The Extended Essay

This gives you the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest and to get used to the kind of independent research and writing skills expected at university.

The recommended time spent on the essay is 40 hours of private study and writing time and there is an absolute limit of 4,000 words.

You may choose to write on any subject area offered in the diploma programme, but you are usually advised to focus on one of the subjects you have already chosen. Interdisciplinary themes are not accepted.

The College will provide an extended essay supervisor who will give you both academic guidance on the subject matter and general guidance on time management and the overall structure and presentation of the paper, while checking that the essay is all your own work.

Extended essays are assessed according to both general and subject-specific criteria.

The general criteria relates to the appropriateness of your research question, the way in which the material is handled, the level of analysis and the quality of the argument.

Subject-specific assessment criteria relates to how you manage your chosen topic within the context of the subject in which the essay is registered.

Since the purpose of the extended essay is to provide you with an opportunity to engage in independent research, the general assessment criteria is given twice as much weight as the subject-specific criteria.