Writing your research question

Creating your Geography Extended Essay Topic and line of enquiry

(Based on: Allaway, Richard, 2012)

A Google doc of this is at the bottom of this page - use this when coming up with your own topic and line of enquiry,

This is your opportunity to demonstrate a range of geographical skills, with the aim of producing an independent and in-depth study.

Before you start:

• Read the Geography subject specific Extended Essay information

• Read the Geography focused Extended Essay assessment criteria

• Read a previous, quality Geography Extended Essay

You need to choose a topic, then a line of enquiry this will help you to identify the aspects you are interested in and help to direct your reading and research.

What interests you?

The first step is to brainstorm all the ideas that you have the things that interest you. When you add something to your brainstorm think... 'is this worth asking?'

What is the big idea? This is the concept and the IBDP Geography course provides you with the 4Ps: Place, Process, Power and Possibility. Although you don’t need to think of how your title fits exactly with the 4Ps, it can help to think from this point of view. Alternatively you could think about themes: social, economic, environmental, demographic, political, spatial or temporal.

You could construct your brainstorm on paper (get yourself a large sheet) or using a digital app.

Drafting a Question

You need to have a ‘topic/title’ that frames your Extended Essay, such as “Differences in the quality of life in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam”.

Choose your topic

Check:

• is it obviously a Geography Extended Essay?  If not, refine it ⇑

• is it spatially (place) focused?  If not, refine it ⇑

• can geographical concepts, theories or ideas be applied to it?  If not, refine it ⇑

• are geographical sources available?  If not, change the topic ⇑

Now..... check how it links to Geography

Link(s) to the Geography syllabus 

Use this to write a list of key terms and synonyms you can use in your research.

Geographical Theory 

Use this to identify what other people think about this topic and how it has been investigated in other places before

Specific Location of your study 

Use this to help think about how the above can be applied in your situation.  Physical location, resources, level of development, politics/government…

 Tips

• Investigations carried out at a local scale usually score the highest marks. This narrow focus discourages an over- reliance on published materials and encourages original research.

•  Essays conducted in an area that is familiar and accessible to the student have a much greater chance of achieving success through a more personal involvement, which, in turn, encourages a greater in-depth study.

• The best studies are based on a good primary data collection.  The methodology therefore should support this.