Finding a topic for IB extended essays


Your International Baccalaureate extended essay is very likely extremely important for you and you will want to make the most of it. While most of the people out there find academic writing to be difficult to handle, the fact that the IB extended essay is so important can mean that you will feel even more stressed out about it.

However, you should know the fact that as long as you keep some guidelines in mind, everything will come more natural and it will flow smoother when it comes both to the research and to the writing proper. In addition to the fact that you will have to keep in mind the official guidelines (and do bear in mind the fact that the subject-specific guidelines are extremely important as well), there will be yet another thing that will determine whether or not you will be successful with this essay: your topic. Read on and find out more about how to find a good topic for your International Baccalaureate extended essay.

  1. Never choose the topic first. As a matter of fact, it is actually recommended that you choose the subject first and only then settle on a topic. Many people make the mistake of doing things the other way around, but this also means that you may find it rather difficult to find the right subject for your topic.

  2. Never choose something you are not interested in. Settle on a subject you are familiar with, since this will give you a better idea of what it is that you should cover in your essay. Even more, settle on a topic that actually arouses your interest. Otherwise, you risk losing your interest over the course of the research and writing process and this can lead to you submitting an incomplete essay or an essay that is just not as good as it should have been.

  3. Think outside of the box and settle on a topic that is as unique as possible.

  4. Your topic should be narrow (since the entire paper should not have more than 4,000 words and you cannot cover large topics in such a paper). However, do bear in mind the fact that you will have to find enough materials to back up your research and that choosing a topic that is too narrow or too original will make it difficult for you to find the materials you need.

  5. 4. Always check with your essay supervisor to see if the topic you have chosen is alright.