my first year teaching Language A I am struggling a bit with the HL essay . I have these two questions which I think are fine, but could you give me some feedback please?

I have a student who would like to complete a cat 3 essay focusing on advertisements. On this, must students pick one brand to focus on or can they choose advertisements from different brands but the connection is thematic?

Dear David and Tim,

Dear Tim and David,

One of my students has chosen this for her HL essay :

The HLE does not require students to explicitly mention one of the seven course concepts in the essay . It's not in the grading criteria, for example.

english lang and lit extended essay examples

I have a group of ten HL students and four of them have chosen to do their HL essay on The Stranger by Camus, The four have very different titles but they all consider the narrative voice as that was the focus of my teaching

Can the Monbiot essay s be considered literary in terms of the IO? For example, could you pair a Monbiot essay with a Steve Cutts image? Or would that be disqualified?

If she is only considering the lyrics, it is a category 1 essay . I believe one of the seasons on the Dissect podcast (season 11?) considered Radiohead. I think it would be very worthwhile for the kid to listen to this podcast.

english lang and lit extended essay examples

  • TTS Libguides
  • Tanglin LibGuides
  • Senior Library

IB Extended Essay (EE)

  • Extended Essay Main Page
  • Business & Management
  • Computer Science
  • Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)
  • Human Rights
  • Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)
  • Mathematics
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • Visual Arts
  • World Religions
  • World Studies

Find a password

Excellent extended essay - english, find example excellent essays, click on the subjects to browse the list of excellent extended essays..

  • << Previous: Economics
  • Next: Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) >>
  • Last Updated: Oct 18, 2022 9:00 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.tts.edu.sg/EE

IMAGES

  1. FREE 8+ Extended Essay Samples in MS Word

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

  2. How to Write an Extended Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

  3. How to Write an Extended Essay: The Fullest Guide

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

  4. Extended essay introduction outline. How to Write an Extended Essay

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

  5. Extended Essay Examples sample, Bookwormlab

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

  6. Guide to Paper 2

    english lang and lit extended essay examples

VIDEO

  1. Live English Grammar Class. Kinds of Noun

  2. IB English A ✨ Grade 7 Paper 1 Response for Print Adverts ✨ Language and Literature

  3. IB English A Lang & Lit Paper 1 essay outlining practice #1

  4. HOW TO SCORE AN A ON YOUR IB ENGLISH EXTENDED ESSAY

  5. Edexcel English Lang & Lit Paper 2B

  6. ADVANCED ENGLISH STORY 🌧️A Rainy Weekend🌧️ C1

COMMENTS

  1. IB English A (Lang & Lit) EE examples

    EE English A (Lang & Lit) B. Effects of Parallels and Divergence in Mythological Retellings. EE English A (Lang & Lit) B. High scoring IB English A (Lang & Lit) Extended Essay examples. See what past students did and make your English A (Lang & Lit) EE perfect by learning from examiner commented examples!

  2. LibGuides: Extended Essay: Language and Literature

    Categories 1 & 2 ***Category 2 essays are the same as category 1, but they analyze works not written in English*** Language and Literature papers in categories 1 and 2 are focused on one or more literary works and can focus on original literary analysis, a particular literary topic, and/or established literary criticism.

  3. The Complete IB Extended Essay Guide: Examples, Topics, and Ideas

    References and bibliography. Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories, or IB subject groups, which are as follows: Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature. Group 2: Language Acquisition. Group 3: Individuals and Societies. Group 4: Sciences. Group 5: Mathematics.

  4. IB English A (Lit) EE examples

    How are Rose and her familial relations characterized using magical realism and other literary devices in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender? EE English A (Lit) High scoring IB English A (Lit) Extended Essay examples. See what past students did and make your English A (Lit) EE perfect by learning from examiner commented examples!

  5. Past Essays

    IB Extended Essay; Past Essays; Search this Guide Search. IB Extended Essay: Past Essays ... Language & literature (language A) Language acquisition (language B) Economics. Chemistry. Biology. Mathematics. Music. Physics. Psychology. Visual Arts. World Studies. Film. Business Management. English A & B EE Examples. English A EE Example English A ...

  6. English Extended Essay: The Complete Guide for IB Students

    This category of English Extended Essay is based on a specific work of literature wit text written in the English language. How to Write English Extended Essay . Writing a 4,000-word essay takes time. You have to identify a topic of interest, develop a research question, determine what to base your research on, and find the right information to ...

  7. Extended Essay: Group 1: English Language and Literature

    A Group 1 Extended Essay in studies in language and literature gives students an opportunity to undertake independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.

  8. Extended essay

    The extended essay is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper. One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students. Read about the extended essay in greater detail. You can also read about how the IB sets deadlines for ...

  9. IB English Extended Essay Writing Guide (with Tips and Examples)

    IB English Extended Essay Writing Guide. Table of Contents. Tip #1: Choosing the perfect IB English Extended Essay Topic. Tip #2: How to choose an IB English Extended Essay Research Question. Tip #3: Making relevant analsysis for the IB English Extended Essay.

  10. Examples

    These highlight the diverse range of topics covered by International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) students during their extended essays. Some examples are: "A study of malnourished children in Indonesia and the extent of their recovery after a period of supervised improved nutrition.". "Doing versus being: language and ...

  11. DP English A: Language & Literature: Extended Essay in Studies in Language

    It's a solid essay. Certainly, it's the right kind of essay for this category. Here's a book recommendation: Projects in Linguistics and Language Studies by Alison Wray and Aileen Bloomer. I used it as a postgraduate student, I used it teaching undergraduate students, and now I find I am using it with Category 3 EE students.

  12. Studies in language and literature

    6. The essay is a good example of work which meets the requirements of the top level (5-6) of achievement in this criterion. The research topic is effectively communicated and the purpose and focus of the research is clear. In addition, the candidate has made an effective selection of source material in support of her answer (especially the ...

  13. LibGuides: Extended Essay Essentials: Languages

    An extended essay (EE) in studies in language and literature gives students an opportunity to undertake independent research into a topic of special interest to them within the subject. It is intended to promote advanced research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity. The essay is open to students who are writing in a ...

  14. IB English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA examples

    IA English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay HL 6. High scoring IB English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay Internal Assessment examples. See what past students did and make your English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA perfect by learning from examiner commented examples!

  15. DP English A Literature: Extended Essay: the basics

    The Extended Essay. Extended Essay: the basics. The Extended Essay asks students to explore a particular topic in relation to one of their 6 subjects, which represents for them an area of personal and independent interest. It is an opportunity to acquire effective research skills, develop a capacity for detailed critical thinking, and promote ...

  16. Exemplar Essays

    Exemplar Essays. Please note that many of these examples mentioned below were written prior to the publication of the new IB Guide 2018. Therefore, changes such as the abstract no longer being required, will not be reflected in some of these examples. You can also refer to the IB Extended Essay Guide for Assessed Student Work for more updated ...

  17. IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) Explained

    The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary. The HLE will make up 25% of your final IB English HL grade, and it is graded externally.

  18. DP English A: Language & Literature: Extended Essays: Studies in

    Students have, since the May 2013 examination session, had the opportunity to submit Extended Essays in Group 1, Category 3: Studies in Language. It is very important that students submitting essays in this category have a particular focus on language, and through the consideration of a text or texts aim to do some kind of meaningful textual analysis. Category 3 Extended Essays should not be ...

  19. IB Extended Essay English (Lang/Lit) Example RPPF

    IB Extended Essay English (Lang/Lit) Example RPPF - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Complete example reflections (as seen in 'Reflections in Planning and Progress' form) for the International Baccalaureate Extended Essay (English A).

  20. US

    Extended Essay & RPPF Exemplars. (Language B) Studies in language and literature: Punk music in the UK. How did the punk movement influence certain aspects of the British culture did in the 20th century? (Language B) Language acquisition: Linguistic Strategies in the United States Presidential Election Debates 2016.

  21. English A: Language & Literature search: extended essay

    Q&A For Students: The Higher Level Essay and the Individual Oral. ...our students. They are studying English A: Language and Literature, five other subjects, studying TOK, doing CAS, writing an Extended Essay, negotiating life and perhaps, we hope, actually having and enjoying their lives. The IB is a tall order.

  22. PDF IB ENGLISH: Extended Essay Assessment Criterion A: Focus and Method 6

    extended essay under consideration. Criterion A: Focus and Method - 6 points possible For all three categories of studies in language and literature essays, the term "research" should be interpreted as "research material(s)" or "area of investigation" or "the topic under investigation".

  23. Tanglin LibGuides: IB Extended Essay (EE): English

    Excellent Extended Essay - English. Examination of how the domestic symbols of the house and food establish the themes of dislocation, miscommunication and loneliness in Jhumpa Lahiri's 'Interpreter of Maladies' (2014) How does Cormac McCarthy portray common thematic elements in No Country for Old Men and The Road? (2009)