CAJCS Extended Essay Guide: OUTLINE FOR THE HUMANITIES ESSAYS

A detailed Essay plan also allows for much smoother drafting and editing stages.

A 4000 word essay is quite substantial and to ensure that you meet all the requirements a word count/allocation is a good way to begin. 

All subject area essays will naturally differ in their requirements.  However, the following suggested structure is a very good guide.  The structure below is based on 200 word paragraphs.

Introduction – 800 words

• Must include the RQ in bold – preferably in the first paragraph
• Context: What key aspects can you discuss to ensure you’ve provided some academic context underpinning your research question?
• For locally based investigations ensure you clearly identify and locate the local context
• Outline of argument: What features, aspects, factors, theories and so forth will your essay utilize in order to arrive at a conclusion?
• Give an overview of methodology and scope – how do you plan to answer the question? What authors, scientists, case studies, theories and so on have been consulted to answer your research question?
• What is the significance of your research? Why is this topic worthy of consideration?

FOR DETAILS CLICK ON INTRODUCTION PAGE

Body – 2400 words

The EE is focused on presenting an argument and the body of the essay needs to clearly build this argument arc.

• Divide the essay body into four sections of approximately 600 words
• Each section focuses on one main point with supporting information
• Each section includes approximately three paragraphs
• In the essay plan clearly identify your intended supporting information/ideas/evidence in point form
• Ensure that you use the strongest points in the argument first and last with the weaker points in the middle
• Ensure that your argument is not descriptive – it must be analytical

Conclusion – 600 words

• Paragraph one: Answer the Research Question! Clearly tie all the main points of your argument together to address the exact wording of your RQ
• Paragraph two: Include an implicit link to TOK.  Once you have become very familiar with your investigation you will find it easy to identify the knowledge questions that arise
• Paragraph three: Any construction of new knowledge – which is what your investigation has achieved! – leads to further questions to be answered in future investigations.  Suggest future lines of inquiry

Those mathematicians amongst you will notice that the above structure is 3800 words.  This gives you an extra 200 words to include wherever you feel may be necessary.

To address all the criteria, you must stick to the word limit as closely as possible!  Do not exceed the word limit at all – this is a very easy way to lose marks.

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK HERE FOR THE CONCLUSION PAGE 

The main body of the EE can differ structurally depending on which subject (or topic even) has been chosen. When structuring an EE the first consideration for the main body is to choose between a free-flow writing style or a more compartmentalized one where the essay is subdivided into sections or chapters.

FREE FLOW or SECTIONS

Although there is no hard and fast rule for this, the table below lists the most commonly seen approaches when it comes to structuring an essay in a particular subject (or topic area):

Irrespective of the chosen approach, all essays benefit from some clear pre-planning with regards to the core points they wish to develop so as to answer their research question.

Identifying the essay’s core points is of immense help when it comes to structuring the student’s writing as it can form the basis of the sub-headings used (or in the case of a free-flow essay. The layout of the paragraphs) so that a developing argument is formed.

Irrespective of the approach selected, all essays should feature paragraphs. The important point to keep in mind when it comes to paragraphs is that they should indicate a shift from one line of argument to another, or from one developmental point to another.