One important decision you have to make is choosing the suitable supervisor for your IB extended essay. Having written extensively for IB, I can say that a professional supervisor may make all the difference between a flawless research procedure and unnecessary worry. How, however, do you choose wisely? More importantly, how best to use their guidance?
I’ll provide helpful advice on selecting a supervisor for IB EE and working well with one. These tips help you remain on course whether you’re just starting or want to enhance your teamwork.
What Is the Role of the Supervisor in the Extended Essay?
The extended essay supervisor helps students with their writing and research. Many students, however, misunderstand their role and expect them to provide thorough edits or even make arguments. In my perspective, a supervisor should not write or substantially edit your work; instead, they should provide guidance and assistance.
The supervisor’s responsibilities include the following, under the general IB criteria:
- Supporting the development of the research question. They guarantee that your subject is clear, concise, and doable in the allotted word count.
- Provide preliminary direction. They provide pertinent research methods, techniques, and sources.
- Tracking developments. Supervisors assist students in adhering to timetables and ensuring deadlines are fulfilled.
- Reviewing and providing comments. After reading versions, they provide feedback on the argument’s growth, clarity, and organization.
- Holding sessions for reflections. Supervisors assist students in reflecting on their learning experience by guiding them through the RPPF.
Supervisors challenge ideas, promote critical thinking, and assist students in becoming proficient in conducting independent research.
In my experience, students who interact with their supervisors frequently and heed their guidance tend to write better, more structured essays. However, over-reliance on a supervisor or disregard for their advice might result in subpar research and lost chances for advancement. Simply put, a competent supervisor helps you remain on course, but you must still put in the work and direction.
What Can’t the IB EE Supervisor Do?
It is a common misconception among students that their supervisor would correct their errors, redo portions, or give them straight answers. In my experience, students are better able to take ownership of their work and steer clear of excessive expectations when they know what a supervisor cannot accomplish. So, these are some essential things that an IB EE supervisor can’t do:
- Have the essay written or edited for you. They won’t rewrite passages, reword phrases, or fix grammar. They are not there to edit your work; their job is to provide feedback.
- Give unrestricted feedback. Before the final submission, supervisors can only see one complete draft. This implies that you need to maximize and use their input carefully.
- Give you precise instructions. They won’t formulate arguments, organize your essay, or develop your thesis statement, but they may direct your research and provide suggestions for enhancements.
- Decide on a research question. They may be able to assist you in focusing your question, but you have the last say.
- Locate sources for you. Supervisors may suggest different materials, but they won’t provide a list of books, journals, or websites. As a researcher, it is your duty.
- Assure a good grade. Your ultimate score is beyond the control of even the finest supervisor. Your work, research, and writing abilities will determine your performance.
The most successful students, in my view, are aware that they are ultimately responsible for their extended essay. A supervisor is not there to do your work; they are there to help you. End up with a far stronger IB EE if you approach the procedure with independence and discipline.
How Are Extended Essay Supervisors Assigned?
IB schools appoint EE supervisors in different ways, but students generally have some say in the matter. Knowing how and when this occurs can help you prepare and get the best advice for your research.
Usually, IB schools use one of these strategies:
- Some colleges let students choose their supervisor, often based on availability and subject-matter knowledge. You must ask an instructor whether they will monitor your extended essay in this situation.
- In some schools, the IB coordinator assigns supervisors, often depending on the subject matter of your EE and your teachers’ workload.
- While some schools allow students to submit a list of choices, the administration ultimately makes the choice.
EE supervisors are often appointed in March or June, the conclusion of the first year of the IB program. This varies, however, based on the institution’s internal deadlines. As soon as you are allocated, you should set up your first meeting so that you may begin talking about your research question and methodology.
As soon as you choose your research subject, I suggest selecting a supervisor depending on whether your university allows it. This way, you’ll more probably find someone qualified and easily accessible.
How to Select Supervisor for IB EE?
Your entire experience and the quality of your research may be affected by your choice of IB extended essay supervisor. But how can you choose wisely?
Here are some pointers to help you choose the ideal IB EE supervisor for your subject and manner of work.
Choose Someone with Subject Expertise
Your selected field should be well-versed in by your supervisor. A knowledgeable instructor may help hone your research question, provide relevant materials, and offer perceptive criticism. Choosing a Math teacher as a supervisor is not a good idea if your extended essay is in History. Choose a teacher who has an appropriate academic background at all times.
Think About Their Availability
Some instructors might find it challenging to provide thorough evaluations since they oversee many students. Before making your decision, ask them how many extended essays they now oversee and whether they have time for frequent meetings.
Look for someone who can devote more attention to your work if an instructor seems too busy.
Seek a Supportive Teaching Style
Every educator approaches mentoring uniquely. While some adopt a hands-off attitude, others are very organized. What works best for you should be considered:
- Do you need precise deadlines and well-organized instructions?
- Or would you rather be more independent and flexible?
Choose a supervisor whose approach fits your requirements to ensure your extended essay writing process runs more smoothly and effectively.
Seek Out Suggestions
If you’re unsure who to choose, speak with more experienced IB students or your IB coordinator. They may provide details about the most qualified teachers under EE supervision. Great candidates are often instructors with experience helping students achieve good results.
Find Supervisor Interested in Your Subject
You should expect more thoughtful criticism and greater participation from your supervisor if they are enthusiastic about your research topic. A good indicator is when they show enthusiasm for your subject when you bring it up. Conversely, you may not get the most support if they show little excitement.
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How to Work with IB EE Supervisor?
After selecting your IB extended essay supervisor, the next step is establishing a fruitful working connection with them. In my experience, students who communicate well and heed their supervisor’s recommendations often write better essays with fewer last-minute hiccups.
Having clear expectations is one of the most crucial things to accomplish. Although they are there to provide guidance, your supervisor is not in charge of pressuring you to finish your work. You should thus plan frequent check-ins, learn how they want to provide feedback, and always arrive at meetings prepared.
Use these tactics to maximize your supervisor’s advice:
- Don’t wait until the last minute to seek assistance; set up meetings in advance and keep them.
- To prevent ambiguous conversations, prepare your questions in advance of each encounter.
- To ensure you remember what needs improvement, make notes on their comments.
- Send your drafts on time to get insightful feedback ahead of schedule.
- Be mindful of their time by focusing your emails and queries.
Keep in mind, nevertheless, that your extended essay is ultimately your responsibility. Your supervisor won’t provide thorough directions, rewrite sections, or fix your grammar. Rather, they will point out the shortcomings in your essay, advise on how you may improve it, and make sure it meets IB criteria.
Never ignore their critique; instead, if needed, get an explanation. Simple questions like “Could you explain why you think this section is unclear?” will help you understand their motivations and guide any changes you make to your work.
Keeping open lines of contact and considering advice from your supervisor can help you to reduce the tension of your writing experience and improve the quality of your extended essay.
Conclusion
Choosing an IB EE supervisor and working with them is essential to writing a good essay. It makes a big difference if you choose someone who is accessible, knows a lot about the subject, and is interested in it. You can get the most out of their help, though, if you talk to them clearly, plan ahead, and respect their time.
If you follow these steps, writing your extended essay will go much more smoothly and quickly. But not everyone has the time or confidence, of course, to create a high-scoring Extended Essay on their own—even with a supervisor’s assistance. If you are overwhelmed or unclear about your research, you might want to consult BuyTOKEssay.com for expert advice.
