Subject to Topic to QuestionSubject to Topic to Question

The First Step in the Extended Essay Process

Henrico HS

Subjects Allowed by IB and HHSSubjects Allowed by IB and HHS

• Group 1• Group 2• Biology• Chemistry• Computer Science• Dance• Environmental Systems• Geography• Health and PE• History• Information Technology

• Literature and Performance• Mathematics• Music• Peace and conflict studies• Philosophy• Physics• Politics• Psychology• Theatre Arts• Visual Arts• World Religions• World Studies

Extended Essay SubjectsExtended Essay Subjectsthat are used a lot at Henrico High School

Biology

English

History

Human Rights

Peace and Conflict Studies

Politics

Psychology

Pick a subject Pick a subject

• You love it• You know a lot about it• You want to know more

Narrowing a Subject to a TopicNarrowing a Subject to a Topic

• Do some web trolling • Google searches• Wikipedia is okay – especially for bibliographies!• Look at keywords on sites• Ask questions• Go to the library; use the data bases. • Talk to experts

Some helpful tipsSome helpful tips

• How Will You Know If Your Topic Is Too Broad?– If you find yourself in the library staring at a shelf full of

books that could work as references for your topic, your topic is too broad. A good topic addresses a specific question or problem.

– If your topic can be summed up in a word or two, like smoking, school cheating, education, overweight teens, corporeal punishment, Korean War, or hip hop, it is too broad.

The Process: Ask QuestionsThe Process: Ask Questions

• Say you are interested in Postcolonialism• Start asking questions

– Postcolonial WHERE? • Country?• Region?

– Postcolonial WHAT? • Social attitudes of English in postcolonial India?• Postcolonial Canadian fiction

Another example of asking questions Another example of asking questions to narrow to a topicto narrow to a topic

• The best way to narrow your topic is to apply a few of the old familiar question words: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

. Corporal Punishment – Paddling in grade school. (where) – Emotional effects of paddling in grade school. (what and where) – Emotional effects of paddling on female children (what, who)

• Hip hop. – Hip hop as therapy. (what) – Hip hop as therapy in Japan. (what and where) – Hip hop as therapy for delinquent youth in Japan. (what, where, who)

More examples of the processMore examples of the process

• Public opinion polls >accuracy of polls >the accuracy of such polls in national elections > factors which determine the accuracy of public opinion polls in national elections. 

• The climate of opinion between World War I and World War II > the moral climate, etc.> the particular arguments involved in the debate over Prohibition >the arguments for Prohibition used by the "Drys" in support of the 18th Amendment and their arguments in the late 1920's and early 1930's to prevent repeal. 

• Discrimination against African-Americans >Northern attitudes vs. Southern attitudes > the particular geographical distinction > how Mason and Dixon's Line became a line of demarcation.  

• The Civil War > crucial battles > one battle > Napoleonic strategy and the battle of Fredericksburg

Extended Essay topics used for Extended Essay topics used for these subjectsthese subjects

Biology

The effect of detergent toxicity on soil bacteria

The effect of banana peel on seed germination

The effect of ozone and sulfur dioxide on lichen growth and distribution

Recent topics usedRecent topics used

English

Slaughterhouse Five and The Things They Carried as anti-war novels

Shelley’s Frankenstein as an allegory for 19th century women’s plight

Symbolism in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath

Recent topics usedRecent topics used

History

The effect of Japanese imperialism from 1870 through World War II on the western expansion in China

The effect of the introduction of anti-biotics and sulfa drugs on US success in WWI

The contradictory nature of the use of terror in the French Revolution

Recent Topics usedRecent Topics used

Psychology

Peer pressure and media violence and the Columbine High School shootings

Effects of psychological arousal on athlete performance

Accutane’s possible effects of depression and suicide

Good Research Questions from Good Research Questions from Possible EE topicsPossible EE topics

1. Must lead to systematic investigation, critical analysis and detailed understanding

2. Must not be of trivial nature, must aim to produce an argument that shows good understanding by setting the research question into context and addressing it fully and effectively

3. Must be appropriate to the particular subject in which the essay is submitted

How to ensure the “right fit”How to ensure the “right fit”

• DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE!– http://henricowarriors.org/biddle/?page_id=439

Topic to Research QuestionTopic to Research Question

Too Narrow Too Broad Just Right

From Topic to QuestionFrom Topic to Question

• A good research question is– broad enough to allow you to find plenty of material, – but narrow enough to fit within the size and time

constraints of your paper. – To go from topic to question, specify the following:

• Time Period: century, decade, future, etc.• Population Type: age, gender, nationality, species, etc. • Geographic Location: country, state, region, etc. • Point of View: economic, social, cultural, biological• Focus: Jungian, Feminist, Historic, Marxist

Biology

What is the effect of detergent irritants on the skin of children under five?

Too Narrow

Too broad

Just Right

English

How is the problem of racial conflict treated in specific works of James Baldwin?

Too Narrow

Too Broad

Just Right

Subject/Topic Research Question?

History

Which revolutionary manifesto has been more successful in supporting the progression of a people towards social harmony?

Too Narrow

Too broad

Just Right

Psychology

How can research on perception differences between Asians and Americans be applied to web page design?

Too Narrow

Too Broad

Just Right

Subject/Topic Research Question?

More ways to approach More ways to approach

• A question that is too broad may retrieve too much information.

• Strategies for narrowing the scope of a question which may be used individually or in combinations.

– Time: Since 1990? This year? In the future? – Place: Local social norms & values, economic & political systems, or languages. – Population: Gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, educational attainment,

species, etc.

– Viewpoint: Social, legal, medical, ethical, biological, psychological, economic, political,

philosophical? A viewpoint allows you to focus on a single aspect.

Another important question: Can the Another important question: Can the question be researched? question be researched?

• Which of these questions cannot be easily or fully researched?

– Do the economic gains that result from a trash burning plant outweigh or not outweigh its environmental impact? (Yes, sufficiently focused with material available)

– Is sexual preference a result of nature (physically based) or nurture (socially-culturally based)? (Doubtful – too broad for 4000 words)

– Does McDonald's or Burger King make a better burger? (Absolutely not – what does “better” mean?)

– Is Prozac a good way to treat clinical depression in certain cases? (Researchable but needs narrowing. Also avoid “good” – focus on “effective” and a certain age group)

– Is there a link between hours of television viewing and violent behavior in children aged 8-14? (Researchable)

Evaluate Your Own Research Question:Evaluate Your Own Research Question:8 Questions 8 Questions

• Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions?

• Is the question easily and fully researchable?• What type of information do I need to answer the research question?

E.g., The research question, "What impact has deregulation had on commercial airline safety?," will obviously require certain types of information:

• statistics on airline crashes before and after • statistics on other safety problems before and after • information about maintenance practices before and after • information about government safety requirements before and

after • Is the scope of this information reasonable (e.g., can I really research 30

online writing programs developed over a span of 10 years?)

Questions 5-8Questions 5-8

• Given the type and scope of the information that I need, is my question too broad, too narrow, or okay?

• What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question (journals, books, Internet resources, government documents, people)?

• Can I access these sources? • Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality

research question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research?

Tips for EE topics and QuestionsTips for EE topics and Questions

• Certain subjects are off limits• If choosing History, you may not focus on events

from the past 10 years• You may, however, choose a current event under

Peace and Conflict or Politics – read the guideread the guide!• Choose subject you now have in school or have

previous knowledge about• If choosing Science, you must do an experiment

It’s up to YOU!It’s up to YOU!