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The Complete IB Extended Essay Guide: Examples, Topics, and Ideas

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

What's Next?

Trying to figure out what extracurriculars you should do? Learn more about participating in the Science Olympiad , starting a club , doing volunteer work , and joining Student Government .

Studying for the SAT? Check out our expert study guide to the SAT . Taking the SAT in a month or so? Learn how to cram effectively for this important test .

Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

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As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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IB Extended Essay: Past Essays

• Research Questions
• Past Essays
• Notes & Outlines
• Works Cited Page
• In-Text Citations
• Assessment Criteria
• Reflections
• Supervisor Info
• Net Valley Library This link opens in a new window

Check these CAREFULLY to be sure your topic fits with IB expectations!

• Language & literature (language A)
• Language acquisition (language B)
• Mathematics
• Visual Arts
• World Studies

Business Management

English a & b ee examples.

• English A EE Example
• English A EE Example 1
• English A EE Example 2
• English A EE Example 3
• English B EE Example
• English B EE Example 1
• English B EE Example 2
• English B EE Example 3
• English B EE Example 4
• English B EE Example 5
• English B EE Example 6

Philosophy EE Examples

• Philosophy Example 1
• Philosophy Example 2
• Philosophy Example 3
• Philosophy Example 4

Economics EE Examples

• Econ Example 1
• Econ Example 2
• Econ Example 3
• Econ Example 4
• Econ Example 5
• Econ Example 6
• Econ Example 7
• Econ Example 8

Review Past Papers

• From the IB:  papers from other students and how they scored
• Renaissance Library Past Essays :  Links to all subject area examples

Music EE Examples

• Music EE Example 1
• Music EE Example 2
• Music EE Example 3
• Music EE Example 4

Psychology EE Examples

• Psych EE Example 1
• Psych EE Example 2
• Psych EE Example 3

Chinese EE Examples

• Chinese EE Example 1
• Chinese EE Example 2
• Chinese EE Example 3
• Chinese A EE Cat 1
• Chinese A EE Cat 2
• Chinese A EE Cat 3
• Chinese B EE Example 1
• Chinese B EE Example 2
• Chinese B Example 3
• Business EE Example 1
• Business EE Example 2
• Business EE Example 3

Visual Arts EE Examples

• Visual Arts EE Example 1
• Visual Arts EE Example 2
• Visual Arts EE Example 3
• Visual Arts EE Example 4

Film EE Examples

• Film Example 1
• Film Example 2

Chemistry EE Examples

• Chemistry EE Example

Biology EE Examples

• Biology EE Example
• Biology EE Example 1
• Biology EE Example 2
• Biology EE Example 3

Physics EE Examples

• Physics EE Example
• Physics EE Example 1
• Physics EE Example 2
• Physics EE Example 3
• Physics EE Example 4
• Physics EE Example 5

Math EE Examples

• Math EE Example 1
• Math EE Example 2
• Math EE Example 3
• Math EE Example 4
• Math EE Example 5
• Math EE Example 6

World Studies EE Examples

• World Studies Example 1
• World Studies Example 2
• World Studies Example 3
• World Studies Example 4
• World Studies Example 5
• World Studies Example 6
• World Studies Example 7
• World Studies Example 8
• World Studies Example 9
• World Studies Example 10
• World Studies Example 11
• World Studies Example 12
• World Studies Example 13
• World Studies Example 14
• World Studies Example 15
• World Studies Example 16
• World Studies Example 17
• World Studies Example 18
• << Previous: Research Questions
• Next: Notes & Outlines >>
• Last Updated: Apr 9, 2024 9:39 AM
• URL: https://sis-cn.libguides.com/ExtendedEssay

Extended Essay (First Exams 2018): Examples of Extended Essays

• EE Intro to Inquiry
• Examples of Extended Essays
• Recommended Research Tools
• How-to: Research Help

Samples from the IBO

The IBO publishes two volumes of  50 Excellent Extended Essays , covering all Diploma Programme groups -- and all scored a top A grade.

Click on the link below to access PDFs of the essays. 

50 Excellent Extended Essays

All 50 essays are also available in electronic form in the QD Library on the iPads.  Look for the display at the circulation desk. The essays are found in the iBooks app. The iPads are available for check out at the circulation for periods of 30 minutes at one time.

Recently, the IBO has produced another list of exemplars with marks. Click on the link below to access this:

• Assessed Student Work  
• << Previous: EE Intro to Inquiry
• Next: Recommended Research Tools >>
• Last Updated: Nov 26, 2021 12:34 PM
• URL: https://libguides.qibaodwight.org/ee

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

Guide to the IB Extended Essay in 2024

January 24, 2024

If you’re an International Baccalaureate student getting ready to write your IB Extended Essay, you might be experiencing some very understandable trepidation. But have no fear—we’re here to help you understand what’s required of you, how to plan ahead (IB extended essay topics), and how you’ll be graded (IB extended essay rubric). Keep reading for a good dose of preparation and confidence before you begin the journey. In this article, we’ll cover:

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The ib extended essay—required content, ib extended essay topics.

IB Extended Essay—Sample Essays

IB Extended Essay Tips

Ib extended essay rubric, ib extended essay—more resources.

The IB Extended Essay is a 4,000-word paper that asks you to immerse yourself in research and academic writing. A required part of the IB program, the Extended Essay is a chance to dig deep into a topic that fascinates you.

Although it’s no small task, the IB Extended Essay is an opportunity to gain practical research and writing skills that will come in handy again in college. As you write, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify credible sources
• Formulate a research question and limit your scope of research
• Communicate ideas to an audience
• Develop a well-supported argument

The IB Extended Essay is largely an independent, self-directed project, but don’t worry—the IB program doesn’t throw you into the deep end. You do get to select a mentor (usually a teacher at your school) to help guide you through the process. As you write, you’ll be required to meet with your mentor three times. As part of your final evaluation, your mentor will interview you in a final reflection section called a viva voce . During the viva voce, your mentor will check for plagiarism and malpractice, ask you to reflect on challenges and difficulties, and prompt you to discuss what you’ve learned through the research and writing process. Your mentor will then generate a report that factors into your final grade.

Your final essay must include the following:

• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

For this essay, it will be up to you to generate a topic; the International Baccalaureate does not provide prompts. However, your essay will need to fit within one of six provided subject areas . You’ll choose from the following list of IB Extended Essay Topics:

• Language and literature
• Language acquisition
• Individuals and societies
• Mathematics

IB Extended Essay Topics (Continued)

At a glance, the subject areas might look limited, but the topics you can choose to write about are actually wide-ranging. The “Individuals and societies” category includes social science topics like economics, history, world religions, and philosophy. And, if you’re leaning toward “Science,” you can choose from classic subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics, or related topics like environmental systems or health science, among others.

The IB also offers a special “World Studies” option for students interested in researching global issues. This subject would allow you to center your writing on global issues such as migration, global health, cultural exchange, or climate change.

Wondering what an outstanding IB Extended Essay looks like? The International Baccalaureate provides quite a few sample student essays online . Here are five essays that earned A grades.

Language and literature: An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita

Environmental Systems and Societies: The economic impact of the 1995 reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone National Park

Psychology: To what extent do social networking sites (SNS) usage lead to experience of anxiety in adolescents?

Music: Composition techniques in the 1st movement of Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

Business Management: Corporate Culture at Oracle

1) Pick something you’re passionate about

As you can see from the titles above, the IB Extended Essay is a great place to delve into a niche topic that fascinates you. Since you’ll be spending many months on this essay, you’ll want to pick a topic you genuinely enjoy spending time learning about. It’s also smart to choose something you’ve already learned about in your IB classes so that you have a strong foundation of knowledge to start with. In music class, do you love pondering why music makes us feel a certain way? Maybe an essay about music theory will keep your gears turning. Do you come alive trying to solve seemingly impossible problems in physics class? Now’s your chance to put those equations into action.

Since this essay is all about your academic interests, it’s also a good idea to pick a topic that’s relevant to what you plan to study in college. Selecting a relevant topic will provide you with significant exposure to the field and will also give you something meaningful to talk about in your college admissions essays.

2) Limit your scope

What’s the meaning of life? Why do wars happen? What is time? Some questions are just way too big to answer, and your IB Extended Essay is not a good place to tackle expansive, philosophical questions. Instead, think of this essay as a place to investigate one piece of a big question. If, let’s say, you’re generally interested in what helps women reach positions of leadership in business, this is a good place to examine how one or a few companies approach this issue. Or, if you’re interested in studying what inspires surrealist painters, you’ll want to pick one or a few painters to research, likely all from the same time period. For both these topics, you’d need a whole textbook to tackle the full question, but limiting your scope will make it much easier to write a clear and cohesive 4,000 words.

On the other hand, it’s possible to narrow your focus too much. It would be impossible, for example, to write 4,000 words about a single sentence in a novel. Make sure you talk about scope early and often with your mentor. Together, you can find the perfect Goldilocks scope for your project that’s not too big and not too small.

3) Choose a good mentor

Speaking of mentors, choosing wisely will help you enormously as you embark on your IB Extended Essay. You’ll want to make sure you choose someone with existing knowledge in your research topic. Your English teacher may be able to give you great writing advice, for example, but they won’t be able to guide your research and scope if you’re writing about marine animals or modern dance.

Before you approach a teacher, make sure you have at least one topic idea (or even a few ideas) in mind so that you can make sure they’ll be a good fit to supervise your project. When you meet with them, find out what their mentorship style is like. Make sure they’ll have time to read several drafts of your essays, meet with you a few times, and give you feedback. Some IB schools will require your IB Extended Essay mentor to sign an agreement form too, so make sure you find out what paperwork is required in advance.

4) Get organized, way organized

The IB Extended Essay is not something you can crank out the night before it’s due. The essay is meant to be a substantive, in-depth, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched analysis, and Rome simply isn’t built in a day. This might be the longest paper you’ve written to date, and this project might require more research than you’ve been asked to do before. Timelines vary by school, but you’ll likely spend between eight months and a year working on your IB Extended Essay. So, how will you pull it all off? For these 8-12 months, organization will be your guiding light. We recommend you:

• Get started early. If your essay is due November of your senior year, start generating topic ideas during your junior year right after winter break.
• Create a long-view schedule for yourself. What will you accomplish each month of your process?
• Give yourself deadlines. Once you choose a mentor, suggest 2-3 draft deadline dates so that you will be held accountable throughout the writing process.
• Find a note-taking system that works for you. You’ll be reading many articles and books and it’s hard to keep track of all your sources. Create a document or spreadsheet where you keep track of the sources you’ve found and check them off as you read. As you finish reading a text, type up important quotes and a few notes explaining how it connects to your topic and to your other texts.

5)Write a messy first draft

Writing never comes out perfect the first time, even for New York Times bestselling authors and the most experienced researchers. In your first draft, give yourself permission to get all your thoughts out, no matter how unstructured or rambling they are. Call this your brainstorming draft. When you’re ready to revisit it, see what patterns emerge, what common ideas you can group together, what beginning buds of ideas you can make bloom into full-fledged analysis.

6) Communicate for an audience

When you’re used to producing writing that only your teacher reads, it can be hard to remember to write for an audience. But at the end of the day, writing is communication , and the best writing is clear and thorough communication that anyone could pick up and read. For your IB Extended Essay, you’ll want to remember that many people will be reading your final essay, and not all of them will be experts in the niche topic you choose to study. Ask yourself: how can I explain my research to an audience who doesn’t already agree with my analysis?

To communicate to an audience, you’ll want to:

• Provide lots of general background information on your topic.
• Don’t assume your reader is familiar with your sources. Introduce them as if they’re guest speakers about to walk up to a podium and deliver a lecture.
• After including quotes, facts, and figures, be sure to explain what those sources mean in your own words and how they connect to your bigger-picture argument.
• Don’t assume your arguments are self-evident. In this essay, communicating for an audience means supplying ongoing interpretation and analysis, even if it feels like you’re explaining the obvious. Your reader isn’t on your research journey with you, so your points might not be so obvious to your reader.

Although your IB Extended Essay provides a report that factors into your grade, your essay will also be assessed by external examiners the IB. Per the IB Extended Essay Rubric , essays are graded on a scale from 0 to 34 based on 5 different criteria:

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

As you can see, Critical Thinking is the most significant rubric category. This means that the IB wants to see you arrive at your own unique analysis of your topic, drawing connections between sources and data, and making well-supported arguments. This means they want a lot of you: your ideas, your interpretations, your thoughts. Make sure you emphasize that in your essay, but of course don’t forget the other categories.

The score a student receives corresponds to a letter grade scale that is slightly different than what we’re accustomed to in the U.S. Here’s the letter grade to numerical score breakdown:

You must earn a D or higher to receive your IB Diploma. To learn more about the different criteria included in the IB Extended Essay Rubric, you can explore the IB’s full guide to the Extended Essay .

We hope you found our look at the IB extended essay rubric and IB extended essay topics to be helpful. Ready to dive into research? You may want to read our 10 Expert Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension before you hit the books.

And if you’re a high school student in the process of mapping out your pathway to college, take a look at a few other useful guides:

• IB vs AP—Which Classes are Best for College Admission?
• How to Earn College Credit in High School
• High School Course Requirements for College Admission
• SAT Score Calculator
• ACT Score Calculator 
• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

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2016-2025 IB Extended Essay: Sample IB EE's

• Workshop 1: Getting started
• Workshop 2: EE Options
• Workshop 3: Selecting a topic
• Workshop 4:Research Questions
• Workshop 5: Supervisors and Reflections
• Finding Books & Ebooks
• Primary Sources
• Citation Guide
• Subject guidance
• Sample IB EE's

• Biology (2018 new rubric)
• Biology Light Intensity
• Does Age Have an Effect on Short-term Memory of 6 to 18 Year Old Students?

Chemistry: 

• Chemistry 1
• What are the Alternative Fuels for the Depleting Fossil Fuels and which is the Best Fuel in Accordance with the Energy Output?
• A Copper Ions
• Chemistry 3

Design Technology

• Does Hull Trim and Balance Affect the Speed of a Boat?

Individuals & Society:

• Market Form of the Retail Petroleum Supply Industry in Parklands
• Economics 1
• Economics 2
• Economics 3

I have an exemplar but the file is too big to upload.  If you are interested in this topic I can share the essay with you.

• Geography 2
• History EE (2018 new rubric)
• To What Extent was the Establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine in 1948, Influenced by Theodor Herzl?

Information Technology in a Global Society

• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Psychology EE (2018 new rubric)
• Applied Behavior Analysis and Early Intervention: The Extent of Recovery from Autism
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3

Social & Cultural Anthropology

• Social & Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social & Cultural Anthropology 2

World Religions

• To What Extent do the Core Scriptural Teachings of Sikhism Permit them to Marry Outside of the Religion?
• World Religions 1
• World Religions 2

Language Acquisition:

• French: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Literature & Language 

•   Journeys in the Inferno and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz   
•   Toni Morrison 

Math: 

•   Cryptography and Rubik's Cube: An Investigative Analysis   
•   Pascal's Triangle 

Visual Arts: 

•   How Does the work of Yinka Shonibare Illustrate the Changing Role of African Art in a Global Society? 
• Ballet's Accessibility and Costumes Affecting Society's View of the Art Form
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 4

Interdisciplinary Essays:

Environmental Systems & Societies

• ESS Extended Essay (2018 new rubric)

World Studies

• World Studies EE History, Economics, & Politics  (2018 new rubric)
• Does the Production of Dairy and Meat from Dairy Cows in the United States affect the Environment and Well Being of Animals and Humans?
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• Last Updated: Aug 25, 2024 12:34 PM
• URL: https://lewishs-fcps.libguides.com/IBExtendedEssay

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IB Extended Essay Ideas

What’s covered:, what is the ib extended essay, extended essay examples, how is the ee scored, how does the extended essay affect my admission chances.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP or IB) is a rigorous high school program considered to be equivalent to the AP system, if not harder. Along with coursework and examinations in this two-year long program, there are expectations to write an in-depth essay on one subject of your selection, called the Extended Essay (EE). The following article is about the EE and presents ideas for topics to write about. 

The EE is an essay required to gain the IBDP and pass the course. It’s not like any regular essay, as it gives the student a chance to write a college-level research paper at an earlier point of their lives, giving them useful exposure for their future endeavors in further education. The essay is written in a single subject of your choosing, giving you six options to choose from. The EE is usually done in one of your HL classes, as it could have more scope to produce a more in-depth paper based on the increased amounts of coursework available in HL. 

The essay is expected to be around 4,000 words long, making it not only lengthy to read but time-intensive to produce. This means students must usually figure out which subject they’re writing for early, to give them time to start earlier. The process of planning a draft, along with your appointed EE supervisor, can take up most of your time in the first year of IB (11th grade). It’s common to not start the actual writing until our 2nd year, where you not only have learned enough coursework for the subject, but have also drafted enough to create a well-written essay. 

Choosing a topic for the EE can be difficult, but hopefully the ideas and examples in this article can give you some inspiration to create your own. 

Given there are 6 subject groups in IB, each with numerous options for those groups it would be nearly impossible to suggest examples for each subject, instead we will show examples for popular subjects. These examples can serve as blueprints for crafting your own ideas! 

Example EE Topic 1 – Math HL

Example Topic: Practical Applications and Implementations of the Golden Ratio

This irrational number is often represented visually as such: 

This image contains fibonacci vectors, a visual representation of the golden ratio. It’s an interesting concept because it’s a shape/ratio that our brains are seemingly wired to prefer things to take form in, a subconscious level of attraction. Many architects and artists today use this ratio to produce visually appealing works of art, but what other practical applications have risen from this mathematical concept? An EE would be a great way to learn more about this and present it in an interesting manner! 

Example EE Topic 2 – Physics SL

Topic: Build Your Own Radio

This topic requires some fundamental understanding of circuitry and electronics, a big component of physics SL and HL. Building a radio requires thorough understanding of currents, resistances and circuit design aspects that are usually best understood through practical, hands-on learning. 

This project could also demonstrate your knowledge in waves, specifically radio and microwaves required to operate the radio. If documented right throughout the whole process, this could make for not only a very extensive and interesting EE, but fun as well! 

Example EE Topic 3 – English SL/HL

Topic: The Effects Of Shakespearean Literature On Modern English

English EE topics are a bit more difficult than other subjects because it may be the least objective class to write about. That being said, it can also be the most creative EE to write for, with this topic being an ideal example. 

Shakespeare contributed lots to literature and writing, especially in the form of plays and dramas, but how can these be observed in modern day literature? Focus on how forms of comedy from Shakespeare’s plays are implemented in modern comedy, or how some forms of artistic expression from that era could be considered problematic today. 

To make this better suited for HL, try going more in depth about other forms of literature that draw from Shakespearean influence, and more specific implementations of humor, such as slapstick (just an example of many). 

Talk about how literature personally influences you, because this EE is an opportunity to not only present information through research, but to also indulge the reader about yourself and your personality! 

IB scores the EE out of 34 points, with 5 letter grades being assigned as boundaries:

EE and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) are graded together along with CAS, to form the “core” of IB which is worth a total of 3 out of 45 points. The following table details this:

The EE doesn’t have much direct influence on your chances of admission, but learning how to write a great essay through the EE can. The admissions process requires writing a great quality essay to showcase yourself to the office of admissions as best as you can. The EE not only teaches you how to write an informative essay, but a high quality one as well! More factors are also responsible for your chances of admission, and for more info on this check out CollegeVine’s admissions calculator ! This intuitive tool uses your standardized test scores, GPA and more to calculate your chances of admission into a university of your choosing!

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How Game Theory The Use Of Vectors & Algorithms Contribute To The Effective Operation Of Today’s Chess Engines?

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How Authors Prompt Readers To Empathise With Villains In Literature

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How Does Gurnah Use Characterization & The Motif Of Dislocation To Reveal Social Struggles In Colonial East Africa In Paradise?

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How Does Activation Voltage Depend On The Wavelength Of LED Radiation Measured In The Range 400 To 800 nm And How Can This Information Be Used To Measure Planck’s Constant?

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Extended Essay Guide: Criteria, Format, Sample EEs

• Criteria, Format, Sample EEs
• Annotated Bibliographies
• DP Research Process
• Databases & Academic Journals
• Evaluate Sources
• Academic Integrity
• MLA Citation Format
• CSE Citation Format (Science & Math)
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The Assessment Crtiteria in Detail!

• Criterion A: Focus and method
• Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking
• Criterion D: Presentation
• Criterion E: Engagement
• EE_How to maximize marks for different subjects?

• Criterion C: Critical thinking

Notes from the IB

RE: Research Question and Title of Extended Essay

Please note the statement below from the EE curriculum manager regarding the need to have both a title and a RQ for all subjects. Previous versions of the EE Guide indicated that the title and the RQ should be the same for History, Business Management and Mathematics. This is no longer the case.  All essays, regardless of the subject, need to have both a RQ and a title.

Hi Kathy, 

To answer your question, I am going to quote directly from a response John Royce provided, on this forum, in October in response to a very similar question: (it was a question about using Spanish sources - hence the mention of Spanish)

It is certainly  permissible to use sources which are not in the language of the essay, but translation into the target language is required , one cannot assume that the reader understands the original language.

It is usual to quote the original as well as presenting the translation.  [Do not put quotation marks around your translation, just around the original]

Umberto Eco argues ("in Mouse or rat?") that direct translation may lose meaning, paraphrase or use of different idioms may be required to get the ideas across. Paul Bellos ("Is that a fish in your ear?") makes a similar argument - direct translation may confound meaning... Direct translation may not be ideal - meaning and understanding are preferred - so, not to worry that your student with her good Spanish cannot present a direct translation.

What  must be made clear is that the translations are those of the student;  these are her understandings. Readers can make of that what they will - and if unsure, are presented with the original - they can seek another translation.  A note in the acknowledgements and/or in the introduction to the effect that all translations are those of the writer is ... essential.

In response to the question about the  Bibliography/Works cited, my preference would be to list the source in its original Thai version, but perhaps with the English in brackets, to help the examiner.

Your bibliography will have the entries in Thai characters first in the document. Any in-text citation to Thai sources will be in (Thai characters [English translation]).

Citation in Thai [English translation]

Works Cited Example:

วงษ์ปัญญา, ธนกร [Wongpunya, Thanakorn]. “โรงงานยาสูบรวยแค่ไหน และเอาเงินไปทำอะไรบ้าง.”  [How rich is the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly and where does the money go?] (candidate translation). The Standard, The Standard, 30 Aug. 2018, thestandard.co/thailand-tobacco-monopoly/.

Format of the Extended Essay

Required Formatting

The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal academic style, appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. Given that the extended essay is a formally written research paper, it should strive to maintain a professional, academic look. 

To help achieve this, the following formatting is  required:

• 12-point, readable font (Calibri or Times New Roman);
• double spacing throughout entire Essay;
• page numbering - top right corner;
• no candidate or school name or supervisor name on the title page or page headers.

Submitting the extended essay in the required format will help set the tone of the essay and will aid readability for on-screen assessment by examiners.

Required S tructure

The structure of the essay is very important. It helps students to organize the argument, making the best use of the evidence collected. 

There are six required elements of the final work to be submitted. More details about each element are given in the  “Presentation”  section. Please note that the order in which these elements are presented here is not necessarily the order in which they should be written. 

Six required elements of the extended essay:

• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography -- if MLA "Works Cited" if CSE "References"

1. Required Title Page  

The title page should include  only  the following information: 

• the title of the essay
• the research question
• the subject the essay is registered in (if it is a language essay also state which category it falls into; if a world studies essay also state the theme and the two subjects utilized) 

The upper limit is 4,000 words for all extended essays. 

2. Required Contents Page

A contents page must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all pages should be numbered. Please note that an index page is not required and if included will be treated as if it is not present.

3. Required Introduction

The introduction should tell the reader what to expect in the essay. The introduction should make clear to the reader the focus of the essay, the scope of the research, in particular an indication of the sources to be used, and an insight into the line of argument to be taken. 

While students should have a sense of the direction and key focus of their essay, it is sometimes advisable to finalize the introduction once the body of the essay is complete.

4. Required Body of the Essay  (research, analysis, discussion, and evaluation)

The main task is writing the body of the essay, which should be presented in the form of a reasoned argument. The form of this varies with the subject of the essay but as the argument develops it should be clear to the reader what relevant evidence has been discovered, where/how it has been discovered and how it supports the argument. In some subjects, for example, the sciences, sub-headings within the main body of the essay will help the reader to understand the argument (and will also help the student to keep on track). In structuring their extended essay, students must take into consideration the expected conventions of the subject in which their extended essay is registered. 

Once the main body of the essay is complete, it is possible to finalize the introduction (which tells the reader what to expect) and the conclusion (which says what has been achieved, including notes of any limitations and any questions that have not been resolved). 

Any information that is important to the argument  must not  be included in appendices or footnotes/endnotes. The examiner  will not  read notes or appendices, so an essay that is not complete in itself will be compromised across the assessment criteria.

5. Required Conclusion

The conclusion says what has been achieved, including notes of any limitations and any questions that have not been resolved. While students might draw conclusions throughout the essay based on their findings, it is important that there is a final, summative conclusion at the end. This conclusion(s) must relate to the research question posed.

6.  Required References & Bibliography

Students should use their chosen style of academic referencing as soon as they start writing. That way they are less likely to forget to include a citation. It is also easier than trying to add references at a later stage. For more information on this, refer to the guidelines in the IB document  Effective citing and referencing.

Writing the essay takes time but if students have used their Researcher's reflection space and reflection sessions in a meaningful way they should be well prepared to develop their arguments.

Extended Essay - Examples & Exemplars

• Essays from May 2018 with IB marks and commentaries
• Assessed Student Work & Commentary IB-provided. "Student sample extended essays, corresponding marks and comments from senior examiners are available for the following Diploma Programme disciplines. Please note that in light of not having authentic RPPFs to accompany these essays, they are marked against criteria A – D only, for a total of 28 possible marks. Following the first assessment session in 2018, exemplars will be refreshed with authentic sample material." more... less... Biology English Economics History Studies in language and literature Language acquisition Mathematics Psychology Visual arts World studies extended essay (WSEE)
• Excellenet Extended Essays Concordian GoogleDoc
• EngA1_Othello EE Othello 2018 From inThinking.net Click the link to see the score and evaluation.
• Fifty (50) More Excellent Extended Essays DVD by International Baccalaureate Call Number: HS DVD 808.4 ISBN: 9781906345600 Publication Date: 2011 1 DVD-ROM (1:33 min.)

Past CIS Extended Essays

Available in the library behind the desk are file folders of past Extended Essays by Concordian students and IB EE Exemplars. Feel free to browse the papers which must be kept in the library.

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Here you will find examples of real student HL Essays. Take a read and, using the marking criteria, grade them. You can compare your marks with those of the examiner.

Student Samples

The Characterization of Luis Alberto Molina through the use of Films, Dialogue and Stream of Consciousness in Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman 

Luis Alberto Molina, commonly referred to as Molina, is arguably the most fascinating and captivating character in the prose novel Kiss of the Spider Woman, written by the Argentine author Manuel Puig. The novel, first published in its original Spanish in 1976, revolves primarily around the relationship between two convicts in a Buenos Aires prison, presumably during the military dictatorship of the late 1970s: Molina, a homosexual cross-dresser imprisoned for sexual perversion, and Valentin, imprisoned and tortured for being a member of a Marxist resistance group. Puig employs several narrative techniques to reveal the intrinsic nature of Molina’s character while confined in a cell with an initially hostile companion. Firstly, Molina frequently submerges the reader into the realm of film, as he narrates several romantic films throughout the novel, the most significant being the 1942 film Cat People and one described as Nazi Propaganda. The films express Molina’s longing for escapism and his mannerism. Secondly, the author’s use of unmarked, outer dialogue establishes Molina’s self-identity. Furthermore, the dialogue portrays Molina in relation to Valentin, as the two develop a strong bond throughout the novel, to the point where they share complete intimacy and engage in sexual activities. Lastly, Puig’s use of stream of consciousness writing provides vital insight into Molina’s internal conflicts and reveals his true identity as a spy. 

The author employs films narrated by Molina as a medium through which his character is introduced to the reader and developed throughout the novel. In order to combat boredom and help pass the time, Molina vividly narrates the plots of several movies, often embellished with romance. As the films are presented through Molina’s eyes, they give vital insight into his perception of the world around him. The novel begins with Molina describing the appearance of the main protagonist of the film Cat People: Irena, a Romanian immigrant who fears she will turn into a panther if a man kisses her. In the film, she falls in love with a charming architect, who takes on a protective role and attempts to take away her fears. Molina goes into great detail, stating that “[her] face, [is] more oval than roundish, […]” (1) and that her hair is “ […] cut in bangs […], and is down to the shoulders, […], with little curls at the end too, almost like a permanent wave.”(1). This vivid description portrays Molina as a man who admires feminine features. Throughout the narration, Molina pays special attention to fashion, decorations in homes, and romance, highlighting his obsession with escaping into fantasy worlds. This message is further reiterated when Valentin “break[s] the illusion” by criticizing Molina’s narration, to which he responds that he would rather have “the panther woman’s boyfriend to keep [him] company instead of [Valentin].” (17). Additionally, the film is riddled with symbols of femininity and masculinity, which Molina sympathizes with. When asked by Valentin who he relates to in the film, he reveals that he identifies with Irena, as “[…] She’s the heroine,[…] Always with the heroine.” (25). This shows Molina’s desire to be the hero of his own life story. This foreshadows the ending of the novel, where Molina dies in an attempt to deliver information to Valentin’s resistance movement. Furthermore, Molina strongly connects with the pipe-smoking architect, due to him being “ […] the gentle type, and understanding.” (17). This subtly hints towards Molina’s submissiveness, as he desires a partner that protects him like the architect protects Irene. The second film follows the story of a French woman who falls in love with a Nazi officer and is forced to spy on him for the French resistance. While Valentin is quick to point out that the film is portraying the nazis as the saviors of Europe and calls it “Nazi junk”, Molina decides to ignore him, stating that “The film [is] divine, and for me, that’s all that’s what counts.” (78). Molinas unwillingness to see past the superficial glamour of the film and recognize that it intends to vilify the french resistance furthers the notion of Molina’s disconnect from a hostile society and his need to escape into fictional, romantic scenarios. Additionally, the themes of espionage and betrayal in the second film foreshadow the revelation that Molina is a spy for the prison warden, and has been promised early release if he extracts information on Valentin’s resistance movement. Consequently, the films are key to decipher Molina’s personality as they display a disconnect from reality and give insight into his feminine nature. 

Traditionally, novels are told by a narrator who exists either inside (internal) or outside (external) the story’s universe. What sets the novel apart from others is the fact that the author omits an external narrator entirely, using outer dialogue between the two characters to reveal Molina’s character. This narrative device effectively places the reader into the head of Molina and provides information about his self-identity. Furthermore, the change in dialogue from one character to another is indicated solely by a dash, forcing the reader to, at times, deduce who is speaking solely by their diction. When Valentin brings up Molina’s tendency of escapism and mocks his femininity, Molina retaliates, exclaiming that “You’re all alike, always coming to me with the same business.” (19), expressing his anger towards the society that rejects him. Molina continues by saying that “If a woman’s the best there is, […] I want to be one.” (19). This powerful phrase is the first glimpse the reader gets of Molina’s identity, as it becomes clear he doesn’t consider himself a stereotypical, masculine man. Once Valentin opens up to Molina about his relationship with his girlfriend, Molina reciprocates, revealing he is in love with a heterosexual waiter named Gabriel. Molina perceives Gabriel as a “real man” due to him being “elegant, […] soft and masculine.” (61). When asked about his definition of masculinity, he responds by stating “[…] it’s knowing what you want, where you’re going.” (61). The reader automatically recognizes that Molina doesn’t fit his own definition of masculinity, as he pursues the impossible goal of living with Gabriel, despite him being married. Furthermore, when talking about himself in the third person, Molina calls himself a “woman”, stating that “[…] when it comes to him, I can’t talk about myself like a man, because I don’t feel like one.” (60). This reveals Molina’s self-identity as a stereotypical female and accordingly, his attraction to a “real man”.Therefore, the author’s choice to employ outer dialogue between the prisoners is effective in refining Molina’s character as the device forces the reader to see things from his perspective, simultaneously allowing for a great deal of personal interpretation due to the first-hand narration. 

A third narrative technique that Puig employs to great effect is stream of consciousness writing. The device, meant to give the reader an insight into Molina’s disturbed state of mind, is used extensively throughout chapter 5 (96-112), where Molina privately pictures the plot of a third movie while Valentin studies politics. In the stream of consciousness writing, several of Molina’s thoughts help the reader understand his internal conflicts. Firstly, Molina’s resentment towards the society that loathes him is once again shown when he thinks: “[…] it feels so bad when someone gives you a black look, […] or when they refuse to look at you all together.” (105). This is strongly contrasted by feelings of guilt, which is expressed when he thinks of his sickly mother, whom he fears will die of a broken heart due to having a son “steeped in vice” (105). In the next few sentences, the reader gets a glimpse into an emotion once thought impossible by the sensitive, gentle character: rage. When Molina reflects on the judge that was determined to bring on him “[…] the full weight of what the law permitted […]” (106) and his mother’s horrified reaction, he becomes furious:“[…] if he dared to say one stupid word about her, I would kill the son of a bitch […]” (106). Towards the end of the passage, Molina thinks about the promise the warden gave him of a reduced sentence, giving the reader the first clue that he is a spy. The stream of consciousness section is therefore vital in the portrayal of Molina’s character as the reader interprets his potential for violence as the ultimate expression of affection towards his mother, as well as emotions such as resentment, rage and guilt. 

In conclusion, the narrative techniques mentioned above combine synergistically to give Molina his charismatic, romantic, and conflicting character. The films ‘told’ by Molina are central to the construction of his identity as they reveal his disconnect from reality and his feminine personality. The author’s use of outer dialogue adds to Molina’s characterization as his communication with Valentin reveals his self-identity. Finally, Puig’s use of stream of consciousness writing displays conflicting emotions that plague Molina. The construction of Molina’s character is vital as he is central to the plot of the novel and challenges the readers perception on homosexuality, gender expression and identity. 

Puig, Manuel, and Thomas Colchie. Kiss of the Spider Woman. Vintage International, 1991. 

Bibliography

Cat People. Directed by J. Tourneur, RKO Pictures, 1942.

Examiner's Marks

The motif of death and the interconnection between the Netflix series  13 Reasons Why  and the novel  Crossing the Mangrove

Word Count: 1500

Bibliography:

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Higher Level Essay

Whether you are an HL Literature student or HL Lang/Lit student, the HLE requires some special attention.  The good thing about this assessment is that it’s a processed – rather than on-demand – piece of writing.  This means you can take your time, put in the work, and produce something that you love and makes you proud.  Our students crush this assessment!  Use the same resources they do and enjoy your success.

HLE Writing Guide

Writing this assessment doesn’t have to be challenging.  In fact, we think it can be fun and rewarding!  Let us guide you through the entire writing process, from line of inquiry to the last word of your conclusion.  Our students do well on this assessment, and so can you.

Part of our  IBDP English A Student Toolkit , this resource includes:

• 100-page course book with guidance on films, photos, cartoons, and many other non-literary BOWs
• 5 sample papers across genres
• Examiner scores and comments
• Line of Inquiry guidance
• Step-by-step approach to building the HLE in small and manageable chunks
• Complete set of graphic organizers to guide students from start to finish

Developing a Line of Inquiry and Thesis

The Line of Inquiry (LOI) and thesis are the cornerstone of the assessment, so don’t proceed until these are under control.  Sadly, many students get off to a poor start with this step, and this means they end up writing either a shallow essay or one that doesn’t really satisfy the requirements of the task.  These videos should help you unlock the task.

Start with a text you love and work toward developing a literary or linguistic perspective. Watch this video and start your pathway to success.

How To Write the Line of Inquiry

If the first method didn't work for you, please try another approach.

How to Write the Line of Inquiry (part 2)

Turn that LoI into a clear, precise, and insightful thesis statement that will drive the essay.

HLE Sample Thesis Statements and Writing

The HLE Complete Course from Start to Finish

We feel this is some of our best work.  Teachers and students around the world have commented that this HLE series gets the job done and results in some powerful writing that makes students proud.  Please take the time and work through the videos sequentially.  Work along side with us.  Let us guide you to HLE success!

Choose your text and write the LOI.

Student planning doc

Model Student planning doc

Time for brainstorming and outlining.

Student Organizer

Completed Sample Organizer

Master the intro and conclusion.

Sample Intro and Conclusion

Learn how to write strong HLE body paragraphs.

Sample Body Paragraphs

Learn to revise, edit, and polish the final product.

Final instructions before submission

Dave’s complete sample HLE

Some Sample Papers

Sometimes it’s easier to just look at a final product, break it down, and see how other students have approached the HLE.  That’s why Dave and Andrew selected some strong papers, highlighted them, and discussed their strengths and weaknesses.  We’ve examined tons of these things, so listen carefully.  Lots of tips and tricks in these videos to help you pick up some extra points and crack into that mark band you want and deserve.  Understand the task.  Work hard.  Defeat the HLE and allow yourself to beam with pride.  Go ahead, you’ve earned it.

You’ve probably noticed that Andrew and Dave love drama. Dialogue, stage directions, props…they’re amazing! Watch our student crush this HLE on Death and the Maiden by Dorfman. What can you steal from this essay in terms of ideas, organization, and overall approach? Document: HLE Student Sample – Drama

Poetry anyone? Andrew and Dave love poetry for the HLE. They are complete “mini works” with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They are rich in techniques. They are complex and have deep meaning. In short, they rock. Just remember that for the HLE, “short texts need friends.” Document: HLE Student Sample – Poetry

Looking For More Support?

Hey, nobody said this thing would be easy.  No worries.  We’ve got you covered.  Perhaps you want to see some more student writing?  Check.  We’ve got that.  Perhaps you want to know some key points to include?  Check.  We got that too.  You’re almost there!  Finish these last two videos, add some finishing touches to your work, and submit that baby in with pride and confidence.

So you watched the videos above but are still concerned about “showing deep thinking” on the HLE? It’s ok – we know this is tough. Check out this video to see several samples of how to build big thinking into your writing. Document: Showing Deep Thinking in the HLE

We know, we know. The content is overwhelming and it’s just too much at times. You just want the top ten tips for success? Fine. Here you go. But don’t forget to go back and watch the rest of these videos when you’re feeling more energy. They’re a set. Watch them all and ace the HLE.

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Four essays that helped earn IB students their admission to university

We asked recent IB Diploma Programme (DP) graduates from around the world to submit essays that played a role in their admissions process to the university of their choice. As a student in the DP or Career-related Programme (CP) , university admissions teams want to know what you are passionate about, show how you will become a part of their community, and demonstrate that you are ready for university-level work.

Though not always required, telling your story in an essay gives you a unique opportunity to show universities who you are. We selected excerpts from four unique essays, each with a different approach. Thanks to IB graduates Esha Indani, Kamila Janmohamed, Kardeisha Provo, and Ryan Lam for allowing us to share excerpts from their essays and personal statements.

1. When your interests are the perfect match

Esha Indani — Why Penn?

Can you use your dream school as inspiration? Esha Indani did when she chose to show how the fundamental values she developed as a student at the International School of Geneva – La Châtaigneraie in Switzerland were a strong match for the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She approached her personal essay by linking her research interests to the university’s existing programs.

“My essay primarily focuses on my passion and interest for sustainability and renewable energy sources and technologies” she explained, “but at a deeper level it looks at how my experiences … have shaped this interest and have provided me with the motivation and direction … knowledge for action is the motto of the Wharton School and in my opinion, I think this is what my IB education prepared me for.”

The experience that shaped Esha’s interests in sustainability

“Saturday mornings in Switzerland in September are unusually cold. I observed this as I hurried off with large bags of trash to be recycled at the local déchetterie. Having been brought up in a country that remains diligently protective over its environment, I gradually developed an appreciation and interest in the use and applications of green technology and sustainability … so when choosing where I wanted to study, I knew for sure that my institute would have to be as passionate as I am about both business and sustainable development.”

Demonstrating a commitment to work in this area

“The school’s association with the Penn Green Campus Partnership through IGEL [the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership] allows me to combine my two passions into one academic and social experience. As editor-in-chief of the school newspaper … I strived to combine the manufacturing of a product with my interest in sustainability by switching to using recycled paper … I was able to not only incorporate aspects of sustainability in its production process, but also express my thoughts as well as those of the students on the three Ecolint campuses on a green future for the world.”

Identifying how her research fit within the school’s program

“At Wharton, I hope to take advantage of the flexibility of its inter-disciplinary curriculum to combine a business education with one in sustainable development … I would be most interested in researching the development of cheap clean energy, which fundamentally holds the key to a sustainable future. To me, business and international trade are more than careers – they are media through which I can serve my local and international communities.”

2. The one thing that makes you most unique

Kamila Janmohamed — Flat

It’s a personal essay, so make it uniquely you. Kamila Janmohamed focused her essay on something that makes her stand out and coincidentally caused her to stumble on her passion. She completed her essay as a part of the common application while she was a student at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa in Kenya. It earned her admission to Yale University in Connecticut, USA.

What makes Kamila unique

“There are three things that must never, ever be flat: tires, bubble wrap, and feet. For the first decade of my existence, it seemed as though my extremities were blissfully unaware of their offensive lack of an arch. I’d spent my entire life stubbing toes on table legs and impaling myself on Lego bricks. It wasn’t until someone pointed out that my feet were different, that I actually began to see them that way.”

“Armed with warnings of how I would never be able to wear heels, my mother drove me to a public hospital, where, rumour had it, an orthopeadic surgeon worked wonders. Thinking cosmetic concerns pretentious, I didn’t pay nearly as much attention to these threats as I did the portent of a life riddled with crippling back pain. Yet, I was apprehensive about the quality of care I would receive…”

“… as I sat in that courtyard with its peeling walls, waiting alongside crying babies and watching solemn-looking adults, most of whom queued for hours on end to see a doctor who would probably be gone by their next visit, I became painfully aware of the privilege I was accustomed to. With that sinking sense of apologetic guilt one feels at realizing how trivial their grievances have been, I began to feel more appreciative of the opportunities I had been afforded. In quickly judging my surroundings based on what I had been conditioned to expect, I had denied the hospital that same chance.”

How she found her academic interests

“… I wouldn’t be able to make the institution less dependent on aid, or increase its permanent staff as a doctor, but I could by working in health administration and education. So, I presented my own field of interest: public health.”

“As much irritation as my ‘abnormal’ feet have caused me, I owe them a lot. From learning about the importance of having your facts right, to not being judgmental, I have come to realize, and appreciate, just how chameleonic we are. Our acuities are not resistant to change, and being open to these changes encourages that self-instigated growth that comes from having our conceptions challenged, which, in my opinion, is the most enduring kind out there. While my feet might remain unrelentingly flat, I know from my experience with them, that my perceptions will always be far more pliable, and that is compensation enough.

3. Your personal history and sense of community

Kardeisha Provo — My people

Sometimes to get to the future, you need to use the past. Kardeisha Provo’s personal essay prompt for Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, asked her to “discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.” Coming from Cole Harbour District High School , located in the far northeast of Canada in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia — she approached the essay through her personal identity and the history of her community .

Linking her identity to her community’s history

“Originating from ancestors who fled North on the Underground Railroad, Black Loyalists from the American Civil War, Refugees from the War of 1812 and Jamaican Maroon, I know we are people of resilience and strength. North Preston, Nova Scotia is the largest and oldest Indigenous Black community in Canada and the place I call home. My ancestors consist of people who settled on unceded Mi’kmaq Territory and became stewards of the land while living alongside Indigenous people present.”

A realization that sparked personal growth

“More recently, I realized the media and outside platforms were continuing to paint an inaccurate image of my community … I chose to change the narrative. After hours of filming and editing videos I created my own YouTube Channel that is dedicated to who we are, my personal journey being from North Preston and the realities we face being the largest Black Community in Canada.”

“I created the YouTube channel in January 2017. Over the year, my content grew from 10 viewers to 4.4k views and continues to build each day. Through this journey, I’ve realized the only important viewers are the members of our community. The only view that truly matters is how we view ourselves …the experience I’ve had has made me realize I must continue on this path of growing into a leader that is needed in the world.”

4. Thinking outside of the box

Ryan Lam — Flushing the toilet

Is humor a good idea to use in a personal essay? It’s something to consider carefully, but not to overlook if it is part of your approach to the world. Ryan Lam used a surprising situation to demonstrate the thought process he uses to solve a real-world problem. This essay was submitted as part of the common application and supported admission to the Universeity of Pennsylvania after graduating from Seminole High School , Florida, USA.

Presenting the problem at hand

“What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? The toilet flushes … it was the third week of the Science Student Training Program at the University of Florida, and I was finally residing in a dormitory room with three males who shared my passion for Star Trek … I went about emptying the contents of my bladder into our seemingly innocuous toilet. Upon flushing, Poseidon’s stormy surge of at least a thousand years of backlogged fecal matter rose up to greet me … we had four of the greatest budding scientific minds in the state and we could surely fix this seemingly trivial problem.”

Evaluating potential solutions

“In short, we lacked the materials to properly approach the problem in any sort of conventional manner. I proposed that a curved rod of condensed aluminum foil may be able to dislodge the clogging bodies, but invoking the scientific method quickly demonstrated that we were unable to engineer a device of sufficient sturdiness to achieve our goal.”

“…we decided to sleep on the problem, but the next morning, duty was still calling, science was still failing, and morale was at an all-time low. There was talk among us of sneaking out to buy a plunger, but there was no getting around it; we were all out of realistic ideas … Like a harpooning fisherman, I plunged my bare fist into the saccharine mess and wrangled a sopping beast out of its ocean home.”

Most importantly, lessons learned

“While I can appreciate a sense of reservation, being obsessively hoity toity about everything is such a drag. At the end of the day, stepping up to do something practical is always a necessary step. Don’t get me wrong; it can be a lot of fun to take the time to play around with creative approaches to a problem, but sometimes someone just needs to take the initiative to do what nobody else is willing to do. Whether that’s quickly ripping off a bandage or boldly shoving my hand into a toilet, once the challenge is overcome, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. And to me, helping as many people as possible overcome their own challenges will always be more important than any mental barriers to getting something done.”

To learn about the IB alumni network, visit  ibo.org/alumni  and read about our  featured graduates  to see where other students have taken their studies and careers.

About the IB

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Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example Theory of Knowledge coursework below for inspiration.

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Filter exemplars, is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., want to get full marks for your tok essay allow us to review it for you 🎯, for artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences., does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in "bubbles" where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, to what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use discuss with reference to history and one area of knowledge., tok essay: 5. “how can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge”, nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them, do we need custodians of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., how can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialization and generalization in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge., do we need custodians of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge, nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge., is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history discuss with reference to the arts and history., are we too quick to assume that the most recent evidence is inevitably the strongest discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge., is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history, do we underestimate the challenges of taking knowledge out of its original context and transferring it to a different context discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history discuss with reference to the arts and history, nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them discuss with reference to the human sciences and the natural sciences..

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How to End a College Essay: Strategies and Examples

Writing a college essay takes skill, but making a strong college essay conclusion is often the most important part. A great ending can make a big impact on your readers and bring your main ideas together. This guide will walk you through four strategies that will help you create impactful conclusions that resonate with your audience.

1. Writing a Memorable College Essay Conclusion

The conclusion of your essay is your last chance to strengthen your main points and leave a lasting impression. A well-written ending can make your whole essay better and more memorable.

Successful Essay Ending Examples

Here are some great ways to end an essay:

• Share a thoughtful idea that connects to your main point, giving a sense of closure and understanding.
• Quickly go over your main points, showing them in a new way.
• Discuss why your topic matters beyond just your essay.
• Link back to your introduction, making your writing feel complete.

Example: 

"When I started looking into how music affects the brain, I didn't know I'd find a connection to my grandmother's struggle with Alzheimer's. I learned that songs people know well can often bring back memories for patients, even when they have trouble talking. This discovery changed how I see music's power and gave me a new way to connect with my grandmother. When we hum her favorite songs together, I see hints of recognition in her eyes, reminding me that sometimes, big scientific ideas can have very personal effects."

Common Mistakes in Ending an Essay

Avoid these problems when writing your college essay conclusion:

• Adding new ideas: Your conclusion should bring together existing points, not introduce new information.
• Just repeating your main point: While it's important to remind readers of your main idea, simply saying it again word-for-word doesn't work well.
• Using overused phrases: Don't use expressions like "In conclusion" or "To sum up."
• Stopping too suddenly: Make sure your conclusion gives a feeling of completion and doesn't leave readers hanging.

Aithor's advanced language model can help you write compelling conclusions that avoid these common mistakes and enhance the overall impact of your essay.

2. Thought-Provoking Questions: A Powerful Way to End an Essay

Ending an essay with a question that makes people think can get your readers interested and encourage them to keep thinking about your topic. This approach leaves a strong impression and can make your essay more memorable.

"After looking at how social media changes how we see ourselves, we're left with an important question: Can we find a way to share our lives online while still living them fully offline? Maybe the answer isn't choosing between the online and real worlds, but learning how to connect well in both."

When using this method, make sure your question is:

• Related to your essay's main topic
• Open-ended, encouraging deeper thought
• Not easy to answer with just "yes" or "no"

3. How to End Your College Essay with a Call to Action

A call to action (CTA) in your conclusion can encourage your readers to do something based on the ideas you've talked about. This works well for essays about social issues, environmental problems, or personal growth topics.

"In this essay, we've looked at the problem of plastic in our oceans. Now, it's time to help fix it. Start by replacing one single-use plastic item you use every day with something you can use again. It could be as simple as using a reusable water bottle or bringing your own bags to the store. Tell your friends and family what you're doing. By taking these small steps, we're not just making less waste; we're starting a chain reaction that can lead to cleaner oceans and a healthier planet."

When writing a CTA for your college essay conclusion, make sure it's:

• Clear and easy to write
• Directly related to your essay's main points
• Something your readers can actually do

Aithor can assist you in writing perfect calls to action that connect with your readers and fit well with your essay's content.

4. Personal Anecdotes: An Engaging Essay Ending

Ending an essay with a personal story can help your readers feel connected to you and strengthen your main message. This approach makes your writing more relatable and human.

"Last summer, I helped at a local animal shelter. One day, they brought in an older, scruffy dog named Max. For weeks, people passed him by, always choosing younger, cuter puppies instead. I started spending extra time with Max, and slowly, his playful side came out. When a family finally took him home, the happiness on their faces – and Max's wagging tail – showed me how important it is to give every living thing a chance. This taught me more about patience, unfair judgments, and the power of second chances than any book ever could."

When using a personal story to end your college essay:

• Make sure it relates to your main topic
• Keep it short and powerful
• Use clear language to paint a picture for your readers

Tips on How to End a College Essay

To write a strong conclusion, think about these extra tips on how to end a college essay:

• Wrap up your main points clearly while suggesting how they might apply to other things or future ideas to keep your readers thinking.
• Make sure your conclusion sounds like the rest of your essay for a smooth, polished finish.
• Don't weaken your arguments by sounding unsure in your conclusion.
• Be extra careful with grammar and punctuation in your conclusion, as it's the last thing your readers will remember.
• Write your conclusion to connect with your specific readers, whether they're college admissions staff, teachers, or other students.
• Write a short and powerful conclusion that drives your main points home without repeating too much or using too many words.

Remember, your conclusion is your last chance to make a strong impression. Take your time to write it carefully, making sure it ties together your main points and shows why your essay matters.

For those wondering how to end a reflection paper, Aithor can help you improve your college essay conclusion, making sure it's polished, powerful, and fits your specific needs. This top writing tool can help you refine your essay ending examples and give you guidance on how to end a reflection paper or any other type of school writing.

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How to Write an Essay Outline: Examples, FAQs & Tips

An essay outline is a structured plan that organizes the main points and supporting details of an essay before writing. It guides the flow of ideas and ensures that each section of the essay is logically connected and coherent.

In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to build a strong essay outline. You'll discover how to define your thesis, arrange your main points, and structure your outline for clarity and effectiveness. If you're still having trouble putting your outline together after reading this, EssayService can provide expert help to make sure your essay is well-structured and persuasive!

Basic Elements of an Essay

An essay begins with an introduction, which is followed by one or more body paragraphs that expand on the points introduced. It ends with a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes the main ideas from the body paragraphs.

Introduction

The introduction of an essay introduces the topic and engages the reader from the start. It usually starts with a hook—a statement or question that grabs attention. After the hook, some background information is given to provide context for the topic.

The introduction ends with a thesis statement, which clearly presents the main argument or purpose of the essay. This section not only introduces the topic but also outlines what the essay will cover, setting the tone for what follows.

Avoid these pitfalls:

• Don't try to cover too much ground in your introduction.
• Avoid vagueness. Be specific and precise in your language.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is where your main ideas and arguments take shape. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that clearly states the main point. This is followed by supporting details like evidence, examples, and analysis that back up the topic sentence.

Smooth transitions between paragraphs are key to maintaining a logical flow throughout the essay. Together, the body paragraphs build and support the thesis by adding depth and detail to your argument.

Remember these tips for effective body paragraphs:

• Begin each paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence.
• Use specific examples, facts, or quotes to support your point.
• Explain why the evidence is important and how it relates to your argument.

The conclusion of an essay wraps up the argument and reinforces the thesis. It usually starts by restating the thesis and reflecting on the discussion and evidence presented in the body paragraphs. A brief summary of the main points follows, highlighting the key arguments made throughout the essay.

The conclusion should close with a final thought or call to action, leaving the reader with something to think about or a sense of closure. The aim is to make a lasting impression that emphasizes the importance of the essay's conclusions.

Remember these tips:

• Briefly recap the key arguments you've made.
• Leave the reader with a thought-provoking final sentence or a call to action.
• Don't introduce any new ideas or arguments in your conclusion.

How to Write an Essay Outline?

Now, let's dive into the heart of this article and show you how to write an essay outline in just four smart steps:

• Determining your thesis and key arguments
• Organizing points into sections
• Adding supporting details
• Drafting a rough outline

Determine Your Thesis and Key Arguments

Your thesis should present a specific point of view or a central idea that your essay will support or explore. Here's how to identify your thesis:

• Ask a question: What is the main point you want to convey?
• Brainstorm: Jot down ideas related to your topic.
• Refine your ideas: Narrow down your focus and develop a clear argument.

Once you have your thesis, identify the main points that support it. These points should be logical, relevant, and comprehensive.

• Divide your thesis: Break down your thesis into its key components.
• Create a mind map: Visually organize your ideas.
• Ask yourself questions: What are the main reasons for your argument? What evidence supports your claims?

Group Main Ideas into Sections

The best way to organize your main points when writing an essay outline depends on the specific topic and purpose of your essay. Experiment with different arrangements to find the one that works best for you. Here are some strategies for organizing your main points:

Add Details to Each Main Idea

When working on your essay outline, remember to choose supporting details that are relevant, specific, and convincing. The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your arguments will be. Consider these tips for developing supporting details for each one.

• Provide examples: "For example, the Great Depression led to a significant increase in homelessness and poverty."
• Cite expert opinions: "As the renowned historian, Eric Hobsbawm, once said, 'The French Revolution was a watershed moment in European history.'"
• Make comparisons and contrasts: "While both cats and dogs make excellent pets, cats are generally more independent, while dogs are more social."
• Offer definitions: "A democracy is a form of government in which the people have the power to elect their leaders."

Make a Rough Outline

Once you've developed supporting details for each main point, you're ready to create a draft outline. This outline will serve as a roadmap for your essay, guiding you through the writing process.

Here's a basic outline template:

• Background information
• Thesis statement

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic sentence
• Supporting detail 1
• Supporting detail 2
• Supporting detail 3

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraph 3

• Restate thesis
• Summarize key points
• Final thought

Remember to:

• Use consistent formatting: Indent supporting details.
• Label sections clearly: Use Roman numerals for main points and letters for supporting details.
• Be flexible: Adjust your outline as needed to accommodate new ideas or changes in your argument.

Essay Outline Examples

Now that you have an understanding of the basic structure of an essay outline let's explore some specific examples tailored to different essay genres. Remember, these are just templates, and you should feel free to adapt each essay outline example to fit your unique needs and writing style.

Argumentative Essay Outline

I. Introduction

• Hook: A captivating opening sentence to grab the reader's attention.
• Background information: Relevant context to the topic.
• Thesis statement: A clear and concise statement of your argument.

II. Body Paragraph 1

• Topic sentence: The main point of this paragraph.
• Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to support your argument.
• Explanation: Analysis of the evidence and its relevance to your thesis.

III. Body Paragraph 2

• Topic sentence: The second main point of your argument.
• Supporting evidence: Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions.

IV. Body Paragraph 3

• Topic sentence: The third main point of your argument.

V. Counterargument

• Acknowledge opposing viewpoint: Briefly mention a counterargument.
• Refute counterargument: Provide evidence or reasoning to disprove the opposing viewpoint.

VI. Conclusion

• Restate thesis: Reiterate your main argument.
• Summarize key points: Briefly recap the main supporting points.
• Final thought: Leave the reader with a memorable and impactful statement.

Expository Essay Outline

• A. Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact to grab the reader's attention.
• B. Background Information: Provide context or background information necessary for understanding the topic.
• C. Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main point or purpose of the essay.
• A. Topic Sentence: Introduce the main idea of the paragraph.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the first point.
• C. Evidence/Example: Include evidence or examples to support the explanation.
• D. Analysis: Explain how the evidence or example supports the topic sentence.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the second point.
• B. Explanation/Detail: Provide a detailed explanation or description of the third point.

V. Conclusion

• A. Restate Thesis: Restate the thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of the essay.
• B. Summary of Main Points: Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• C. Final Thought: End with a concluding statement that reinforces the significance of the topic or provides a closing thought.

Persuasive Essays Outline

• Background information: Provide context or history related to your topic.
• Thesis statement: Clearly state your argument or position.
• Main argument: Present your strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Supporting evidence: Use facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions to back up your argument.
• Counterargument: Briefly acknowledge an opposing viewpoint.
• Rebuttal: Refute the counterargument with evidence or reasoning.
• Main argument: Present your second strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Main argument: Present your third strongest argument in support of your thesis.
• Restate thesis: Briefly rephrase your argument.
• Summarize key points: Recap the main supporting arguments.
• Call to action: Encourage the reader to take a specific action or adopt a particular viewpoint.

Final Words

As we sum up this article, let's recap the main steps for writing an outline:

• Determine the main argument or purpose of your essay.
• Break down your thesis into key ideas or arguments.
• Group related ideas together under clear headings.
• Include evidence, examples, and explanations for each main point.
• Arrange everything in a logical order, ensuring a smooth flow from one section to the next.

To ensure your writing is well-structured and effective, rely on EssayService, which is here to help with any type of essay.

Frequently asked questions

• Linford, J. (2014). Essay Planning: Outlining with a Purpose What Is an Outline? How Do I Develop an Outline? https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Essay%20Planning%20-%20Outlining.pdf
• ‌ Writing an Outline for your essay | MacOdrum Library . (n.d.). Library.carleton.ca . https://library.carleton.ca/guides/help/writing-outline-your-essay

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has enormous value but capturing the full benefits of AI means facing and handling its potential pitfalls. The same sophisticated systems used to discover novel drugs, screen diseases, tackle climate change, conserve wildlife and protect biodiversity can also yield biased algorithms that cause harm and technologies that threaten security, privacy and even human existence.

Here’s a closer look at 10 dangers of AI and actionable risk management strategies. Many of the AI risks listed here can be mitigated, but AI experts, developers, enterprises and governments must still grapple with them.

Humans are innately biased, and the AI we develop can reflect our biases. These systems inadvertently learn biases that might be present in the training data and exhibited in the machine learning (ML) algorithms and deep learning models that underpin AI development. Those learned biases might be perpetuated during the deployment of AI, resulting in skewed outcomes.

AI bias can have unintended consequences with potentially harmful outcomes. Examples include applicant tracking systems discriminating against gender, healthcare diagnostics systems returning lower accuracy results for historically underserved populations, and predictive policing tools disproportionately targeting systemically marginalized communities, among others.

Take action:

• Establish an AI governance strategy encompassing frameworks, policies and processes that guide the responsible development and use of AI technologies.
• Create practices that promote fairness, such as including representative training data sets, forming diverse development teams, integrating fairness metrics, and incorporating human oversight through AI ethics review boards or committees.
• Put bias mitigation processes in place across the AI lifecycle. This involves choosing the correct learning model, conducting data processing mindfully and monitoring real-world performance.
• Look into AI fairness tools, such as IBM’s open source AI Fairness 360 toolkit.

2. Cybersecurity threats

Bad actors can exploit AI to launch cyberattacks . They manipulate AI tools to clone voices, generate fake identities and create convincing phishing emails—all with the intent to scam, hack, steal a person’s identity or compromise their privacy and security.

And while organizations are taking advantage of technological advancements such as generative AI , only 24% of gen AI initiatives are secured . This lack of security threatens to expose data and AI models to breaches, the global average cost of which is a whopping USD 4.88 million in 2024.

Here are some of the ways enterprises can secure their AI pipeline , as recommended by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBM IBV):

• Outline an AI safety and security strategy.
• Search for security gaps in AI environments through risk assessment and threat modeling.
• Safeguard AI training data and adopt a secure-by-design approach to enable safe implementation and development of AI technologies.
• Assess model vulnerabilities using adversarial testing.
• Invest in cyber response training to level up awareness, preparedness and security in your organization.

3. Data privacy issues

Large language models (LLMs) are the underlying AI models for many generative AI applications, such as virtual assistants and conversational AI chatbots . As their name implies, these language models require an immense volume of training data.

But the data that helps train LLMs is usually sourced by web crawlers scraping and collecting information from websites. This data is often obtained without users’ consent and might contain personally identifiable information (PII) . Other AI systems that deliver tailored customer experiences might collect personal data, too.

• Inform consumers about data collection practices for AI systems: when data is gathered, what (if any) PII is included, and how data is stored and used.
• Give them the choice to opt out of the data collection process.
• Consider using computer-generated synthetic data instead.

4. Environmental harms

AI relies on energy-intensive computations with a significant carbon footprint. Training algorithms on large data sets and running complex models require vast amounts of energy, contributing to increased carbon emissions. One study estimates that training a single natural language processing model emits over 600,000 pounds of carbon dioxide; nearly 5 times the average emissions of a car over its lifetime. 1

Water consumption is another concern. Many AI applications run on servers in data centers, which generate considerable heat and need large volumes of water for cooling. A study found that training GPT-3 models in Microsoft’s US data centers consumes 5.4 million liters of water, and handling 10 to 50 prompts uses roughly 500 milliliters, which is equivalent to a standard water bottle. 2

• Consider data centers and AI providers that are powered by renewable energy.
• Choose energy-efficient AI models or frameworks.
• Train on less data and simplify model architecture.
• Reuse existing models and take advantage of transfer learning , which employs pretrained models to improve performance on related tasks or data sets.
• Consider a serverless architecture and hardware optimized for AI workloads.

5. Existential risks

In March 2023, just 4 months after OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, an open letter from tech leaders called for an immediate 6-month pause on “the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.” 3 Two months later, Geoffrey Hinton, known as one of the “godfathers of AI,” warned that AI’s rapid evolution might soon surpass human intelligence. 4 Another statement from AI scientists, computer science experts and other notable figures followed, urging measures to mitigate the risk of extinction from AI, equating it to risks posed by nuclear war and pandemics. 5

While these existential dangers are often seen as less immediate compared to other AI risks, they remain significant. Strong AI or artificial general intelligence, is a theoretical machine with human-like intelligence, while artificial superintelligence refers to a hypothetical advanced AI system that transcends human intelligence.

Take action: Although strong AI and superintelligent AI might seem like science fiction, organizations can get ready for these technologies :

• Stay updated on AI research.
• Build a solid tech stack and remain open to experimenting with the latest AI tools.
• Strengthen AI teams’ skills to facilitate the adoption of emerging technologies.

6. Intellectual property infringement

Generative AI has become a deft mimic of creatives, generating images that capture an artist’s form, music that echoes a singer’s voice or essays and poems akin to a writer’s style. Yet, a major question arises: Who owns the copyright to AI-generated content, whether fully generated by AI or created with its assistance?

Intellectual property (IP) issues involving AI-generated works are still developing, and the ambiguity surrounding ownership presents challenges for businesses.

• Implement checks to comply with laws regarding licensed works that might be used to train AI models.
• Exercise caution when feeding data into algorithms to avoid exposing your company’s IP or the IP-protected information of others.
• Monitor AI model outputs for content that might expose your organization’s IP or infringe on the IP rights of others.

7. Job losses

AI is expected to disrupt the job market, inciting fears that AI-powered automation will displace workers. According to a World Economic Forum report, nearly half of the surveyed organizations expect AI to create new jobs, while almost a quarter see it as a cause of job losses. 6

While AI drives growth in roles such as machine learning specialists, robotics engineers and digital transformation specialists, it is also prompting the decline of positions in other fields. These include clerical, secretarial, data entry and customer service roles, to name a few. The best way to mitigate these losses is by adopting a proactive approach that considers how employees can use AI tools to enhance their work; focusing on augmentation rather than replacement.

Take action: Reskilling and upskilling employees to use AI effectively is essential in the short-term. However, the IBM IBV recommends a long-term, three-pronged approach :

• Transform conventional business and operating models, job roles, organizational structures and other processes to reflect the evolving nature of work.
• Establish human-machine partnerships that enhance decision-making, problem-solving and value creation.
• Invest in technology that enables employees to focus on higher-value tasks and drives revenue growth.

8. Lack of accountability

One of the more uncertain and evolving risks of AI is its lack of accountability. Who is responsible when an AI system goes wrong? Who is held liable in the aftermath of an AI tool’s damaging decisions?

These questions are front and center in cases of fatal crashes and hazardous collisions involving self-driving cars and wrongful arrests based on facial recognition systems. While these issues are still being worked out by policymakers and regulatory agencies, enterprises can incorporate accountability into their AI governance strategy for better AI.

• Keep readily accessible audit trails and logs to facilitate reviews of an AI system’s behaviors and decisions.
• Maintain detailed records of human decisions made during the AI design, development, testing and deployment processes so they can be tracked and traced when needed.
• Consider using existing frameworks and guidelines that build accountability into AI, such as the European Commission’s Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, 7 the OECD’s AI Principles, 8 the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, 9 and the US Government Accountability Office’s AI accountability framework. 10

9. Lack of explainability and transparency

AI algorithms and models are often perceived as black boxes whose internal mechanisms and decision-making processes are a mystery, even to AI researchers who work closely with the technology. The complexity of AI systems poses challenges when it comes to understanding why they came to a certain conclusion and interpreting how they arrived at a particular prediction.

This opaqueness and incomprehensibility erode trust and obscure the potential dangers of AI, making it difficult to take proactive measures against them.

“If we don’t have that trust in those models, we can’t really get the benefit of that AI in enterprises,” said Kush Varshney, distinguished research scientist and senior manager at IBM Research® in an IBM AI Academy video on trust, transparency and governance in AI .

• Adopt explainable AI techniques. Some examples include continuous model evaluation, Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) to help explain the prediction of classifiers by a machine learning algorithm and Deep Learning Important FeaTures (DeepLIFT) to show a traceable link and dependencies between neurons in a neural network.
• AI governance is again valuable here, with audit and review teams that assess the interpretability of AI results and set explainability standards.
• Explore explainable AI tools, such as IBM’s open source AI Explainability 360 toolkit.

10. Misinformation and manipulation

As with cyberattacks, malicious actors exploit AI technologies to spread misinformation and disinformation, influencing and manipulating people’s decisions and actions. For example, AI-generated robocalls imitating President Joe Biden’s voice were made to discourage multiple American voters from going to the polls. 11

In addition to election-related disinformation, AI can generate deepfakes, which are images or videos altered to misrepresent someone as saying or doing something they never did. These deepfakes can spread through social media, amplifying disinformation, damaging reputations and harassing or extorting victims.

AI hallucinations also contribute to misinformation. These inaccurate yet plausible outputs range from minor factual inaccuracies to fabricated information that can cause harm.

• Educate users and employees on how to spot misinformation and disinformation.
• Verify the authenticity and veracity of information before acting on it.
• Use high-quality training data, rigorously test AI models, and continually evaluate and refine them.
• Rely on human oversight to review and validate the accuracy of AI outputs.
• Stay updated on the latest research to detect and combat deepfakes, AI hallucinations and other forms of misinformation and disinformation.

Make AI governance an enterprise priority

AI holds much promise, but it also comes with potential perils. Understanding AI’s potential risks and taking proactive steps to minimize them can give enterprises a competitive edge.

With IBM® watsonx.governance™, organizations can direct, manage and monitor AI activities in one integrated platform. IBM watsonx.governance can govern AI models from any vendor, evaluate model accuracy and monitor fairness, bias and other metrics.

All links reside outside ibm.com

1 Energy and Policy Considerations for Deep Learning in NLP , arXiv, 5 June 2019.

2 Making AI Less “Thirsty”: Uncovering and Addressing the Secret Water Footprint of AI Models , arXiv, 29 October 2023.

3 Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter , Future of Life Institute, 22 March 2023.

4 AI ‘godfather’ Geoffrey Hinton warns of dangers as he quits Google , BBC, 2 May 2023.

5 Statement on AI Risk , Center for AI Safety, Accessed 25 August 2024.

6 Future of Jobs Report 2023 , World Economic Forum, May 2023.

7 Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI , European Commission, 8 April 2019.

8 OECD AI Principles overview , OECD.AI, May 2024.

9 AI Risk Management Framework , NIST, 26 January 2023.

10 Artificial Intelligence: An Accountability Framework for Federal Agencies and Other Entities , US Government Accountability Office, 30 June 2021.

11 New Hampshire investigating fake Biden robocall meant to discourage voters ahead of primary , AP News, 23 January 2024.

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AI resume builder

How to write the “About Me” section in a Resume? (11+ examples)

Published on September 2nd, 2024

While building your resume, the "About Me" section in a resume is that golden opportunity to showcase who you uniquely and professionally are. It is in this section that you get to tell them who you are beyond titles and skills. But how do you know this section hits the mark? Let's dive into some tips and examples to help you write an "About Me" section worth reading.

Why is the “About Me” Section Important?

Your "About Me" section is the elevator pitch of your resume. This is the summary of your professional journey, your skills, and the value you can bring to the table. If it's done correctly, it will grasp the recruiter's attention and set the tone for the remainder of your resume.

Tips for Writing an Engaging “About Me” Section

• Keep it short: Your "About Me" section is supposed to summarize, not be a biography. Try to keep it within 3-4 sentences that highlight your career and what sets you apart.
• Be real: This is your opportunity to shine as you. Stay away from jargon and clichés and get to the root of what makes you different from every other candidate out there.
• Personalize it for the Job:  Tailor-make your "About Me" section for each application. Highlight those skills and experiences that best fit the job you are applying for.
• Achievements: Just listing your responsibilities isn't saying enough; show how well you can do it. Mention significant achievements or milestones that prove the impact.
• Industry Keywords:  Sprinkle relevant industry keywords naturally in your "About Me" section. It will not only help with the ATS but also do wonders for the human reader.
• Enthusiasm: Convey that you are very excited to be hired because you love the work involved in the field.

What to Put in the “About Me” Section of a Resume?

Knowing what to put in the “About Me” section of a resume can be challenging, but it's important to strike the right balance between professionalism and personality. Here are some key elements you should consider including:

Professional Summary: In the resume summary, write a small introduction about yourself regarding your designation, experience, and key skills. This gives the reader a snapshot of your professional background quickly.

Core Skills:  List some of the most important skills that you master for the job you are applying for. These would range from technical expertise to soft skills such as leadership or effective communication.

Career Achievements:  Highlight some of the greatest accomplishments or milestones of your career. This will go a long way to show the impacts you have brought to previous roles and can further enhance your profile.

Personal Traits:  While it’s important to focus on professional attributes, including a few personal traits can help humanize your resume. For example, you might mention your enthusiasm for problem-solving, creativity, or passion for continuous learning.

Career Goals:  If space permits, briefly mention your career goals or what you’re looking for in your next role. This can show potential employers that you’re thoughtful about your career trajectory and how their role fits into your plans.

11+ Resume About Me Examples

For a Marketing Professional:  

Passionate marketing strategist with over 5 years of experience in developing data-driven campaigns that drive brand awareness and sales growth. Skilled in social media management, content creation, and analytics.

For a Software Engineer:  

Innovative software engineer with 7+ years of experience in full-stack development. Adept at solving complex problems and building scalable applications that improve user experience.

For a Graphic Designer:  

Creative graphic designer with a knack for visual storytelling. Expert in Adobe Creative Suite with a proven track record of delivering compelling designs that captivate audiences.

For a Human Resources Specialist:  

Experienced HR professional with a passion for fostering a positive work environment. Specializes in talent acquisition, employee relations, and implementing effective HR policies.

For a Sales Manager:  

Results-driven sales manager with a decade of experience in leading high-performing teams. Adept at crafting strategies that boost sales and enhance customer satisfaction.

For an Accountant:  

Detail-oriented accountant with a strong background in financial reporting and analysis. Committed to delivering accurate and timely financial information to support business decisions.

For a Content Writer:  

Versatile content writer with a flair for crafting engaging copy across various platforms. Specializes in SEO content that drives traffic and enhances brand visibility.

For a Project Manager:  

Seasoned project manager with a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver projects on time and within budget. Skilled in Agile methodologies and risk management.

For a Data Analyst:  

A data-driven analyst with a passion for uncovering insights from complex datasets. Proficient in SQL, Python, and data visualization tools to support strategic decision-making.

For a Customer Service Representative:  

Dedicated customer service professional with a strong focus on customer satisfaction. Experienced in resolving issues efficiently and building long-term customer relationships.

For a Teacher:  

A passionate educator with over 8 years of experience in creating engaging learning environments. Committed to fostering student growth through innovative teaching methods.

How HireQuotient AI Resume Builder Help In Creating an About Me Section?

The HireQuotient AI Resume Builder simplifies creating the "About Me" section by generating personalized, keyword-optimized summaries. It analyzes your skills, experience, and achievements to craft a compelling and concise profile, ensuring you make a strong first impression on potential employers. The tool tailors the content to match the job description, enhancing your chances of standing out in the hiring process.

Ready to create a standout 'About Me' section effortlessly? Give AI Resume Builder a try – visit now and craft your perfect resume in minutes!

Instead, the "About Me" section is not just a resume filler, but it's your ticket to making a lasting impression. Whether you're a seasoned pro or fresh off the career boat, a well-crafted "About Me" section can make all the difference. Keep in mind to keep it short, real, and relevant for the job one applying for. With these few tips and examples, you're off to a great start in writing that "About Me" section, representing yourself with the real deal of what you bring to the table.

By following these guidelines, you’ll ensure your “About Me” section is not only engaging but also optimized with the keyword "About me" naturally integrated throughout the content. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you introduce yourself in a resume?

The first words of your professional introduction should include your name, job title, and employer.

What is a good line about me for a resume?

A strong line should summarize your professional identity and key skills. Example:  “Results-driven project manager with 7+ years of experience leading successful teams and projects.”

How do I write about me?

Summarize your career highlights, skills, and unique qualities in a concise, engaging way relevant to the job.

How do I tell about myself?

Briefly cover your professional background, key skills, and personality traits that align with the role you’re applying for.

How to write a personal profile?

Write a short, focused summary of your career goals, skills, and accomplishments that align with the job and capture attention.

Soujanya Varada

As a technical content writer and social media strategist, Soujanya develops and manages strategies at HireQuotient. With strong technical background and years of experience in content management, she looks for opportunities to flourish in the digital space. Soujanya is also a dance fanatic and believes in spreading light!

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Example essays

As part of theory of knowledge (TOK), each student chooses one essay title from six issued by International Baccalaureate®(IB). 

The titles change in each examination session. 

Upcoming and past questions include: 

• “To what extent are areas of knowledge shaped by their past? Consider with reference to two areas of knowledge.”
•  “'There is no reason why we cannot link facts and theories across disciplines and create a common groundwork of explanation.' To what extent do you agree with this statement?”
• “There is no such thing as a neutral question. Evaluate this statement with reference to two areas of knowledge.”
• “'The task of history is the discovering of the constant and universal principles of human nature.' To what extent are history and one other area of knowledge successful in this task?”

Further guidance on the TOK essay and exhibition can be found in the IB’s Programme Resource Centre (PRC) .

Materials in the PRC are only available to existing IB World Schools. These materials are free.

There are a number of resources on TOK in the IB Store , which are available to everyone.

Find out how to become an IB World School .

Chase Bank says it is aware of viral 'glitch' inviting people to commit check fraud

Chase Bank is urging its customers not to commit check fraud.

The bank’s plea comes after this weekend a viral trend took over TikTok and X, with users being told that there was a systemwide glitch and that, if they deposited false checks in an ATM and withdrew that money soon afterward, they would be able to cheat the system and take out a large sum of cash before the check bounced.

The only problem? This is not a “glitch” — it’s a check fraud scheme and those who participate will be on the hook for all the money they withdrew once the check bounces.

Although some on TikTok called the scheme a “glitch,” Chase reminded its customers that this “glitch” is actually an invitation to commit fraud. 

“We are aware of this incident, and it has been addressed,” a spokesperson for Chase said in a statement to NBC News. “Regardless of what you see online, depositing a fraudulent check and withdrawing the funds from your account is fraud, plain and simple.”

NBC News has not verified if anyone actually committed the crime as part of the viral trend. However, videos online purported to show people successfully withdrawing cash from an ATM after depositing a fraudulent check into their own bank account — before others quickly pointed out that what they were doing was a crime.

While conversation about the “glitch” has taken over TikTok, it appears the first mention of it was on X , when a user shared an excessive balance of more than $80,000 in his account on Thursday, according to meme database Know Your Meme . 

One video appeared to show lines forming outside of a Chase branch in New York suggesting people were flocking to the bank to “get free money.” Just as quickly as the trend took off, however, people were soon posting screenshots of massive negative balances and holds on their Chase accounts as a result of allegedly trying to withdraw the money. 

“I don’t know what these people think writing bad checks is, but I don’t know why they thought this was a glitch,” one TikTok user said . “Definitely don’t do it.” 

Fake check deposits are a common form of check fraud and are not new, although the chaos of this weekend saw many online discover the tactic for the first time — and mistaking it for a money hack.

Large checks deposited digitally are often placed on hold while the bank reviews their authenticity, but some ATMs allow customers to access a portion of the newly deposited funds immediately. This allows users to quickly withdraw the money before their check clears or bounces.

Fraudsters often approach this by opening bank accounts with fake identities, creating and depositing counterfeit checks from seemingly legitimate sources, then abandoning the account and leaving it with a negative balance.

Another common trick involves a scammer pretending that they sent a check for a greater amount than they meant to, hoping that the recipient is willing to deposit the check and transfer the excess money, which would ultimately leave the victim out of their own funds after the check bounces.

But in this case, people online seem to be simply committing check fraud against themselves — making it relatively easy for a bank to catch on and hold them accountable.

In the days after the Chase “glitch” gained traction, other TikTokers began dunking on those who had tried it, with some joking about waking up with enormous negative balances and others warning users that they had no chance of outsmarting the multinational banking institution.

“Chase Bank glitch? No, that’s called fraud,” one TikTok user said in a video that accrued more than 1 million likes in one day. “You went to the bank and took $50,000 that didn’t belong to you. That’s not a life hack, that’s called robbery. You’re going to jail. Prison actually.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.