Extended Essay
The extended essay is a mini-thesis where students have to do a piece of original research on a topic of their own choosing. Whilst it could be very challenging, it is also a great exercise for those who wants to achieve a thorough understanding of the subject they are studying. There are many ways of doing an EE and the following is a solid way of approaching an Economics EE.
Choice of topic/ Essay Question
The economics EE would require students to be able to apply economic principles in to the real world. The chosen topic should provide opportunities for data collection and their analysis. They should not historical and should refer to economic information which is not more than three years old. "What was the impact of the financial crisis on Hong Kong during 2008-2010?" is too broad.
Opportunities for analysisThe topic chosen should provide opportunities for some critical analysis of the information that is gathered. Students should avoid topics that depend entirely on summarizing secondary data, as they tend to lead to an essay that is essentially narrative or descriptive in nature.
Restricting the scope of the essay is necessary to ensure a clear focus, and will also provide opportunities for demonstrating detailed understanding of economics and critical analysis.
Suitable areas of economicsMacroeconomics topics may be chosen, but it is essential that the research question is narrowed to a reasonable focus on a particular part of the economy and is not on the economy as a whole.
Topics researching economic development are highly suitable, but the research question should relate to a particular aspect of development or a limited area. It would not be suitable, for example, to examine the effect of some government policy on the development of the whole economy.
It is strongly advised that the student defines the topic chosen for study in the form of a research question followed by a statement of intent that indicates which broad process is going to be used in answering the question. Examples below are from the IBO.
The extended essay is a mini-thesis where students have to do a piece of original research on a topic of their own choosing. Whilst it could be very challenging, it is also a great exercise for those who wants to achieve a thorough understanding of the subject they are studying. There are many ways of doing an EE and the following is a solid way of approaching an Economics EE.
Choice of topic/ Essay Question
The economics EE would require students to be able to apply economic principles in to the real world. The chosen topic should provide opportunities for data collection and their analysis. They should not historical and should refer to economic information which is not more than three years old. "What was the impact of the financial crisis on Hong Kong during 2008-2010?" is too broad.
Opportunities for analysisThe topic chosen should provide opportunities for some critical analysis of the information that is gathered. Students should avoid topics that depend entirely on summarizing secondary data, as they tend to lead to an essay that is essentially narrative or descriptive in nature.
Restricting the scope of the essay is necessary to ensure a clear focus, and will also provide opportunities for demonstrating detailed understanding of economics and critical analysis.
Suitable areas of economicsMacroeconomics topics may be chosen, but it is essential that the research question is narrowed to a reasonable focus on a particular part of the economy and is not on the economy as a whole.
Topics researching economic development are highly suitable, but the research question should relate to a particular aspect of development or a limited area. It would not be suitable, for example, to examine the effect of some government policy on the development of the whole economy.
It is strongly advised that the student defines the topic chosen for study in the form of a research question followed by a statement of intent that indicates which broad process is going to be used in answering the question. Examples below are from the IBO.
Topic |
Policy of plain cigarette packaging in reducing the negative externalities of cigarette consumption in Country X |
Research Question |
How effective has Country X’s policy of plain cigarette packaging been in reducing the negative externalities associated with the consumption of cigarettes in Country X? |
Approach |
Theory to be researched in depth:
|
Topic |
Company X’s abuse of monopoly power in the fast food industry of Country Y |
Research Question |
To what extent does Company X abuse its monopoly power in the fast food industry in Country Y? |
Approach |
Theory to be researched in depth:
|
Topic |
Relationship between the official inflation rate of Country Y and wages of international school teachers in City X |
Research Question |
To what extent has the official inflation rate offered an accurate way to adjust the wages of international school teachers in City X over the past four years? |
Approach |
Theory to be researched in depth:
|
Topic |
Impact of mobile telephones on economic development in Country Y’s Market Town X |
Research Question |
How has the increased use of mobile telephones contributed to economic development in a developing country market town? |
Approach |
Theory to be researched in depth:
|
Topic |
Relationship between taxation of high-emission cars and purchases of low-emission cars in Country X |
Research Question |
To what extent has the recent (within the past three years) change to the indirect taxes on high-emission cars influenced buying of low-emission cars in Country X? |
Approach |
Theory to be researched in depth:
|
Despite what many students think, an ideal EE question should be quite narrowly focused or else the question will end up being addressed too superficially. Student should think about the economic topic, followed by the industry sector and location they are interested in. The following are some examples of questions being too broad and how they can be improved.
Too Broad- What is the market structure of the retail industry in Hong Kong?
(Needs to specify which sector in the retail industry and which part of Hong Kong)
Better - What market structure characterises the supermarket industry in Sha Tin, Hong Kong?
Too Broad- What has been the impact of the minimum wage on unemployment in Hong Kong?
Better- What is the effect of the recent imposition of a minimum wage in Hong Kong on the local domestic cleaning industry in Kowloon?
Too Broad- To What extent RMB devaluation affect the Hong Kong economy?
Better- To what extent has the recent RMB devaluation affect the tourist industry in Tsim Tsa Tsui, Hong Kong?
Setting the EE question is very important and many students have trouble setting a good one. The following website serves as a very useful guide to setting a good EE question.
https://ajmccarthynz.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/extended-essays/
Difference between an EE and the Economics IA
Students must ensure that their EE does not overlap significantly with any other work they are submitting for the Diploma Programme. For example, the data gathered for an economics EE should not be used to fulfil the requirements of internal assessment tasks in other subjects.
The internal assessment task (IA)—a portfolio of commentaries—may give students ideas for topics to research in depth, but the EE is not an extension of this task.
Students must ensure that they understand the clear distinction between the IA and the EE:
- Both allow students to apply economic theory to a particular real-world situation, but the IA is anchored in specific articles in the news media.
- In the EE, the student’s topic and research question determine which economic theory it is relevant to explore; in the IA commentaries, the articles decide this.
- Both use secondary sources, but there is no expectation in the IA to consult sources beyond the specific news articles.
- There is no expectation of primary research in the IA.
- The tighter word limit of each IA commentary means that the 4,000-word EE is a study of much greater depth and breadth.