Extended Essay

[Maya M.]

Just an area to bat around ideas for topics.

I think I wanna do a psychology one. Effect of antidepressants on love. But I think it might be too narrow.
I'd like to do one on the works of G.G. Marquez, but a) we might be studying him next year in English, and b) originally not written in my native language. Wah wah.

[Brad R.]

my idea which i have had for an essay for most of the year now, but it seems like a perfect opportunity to use it now, is a literary analysis of the star wars saga, and it's relationship to christianity. for instance, anakin is christ. and the best thing is, i might not procrastinate on this too much since i actually like star wars, whereas everything else we've done i've hated with a passion.

also maya, i would say that antidepressants on love is too narrow, maybe widen it by making it emotions, but that seems too vague and also too lame

[Matt G.]

whereas everything else we've done i've ated with a passion.

=O

I think I wanna do a psychology one. Effect of antidepressants on love. But I think it might be too narrow.

i would say that antidepressants on love is too narrow, maybe widen it by making it emotions, but that seems too vague and also too lame

I think the topic is fine, assuming Maya can collect enough information for a 3000~4000 word essay on it. The problem with having a narrower or broader topic is merely length (and thus density). A topic too narrow will have to be stretched, making it thin, unless you can really sink into details. A topic too wide will have to be condensed, and you end up trying to cover everything yet talking about nothing (no details). The key is balance. (Verhoeve kids have an advantage here, I believe. =])

[Nicole M.]

I would think antidepressants on love might be too broad, actually... think of all the different types of antidepressants out there, and all the different types of love.

I've been considering doing something about CIA involvement in Latin America for a while now, but I don't know how in-depth we'll go with it next year. The seniors were saying earlier in the year that Falls did a lot on Latin America, but then again, he could always change it depending on how they do, or something.

[Nicole M.]

(Verhoeve kids have an advantage here, I believe. =])

Seeing as you've never even been in Ligman's class before or done any of the work for that class, you don't have ANY right to say that, nor does anyone else in your class.
I have never heard ANYONE in first or third period English saying we're better than your class for this-or-that or your class is horrible for some reason or another, or that we'll do better on the AP, or the IB, or any other sort of test. Because it's extremely rude and disrespectful, to both the students and the teachers. No matter who the teacher is or how class time is spent, it's based on how much the student is willing to put in. There are students in Verhoeve's class who may do horribly, just as there are students who may do amazingly, and it's the same exact thing with Ligman's kids. So LEAVE IT ALONE, because you just sound like an idiot for saying that.

[Brad R.]

nicole, if you're doing it on something that we're going to study next year, wouldn't that limit the amount of time that you'll be able to spend on it?

[Matt G.]

(Verhoeve kids have an advantage here, I believe. =])

Seeing as you've never even been in Ligman's class before or done any of the work for that class, you don't have ANY right to say that, nor does anyone else in your class.
I have never heard ANYONE in first or third period English saying we're better than your class for this-or-that or your class is horrible for some reason or another, or that we'll do better on the AP, or the IB, or any other sort of test. Because it's extremely rude and disrespectful, to both the students and the teachers. No matter who the teacher is or how class time is spent, it's based on how much the student is willing to put in. There are students in Verhoeve's class who may do horribly, just as there are students who may do amazingly, and it's the same exact thing with Ligman's kids. So LEAVE IT ALONE, because you just sound like an idiot for saying that.

Raeg.

Really, it's an opinion based on observations. I'm sure Ligman kids will be better in some other areas Verhoeve kids haven't even glanced at. I was referring specifically to word count and a balance of content density. Our class has written a number of essays of different lengths, and have (for the most part) learned how many words details take (depending on the depth the student plans to go into, primarily). This is mainly why I believe Verhoeve kids have an advantage on such a balance.

Also, having an advantage does not mean being superior. I made no attempt to say my class is better than yours.

nicole, if you're doing it on something that we're going to study next year, wouldn't that limit the amount of time that you'll be able to spend on it?

What if she planned to procrastinate anyway? ;D

[Nicole M.]

nicole, if you're doing it on something that we're going to study next year, wouldn't that limit the amount of time that you'll be able to spend on it?

I already have some background information on the subject, and like I said, it's not something we would go too in-depth on, anyway.

EDIT: Ha, I just realized I didn't already say that. I was thinking it, though. x) I meant I didn't think we'll go too in-depth on CIA involvement, specifically.

[Luca B Erozer]

Maya-
If you do anything with love i think first you are going to have to narrow down which psychological school of thought you are going to analyze love from. Obviously (yes i know my favorite word) a behaviorist would see love very differently than a humanist. Not only that, but i think that you would have to cut down your antidepressants to perhaps a few select drugs. There are soooooo many antidepressants that work in very different ways and it would be almost impossible to compare the effects of them in detail in 4000 words. Maybe go with one specific drug that has been on the market for a few years and already has a number of studies done about it so you have more to go off of.

[Maya M.]

Thanks, Luca. I expect to get Falls as my advisor, and obviously I'll do some more research myself to decide on that.

I actually forgot I started this thread so now I"ll point out to Brad--dude, everyone has a general idea of the effects that antidepressants have on emotion. They're called antidepressants. Duh. The reason I want to write my essay on their effects on love is that I read a short article talking about how they tend to mess around with the neurotransmitters that cause the symptoms of love. So it may be a largely biological standpoint.

Oh and, Matt--have you ever read an essay by a Ligman kid? If so, have you read more than one? 'cause if not, you can't really express opinions on that front that have any weight.

[Matt G.]

Oh and, Matt--have you ever read an essay by a Ligman kid?

Yes. Brad's.

If so, have you read more than one?

Yes. Brad's.

No, I'm not basing my opinions on his essays. I know he's not terribly good at writing.

'cause if not, you can't really express opinions on that front that have any weight.

I can express opinions as I wish, whether they have persuading support or not.

</off-topic>

[Brad R.]

you've only read like, one of mine
and the back half of the final exam one, which was mostly an email from piers, so that doesn't even count at all matt

[Nicole M.]

Anyone know where to find sample essays? Preferably Music but I'm open to History and Social/Cultural Anthropology as well.

[Brad R.]

i think somebody asked BOC that at the meeting.... whenever it was, and she said that we weren't allowed to see previous essays, and if that's true then your best bet is finding a senior or someone who just graduated who can lend you their's so you can take a look

[Nicole M.]

Someone asked if they were online, and she said 'no,' but I know I had Googled 'sample extended essays' at one point- before we even had the meeting- and some stuff came up. Posts on IB Screwed about the legality of sharing essays online, or sharing essays at all, are confusing and contradictory. However, on page 11 ("Advice to students from examiners"), the guidebook we were given explicitly states that students should "read previous essays to identify strengths and possible pitfalls."

I'm not looking for a whole essay so much as an idea of how to formulate my title/research question. I have a vague idea of what I want my EE to be about but no clue if it actually fits within what a grader will want to see, because I don't feel like the samples in the guide really tell me much. I also don't understand what sort of support I should be putting into my essay- how much of it should be score samples? audio samples? If I focus on folk music, as I would like to, how am I even supposed to acquire scores to put in my essay, if this is important?

I know, with so many questions, it might not be the best idea to do a music essay, but it's a topic I'm really interested in and I'm trying to understand how viable it actually is. I'll probably go talk to BOC about it tomorrow.

[Kimberly Y]

Did anyone else have a problem with a sudden change in advisors? For example, a day or so after Butler assigned them I had Lambert but yesterday when I went to write my research question it was Downs...

[Deneith]

Hey, in case anyone plans on using the forum over the summer, are we supposed to log when we do our required research hours? Or do they just expect us to research for such and such amount of time?

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