A psychology extended essay requires you to investigate a topic of your choice, develop your research and analytical skills, and elevate your understanding of human and animal behavior from a psychological perspective.
The task requires you to understand the subject and its methodology, so you can focus strictly on a topic linked to psychological investigation and analysis.
In this guide, we look at everything you need to know about IB psychology extended essay. We focus on the overview, topic selection, structure, assessment criteria, and tips you can use to write a comprehensive and equally captivating report.
What is a Psychology Extended Essay?
Psychology extended essay is an individual, self-directed research project that requires you to examine the interaction of sociocultural, biological, and cognitive influences on human behavior and experiences.
Your task is to conduct in-depth research, demonstrate creative and critical thinking, and compile a comprehensive report that expresses your intellectual discoveries.
The purpose of a psychology extended essay research is to get you involved in a project for which you research a topic of personal interest within the discipline of psychology. You’ll enhance your analytical and communication skills as you research your topic, and even understand human behavior and experiences.
How Do I Treat a Topic in Psychology EE?
The extended essay requires you to examine a psychology EE topic of personal interest in a systematic manner. You have to structure your paper around a focused research question developed from the topic selected.
Think of an extended essay in psychology as an investigative and analytical argument, not as a research hypothesis you must discover through a formal psychological investigation.
You should examine your own personal interests as a starting point for the essay writing process. Quite too often, personal interest plays a significant influence in the success of such a complex essay.
Keep in mind that data collection and research techniques, such as experiments, surveys, observations, and case studies, are unsuitable for an extended essay in psychology. So you shouldn’t include them in the essay.
IB Psychology Extended Essay Outline
The following is the current structure for an extended essay in psychology:
Title Page
- Title of the essay
- Research question
- Subject area: Psychology
- Word count (should not exceed 4,000 words).
Contents Page
- Includes all major sections
- Mention the corresponding page numbers for each section
Introduction
- Write a clear, comprehensive introduction to the topic you’ve selected.
- State the aim of the research and your approach to investigation.
- Identify a psychological issue and explain how it relates to the different psychological concepts such as memory, human behavior, and cognitive processes.
Methodology
- Describe the methods or sources used to collect information. Base the entire essay only on secondary sources.
- Ensure the sources you choose provide a variety of perspectives on the topic you selected.
- Justify the choice of methods in relation to the research question and mention the ethical considerations in psychology research if applicable.
Analysis and Discussion
The analysis and discuss section is the most important of the essay because it’s here that you determine the answer to the research question.
For clarity, break this part into different paragraphs. Each paragraph should be a unique argument backed by in-depth analysis, along with proper in-text citations to support your findings.
To stand out even more:
- Consider the theoretical framework of your research. The best approach is to discuss relevant psychological theories, models, or perspectives.
- Evaluate your findings from psychological studies or research and use evidence to support your claims.
- Compare and contrast different studies, approaches, or theories so you can highlight differing perspectives.
Conclusion
For a strong conclusion:
- Reiterate the aim of the essay and summarize the depth of the analysis conducted.
- Summarize the findings derived from each of the sources you used in the analysis.
- Do not introduce new ideas.
- Review the limitations of the data sources, and acknowledge the influencing factors, such as personal biases, on the results.
Additionally, it’s important to evaluate the strength and weakness of your essay and suggest possible improvements.
Bibliography
Here’s where you list all the sources you used in your investigation. The sources should appear in an alphabetical order and have only one style of referencing.
Tips to Write a Good Psychology Extended Essay
To write a comprehensive extended essay in psychology:
- Read and understand the IB’s EE handbook and, if your teacher issues additional instructions, make sure you follow them.
- Consult your supervisor, so they can provide input about the suitability of your topic.
- Start your research early. Begin your research on research and journal databases such as Google Scholar, JYKDOK library, and EBSCO Academic Search Elite.
- Focus on developing your case by citing pertinent concepts, theories, and studies from academic psychology research publications and scholarly literature.
- Do NOT make any claims that you can’t back by evidence from psychological theories or investigations.
- Provide a well-balanced argument in answer to your research topic.
- Don’t just describe your sources. Go a step farther and analyze them in light of your research topic.
It is OK to modify your essay's topic and research question as you write because your sources may yield novel insights.
Consult with your EE supervisor for first reflection. Your supervisor will provide prompt comments on your progress. In addition, the instructor will advise you on your initial reflection.
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