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Extended Essay: Reflecting on the process

This guide contains information about the Extended Essay, the process, the skills required, and some subject-specific resources as well.

Guidelines for completing the Reflections on Planning and Progress form

These are the instructions provided candidates at the top of the RPPF.
Candidate: [The RPPF] is to be completed by the candidate during the course and completion of their EE. This document records reflections on your planning and progress, and the nature of your discussions with your supervisor. You must undertake three formal reflection sessions with your supervisor:
  • The first formal reflection session should focus on your initial ideas and how you plan to undertake your research;
  • the interim reflection session is once a significant amount of your research has been completed; 
  • and the final session will be in the form of a viva voce once you have completed and handed in your EE.

This document acts as a record in supporting the authenticity of your work.

The three reflections combined must amount to no more than 500 words.
 
REFLECTIONS MUST BE WRITTEN IN THE SAME LANGUAGE AS THE EE.

A note for students writing in Chinese, Korean and Japanese:

Students writing their extended essay in Japanese, Korean or Chinese should use the following conversions.

• Japanese: 1 word = approximately 2 Japanese characters 

• Korean: 1 word = 1 word

• Chinese: 1 word = approximately 1.2 Chinese characters

When typing in Chinese, Korean or Japanese word processing software is likely to include the number of characters and punctuation in the word count. Students are asked to not include punctuation in the word count for assessed work. The word count should only take into account the number of characters typed.

First and interim reflection sessions

Reflecting throughout the research process

The following table identifies three stages in the review process and the kinds of questions you can usefully consider at each. It also suggests what evidence you might use in your reflection sessions to demonstrate your progress and learning.

Reflection Stage Questions you may ask yourself Evidence from my Researcher's Reflection Space

First Reflection: Planning
and background
reading
  • How has my research question evolved?
  • Given the reading I have done, what do I need to do in order to refine my RQ?
  • What questions are emerging? Are these similar or different to my initial questions?
  • Will my research question allow me to think critically about the topic I am researching? If it suggests a descriptive response, how might I need to change it to allow for more critical thinking? 
  • Are there any challenges that I need to overcome in order to achieve my desired outcomes?
  • From my research so far, what gaps in my knowledge have I identified? How might I resolve these gaps?
  • What research strategies or resources have worked best for me so far?
  • Do I have a clear understanding of the methodology required to answer my research question?
  • How did completing the annotated bibliography help me gain perspective on my topic?
  • Mind map®
  • Annotated section of the Extended essay guide
  • Annotated bibliography
  • Annotated photograph, newspaper article, and so on
  • Notes
  • Annotated article(s)
  • Brainstorm of questions
  • Mind map® of potential challenges and possible strategies
Interim reflection: writing stage
  • To what extent does the data/information I have relate to my proposed research question?
  • If I do not have sufficient data/information, how will I go about resolving this? Can it be resolved? 
  • Given the data/information I have collected, do I need to reformulate my research question? 
  • Has the data/information collected taken me in an unexpected direction?
  • Are there still questions/issues that I am unclear how to resolve?
  • Do I have a reasoned argument that can be sustained throughout the essay?
  • Am I able to make coherent links between different points made and the evidence presented?
  • To what extent have I answered my research question?
  • What reasons may have affected my ability to answer my research question?
  • If I have been selective in the evidence presented in my essay, can I justify my choices?
  • Is there a clear summative conclusion, and does this reflect the discussion that has taken place? 
  • To what extent do I think I have fulfilled the expectations of the extended essay as a task? 
  • Has my research resulted in me changing my perspective or views on the topic in question?
  • What strategies have I employed that have worked particularly well at this stage of the process?
  • Introduction of the essay
  • Annotated sections from books, journals, articles, and so on
  • Reworked research question
  • Examples of data/information collected from research
  • An outline of the main argument
  • Timeline
  • Working bibliography

Final reflection following the 
viva voce
  • To what extent has my thinking been confirmed or changed about my chosen topic as a result of my research? 
  • What strategies did I employ that proved particularly effective in the research process?
  • What skills have I developed and how might these be useful in the future?
  • What improvements might I suggest to my own working practices?
  • How might different research strategies have impacted my outcomes?
  • What did I learn about myself as a learner in this process?
  • the final draft of the essay

Modified from the West Sound Academy LibGuide for the Extended Essay reflection session.

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