When do you begin writing your EE?

[Brenda Wijaya]

So when do you guys start writing your EE usually?

Is it as early as your 2nd semester on year 11 or 1st semester on year 12?

[alefal]

I started writing on mine sometime during spring in the first IB year (year 12 here in Norway). Mostly because our IB coordinator was really strict about it, I suppose. I'd suggest you start as early as possible, though, as you'll have literally a ton to do during your third year.

[Pallavi]

Well, I did mine in Economics and started quite late. I started my research in the end of 3rd semester and wrote the essay in the start of 4th semester. Mainly because my teacher had to cover the trade section before I could start writing it.

People in my school who did their EEs in other subjects started quite early- like end of 2nd Semester and they seemed to get through the whole process quite stress free, so yeah.

[Andyboi]

I technically started writing mine at the end of junior year but it was only like an introduction and some of my first body paragraph. I wrote the bulk of my EE my senior year over the course of a few weeks in December. I just turned mine in a week ago and my supervisor is looking at it for last minute comments

[Sandwich]

I did mine December-January of IB2, which was pretty last minute. I don't know how wise it is to start really early just because you mature and learn more about the subject over the course of the first year, but I think that starting it during the summer between the two years and then finishing it off some time when you're back in IB2 is probably a decently good bet.

[Gaby]

I did mine in August, just to get it over with. I think it's a good idea to write it during the summer, it took me 5 days to write it (but I ensured pretty much complete seclusion). I wouldn't be able to focus this much during school year.

[Emmi]

I remember we had to submit topic proposals in the spring of IB1 and we had to have an approved working topic by the time we left for summer break. I wrote my first draft over the summer (I didn't really start writing until about the end of July, I spent June-most of July researching) and was completely done with it by the end of October. Which was nice because then I could focus on everything else, as compared to the people who put it off until December or January and had to fit in their EE along with IAs and other coursework.

[Tyrex17]

At our school we started working on it second semester of the first year. We turned it in to our supervisors right before we got out for summer and they gave it back to us like the last day of school to edit over the summer.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Tyrex17

[-._._.-]

Our school wanted a proposal at the end of the junior year. They advised us to start thinking about it earlier, although some of us didn't really do that (well not me, at least).

Then it was just between us and our supervisors for mini deadlines/discussions.

Ideally, it should be written over the summer break between junior year and senior year, but most of use weren't that productive over this period. Only one person in my class finished her experiments over the summer break and at this point, she is the only one who submitted her extended essay. None of us met the school's internal deadline.

Oh well. To you juniors out there, just start as early as you can. All the best!

[Arrowhead]

I wrote my proposal in IB1, then wrote the essay in the summer between IB1 and IB2. Then hated my essay, dumped it, and started fresh. I wrote a new proposal over the summer and did most of the research. I then avoided my EE and pretended it didn't exist and finally wrote it the weekend before it was due to the IB in 20 frantic hours of typing. Ahhh...the EE...good times.

[royce.martin]

I started writing my EE sometime in early December and i'm now on the verge of completing it! since i started so late i now have a lot of assignments piling up with the burden of commencing my revision for the coming up FINAL exams. Since the extended essay is the lengthiest and the most comprehensive essay you will ever write during your course its better if you start early and not push for time later on in the year!

GOOD LUCK!

[Ez 7]

1 day before the deadline.

[StandardToaster]

I changed my EE subject from Chemistry to Swedish during the second semester in IB1, so after a week I had to turn in a "brain storm" - thing that me and my supervisor discussed about, when I just read the books that I was supposed to write about during the summer vacation. We had a "first draft" in September and I wrote it the day before, the last draft was in December so I worked with the EE like one week to the final deadline.

[Charliepants]

We're turning the EE in in November and our teacher gave us an introductory lesson today.

At the end of February we are to narrow it down to the subject in which we want to write the essay.

He basically told us: "It's important to start as early as possible. Like today."

I'm going to think about possible research questions, and then I'll probably work pretty hard on it throughout the spring.

[Guest Fiorella]

LOL I procastinated so so so soooo much for mine that I cringe every time I think how on earth did I manage to get it done on time and get an excellent predicted score! I would say definitely pick a subject you're REALLY good at (I picked spanish). We were supposed to start brainstorming/writing in junior year but...I started mine two weeks before the final draft was due...don't ask me how I did it x.x

[Smile44]

usually the first semester of your 12th grade year, or the last year of high school. It's a long process so you should start as soon as you have everything outlined and planned.

[dniviE]

Found my topic literally the last day of classes before the summer in IB1. Wrote and researched a bit during the summer. Changed my topic when I came back two times (wrote about 2000 words on one of the topics). Changed back again to the initial topic in November or so and finished it in December and mid January 2013. I basically wrote three different EEs (partially; 1000 words on one, 2000 words on another and then finally approx 3800 on the last and final one).

In my school students get an introduction to the EE in their second semester, but are not expected to finish it before the third semester (ie. first half of IB2). We are encouraged to finish it as early as possible (which is good advice).

@Smile44: It is not such a long process to be honest. You can easily throw together a very well done EE in a matter of six-seven days if you work a lot on it. However, that is pretty much impossible seeing that most of us are in school and we have classes as well as other assignments that we have to do. What I would advise people to do is to sit down and work on it. You need time to think about the topics that you are discussing in your EE and taking time off from other work is the best way to do so.

Edited April 24, 2013 by dniviE

[Ezak]

If your EE involves gathering information or doing a lot of labs then it will be better to do it during a longer time- span to be able to get the data you need. If you have a language then just isolate yourself and brainstorm.

[The Rainbow Connection]

I have [finally] started to write my EE and hope to have a first draft finished in a few days. I really believe the key to getting started is having a thorough plan and knowing 100% how you are going to attack it I collected all my resources and notes (around 6000 typed - not including all the articles I have) in the christmas holidays (although note: I'm in the November 2013 category of students) and I really feel that helped me quite a bit when starting to write my EE.

So, have a plan and your notes before you start writing! Whilst writing, have the guide, a checklist and even an exempler of your subject near you to ensure all requirements are being met

[susanne]

I am a November 2014 candidate and my school indicates that IB students should start writing/planning/researching for their EE during Term 3, which is from July-October I believe. But yes, start writing during the 2nd semester and finish it (the draft) asap

Generally, we are expected to have it done by at least the end of the term 1 in IB2, but many people finishes during the holidays, at least it's the most recommended time