Extended Essay (EE)

The Extended Essay (EE) is one of the core components of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The essay is a maximum 4,000 word piece of independent, self-directed research akin to a college-level thesis.

Head of School Rob Short calls the Extended Essay a unique learning opportunity. “By doing original, independent research… students learn to think and write creatively and critically,” he says. “It is a rich process that prepares them so well for college and beyond.”

Students engage in the research and writing process by choosing their own topic. Previous essays have covered topics ranging from art to history, music to science, and literature to finance — including titles such as “Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo’s Artwork and its Influence on 21st Century Modern Feminism” and “The Effect of Atmospheric Oxygen on the Population Density of Cultured Embryonic Chick Cells."

Close one-on-one work with the librarian and faculty supervisors help students strengthen their independent research, critical thinking and writing skills. Additionally, the essay gives students an opportunity to advance their time management skills and academic integrity practices while learning how to formulate and develop sound arguments to answerable questions..

The Extended Essay program is open to all students, whether or not they pursue the IB diploma and is completed independently. Each year, two official bound copies of each Extended Essay are published –– one for the student to keep and one for Trinity’s collection.

Read more about the EE here.

Students Say

“In my Extended Essay, I researched Duke Ellington and some of his music. It was really interesting to just be able to write a paper on so much about what I was really interested in.”

— Ben Slone ’19

“My research on my Extended Essay has helped me to develop my communication skills and to obtain research.”

— Clay Swinger ’19

“I’m really interested in global politics and I’m really interested in health, so I was able to combine it with stats and I did a math Extended Essay on the effect of development of a country on malnutrition in children under the age of five.”

— Ellie Patterson ’19

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Previous Essay Titles

The Black Plague: Factors Affecting Hypertension in African-Americans
A Statistical Look at Comparable Immigration Trends during WWII between Europe and Different Regions to the United States
The Effect of Atmospheric Oxygen on the Population Density of Cultured Embryonic Chick Cells
Fear of the Unknown: The Desire for Knowledge as a Component to Rex Hoffman's Self Destruction in The Vanishing
#Comfortably.Numb: A Statistical Investigation into the Relationship Between Social Media Usage and Depression in Young Adults, 2005-2014
The Benefits of Elliptical Curve Cryptography Over RSA and the Overall Safety of Public Key Encryptions
An investigation in Cognitive Development through Physical Activity
Scandinavia and Political Asylum: An Investigation into Correlations Between Swedish and Norwegian Foreign Policy, Asylum Policy, and the European Refugee Crisis
The Evolution of Video Games and its Effects on Education Between the Years of 1957-2007
A Statistical Comparison of the Annual Distribution of Revenue Between Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour Across Global Markets
An Investigation Into the Similarities Between Hildegard’s Ordo Virtutum and Celtic New Age Music
What Were the Most Significant Events During the U.S. and U.S.S.R. Space Race and Why?
An Examination of Global Climate Change and the Effectiveness of a Carbon Tax
To What Extent did Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors Aid an Allied Victory of World War II 1930-45?
Nero Misinterpreted: A Study of the Contributing Factors that Led to Nero’s Vilification through Literature

IB Glossary

IB Diploma Candidate: A student pursuing the IB Diploma, taking at least 6 IB courses (one from each subject group) and the IB Core.
IB Course Candidate: A student taking any IB course or completing the IB Core.
IB Core: Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)