EE: First Reflection Session

As part of your engagement mark (Criterion E), you will be required to fulfil 3 reflection sessions with your supervisor. Your reflection will be recorded in the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF) and submitted along with your extended essay proper. Engagement is worth 6 points in total or 17% of your final EE mark.

What is expected in the first session? 

This initial reflection session will be a dialogue between you and your supervisor based on your initial explorations. It is a good idea to send your supervisor an outline of your research proposal before the meeting so that he or she has the chance to review your work. This will ensure that the reflection session is focused and productive.

Topics of discussion that will arise during this session include:

• a review of the requirements and assessment criteria for the subject

• a review of ethical and legal implications, if applicable

• a dialogue about possible approaches and any potential problems that might arise

• a discussion of strategies for developing your ideas for the essay and expanding the research so that the essay starts to take form

• probing and challenging questions that will help focus your thinking; this should lead to the development of a working research question

• an outline of the next steps that you should undertake in order to refine your question; this should take the form of a research and writing timeline.

How shall I prepare for this session?

1. Think about subjects and areas of particular personal interest and do some initial background reading into a subject and topic of your choice.

2. Using this as a starting point, explore a variety of possible research topics.

3. Read the subject-specific section of the Extended essay guide, paying particular attention to the nature of the subject and the treatment of the topic.

4. Undertake further background reading and begin gathering information around your area of interest. This exploration should give rise to a variety of topics and questions that you can consider for further research. At this stage it is important to consider the availability of reliable and valid sources for your topic. All of this should be recorded in your Researcher’s reflection space (RRS).

5. Begin developing a research proposal which might include a MindMap® of ideas, an annotated article or preliminary bibliography.

Additionally, you should already be thinking in terms of the following questions:

• Is my topic appropriate for the subject I am considering? 

• Why am I interested in this area and why is it important? 

• What possible questions have emerged from my initial reading? 

• Are there any ethical issues that I need to consider? 

• What possible methods or approaches might be used for research in this area and why?