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A (not so humble) enquiry (seriously, I need help)


enx

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So, as I further dive into post-graduate papers I simply do not contain the brain capacity (yet?) to comprehend, I'm gaining an increasingly certain belief that doing an HL exploration on chaos theory/it's applications is not my cup of tea. (again, yet(?)) Our option topic is calculus, and what I've come to understand (with questionable accuracy) is that the chaos theory falls rather into the "discrete maths territory", whatever that is. I've already suggested the topic to my teacher and he appeared to have no hesitations on asking for the rationale and the mathematical development, due yesterday. (yay snow break?) (I mean I could've asked him about these if it weren't for the snow so ultimately it wasn't that great) (and I'm aware my delays are not optimal but have no doubt, my days have been terrorized by this theory ever since I've decided on the  topic, to no clear end) Overall, I've no ways (or honestly, the intention) to change my topic now, and I need to get it, at last. I ask, from those graduates that somehow enjoy frequenting the haunting memories of IB, or Further geniuses (or those that qualify for both?), to walk this crippled victim of her own audacity, through the chaos theory. Preferably by calculus-applicable examples, and minding that I indeed am crippled intellectually by the inexplicably high level papers I've made myself read. (sorry for my insensitivity towards the mentally challenged, account it on my own challenge that is unlike theirs, of my own doing, yet proves to be a great obstacle nonetheless)

tl;dr I'm an idiot that chose chaos theory as her exploration topic. I don't get it. Need someone able to walk me through it. Please.

Edited by enx
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Until someone does in fact walk you through chaos theory (or until you have the ways and the intention to change your topic), here are my suggestions.

1. Post-graduate papers may be too much. Consider starting from wikipedia or a textbook.
2. Focus on a specific problem or idea and not a whole field of study. This is the same reason why you don't choose topics like "geometry", "statistics", or "number theory" as your IA topic.

3. Consider the Criterion E: Use of Mathematics, IB wants math concepts from multiple fields / applications, not necessarily very complicated math. 

4. Talk to your teacher about your concerns. See if he knows of good intro books for the topic. Discuss ways you can narrow your topic. Look at past examples of successful IAs. 

Best luck!

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You could link chaos theory as a whole to TOK, which could help with personal engagement and reflection.  From what little I do know about chaos theory, I would say that the double-pendulum system on wikipedia would be a good place to start (it's calculus-related).  Weather systems and fluid dynamics may also be related to chaos theory.  However, you'd probably need a decent grasp of physics for these subjects.  It's a big field, so I would like to emphasize kw0573's advice on choosing a narrower, more specific topic.  

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  • 4 years later...
On 1/10/2017 at 8:17 PM, enx said:

So, as I further dive into post-graduate papers I simply do not contain the brain capacity (yet?) to comprehend, I'm gaining an increasingly certain belief that doing an HL exploration on chaos theory/it's applications is not my cup of tea. (again, yet(?)) Our option topic is calculus, and what I've come to understand (with questionable accuracy) is that the chaos theory falls rather into the "discrete maths territory", whatever that is. I've already suggested the topic to my teacher and he appeared to have no hesitations on asking for the rationale and the mathematical development, due yesterday. (yay snow break?) (I mean I could've asked him about these if it weren't for the snow so ultimately it wasn't that great) (and I'm aware my delays are not optimal but have no doubt, my days have been terrorized by this theory ever since I've decided on the  topic, to no clear end) Overall, I've no ways (or honestly, the intention) to change my topic now, and I need to get it, at last. I ask, from those graduates that somehow enjoy frequenting the haunting memories of IB, or Further geniuses (or those that qualify for both?), to walk this crippled victim of her own audacity, through the chaos theory. Preferably by calculus-applicable examples, and minding that I indeed am crippled intellectually by the inexplicably high level papers I've made myself read. (sorry for my insensitivity towards the mentally challenged, account it on my own challenge that is unlike theirs, of my own doing, yet proves to be a great obstacle nonetheless)

tl;dr I'm an idiot that chose chaos theory as her exploration topic. I don't get it. Need someone able to walk me through it. Please.

Hello. I have also chosen chaos theory as my exploration topic. I am also struggling A LOT. Could you help me a bit with how you proceeded in your process for the IA?

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