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Extended Essay: Step 4. Choose a Topic

A guide to the research and writing process required for students completing the IB Extended Essay.

Choosing a Topic

After choosing the subject for your extended essay, the next step in the research process is to define what your research is going to focus on - the topic.

Hospital sign - Britannica ImageQuestAt this stage you need to explore:

  • what are my possible topics?
  • what do I know about those topics?
  • which words would be good search terms and keywords?

Within this section of the guide you will find ideas for useful resources to help you choose a research topic.  Explore some of the options and find the ones which suit your needs best.  See:

Identifying keywords as you begin your research
Finding background information on your topic

And see other pages to get help with how to:

Define your topic
Conduct research in a specific discipline

Twelve-step Plan for Researching the Extended Essay - Step 4

4.  Choose a topic and undertake some background reading in it.

         

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