The IB Extended Essay: Managing your research project

1. 9 How do I use a gantt chart?

A gantt chart can help you identify time-frames for completing each stage of your research. You
can use it to work out how to plan your time for the whole research period.
This plan is likely to change over the course of the year: some things might take more or less time
to achieve than you expected, and you might face obstacles and challenges during your research.
The key thing is that you have a general understanding of how long each stage will take.

You can get step-by-step instructions on how to create your own Gantt chart by going to the
Microsoft website: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/create-a-chart-from-start-to-finish-
0baf399e-dd61-4e18-8a73-b3fd5d5680c2.

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When you are thinking about your gantt chart you might like to include these stages and consider
our suggestions for the time allocated to each task.

Task Phase
Think of a topic These steps help you plan your essay
but deciding on a research question and
Discuss with supervisor reviewing literature also forms part of
your research and writing phase.
Background reading

Think of a research question

Discuss with supervisor

Review existing literature

Document references and keep In your researching and writing phase

bibliography
Identify a research methodology
Write a literature review
you may complete these steps.
Throughout your work you will need to
keep a record of all your reading and
references. This phase of your research
is likely to be the longest phase.

Write an introduction

Prepare surveys, identify and interview

focus group (if required)

Collect data (if required)

Analyse data (if required)

Write up research

Write conclusion

Revisit and revise introduction

Create contents page, including title In the checking and formatting stage
you will complete these steps. Make
Proofread the entire research project

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 sure you leave enough time to read
Check formatting: page numbers etc.
through your work in its entirety.
Hand in!

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