Jade in Paris Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 (edited) I am going to be taking the IB next year and as preperation the teachers are making us do a mini extended essay. Im doing my extended essay under A1 and can not think of anything!!! One of the big problems that I have is that I dont have enough time to read a book or a few novels. If anybody could give me any help or hints then that would be greatly apreciated!!! Thnx Edited May 1, 2009 by Jade in Paris Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahuta ♥ Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Bienvenue~lol, ok, I suppose you can do it on a book you read? Like a book your ead and saw that it is a good one to be analyzed. The better you like the book..the easier it will be to write the essay. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedron123 Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I agree with Mahuta. Besides, remember that the essay is a research paper. Therefore, it should have a theoretical framework and it should contain critical material supporting the analysis you make. In other words, you have to read more than just one book (the one you would analyse) in order to write a good essay. G'luck! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Have you thought about doing your mini EE on books that you have read in English class? Since you're almost finished this year, there must be some books you've read. Pick two that have something in common (a theme, similar characters) and compare and contrast. Or come up with a thesis statement (e.g. This character reacts to personal tragedy in her life much more passionately and stirringly than this one) and then argue to what extent you statement is true.And if you don't like the books you've read in class, then pick two short ones (like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland) and formulate a question from there onwards. Children's books are perfectly fine for A1 EE's.And if you want to do an EE in A1, you have to understand that you'll be reading the two books (or at least sections of them) over and over, analyzing and looking up quotes. There's no point in doing an EE in A1 if you've already decided you don't have time to read. Make time. You will have to read primary and secondary sources for all other EE subject essays too, and I honestly think that English has less reading than other subjects like History (since you use far less secondary sources and use mostly the books you've chosen). 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade in Paris Posted May 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 The childrens story thing is a really good idea. Im thinking i can probabaly just find two shorter books, like you mentioned, and do an analysis on that. Last year I studied the little prince and maybe I can do something off of that, or George Orwells 1984, or Of mice and men. The only problem is what books can i compare them to or tie them togeather with a general theme. Sobody mentioned that it has to be a comparison of two books, is tht true or can it be an analysis of one? And as a last question, what is considered a primary and secondary source in literature? Thank you soooooooooo much!!! I really apreciate it! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilia Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 (edited) It doesn't have to be a comparison, you can do it on only one novel/play/whatever, but then it has to be originally written in you A1 language. So if you're taking French A1 and write your EE on one novel, it has to be French. If you do a comparison, one of the books can be a translation.If I'm correctly, primary sources are the books you're doing it on, secondary sources is what someone else has written about those books. Edited May 2, 2009 by Tilia Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 The primary sources are the books themselves. Secondary sources are things like literary essays/critics viewpoints on the books that you can find online or in books that contain a collection of literary essays on a certain book (these books are useful but also quite expensive, usually $50 and up).In general most people write an EE on at least two books because one book generally doesn't provide enough analysis for the word count. I compared Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre for the main characters' adherence to social convention. My friend wrote her EE on sensual and visual appeals in 3 children's books (Roald Dahl, Winnie the Pooh and something else) and the emotions that they evoke in child audiences. One person on here (one of the moderators) wrote her EE on Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and a comparison between the villains in them. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAlma0911 Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Does the extended essay in A1 have to be based on a novel/play/etc. composed in the original language? My Language A1 is English and I had the intention of writing my extended essay on Marcel Proust's Swann's Way but I was not informed of this rule when choosing my topic.My school is fairly new at IB, so if this is a mishap, I would like to know before I submit the EE to IB. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperbole Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Yes, at least one of the works you base your EE on MUST originally be written in the A1 language you're writing in. You are allowed to also include a work translated from another language, but it is better to just go with works from the same language.Considering that you're in English A1, you have a lot to choose from. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade in Paris Posted May 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 i decided that im going to do the effects of totalitarianism in the books 1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Do you think that its a good EE topic or not? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbkozu Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 I did my EE in English A1 about literary features in The Great Gatsby. I originally wanted to do a comparison, but it did not work out, so it is much easier to focus on one book rather than trying to compare two. That is, unless, the books share a strong commonality. I agree with everyone else, it is much easier to do it on books you have read in IB.Good Luck! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted May 10, 2009 Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 The effects of totalitarianism on who? The farm animals? The humans? Add that detail in, and it sounds fine. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jade in Paris Posted May 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2009 On the main characters. Does it have to be more specific? If so, how would you sugest that I specify it? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
herong2x Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 yes books are the most recommended sources. you may do something on a book you are mostly interested in probably not the one studied at school.you can focus on the themes or any literary feature and its effect on the book, or something socially related to the book good luck! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyperbole Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Actually, you should avoid doing anything too focused on social connections; my EE was borderline "too unliterary" at first, and my supervisor kept making me change it to a more literary focus. So I really wouldn't recommend anybody to focus on anything "socially related"! Group 1 essays should be literary; Group 2 essays can be social. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelo Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 i wanted to write my EE in Eng A lang lit, something with the little prince, but I don't know what book to pair it with, helppppp Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.