The EE is coming around for the Juniors and, as a survivor, the best I can do is try to offer some advice. Here are ten tips for choosing a topic, researching, writing, and reflecting on your EE.
Choosing your topic
1) You don’t have to love your topic…
I’m sure that at this point, you might have come across a multitude of accounts (either online, through Ms. Flavia, or even from seniors) of people who are absolutely consumed by their topic. That doesn’t have to be your case. Speaking from experience, I came to love my topic only after researching and writing about it.
A tip by David Van De Griendt: “Please --please!-- just don’t choose a topic that you hate!” As long as you pick something that you know you have some interest in, you’ll have fun.
When choosing your topic, it can be something as simple as an idea from an article you read, a conversation you had, a hobby of yours, etc. This takes us to my next point:
2) Your advisor might just become your favorite person in the world :)
Manoela Noronha recounts that “the only idea I had for my EE before my first meeting with Mr. Robertinho was the idea that I had to write an EE.” She said that as soon as they began talking, they found common ground: a movie she really liked (and was EE-worthy) and some possible questions. She continues, “Keep in mind that during those six months of anticipation prior to actually starting your EE, everything in life must become an inspiration. And, don’t beat yourself up if most of them are laughable.” However, Manoela cautions (and referring to one of her friend’s EE, lol), “If you want to be quirky and write about something underground don’t write about something so underground that the only source you can find is your own opinion.” A couple of quick conversations with Mr. Roberto, some daydreaming in class, a bit of reading here and there, and Manoela finally landed on a question she could investigate.
3) Keep in mind, the question you come up with now is not set in stone.
Although you will be instructed to upload a question into Managebac (yeah, I know, that website sucks), you have to remember that it will probably change. It might feel like it is too early to know the direction you want your EE to take without knowing your topic to its fullest extent. So, don’t be too worried about the question you choose initially. Just make sure you have some direction. As your research and writing progress, you’ll be able to come back to it and make the necessary changes.
Research
4) The EE retreats sound dreadful, but they are important.
It feels awful to see the EE retreat on the calendar, a week after finals. While all you might want to do is spend your day on the beach, it's important to reconsider. The presentations might be a little long, but they will have some important information to look out for. More importantly, it is a time for you to work independently and talk to your advisor; make a list of doable things you can do each day, however small, and achieve them. That way, you won’t have to carry the burden of working endlessly during vacation on your EE.
5) Don’t let citations come back to bite you in the butt!
While researching, find a way to keep track of whatever resources you use. I recommend keeping a document with links and names of books (and page numbers) and where in your essay you intend on using them, so you can later cite them in-text. You don’t want to find yourself like Duda Mota, spending a whole day after finishing her essay on retracing her steps in order to properly cite her paper. “It was literally painful,” she admitted. In-text citations are extremely boring, so don’t let them pile up.
6) You don’t have to research EVERYTHING you think you might need before writing.
Sometimes, the best way of knowing what you’ll need to know will only come to your attention as you write. It doesn’t matter how much you try to plan out 100% of your thoughts. As you write, allow yourself to come up with ideas you might not have put in your outline.
Writing
7) Know what works best for you.
I know people who wrote their whole essay in the span of a couple of weeks, and others who made use of months to complete their draft. Don’t compare yourself to other people; just know how, when, and where you work best.
How? Do you like to write a little every day? Maybe complete a paragraph or two every writing session? The first tip I got from my advisor when I started writing came from a 2021 graduate. She told my advisor that she could only take a little bit of planning, researching, and writing every day. So, that is what she did until she finished her essay. I tried her method, and it really didn’t help. I found that my “how?” was doing a lot of work in one sitting.
When? Would you rather work on the weekends or take a couple of hours during the week to work? Try to find a time that won’t interfere with other IB work that you might have. Maybe that means creating a calendar to work during weekdays or spending your whole Sunday before your computer.
Where? An uncommon question, but nevertheless just as important. Sometimes, I really didn’t feel like working on my EE, so I would text a friend and meet at a location other than my usual study spot. Those were my most productive hours.
Understand how you become the most productive and follow that.
8) Don’t feel pressured by deadlines.
Yes, they are stressful, but don’t let your EE experience be ruined by them. They might seem really soon and even unfair, but you’ll be glad to have finished the EE when you did or before college applications come along. Plan a little ahead of time, and you’ll be okay.
9) Make sure you turn in your first draft.
Tutu Lopes believes that the best thing that happened to him was having his supervisor tell him that his “EE was straight-up garbage.” Ouch! But it was just what turned his EE around.
10) Talk to seniors
There is no better way of answering a doubt than talking to the people who just submitted their EEs.
The EE is coming around, and as frightening as that might sound, don’t stress too much! A lot of the fear is more grounded on the anticipation of starting than actually researching and writing. Don’t be afraid! It’ll be a great journey!
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