Sprint 2

to a detailed outline

Full outline due 18 May 2026Past dueInternational School of Geneva - Campus des Nations

Produce a well-thought-out outline that your supervisor can give meaningful feedback on before the summer break. This ensures you will not waste effort on an approach that will not work.

Deadline

Monday, 18 May 2026 Past due: full outline of your EE / RP uploaded to ManageBac.
Friday, 5 June 2026 Past due: feedback from your supervisor, returned once your Y12 exams have finished.

The aim of the outline

Prove to yourself that your research question is suitable for the production of a successful extended essay with a meaningful argument running throughout (often called the "Golden Thread"; the IB term is your line of argument).
Prove to yourself that there is enough "data" available so that your extended essay will be analytical and not descriptive.
Prove to your supervisor that the combination of your research question, the available data and the argument you intend to make will produce a successful extended essay.
Prove to your supervisor that you are prepared to write a successful full draft of your extended essay during the summer break, with the deadline of Monday, 7 September 2026 Past due.

Requirement

A PDF including all three elements below is uploaded to the task / deadline in ManageBac on or before the deadline.
Your supervisor will offer you feedback once your Y12 exams have finished, by Friday, 5 June Past due.

The three elements of the outline

Different subjects require different structures and emphasis. Your EE supervisor will guide you to fit these requirements to the pathway and subject combination that your extended essay is taking.

1. The first 1000 words

A draft of at least your introduction, literature review / context and methodology. This should be at least 1000 words of structured writing, organised into sections using headings and subheadings.

The word ranges given below are pedagogical guidance only; the only firm IB rule is the 4,000-word total for the finished essay. Subject conventions can shift the balance: for example, psychology essays are predominantly literature reviews; biology, chemistry, and physics essays often require a longer methodology; and mathematics essays may have no discrete methodology section at all.

Introduction (250 to 350 words)

Context and significance: situate your research question within existing academic knowledge and explain why the topic warrants investigation.
The research question: explicitly state a clear, focused research question that directs the entire project.
Line of argument: indicate the "roadmap" or the specific analytical moves the essay will take to arrive at its conclusion.

Where is the introduction assessed?

Criterion A: Framework for the essay (6 marks). Examiners assess whether the research question is relevant, clear and focused, and how well the introduction orients the reader.
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks). Examiners assess how well the introduction establishes academic context, positions the investigation within the field, and uses subject-specific terminology accurately.

Literature review / context (400 to 600 words)

The academic foundation of your essay. Maintain an analytical tone throughout, using the context to build towards your own original argument.

Establish theoretical background: explain the specific theories, mathematical models or historical frameworks you will use to analyse your data.
Map existing scholarship: summarise what is already known about the topic and identify the specific "gap", conflict or debate that your essay intends to address.

Where is the literature review assessed?

Criterion A: Framework for the essay (6 marks). Demonstrates that your research methods are informed by existing academic practice.
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks). Examiners assess whether you have selected credible, relevant sources and applied subject-specific terminology and concepts accurately.
Criterion C: Analysis and line of argument (6 marks). Marks here depend on whether you evaluate sources rather than just summarise them, comparing perspectives or identifying limitations in existing research.

Subject conventions vary. In psychology, the entire essay is effectively a literature review, so there is no discrete section. In biology, chemistry, and physics, background context is presented in the introduction; further engagement with the literature occurs in the discussion. In geography, a context section establishes relevant theories, models and prior studies. In English literature, secondary criticism is often integrated into the introduction or distributed throughout the body. In history, a historiographical section may be discrete or woven through the body. In mathematics, prior work is usually integrated rather than sectioned. Confirm with your supervisor what suits your subject.

Methodology (200 to 300 words)

A brief justification of the research approach you will use to answer the research question, written in the form expected by your subject. To optimise the 200 to 300 word limit, the methodology will typically cover the following four areas:

Approach: identify the overall research strategy, for example, qualitative textual analysis, literature review, experimental design, comparative case study or mathematical investigation.
Source, text or data selection: justify the choice of primary material (for example, a novel or set of texts in English Literature; primary historical sources in History; fieldwork data in Geography; a dataset or experimental setup in Biology, Chemistry or Physics; peer-reviewed studies in Psychology) and explain the criteria used to select secondary scholarly sources.
Analytical framework or tools: detail the specific tools, models or critical lenses you will use to process and interpret your material. Examples vary by subject: statistical tests in Biology, Chemistry and Physics; evaluation of published studies in Psychology (which must use secondary sources only); economic models in Economics; geographical models and spatial analysis in Geography; theoretical frameworks in Philosophy; literary devices or critical theory in English Literature; historiographical approaches in History.
Limitations: acknowledge potential biases in sources, sample size constraints or the boundaries of the investigation.

A strong methodology ensures the essay is analytical rather than descriptive, shifting the focus from "what" the material is to "how" and "why" it produces particular meanings or outcomes.

Where is the methodology assessed?

Criterion A: Framework for the essay (6 marks). The research methods strand of this criterion is evidenced directly here. Examiners assess whether your chosen methods are appropriate to the research question and informed by the practices of your subject.
Criterion D: Discussion and evaluation (8 marks). Acknowledging limitations and the boundaries of your investigation lays the groundwork for the integrated evaluation that runs through the body and conclusion.

2. A very detailed outline, built of subheadings phrased as questions for the main body of the extended essay

The main body (Analysis / Investigation / Discussion) is the most substantial part of your essay, typically ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 words. Its purpose is to build the reasoned argument that answers your research question.

You will submit a series of subheadings, each written as a question, that clearly show how you structure your argument. Divide the body into logically ordered sections with clear subheadings, each presenting evidence followed by your critical interpretation and evaluation of that evidence.
It should be clear how you have organised your sections using a logical strategy, such as a thematic, chronological or comparative framework, that allows your argument to unfold naturally.
Where have you integrated counterarguments and alternative perspectives to demonstrate the depth of analysis expected by examiners?
Proof of concept: where possible, include any preliminary analytical work you have already produced (a draft graph, a sample close-reading, a trial statistical test, an early diagram, a working map). These artefacts demonstrate that your intended analysis can be executed and give your supervisor something concrete to respond to.

3. A table of research / a developing bibliography

Build a table that records the research you have found so far. It should demonstrate that you have sufficient credible material for an analytical essay, and it is the foundation of the formal source list you will produce at the end of the essay.

Note the distinction: a reference list contains only sources actually cited in the body; a bibliography contains all sources consulted, whether cited or not. Either is acceptable for the EE; agree with your supervisor which one you will produce.

Use the columns shown below to record each source. Filling in each column accurately gives you the components of a proper Chicago citation, ready to assemble into your final source list. Different source types use different columns; leave any cell empty if it doesn't apply.

The "Type of source" column should reflect the variety of material you are drawing on. Common types include:

Academic journal article (peer-reviewed)
Book or book chapter
Primary source (e.g. literary text, historical document, archival material)
Dataset or statistical source
News article or magazine feature
Documentary, video or podcast
Website or blog post (use with caution; check authority)
Lecture, conference paper or thesis

A varied source base typically signals stronger research; overreliance on a single source type (especially websites) is a common weakness.

Where to find credible sources

The school library subscribes to a substantial range of academic databases. Start there before resorting to general web searches. Useful starting points by purpose:

Peer-reviewed academic articles (most subjects): JSTOR Arts & Sciences, Project MUSE Premium Collection, DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), Academic Search Index, AAAS publications.
History: History Reference Source, History Reference eBook Collection, plus JSTOR.
English Literature: Literary Reference Source, Project MUSE, and Project Gutenberg for primary texts in the public domain.
Biology and other sciences: MEDLINE, Biomedical Index, Science Reference Source, AAAS publications.
Economics and business: Business Source Index, plus The Economist online and the Financial Times for current commentary.
Geography: JSTOR, Academic Search Index, plus the science databases above for environmental topics.
French-language sources and Francophone history: Gallica (Bibliothèque Nationale de France), Persée, Europresse.
Initial orientation on a new topic: Oxford Very Short Introductions and Britannica Online School Edition. Useful for getting your bearings, but should rarely appear in your final bibliography.
Quality newspapers: The Economist online, the Financial Times, The New York Times, The Day.

Aim to include at least one source from a peer-reviewed academic database. If you cannot find what you need, ask the school librarian: librarians are particularly good at suggesting databases and search strategies you may not have considered.

Example structure (the rows below are illustrative; replace with your own sources).

#	Type of source	Author / Creator	Year	Title	Container (journal / series)	Publisher / Platform	Locator (pages / URL / DOI)	Contribution to the essay
1	Academic journal article	Smith, Jane	2024	Title of Article	Journal Name		vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 45 to 67	Provides theoretical framework for the analysis of...
2	Book	Doe, John	2022	Title of Book		Oxford University Press, Oxford		Background context for the historical, scientific or literary debate...
3	Documentary	Director Surname, First (dir.)	2023	Title of Documentary		Studio Name	Streaming service / URL	Primary evidence for the case study in section 2...
4	Dataset	Organisation Name	2024	Dataset Title			URL or DOI	Source of quantitative data analysed in section 3...

Around 8 to 12 sources at this stage is typical, though some subjects require more or fewer. Agree with your supervisor which Chicago variant (notes-bibliography or author-date) you will use.