IB English B SL Extended Essay Example

You communicate a clear and relevant research focus that stays connected to the central question throughout most of the essay.

Your topic is well framed and appropriate for the subject area, with a sustained emphasis on music as political and cultural expression.

Your method is generally coherent, with a visible attempt to select songs and analyse them in a structured way.

You keep returning to the idea of songs functioning as anthems, which gives the essay a consistent direction.

Your research question is broad and not fully narrowed to one precise line of inquiry.

The time frame is not consistently followed, which makes the scope feel a little uneven.

Your method would be stronger if you explained more clearly why each source type was chosen and how you judged their usefulness.

Some parts of the focus drift toward general historical discussion rather than tightly supporting the exact wording of the question.

You show clear knowledge of Aretha Franklin’s repertoire and the historical contexts surrounding the songs you choose.

You apply source material in relevant ways, especially when using lyrics and contextual evidence to support your points.

You use terminology such as empowerment, patriarchy, identity, and racial pride accurately and consistently overall.

You demonstrate understanding that a song’s meaning can change when it is performed in a different social or political context.

Some claims are stated broadly without enough specific evidence to make them fully convincing.

A few references rely on weaker or less academic sources, which reduces the reliability of parts of the discussion.

At times your writing becomes more narrative than analytical, so the historical information does not always deepen the argument.

Some conceptual terms, especially the idea of an anthem, would be stronger if you defined them more precisely through evidence.