Step by Step Guide to The Extended Essey in IB Psychology

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Step 1: Carefully follow the teacher's EE instructions and materials below. Moreover, carefully internalize our school's EE Handbook. Furhtermore, carefully internalize the EE assessment criteria (A: Focus and method, B: Knowledge and understanding, C: Critical thinking, D: Presentation and E: Engagement)

Step 2: Choose a tentative topic and a tentative research question for your EE. Then, consult your EE supervisor. The supervisor will give you feedback on whether your ideas are suitable for the IB Psychology EE or not. Make adjustements to your topic and research question if needed. This is your first check-in session.

Step 3: Start looking for ACADEMIC sources for your topic and research question. You should find around 10 ACADEMIC sources for your EE. You can use more, if you have resources to cover them all. Make adjustements to your topic and reseach question if needed.

- Start with Google Scholar and Directory of Open Access Journals. You can access these conveniently from everywhere.
- Continue your search with JYKDOK. JYKDOK is a user interface for all electronic and printed material of the Jyväskylä Universty Library. JYKDOK is part of nationwide Finna search service. Please, use Finna as well for academic searches.
- Physically go to the Jyväskylä University Library and ask the librarians for a permission to access the PsycNET database. This is the cornocupia of academic sources for your Psychology EE. The librarians will help you with any kind of academic sources and searches. They are the experts of academic information.

Step 4: Consult your EE supervisor for the initial reflection. Supervisor will give you quick feedback on your progress. Moreover, teacher will instruct you on your first reflection (see step 5).

Step 5: Write your initial reflection of the RPPF form to ManageBac by the end of April. Initial reflection covers the choice of topic and formulation of your research question. Use the supervisors feedback (see step 4) and the following questions as a base for your first reflection:

- Why is your topic and research question personally important to you?
- Was there a specific conversation, book, news report or other source that helped you narrow your focus or decide on your topic and research question? Please, explain.
- What do you see as your biggest challenge as you begin this process? How do you hope to address this challenge?

Please note! ManageBac locks your reflections quite swiftly, so write your reflections in word processing software first and copy and paste them to ManageBac when you are finished. Always keep a back up of your reflections on your own computer.

Step 6: Start writing your EE. Use the following instructions:

- Download the EE base document below and rename it. Do NOT use the online version of the word. Use the full desktop version. Do NOT change the settings of the Word-document. Use the styles to fully implement the APA style. The EE in IB Psychology should be written with APA style. Ask the teacher for help if encounter any difficulties in APA referencing system.
- Develop your argument with careful and appropriate citation of relevant concepts, theories and studies from academic psychological research journals and books.

- Do NOT make any assertions unsupported by evidence drawn from psychological theories or studies.

- Offer a balanced argument in response to your research question.

- Don’t just describe your sources, but analyse them as well in relation to your research question.
- It's ok to adjust your topic and research question as you write your EE. Your sources might reveal fresh insights.
- Always keep in mind the EE assessment criteria.

- Meet the IBO criteria for academic honesty.

Step 7: Before summer break, consult your supervisor. Show your tentative EE draft to your supervisor. Supervisor will give you quick feedback on your progress so far. This is your second check-in session.

Step 8: Continue writing your EE. Keep in mind the instructions in step 6 and teacher's feedback from step 7.

Step 9: Upload the first submission of your EE to ManageBac for your supervisor's annotation by the end of August. Supervisor will annotate your EE's first submission as soon as possible. Try be as finished as possible with your EE at this stage. Remember that this is the only time during your EE process when you receive extensive feedback on your EE.

Step 10: Arrange a session with your EE supervisor. The supervisor will explain the annotations made to your draft and instruct you on your second reflection. This session lasts around 30 to 60 minutes

Step 11: Write your interim reflection of the RPPF form to ManageBac straight after the meeting with your supervisor (see step 10). Interim reflection covers the EE process so far and its relation to the initial reflection. Use the supervisor's feedback (see step 10) and the following questions as a base for your second reflection:

- Looking back at your initial reflection, how would you assess the start of your research process for this question? Did you plan your EE appropriately? What would you do differently if you were to start all over again?
- At this stage in your process, what could be improved in your research and writing method? What specific steps should you take to show improvement?
- How can TOK and CAS be associated with the writing process of your EE? What have you learned from the nature of knowledge or creativity, activity and service?
- Has anything surprised you so far in your research? How has this affected your approach to the paper?

Step 12: Finish your EE with the help of your supervisor's feedback. If needed, you can quickly consult your supervisor before you upload the final submission of your EE to ManageBac. This is your third check-in session.

Step 13: Count the words of your EE with the help of the IBO's EE word count system. Title page, Table of contents, References, possible Appendices, headers and parenthetical references are NOT included in the word count. Make sure that you don't exceed the word limit of 4000 words!

Step 14: When completely finished, upload the final submission of your EE to ManageBac. After this you can't do any modifications to your EE. You should be completely finished with your EE by the end of October.

Step 15: Arrange the Viva Voce final reflection session with your supervisor. This session lasts around 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 16: Write your final reflection of the RPPF form to ManageBac straight after the meeting with your supervisor (see step 15). Final reflection covers the completion of your EE process and its relation to the previous reflections. Use the Viva Voce session (see step 15) and the following questions as a base for your third and final reflection:

- How did the things you learned about your topic and research question change your way of thinking? Did it change the way you see Psychology as a science and scientific knowledge?
- What was the most significant problem for you in carrying out the research and writing process of your paper? How were you able to resolve this problem?
- What did you learn about yourself in the process of writing this paper?
- If you were going to evaluate yourself on your planning and decision making with regard to the extended essay, what would you say?

Please note! The total number of words in your RPPF form must not exceed 500! All three reflections should fit into this word limit.

Step 17: Upload the final version of your EE to the IBO's eCoursework by the deadline provided by your supervisor. Your supervisor will upload the RPPF form for you.

Step 18: Relax and enjoy life!

Extended Essay Files

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IB Psychology EE info: IB Psychology EE info
Base Document for Extended Essay (Updated for 23IB): Base Document for Extended Essay (Updated for 23IB)
Sample paper for APA style referencing: Sample paper for APA style referencing
APA style reference list example: APA style reference list example

EE related websites

2018-05-21T09:53:38+03:00

What's New in EE from 2016
Outlines the changes in EE

EE Guide Website
This IBO website includes the latest requirements and instructions to the EE

ManageBac
Write your reflection for the "Reflection on Planning And Progress Form" in ManageBac. Convenient assessment tools and instructions for the EE can also be found in ManageBac.

Assessed Student Work
This IBO website includes three examples of psychology EEs with comments.

Useful links to APA referencing

2021-05-05T13:38:04+03:00

Memorial University Libraries Guide to APA
This set of instructional videos contain the basics of APA style referencing. Very simple, clear and informative.

Purdue Owl Guide to APA Referencing
This link leads you to Purdue Owl guide concerning APA referencing. Very informative.

APA Style Central
A very useful resource center for APA style

University of Southern Queensland APA Referencing Guide
This link has lots of examples and instructions on APA style referencing

EasyBib Guide to APA Format Papers
This link has lots of clear and easy-to-understand instructions on APA style referencing

BibMe Online Plagiarism Checker
This link enables you to do quick checks with your scientific writing. BibMe checks your text for possible accidental prlagiarism and gives you suggestions on grammar and writing style.

Citation Machine Online Plagiarism Checker
Like the link above, this link enables you to do quick checks with your scientific writing. Citation Machine checks your text for possible accidental prlagiarism and gives you suggestions on grammar and writing style.

TypeCite
Like the links above, this webpage can give you very useful instructions on APA style referencing. See the helpful subpages by clicking the "APA" in the upper bar.

Short Examples of APA
This Jyväskylä University website gives you small examples of APA style in Finnish

Extended Essay in IB Psychology

Step by Step Guide to The Extended Essey in IB Psychology

Extended Essay Files

EE related websites

Useful links to APA referencing