At first, writing a Global Politics Extended Essay (EE) might seem challenging. However, as an experienced IB writer, I promise it will be fun and easy if you use the suitable method. This piece will show you how to write a well-organized and interesting Global Politics EE by giving you tips that have worked for other students.

What Is an IB Global Politics Course?

The IB Global Politics course helps students understand and think critically about important political ideas, theories, and problems. This class is part of the International Baccalaureate program and asks students to think about what power, authority, human rights, and sustainability mean. Students use academic and hands-on methods to examine how these ideas work in the real world. They make links between events happening in their communities and events happening around the world.

One thing that makes the IB Global Politics course stand out is its focus on contemporary issues. Students are told to examine current events and develop their ideas about how different levels of government work and affect each other.

• Power, sovereignty, and international relations. Students examine how power is shared and used within and between states and how authority affects ties between countries.
• Human rights. Civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights are just some topics taught.
• Development. Some important topics to discuss are reducing poverty, setting goals for sustainable development, and how development policies affect communities that are already struggling.
• Peace and conflict. This unit focuses on the reasons and effects of conflict and ways to end conflicts and build peace.

An Extended Essay on Global Politics allows students to research any course-related topic. This work is important to the IB Diploma because it enables students to learn more about a specific issue, improve their study skills, and write a logical, well-argued paper.

How to Formulate a Topic for Global Politics EE?

I’ve seen that this choice can make or break your essay. A good topic keeps you interested while you do the research and sets you up for a robust and thoughtful piece of writing. General IB rules say that your topic should be related to some of the essential ideas in Global Politics, like authority, power, human rights, or development, and it should be specific enough to allow for a deep study.

A good mix of specificity and relevance is essential when picking a topic. A big topic like “democracy” might seem like a good choice, but a 4,000-word essay might not be able to handle it well. Instead, you might want to narrow your focus to something easier to handle and meet the EE word count, like how social media affects democracy in a specific country or area.

When you’re trying to think of possible ideas, you should ask yourself these:

• Does the subject fit with important ideas in IB Global Politics?
• Is it clear enough to allow for a thorough analysis?
• Are you interested enough to stay motivated while studying and writing the paper?

For instance, a topic like “The Impact of Climate Change Policies on Small Island Developing States” lets you examine how weak countries deal with global agreements and their local situations. “The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Conflict Resolution in Sub-Saharan Africa” is another good topic. It examines how well NGOs help build peace, and there is a lot of qualitative and quantitative data on this topic.

How to Gather and Analyze Data for Global Politics Extended Essay?

A big part of writing an interesting Global Politics Extended Essay is gathering and analyzing data. As an experienced IB writer, I can tell you that the strength of your points will depend significantly on the quality of your data and how you understand it.

Find Sources of Useful Data

You could use the following types of info sources, depending on your subject:

• News from the government and NGOs. These often include government comments, policy studies, and thorough data related to your theme.
• Books and journals. Peer-reviewed publications are a great way to get data carefully studied and interpreted by experts.
• News and media. News sources you can trust can give you up-to-date information, especially when they look at current events or public opinion.
• Tests and polls. If your topic is how people think or act, surveys and polls can give you numbers that help you understand it better.

Also, talking to experts or people directly involved with your topic in an interview can give you unique information that isn’t in written sources.

Ways to Collect Primary Data

By sending surveys, you can get measurable information about people’s thoughts, actions, or views about your topic. For instance, if you want to find out how social media affects political involvement, a poll could show patterns in how people from different groups interact with political material online.

Talking to experts, lawmakers, or campaigners can provide first-hand information and qualitative data. Ask open-ended questions that will lead to detailed answers, and ensure that the talks are recorded or typed to ensure accuracy.

If your study includes talks or media, you can use content analysis to help. It involves carefully organizing and sorting the material to find themes, biases, or trends.

Looking at Quantitative and Qualitative Data

After getting your information, the next step is to analyze it. Tools like SPSS, R, or even Excel can be beneficial for organizing and analyzing your data. Also, charts, graphs, and different tables can help you and your readers better understand what you found. 

Always connect how you look at the facts to your study question. You should explain what the numbers mean in the context of your argument and how they support (or disagree with) your case.

Thematic analysis is often the best way to examine qualitative data, such as answers to open-ended surveys or conversations. Look for themes or patterns that keep recurring. For example, it could be a big deal if more than one person talks about the same problems with implementing climate plans.

From my experience, I can tell you how important it is to connect your research results to Global Politics theories or ideas. It strengthens your case and shows that you can use what you’ve learned in the classroom in the real world.

More Topics to Read:

• Global Politics Extended Essay Topics
• Geography Extended Essay Topics
• Economics Extended Essay Topics
• IB History Extended Essay Topics
• How to Write IB Extended Essay

Structuring Your Global Politics Extended Essay

As per IB rules, your essay needs an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. However, it’s not just about checking off boxes; it’s also about how well you make your case:

• It’s your introduction that sets the tone for the whole essay. In an EE introduction, you should give some information on your subject, say your research question, and outline your case. 
• Your Global Politics EE’s main body is where you show your points and proof. This part needs to be well-organized with clear subheadings that lead the reader through your analysis.
• In your EE conclusion, you shouldn’t just say what you already said again. Instead, it should summarize your results and make you think about the importance of your study.

Transition words and sentences are essential to move your essay from one idea to the next. You could, for example, begin a line with “furthermore” or “in addition” to build on what was said before and make sure your ideas make sense together.