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IBDP: Extended Essay

Resources to support students as they plan, write, edit, and revise their Extended Essays

Finding Your EE Topic: 6 Tips for Students

Finding Your EE Topic: 6 Tips for Students

  1. Follow Your Curiosity – Think about subjects or ideas you enjoy and want to explore more deeply.
  2. Look at Your Passions – Consider hobbies, books, movies, or issues you care about.
  3. Connect to Class Subjects – Link your favorite subjects to topics you’re curious about.
  4. Ask “What If?” Questions – Play with “What if?” or “Why?” questions to spark ideas.
  5. Use Media for Inspiration – Explore social media, YouTube videos, or documentaries to discover interesting topics.
  6. Check Resources – Make sure there’s enough information online, in books, or in the library to research your topic (scroll down for links to ISB databases).

Steps to Find a Research Topic

Videos

Check Resources

Once you decide on a topic, students should...

  • Confirm there are secondary sources with enough research about the topic
  • Read academic journals – how is the topic treated by other scholars?

The academic databases listed below are good places to browse when trying to identify possible topics of interest.