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A strong introduction sets the foundation for your Extended Essay (EE). It should clearly outline the research topic, establish its significance, and provide the reader with a preview of what the EE is about. This post will outline some key points to keep in mind when writing the introduction of your EE, no matter the subject.
Extended Essay Introduction Guide
Clearly Define Your Research Question
The research question (RQ) is the core of your essay, and the introduction should explicitly state it.
Ensure that your RQ is specific, focused, and researchable within the scope of a 4,000-word essay.
Avoid overly broad or vague questions. Make sure your research question is detailed and includes all aspects that are relevant to the investigation. For example, for science EEs, the research question should contain the independent variable, dependent variable, and the technique of analysis.
A good example of a research question in the introduction can be seen here.
Provide Background Context
Give a brief overview of your topic, explaining why it is significant within its subject area.
Ensure that this description gives an overview rather than an in-depth explanation. Extensive details must be presented in the main body of the work rather than in the introduction.
Avoid including too much detail – provide just enough context for the reader to understand the research question.
A good example of this can be seen in this EE.
Explain the Rationale
Justify why your research question is important and worth investigating.
Show how your essay contributes to the discussion and why the reader should care about your topic. For example, is this topic globally or personally significant? For example, if you are writing a Psychology EE on memory retention, explain why understanding memory processes is crucial for educational strategies and cognitive research.
A good example of a rationale showing the global importance of the topic can be seen here.
Briefly Introduce Your Methodology
Briefly explain how you will approach your research and analysis.
Mention whether your essay is theoretical, analytical, or experimental, depending on the subject.
If you are using primary research, describe data collection methods. If you are using secondary sources, clarify how you will analyze them.
A good example is seen here as the student discusses why they used hydrogen peroxide for their experiment.
Stay Concise and Formal
The introduction should be around 300-400 words, roughly 10% of your total word count.
Avoid unnecessary background details or in-depth analysis. Talk about these details in the background information section rather than in the introduction.
Ensure every sentence is clear and to the point. Do not use sentence fragments or run-on sentences that distract from the main point you are trying to make.
Maintain academic formality, avoiding personal opinions or casual language such as the first-person voice.
We hope this post helped you learn more about how to write an effective EE introduction. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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