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IB Extended Essay: Supervisor Info

Supervisor Training

Supervisor Responsibilities

Supervisors will:

  • undertake three mandatory reflection sessions with each student they are supervising
  • initial and date each reflection summarized on the Managebac RPPF and provide comments at the end of the process
  • encourage and support students throughout the research and writing of the extended essay
  • discuss the choice of topic with each student and, in particular, help to formulate a well-focused research question which is suitable to the subject of registration and ensure that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards with regard to health and safety, confidentiality, human rights, animal welfare and environmental issues
  • is familiar with the regulations governing the extended essay and the assessment criteria, and gives copies of these to students
  • monitor the progress of the extended essay to offer guidance and to ensure that the essay is the student’s own work (this may include presenting a section of the essay for supervisor comment)
  • read and comment on one draft only of the extended essay (but do not edit the draft); this should take place after the interim reflection session, but before the final reflection session, the viva voce
  • ensure that the final version of the essay is handed in before the final reflection session (viva voce) takes place, and that no changes are made to it subsequently
  • read the final version and, in conjunction with the viva voce, confirm its authenticity.

Source: IBO.org

Viva Voce Prompts

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

Here are sample questions to help engage the student in rich dialogue about the learning process:

  1. What have been the high and low points of the research and writing processes?’

  2. What would you have done differently in the research process?

  3. What is the most important thing that you learned?

  4. What was your greatest challenge and how did you overcome it?

  5. What would you change in your research if you did another EE?

  6. How rewarding did you find the experience??

  7. What was the most valuable experience that you took away from the process?

  8. What was your greatest challenge and what did you do to overcome it?

  9. What advice would you give to the next year’s group?

  10. What IB learner profile attribute would you say helped you through the process (communicator, risk-taker, etc.)?

  11. Would you like to continue reading on this topic?

  12. What questions did this process raise?

  13. What conclusions have you drawn about the topic?

  14. What ATL skills did you develop the most through this process?

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

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

Source: IS-Manila EE Guide

World Studies

  • The World Studies EE is organized across six global themes. Students choose one of these under which to register their essay
  • The World Studies EE invites students to conduct an in-depth, interdisciplinary investigation into an issue of contemporary global importance
  • The World Studies EE requires students to bring together aspects of different disciplines to illuminate their chosen topic
  • Students should use two DP subjects. It is strongly recommended that students are undertaking a course of study in at least one of the subjects chosen for their essay
  • Students are not expected to address the topic in its full complexity, but should aim to generate understandings that are new to them

Assessment

Five Criterion:

A: Focus and method (6)

B: Knowledge & understanding (6)

C: Critical thinking (12)

D: Presentation (4)

E: Engagement (6)

Total: 34 points

Grade Boundaries (2020)

  • A 27-34
  • B 21-26
  • C 14-20
  • D 7-13
  • E 0-6