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The Complete IB Extended Essay Guide: Examples, Topics, and Ideas

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

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Extended Essay Rubric (Grading/Marking Scheme)

Welcome, fellow IB students! As someone who has completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme , I’m excited to share insights into the Extended Essay rubric. Understanding this grading system is essential to producing a first-rate essay. Let’s examine what makes this rubric a critical part of your academic toolkit.

What Is the IB Extended Essay Rubric?

First things first, what exactly is the IB Extended Essay rubric? It’s a comprehensive framework that meticulously guides the evaluation of your Extended Essay . From my experience, fully understanding this rubric’s nuances elevates the quality of your work. It details the elements that examiners scrutinize rigorously, from the clarity and precision of your research question to the depth and breadth of your analysis.

In my opinion, the IB EE rubric is instrumental in shaping how you approach your essay, ensuring that each component (from introduction to conclusion) is aligned with the IB’s rigorous standards. By closely adhering to this rubric, you can strategically address each criterion to maximize your essay’s effectiveness and impact, aiming for the highest marks possible.

From my experience, students who thoroughly comprehend and apply the rubric’s guidelines often produce essays that are not only well-structured but also rich in content. This involves following the rubric and embedding a level of critical thinking and reflection that distinguishes top-scoring essays from the rest. According to general IB criteria, the examiners seek this depth of understanding and application.

More Topics:

• Interdisciplinary Topics in Extended Essays
• IB ESS Extended Essay Topic Ideas
• IB Theatre Studies Extended Essay Topics
• Topics for Music Extended Essay
• Anthropology IB Extended Essay Topics
• Philosophy Extended Essay Topics for IB
• IB English B Extended Essay Topics
• Extended Essay vs. Internal Assessment
• Can Extended Essays with a Generic Topic Score Well?
• Using Extended Essay Topics That Are Already on the Internet
• How to Create a Research Question for Your IB EE?
• What Is a Word Count for an Extended Essay?
• How Long Does it Take to Write an IB Extended Essay?

All Components of the Extended Essay Rubric

As an experienced IB writer, I understand that the Extended Essay is a significant component of the IB diploma, with the potential to influence your final score significantly. The EE is graded out of 34 points, divided across five main sections of a detailed rubric. Each of these sections targets specific aspects of your research and writing skills. From my experience, a solid grasp of each criterion can set your essay apart. Let’s break down these components.

By the way, understanding the structure and requirements of the EE RPPF is crucial for any student aiming to maximize their Extended Essay score.

Criterion A. Focus and Method (6 points)

This criterion examines how well you define and maintain your research focus throughout the essay. It assesses the clarity of your research question and the appropriateness of your methodology. A sharply focused research question and a robust methodology form the backbone of a successful Extended Essay. According to general IB criteria, achieving the highest marks here requires:

• Research question that aligns well with your investigation.
• Methodology that effectively supports and addresses your research question.

Ensure that your methodology is aligned and systematically applied throughout your research. It will significantly enhance the coherence and depth of your analysis.

Criterion B. Knowledge and Understanding (6 points)

This section evaluates how well your essay demonstrates knowledge of the chosen topic and integrates relevant academic theories and concepts. From my experience, essays that effectively integrate course content and show a deep understanding of the material score highly. As I know, to excel in this area, you should:

• Use a range of credible sources that enhance the depth of your investigation.
• Employ subject-specific terminology accurately to communicate your understanding.

Furthermore, demonstrating how these sources and terminologies directly relate to your research question can strengthen your argument’s persuasiveness.

Criterion C. Critical Thinking (12 points)

Critical thinking involves analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the gathered information. This criterion is the most significant component of the EE rubric, reflecting its importance. From my experience, critical thinking is what differentiates a good essay from a great one. Essays that present a well-reasoned argument based on comprehensive analysis achieve higher scores. According to general IB criteria, you should:

• Present well-supported arguments and conclusions that are directly relevant to your research question.
• Critically evaluate your sources and the evidence you provide, ensuring alignment with your thesis.

Additionally, integrating these evaluations seamlessly into your argument will showcase your ability to engage deeply and thoughtfully with your topic.

Criterion D. Presentation (4 points)

This criterion assesses the overall presentation of the Extended Essay, including its structure, formatting, and adherence to academic standards. As I know, the presentation is crucial as it affects your essay’s readability and professional appearance. To score well, ensure:

• Your essay follows the expected academic format and structure.
• Proper citation and referencing are used throughout the document.

A well-presented essay communicates your ideas clearly and demonstrates your professionalism and attention to detail, highly valued in academic writing.

Criterion E. Engagement (6 points)

Finally, this criterion evaluates your engagement with the research process, mainly through your reflection, which accounts for up to 500 words of the EE. From my experience, reflections that convey your intellectual and personal engagement with the topic often score highly. Effective reflections should:

• Demonstrate thoughtful decision-making and planning.
• Reflect on challenges and setbacks, showing how they contributed to your learning and understanding.

Understanding these IB EE grading criteria and how they contribute to your overall EE score boosts your writing process and final output. As a seasoned IB writer, I advise approaching each criterion equally and integrating them cohesively to produce a well-rounded and academically rigorous Extended Essay.

Grade Boundaries for IB Extended Essay

Examiners appointed by the IB externally assess all Extended Essays, marked on a scale from 0 to 34. Here’s how the score a student receives aligns with the grading bands:

• A – Excellent Standard (27 – 34).
• B – Good Standard (21 – 26).
• C – Satisfactory Standard (14 – 20).
• D – Mediocre Standard (7 – 13).
• E – Elementary Standard (0 – 6).

From my experience, achieving a score between 27 and 34, corresponding to an “A,” indicates that you’ve met and exceeded expectations with exceptional research, insightful analysis, and clear, structured writing. This grade band reflects work of an excellent standard, demonstrating a profound understanding of the topic and sophisticated analytical skills.

On the other hand, a score between 14 and 20 is required to pass the Extended Essay, falling into the “C” category. This score indicates satisfactory work that meets the basic requirements but may lack the depth or insight of higher-scoring essays. According to general IB criteria, achieving this score is a good baseline for passing, but aiming higher to demonstrate your capabilities entirely is beneficial.

In my opinion, students who score between 0 and 6, which places them in the “E” category, should reflect on their research and writing processes. This range suggests that the effort and engagement with the subject matter were significantly lacking, resulting in work that does not meet the elementary standards of academic research.

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Tips for Maximizing Your Extended Essay Scores

As a seasoned IB writer deeply familiar with the demands of the Extended Essay, I’ve observed that students who excel not only grasp the basics but also demonstrate nuanced understanding and strategic thinking. Here are some tips for maximizing your Extended Essay scores based on my extensive experience and knowledge of general IB criteria:

• In my experience, selecting a topic you are passionate about is crucial. Your interest will drive more profound research and nuanced analysis, essential for high scores.
• A well-defined research question acts as the guiding light for your essay. As I know, clarity here is critical — it shapes your research direction and influences the coherence of your argument.
• According to general IB criteria, a rigorous methodology is paramount. Ensure your methods are appropriate for your topic and that they effectively address your research question.
• In my opinion, top-scoring essays show a deep engagement with relevant sources. Don’t just describe what sources say; analyze them, discuss their limitations, and synthesize different viewpoints to build a compelling argument.
• As I know, iterative feedback is invaluable. It helps refine your argument and presentation, ensuring your essay meets the high standards expected by the IB.
• Finally, follow the IB’s formatting guidelines to ensure proper citations and maintain a professional writing style.

By following these strategies, you’re not just completing an assignment but mastering a complex skill set that reflects high academic standards and personal growth.

So, understanding the Extended Essay rubric is more than just a requirement — it is your secret to excelling in the IB Extended Essay. So take on this challenge confidently, and remember that a well-understood rubric is half the battle.

There you have it — an insider’s guide to mastering the IB Extended Essay rubric. Armed with this knowledge, you’re better equipped to tackle this critical component of the IB Diploma. Happy writing, and don’t hesitate to contact our experts from IBWritingService.com if you need help!

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Guide to the IB Extended Essay in 2024

January 24, 2024

If you’re an International Baccalaureate student getting ready to write your IB Extended Essay, you might be experiencing some very understandable trepidation. But have no fear—we’re here to help you understand what’s required of you, how to plan ahead (IB extended essay topics), and how you’ll be graded (IB extended essay rubric). Keep reading for a good dose of preparation and confidence before you begin the journey. In this article, we’ll cover:

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The ib extended essay—required content, ib extended essay topics.

IB Extended Essay—Sample Essays

IB Extended Essay Tips

Ib extended essay rubric, ib extended essay—more resources.

The IB Extended Essay is a 4,000-word paper that asks you to immerse yourself in research and academic writing. A required part of the IB program, the Extended Essay is a chance to dig deep into a topic that fascinates you.

Although it’s no small task, the IB Extended Essay is an opportunity to gain practical research and writing skills that will come in handy again in college. As you write, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify credible sources
• Formulate a research question and limit your scope of research
• Communicate ideas to an audience
• Develop a well-supported argument

The IB Extended Essay is largely an independent, self-directed project, but don’t worry—the IB program doesn’t throw you into the deep end. You do get to select a mentor (usually a teacher at your school) to help guide you through the process. As you write, you’ll be required to meet with your mentor three times. As part of your final evaluation, your mentor will interview you in a final reflection section called a viva voce . During the viva voce, your mentor will check for plagiarism and malpractice, ask you to reflect on challenges and difficulties, and prompt you to discuss what you’ve learned through the research and writing process. Your mentor will then generate a report that factors into your final grade.

Your final essay must include the following:

• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

For this essay, it will be up to you to generate a topic; the International Baccalaureate does not provide prompts. However, your essay will need to fit within one of six provided subject areas . You’ll choose from the following list of IB Extended Essay Topics:

• Language and literature
• Language acquisition
• Individuals and societies
• Mathematics

IB Extended Essay Topics (Continued)

At a glance, the subject areas might look limited, but the topics you can choose to write about are actually wide-ranging. The “Individuals and societies” category includes social science topics like economics, history, world religions, and philosophy. And, if you’re leaning toward “Science,” you can choose from classic subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics, or related topics like environmental systems or health science, among others.

The IB also offers a special “World Studies” option for students interested in researching global issues. This subject would allow you to center your writing on global issues such as migration, global health, cultural exchange, or climate change.

Wondering what an outstanding IB Extended Essay looks like? The International Baccalaureate provides quite a few sample student essays online . Here are five essays that earned A grades.

Language and literature: An exploration of an aspect of the narrative voice in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita

Environmental Systems and Societies: The economic impact of the 1995 reintroduction of grey wolves to Yellowstone National Park

Psychology: To what extent do social networking sites (SNS) usage lead to experience of anxiety in adolescents?

Music: Composition techniques in the 1st movement of Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

Business Management: Corporate Culture at Oracle

1) Pick something you’re passionate about

As you can see from the titles above, the IB Extended Essay is a great place to delve into a niche topic that fascinates you. Since you’ll be spending many months on this essay, you’ll want to pick a topic you genuinely enjoy spending time learning about. It’s also smart to choose something you’ve already learned about in your IB classes so that you have a strong foundation of knowledge to start with. In music class, do you love pondering why music makes us feel a certain way? Maybe an essay about music theory will keep your gears turning. Do you come alive trying to solve seemingly impossible problems in physics class? Now’s your chance to put those equations into action.

Since this essay is all about your academic interests, it’s also a good idea to pick a topic that’s relevant to what you plan to study in college. Selecting a relevant topic will provide you with significant exposure to the field and will also give you something meaningful to talk about in your college admissions essays.

2) Limit your scope

What’s the meaning of life? Why do wars happen? What is time? Some questions are just way too big to answer, and your IB Extended Essay is not a good place to tackle expansive, philosophical questions. Instead, think of this essay as a place to investigate one piece of a big question. If, let’s say, you’re generally interested in what helps women reach positions of leadership in business, this is a good place to examine how one or a few companies approach this issue. Or, if you’re interested in studying what inspires surrealist painters, you’ll want to pick one or a few painters to research, likely all from the same time period. For both these topics, you’d need a whole textbook to tackle the full question, but limiting your scope will make it much easier to write a clear and cohesive 4,000 words.

On the other hand, it’s possible to narrow your focus too much. It would be impossible, for example, to write 4,000 words about a single sentence in a novel. Make sure you talk about scope early and often with your mentor. Together, you can find the perfect Goldilocks scope for your project that’s not too big and not too small.

3) Choose a good mentor

Speaking of mentors, choosing wisely will help you enormously as you embark on your IB Extended Essay. You’ll want to make sure you choose someone with existing knowledge in your research topic. Your English teacher may be able to give you great writing advice, for example, but they won’t be able to guide your research and scope if you’re writing about marine animals or modern dance.

Before you approach a teacher, make sure you have at least one topic idea (or even a few ideas) in mind so that you can make sure they’ll be a good fit to supervise your project. When you meet with them, find out what their mentorship style is like. Make sure they’ll have time to read several drafts of your essays, meet with you a few times, and give you feedback. Some IB schools will require your IB Extended Essay mentor to sign an agreement form too, so make sure you find out what paperwork is required in advance.

4) Get organized, way organized

The IB Extended Essay is not something you can crank out the night before it’s due. The essay is meant to be a substantive, in-depth, thoughtful, and thoroughly researched analysis, and Rome simply isn’t built in a day. This might be the longest paper you’ve written to date, and this project might require more research than you’ve been asked to do before. Timelines vary by school, but you’ll likely spend between eight months and a year working on your IB Extended Essay. So, how will you pull it all off? For these 8-12 months, organization will be your guiding light. We recommend you:

• Get started early. If your essay is due November of your senior year, start generating topic ideas during your junior year right after winter break.
• Create a long-view schedule for yourself. What will you accomplish each month of your process?
• Give yourself deadlines. Once you choose a mentor, suggest 2-3 draft deadline dates so that you will be held accountable throughout the writing process.
• Find a note-taking system that works for you. You’ll be reading many articles and books and it’s hard to keep track of all your sources. Create a document or spreadsheet where you keep track of the sources you’ve found and check them off as you read. As you finish reading a text, type up important quotes and a few notes explaining how it connects to your topic and to your other texts.

5)Write a messy first draft

Writing never comes out perfect the first time, even for New York Times bestselling authors and the most experienced researchers. In your first draft, give yourself permission to get all your thoughts out, no matter how unstructured or rambling they are. Call this your brainstorming draft. When you’re ready to revisit it, see what patterns emerge, what common ideas you can group together, what beginning buds of ideas you can make bloom into full-fledged analysis.

6) Communicate for an audience

When you’re used to producing writing that only your teacher reads, it can be hard to remember to write for an audience. But at the end of the day, writing is communication , and the best writing is clear and thorough communication that anyone could pick up and read. For your IB Extended Essay, you’ll want to remember that many people will be reading your final essay, and not all of them will be experts in the niche topic you choose to study. Ask yourself: how can I explain my research to an audience who doesn’t already agree with my analysis?

To communicate to an audience, you’ll want to:

• Provide lots of general background information on your topic.
• Don’t assume your reader is familiar with your sources. Introduce them as if they’re guest speakers about to walk up to a podium and deliver a lecture.
• After including quotes, facts, and figures, be sure to explain what those sources mean in your own words and how they connect to your bigger-picture argument.
• Don’t assume your arguments are self-evident. In this essay, communicating for an audience means supplying ongoing interpretation and analysis, even if it feels like you’re explaining the obvious. Your reader isn’t on your research journey with you, so your points might not be so obvious to your reader.

Although your IB Extended Essay provides a report that factors into your grade, your essay will also be assessed by external examiners the IB. Per the IB Extended Essay Rubric , essays are graded on a scale from 0 to 34 based on 5 different criteria:

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

As you can see, Critical Thinking is the most significant rubric category. This means that the IB wants to see you arrive at your own unique analysis of your topic, drawing connections between sources and data, and making well-supported arguments. This means they want a lot of you: your ideas, your interpretations, your thoughts. Make sure you emphasize that in your essay, but of course don’t forget the other categories.

The score a student receives corresponds to a letter grade scale that is slightly different than what we’re accustomed to in the U.S. Here’s the letter grade to numerical score breakdown:

You must earn a D or higher to receive your IB Diploma. To learn more about the different criteria included in the IB Extended Essay Rubric, you can explore the IB’s full guide to the Extended Essay .

We hope you found our look at the IB extended essay rubric and IB extended essay topics to be helpful. Ready to dive into research? You may want to read our 10 Expert Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension before you hit the books.

And if you’re a high school student in the process of mapping out your pathway to college, take a look at a few other useful guides:

• IB vs AP—Which Classes are Best for College Admission?
• How to Earn College Credit in High School
• High School Course Requirements for College Admission
• SAT Score Calculator
• ACT Score Calculator 
• High School Success

Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

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Extended Essay: Assessment

• Extended Essay- The Basics
• Step 1. Choose a Subject
• Step 2. Educate yourself!
• Using Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Identify Keywords
• Do Background Reading
• Define Your Topic
• Conduct Research in a Specific Discipline
• Step 5. Draft a Research Question
• Step 6. Create a Timeline
• Find Articles
• Find Primary Sources
• Get Help from Experts
• Search Engines, Repositories, & Directories
• Databases and Websites by Subject Area
• Create an Annotated Bibliography
• Advice (and Warnings) from the IB
• Chicago Citation Syle
• MLA Works Cited & In-Text Citations
• Step 9. Set Deadlines for Yourself
• Step 10. Plan a structure for your essay
• Evaluate & Select: the CRAAP Test
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Presentation Requirements
• Evaluating Your Work

Assessment of the Extended Essay

See below for guidance on evaluating your research, writing, and reflections:

EE Assessment - Questions to Ask

Or see the box to the right for a link to a PDF of the list.

EE Assessment - Questions for Students to Consider

Use this list to help you think about the assessment criteria and whether you have addressed the expectations within your essay.  You do not need to address all of the questions posed, but they do provide some guidance in terms of what to consider.

Criterion A:  Focus and Method

Questions to ask:  

• Does this essay meet the requirements for the subject for which you are registering it?
• Is your research question stated as a question?
• Have you explained how your research question relates to the subject that you selected for the extended essay?
• Have you given an insight into why your area of study is important?
• Is your research question feasible within the scope of the task? Could your research question be “answered” or it is too vague?
• Did you refer to your research question throughout the essay (not only in the introduction and conclusion)?
• Did you explain why you selected your methodology?
• Are there other possible methods that could be used or applied to answer your research question? How might this change the direction of your research?
• If you stated a particular methodology in the introduction of your essay, or specific sources, have you used them?
• Are there any references listed in the bibliography that were not directly cited in the text?

Criterion B:  Knowledge and Understanding

• Have you explained how your research question relates to a specific subject you selected for the extended essay?
• Have you used relevant terminology and concepts throughout your essay as they relate to your particular area of research?
• Is it clear that the sources you are using are relevant and appropriate to your research question?
• Do you have a range of sources, or have you only relied on one particular type, for example internet sources?
• Is there a reason why you might not have a range? Is this justified?

Criterion C:  Critical Thinking

• Have you made links between your results and data collected and your research question?
• If you included data or information that is not directly related to your research question have you explained its importance?
• Are your conclusions supported by your data?
• If you found unexpected information or data have you discussed its importance?
• Have you provided a critical evaluation of the methods you selected?
• Have you considered the reliability of your sources (peer-reviewed journals, internet, and so on)?
• Have you mentioned and evaluated the significance of possible errors that may have occurred in your research?
• Are all your suggestions of errors or improvements relevant?
• Have you evaluated your research question?
• Have you compared your results or findings with any other sources?
• Is there an argument that is clear and easy to follow and directly linked to answering your research question, and which is supported by evidence? Are there other possible methods that could be used or applied to answer your research question? How might this change the direction of your research?

Criterion D:  Presentation

• Have you read and understood the presentation requirements of the extended essay?
• Have you chosen a font that will be easy for examiners to read on-screen?
• Is your essay double-spaced and size 12 font?
• Are the title and research question mentioned on the cover page?
• Are all pages numbered?
• Have you prepared a correct table of contents?
• Do the page numbers in the table of contents match the page numbers in the text?
• Is your essay subdivided into correct sub-sections, if this is applicable to the subject?
• Are all figures and tables properly numbered and labelled?
• Does your bibliography contain only the sources cited in the text?
• Did you use the same reference system throughout the essay?
• Does the essay have less than 4,000 words?
• Is all the material presented in the appendices relevant and necessary?
• Have you proofread the text for spelling or grammar errors?

Criterion E:  Engagement

• Have you demonstrated your engagement with your research topic and the research process?
• Have you highlighted challenges you faced and how you overcame them?
• Will the examiner get a sense of your intellectual and skills development?
• Will the examiner get a sense of your creativity and intellectual initiative?
• Will the examiner get a sense of how you responded to actions and ideas in the research process?

EE Assessment - Advice for Students

Assessment Grade Descriptors

All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. The total marks available are 34.  However, when your supervisor marks your essay in order to arrive at a predicted grade, the grading will be based on the  qualitative  grade descriptors for the Extended Essay (see below), not a translation of a number score into a letter grade.

Assessment Criteria and Objectives

• << Previous: Evaluating Your Work
• Last Updated: Aug 25, 2024 5:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ee

Overview: What is the Extended Essay (EE)?

When you first start the IB, the Extended Essay (EE) seems like a massive obstacle that you have to overcome, but it doesn’t have to be! We’re here to break it all down and make it easier for you to understand 🙂

What is the EE in the diploma program?

To start, the EE is essentially a mini-thesis where you can write on any given topic as long as it fits your chosen subject’s guidelines. The essay has a maximum count of 4,000 words, with most successful essays hovering just under the limit. You will need to select a research question under your topic, conduct independent research, and write an essay of your findings.

What must the EE Include?

While the contents of an extended essay differ depending on the subject, you should follow a general outline:

• Title Page: Include your title, research question, subject, word count & personal code
• Contents Page: Label your subtopics and the page number in which they appear
• Introduction: Your motivation behind the EE & background information on your topic
• Body of the Essay: This is where it varies widely from student to student, so check out our subject-specific blogs for further advice
• Conclusion: Wrap up your findings
• References and Bibliography: Remember to add footnotes and in-text citations throughout your EE!!

What should you choose as your topic?

You can choose any topic as long as it is within an IB subject that you are taking in the diploma program. Alternatively, you could also take World Studies where you can work on an issue of global significance, across two IBDP disciplines. Use this chance to conduct further research on topics that you might be willing to pursue in university, whether it’s for your major or undergraduate research purposes. It is definitely possible to have your EE as a supplementary material to add to your university application, especially if it is one that you have spent effort on and relates to what you are planning to do in university.

Ideally, it would be best to take on a topic that there is detailed research on, and one that you can access resources for. There are many cases where students have attempted to research a topic that is either too theoretical or have little to no information, leading them to change their topic in the middle of their EE journey or achieving an unsatisfactory score due to lack of understanding of the topic. 

Who should you choose as a supervisor?

While some schools do not allow for students to choose their own EE supervisors, other schools do. In that case, try to find a teacher that a) is willing to help you—ready to take the time reading through your drafts and give you feedback— and b) is passionate in the topic you are choosing. After all, they are the ones who will be guiding you with your research and assess your EE progress. 

While you will only meet your supervisor for a total of 3-5 hours (at least according to the IBO, it’s usually more lenient), they can help you a lot in choosing a suitable research question and give you useful resources/ advice. 

What is the RPPF?

The RPPF is short for “Reflections on planning and progress form”, where you have to write a total of three reflections sessions. This must not exceed 500 words in total. Each one is done after a meeting session with your EE supervisor. It shows your progress throughout your EE journey, detailing your “initial” stage (~100 words), “interim” stage (~200 words), and “looking back” stage (~200 words). The “looking back” stage, or viva voce, is typically a 10-minute interview with your supervisor to help them write their report on your EE journey. This is also part of the RPPF and thus can factor into your grade.

While it may not seem important, this RPPF counts for ~19% of your final grade as part of Criterion E (6 marks out of 34)! So make sure to be concise yet coherent when writing your reflections. Don’t worry your reflections can be edited when you have finished writing your EE :))

How is the EE graded?

The extended essay is graded by IB examiners and ranges from a score of 0 to 34. These points come from a total of five criteria detailed below:

• A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

Here is an estimate of how the points translate to a letter grade:

How does the EE affect my final score?

The EE score is combined with the TOK score to add +3, +2, +1, or +0 points towards your final IB grade. The maximum grade you can get from getting all 7s in your subjects is 42 out of the 45 possible points . Thus to get a full score, you will have to get the additional +3 points from your TOK and EE grades. Below is a diagram by the IB to help you visualize the grading system:

          Picture from International School of Athens

Any other tips for the EE?

Choose a topic that you enjoy! You’ll be spending countless hours researching and analyzing your topic so you might as well choose something that you are interested in. If you have a topic that you are passionate about, you can always find a way to incorporate it into your extended essay.

Don’t choose a topic that is too broad or too narrow: If it is too narrow, you will have a hard time finding the right resources to write your EE and if it’s too broad, you would not be able to fit in all the details needed in your 4,000 word essay. Remember that 4,000 words isn’t a lot when you have to write a detailed analysis of your topic.

Make sure to start early: Yes, we cannot avoid procrastination, but try to start your EE early. There are many cases where the first topic does not work out, and students would have to pick a new, completely different topic to work on (based on personal experience :,) ) so be careful! You don’t have to be the first to submit your EE but make sure you are not the person finishing their EE just hours before the deadline.

Have a clear structure and flow: The IB loves structure! Make sure each sub-section is clear and ask your supervisor to make sure that others easily understand your draft.

I, along with the rest of the IBlieve team, sincerely wish you the best for your Extended Essay! Visit this website for the full IB guide on the EE! Good luck 🙂

You may also like…

• Bryan’s guide on how to choose an EE topic is here
• Bianca’s guide on how she chose her EE topic English Literature and Language is here
• Nikki describes how she approached her EE here

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September 14, 2021

A Definitive Guide to the IB Extended Essay (EE)

The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed academic research, presented in the form of a 4,000-word paper. One component of the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) core, the extended essay is mandatory for all students. The final work is given a grade from E to A, and makes up part of each student’s final IB score. These are our thoughts on how to do well in the EE:

Step 1: Choosing a Extended Essay (EE) topic

Choosing a good topic for your extended essay can make a huge difference on your final score. Firstly, you should always choose a topic that you are interested in! The writing process becomes much more engaging, and will also be good content you can write in your personal statement for your university applications.

Always be creative and original when choosing your research topic. Think about how you can make your research question and the way you communicate your academic research unique. In addition, if you wish to explore a multidisciplinary field , you could consider writing a World Studies extended essay . This research is analysed through at least two disciplines, encouraging students to apply their knowledge to a problem with global significance. For example, you may want to consider the effects of an electric vehicle subsidy on climate change. This is an exciting opportunity and provides a good insight to an interdisciplinary university degree such as PPE.

Step 2: Framing your research question

Once you know your extended essay subject, your next step is to choose a question. Often, questions will be framed as “To what extent does…”. Exploring multiple perspectives, and critically analysing each of these, are key to success. Therefore, try and shape your question so that more than one point of view can be explored.

Similarly, make sure your question is specific ! Having a focused question will guide your research and show that you can explore one area in detail. For example, here are 2 examples of Economics extended essay questions:

• To what extent do smartphone companies compete with each other?
• To what extent do Apple and Samsung operate in a duopoly in the global smartphone market?

The second research question is more focused, allowing for greater in-depth research into which areas they are competing over. You can use secondary data from both companies’ annual reports, competitor websites, and undertake primary research (such as through an Economic survey or personal interview) – Having a research question that allows you to explore a specific area critically will definitely help you to score highly.

Step 3: Meeting your supervisor to establish specific targets

We recommend meeting with your supervisor as early as possible to check whether your research question is appropriate. If it is, this is a great opportunity to explore potential avenues of research. For example, a Physics extended essay on the path of a bowling bowl may look to incorporate several different features, such as force, weight, and air resistance into a model. Whichever subject area you choose, your supervisor is usually your first port of call for any questions you have.

During the meeting, it will be good to establish a timeline for your extended essay. Although this may only be rough, this will give you deadlines to work towards (much like you will need to do for university essays). Similarly, setting specific targets for your next meeting, such as writing an introduction or doing your survey, will also give you definitive targets to meet. Make sure at the end of this meeting you have clear goals to achieve and by your next meeting.

Furthermore, make sure that you are keeping a record of all of your meetings with your extended essay supervisor. 6 of the 36 marks for the EE are from your Reflections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF) where you reflect on the meetings you have had with your supervisor. These should show that you are engaged with your topic, so discuss the ideas you have considered in response to setbacks whilst writing your extended essay and make sure to use personal pronouns (I, my) to convey your engagement. Detail any changes you made to your research method and demonstrate how you have taken a creative approach to your topic, as these will highlight what you have done to stand out.

Step 4: Starting your EE research

Following the meeting with your supervisor, it is time to begin researching your topic! This does not have to be too detailed to begin with, and we recommend aiming to research enough to write an introduction to your essay. This introduction should outline the main themes you will explore and your line of argument. To reiterate, your main argument may change as your essay develops, so do not worry if it is not perfect when you begin.

Some useful sources of information are your school library or Jstor. Your school librarian may be able to suggest some good books or articles to start reading, whilst using academic sources like Jstor or Google scholar gives you access to a wide range of academic material. When reading books or journal articles, you do not have to read them cover to cover! In fact, you should only read the sections that are relevant to your topic, and reading the introduction and conclusion will often tell you whether a journal article is relevant.

When reading, consistently keep in mind your essay title as this will help you to focus your reading on key sections of texts. For instance, highlight the key sections of the texts to review later. Alternatively, you could make notes in a separate word document; such as Googledocs; or with pen and paper. It is useful to keep everything you do in the same format, however, so you can easily collate it.

Step 5: Writing the essay’s first draft

The most difficult part with the EE is getting the first draft down. Many students struggle o to write the perfect introduction and methodology, and get stuck for weeks in the process. Your introduction and first draft do not have to be perfect but should form the base of your essay moving forward. It is often good to form a plan from your research that contains the key elements of each paragraph. Once you are confident with this and have filled it in with more research, you can turn this into a fully operational first draft.

We recommend breaking down the writing stage into several paragraphs, setting yourself mini-goals to achieve. This will help you to move along faster and make the seemingly daunting task of a 4,000-word essay a lot simpler. Similarly, you should use the research you have to support your ideas. Your research might consist of facts to back up your analysis or other writers’ opinions that agree with your own. Furthermore, you can also use this research to explore multiple points of view, coming to a conclusion as to which one is most appropriate. However, save yourself time whilst doing this by including links to the original article, rather than full references, as it is likely you may change the content of your essay and the references you use as you progress.

Make sure you save your extended essay frequently and to an accessible platform such Dropbox or Google Drive so that if your computer were to crash your progress will be stored!

Step 6: Reviewing your first draft

Your aim when meeting with your supervisor this time is to look over your first draft to see which parts are excellent, which can be explored further and which need to be rethought. This can be split into a number of meetings; for example, I looked at my introduction, then at the 4 sections of my main body, and finally at my conclusion. This reshaped the goals that I had moving forward and gave me specific subsections to work on.

Whilst editing your first draft, do not be afraid to delete, reword or move some parts that you have written, as this will help you shape your extended essay into the finished article. You can, if needed, even slightly alter your question. I changed my question at the start of April, with a June deadline for my essay. However, changing my essay question did not leave me with a whole new essay to write, as I was able to use most of what I had already written, adapting it to focus on the new question. Whatever changes you have to make, they are all moving you towards a complete final version, so stay positive!

Step 7: Refining your Extended Essay

After your meeting, review the changes you have to make to your methodology and research process. You should consider whether you have critically investigated the variables in your RQ and whether it is backed up by a solid methodology. For instance, are there any counter arguments you have not considered? Does your research process flow? Always draw links to each paragraph, so that your essay has a logical flow from its introduction to its argument, counter arguments, responses, and conclusion.

When researching areas in more detail, make use of what you have learnt from your current research. For instance, look at the suggested reading or references in books that you have read or look at articles from the same journal. Furthermore, stay up to date with the news in case you can include new research in your extended essay.

When editing, it is useful to save a new copy of your extended essay (for example, EE draft 2) so that you can track any changes that you make. Also, if anything were to happen to your new copy, you always have the previous copy and notes from the meeting to re-do any changes. We recommend doing this on Googledocs whether changes are saved real-time on the servers so you don’t lose precious work if your computer crashes.

Step 8: Final Notes

Once you are done with your initial drafts, ensure that you have professional presentation, consistent formatting, and proper citations. Make sure that you have included page numbers and a bibliography (if required). Additionally, make the layout justified, font and size, as well as double spaced as per IB requirements. You have to include a cover page with a title, your research question, word count and subject. You also have to meet your supervisor the final time to fill out your viva voce (oral) section of the RPPF before the final submission.

Step 9: Final Submission

When submitting your extended essay, ensure that your name, candidate number and your school’s name are not on the document. This will ensure that your EE is marked fairly without prejudice. Your EE is electronically stamped and the IB can track who it belongs to, as is your RPPF.

We wish you the best of luck with your extended essay and hope you enjoy the process. If you would like help with your extended essay, please take a look at our courses or contact us for more information. We also offer IB tuition for various subjects and University applications mentoring and are more than happy to tailor our classes to your needs and requirements!

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IB Extended Essay: Assessment Criteria

• Research Questions
• Past Essays
• Notes & Outlines
• Works Cited Page
• In-Text Citations
• Assessment Criteria
• Reflections
• Supervisor Info
• Net Valley Library This link opens in a new window

Score Descriptors for each Criterion:

• A - Focus and Method
• B - Knowledge and Understanding
• C - Critical Thinking
• D - Presentation
• E - Engagement

Printable: Full Rubric  for all subjects

To view details for your SUBJECT, open the correct page below.

• Choose "Interpreting the EE Assessment Criteria" on the sidebar to see how to score well in YOUR subject area

Language & literature (language A)

Language acquisition (language B)

Mathematics

Visual Arts

World Studies

Business Management

Grade Boundaries

What's Expected?

• A: Focus/Method
• B: Knowledge
• C: Critical Thinking
• D: Presentation
• E: Engagement
• A: Focus and Method (6 marks)
• B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 marks)
• C: Critical Thinking (12 marks)
• D: Presentation (4 marks)
• E: Engagement (6 marks)
• Total marks possible: 34 (see grade boundaries below)
• Printable:  Full Rubric
• Printable: A3 size with details
• Printable:  Details for each criterion , via the Oxford guide

Criterion A:  Focus and Method (6 points)

What It Means:   This criterion focuses on the topic, the research question and the methodology. It assesses the explanation of the focus of the research (this includes the topic and the research question), how the research will be undertaken, and how the focus is maintained throughout the essay.

Questions to ask:  

• Does this essay meet the requirements for the subject for which you are registering it?
• Is your research question stated as a question?
• Have you explained how your research question relates to the subject that you selected for the extended essay?
• Have you given an insight into why your area of study is important?
• Is your research question feasible within the scope of the task? Could your research question be “answered” or it is too vague?
• Did you refer to your research question throughout the essay (not only in the introduction and conclusion)?
• Did you explain why you selected your methodology?
• Are there other possible methods that could be used or applied to answer your research question? How might this change the direction of your research?
• If you stated a particular methodology in the introduction of your essay, or specific sources, have you used them?
• Are there any references listed in the bibliography that were not directly cited in the text?

(Source: Susan Trower, via West Sound Academy)

Criterion B:  Knowledge and Understanding (6 points)

What It Means:   This criterion assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area/discipline used to explore the research question; or in the case of the world studies extended essay, the issue addressed and the two disciplinary perspectives applied; and additionally, the way in which this knowledge and understanding is demonstrated through the use of appropriate terminology and concepts.

• Have you explained how your research question relates to a specific subject you selected for the extended essay?
• Have you used relevant terminology and concepts throughout your essay as they relate to your particular area of research?
• Is it clear that the sources you are using are relevant and appropriate to your research question?
• Do you have a range of sources, or have you only relied on one particular type, for example internet sources?
• Is there a reason why you might not have a range? Is this justified?

(Source: Oxford EE manual, p. 110)

Criterion C:  Critical Thinking (12 points)

What It Means:   This criterion assesses the extent to which critical thinking skills have been used to analyze and evaluate the research undertaken.

• Have you made links between your results and data collected and your research question?
• If you included data or information that is not directly related to your research question have you explained its importance?
• Are your conclusions supported by your data?
• If you found unexpected information or data have you discussed its importance?
• Have you provided a critical evaluation of the methods you selected?
• Have you considered the reliability of your sources (peer-reviewed journals, internet, and so on)?
• Have you mentioned and evaluated the significance of possible errors that may have occurred in your research?
• Are all your suggestions of errors or improvements relevant?
• Have you evaluated your research question?
• Have you compared your results or findings with any other sources?
• Is there an argument that is clear and easy to follow and directly linked to answering your research question, and which is supported by evidence? Are there other possible methods that could be used or applied to answer your research question? How might this change the direction of your research?

(Source: Oxford EE Manual p. 111)

Handy Links:

• Presentation One Pager  via Catalina Bordoy
• Presentation Checklist
• Sample Title page   (see below - top half of the page)

Criterion D:  Presentation ( 4 points)

What It Means:   This criterion assesses the extent to which the presentation follows the standard format expected for academic writing and the extent to which this aids effective communication.

• Have you read and understood the presentation requirements of the extended essay?
• Have you chosen a font that will be easy for examiners to read on-screen?
• Is your essay double-spaced and size 12 font?
• Are the title and research question mentioned on the cover page?
• Are all pages numbered?
• Have you prepared a correct table of contents?
• Do the page numbers in the table of contents match the page numbers in the text?
• Is your essay subdivided into correct sub-sections, if this is applicable to the subject?
• Are all figures and tables properly numbered and labelled?
• Does your bibliography contain only the sources cited in the text?
• Did you use the same reference system throughout the essay?
• Does the essay have less than 4,000 words?
• Is all the material presented in the appendices relevant and necessary?
• Have you proofread the text for spelling or grammar errors?

Criterion E: Engagement

• Three reflections (best after meeting with your supervisor)
• 500 words TOTAL (100 + 150 + 250?)
• Reflections are done in Managebac on your Reflection space
• See the "Reflections" tab above for prompts to write about

(Source: Oxford EE Manual p.135)

(Source: Oxford EE Manual p.133)

• Sample Reflections
• Full chapter on Reflections from the Oxford Guide

Criterion E:  Engagement (6 points)

What It Means:   This criterion assesses the student’s engagement with their research focus and the research process. It will be applied by the examiner at the end of the assessment of the essay, after considering the student’s RPPF (Reflections on planning and progress form).

• Have you demonstrated your engagement with your research topic and the research process?
• Have you highlighted challenges you faced and how you overcame them?
• Will the examiner get a sense of your intellectual and skills development?
• Will the examiner get a sense of your creativity and intellectual initiative?
• For prompts to deepen your reflections, go  here  and then to the bottom of the page
• Presentation Quick Guide
• << Previous: In-Text Citations
• Next: Reflections >>
• Last Updated: Apr 9, 2024 9:39 AM
• URL: https://sis-cn.libguides.com/ExtendedEssay

The IB Extended Essay: Subject Guides & documents you need

• Details of the EE
• Topic ideas and research Questions
• Subject Guides & documents you need
• Writing a research paper

IB Assessment Criteria

• Presentation Requirements Information on formatting the extended essay, covering: word counts (what is included and what is NOT included), illustrations, tables, footnotes and endnotes, appendices and specimen materials. Covers essays submitted in November 2018 and forward (IB Guide 2018).
• Required Elements of the Extended Essay List and description of the six required elements of the final extended essay work that is to be submitted for extended essays for November 2018 and forward (IB Guide 2018).
• Assessment objectives and criteria for the extended essay - first exams 2018 Assessment objectives and criteria for students submitting extended essays, beginning with the Class of 2018.
• Assessment of the EE - Advice for Students Use this list to help you think about the five assessment criteria for the EE and whether you have addressed the expectations within your essay.
• Assessment Grade Descriptors for the Extended Essay, 2018 A list of the qualitative grade descriptors for the Extended Essay, grades A through E. IB senior examiners will use these descriptors to set the boundaries (i.e., grade) the extended essay beginning in May 2018.

Subject Guides

• Biology Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Chemistry Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Dance Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Design Technology Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Economics Extended Essay Guide
• Film Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Geography Extended Essay Subject Guide
• History Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Language acquisition: An introduction to EE
• Language Acquisition Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Mathematics: An introduction to the EE
• Mathematics Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Music Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Physics Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Studies in Language and Literature Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Theatre Extended Essay Subject Guide
• Visual Arts Extended Essay Subject Guide

IB Ethical Guidelines

• Academic Honesty, 2018 IB EE Guide Guidance on producing accurate references and a bibliography is a skill that students should be seeking as part of the extended essay writing process, covering: bibliography, citations, referencing (both traditional and online sources), using electronic sources, using online encyclopedias and other similar information websites, use of computer programs, and reliance on external sources.
• Academic Honesty in the IB Educational Context Discusses the importance in the IB of making academic honesty a school priority, provides a framework for identifying aspects of academic honesty in the various courses in the IB Diploma Programme.
• Effective Citing and Referencing Explains why citations are needed, what needs to be cited, when citations are necessary, and how to cite, and also provides a list of citation definitions, a documentation checklist, and a chart showing the elements to be included in a reference.
• Ethical Guidelines for Extended Essays Research and Fieldwork Explicit guidance from the IB on any research or fieldwork undertaken as a part of an Extended Essay.
• Guidelines for the Use of Animals in IB World Schools These guidelines from IB set out the parameters for the acceptable inclusion of animals in an IB World School.

• << Previous: Topic ideas and research Questions
• Next: Writing a research paper >>
• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 7:30 AM
• URL: https://disdubai.libguides.com/c.php?g=923128

Extended Essay

Core subject Assessments from 2018 to Present

Description, past syllabuses, grade calculator.

Weight: 100%

Historical Grade Boundaries

*Timezone 0 (Worldwide)

*Timezone 1 (North America, South America)

*Timezone 2 (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Oceania)

NOTE: N20, M21, N21, M22, N22 grade boundaries were artificially low due to COVID. There were also

NOTE: Beware of using outdated grade boundaries. Many subjects have since updated their syllabus.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Choose an IB Extended Essay Topic

What’s covered:, what is the ib extended essay, what makes a good extended essay topic, narrowing down your focus, how is the extended essay scored.

• How Does The Extended Essay Affect My Admissions Chances?

The International Baccalaureate Program (IB) curriculum requires students to go above and beyond typical academic standards for most high school students. One of the required tasks is writing the extended essay. To further understand the extended essay, we need to understand what IB’s core is, which is related to the 45 points one can achieve in IB . Out of 45 points, three of these points come from the core, which is made up of the extended essay (EE), theory of knowledge, and CAS. Performing well in the EE is critical to doing well in IB, because passing the core is a necessary component of earning the diploma. 

The EE is one of the mandatory components of the IB curriculum, and it’s a practical way of preparing students to write undergraduate-level research papers in the form of a 4000 word essay. You would choose which subject to write your EE on in relation to the subject sets you take when in IB, so you have six choices. If you were to ideally timeline the extended essay and plan all the work out early, you’d start planning a topic the first semester of your junior year (or IB year 1).

Starting early to pick a topic is an advantage many students miss, because the phase of the EE in which most students get stuck on is just finalizing a solid topic to write about. While picking a topic shouldn’t be too stressful, it is important to pick one you could enjoy writing about, as lack of interest is apparent in an essay and will come across to your examiner. 

Searching for ideas to create a topic can come from different sources, but for most people it usually begins with the subjects you’re already taking. For example, let’s say you chose to write an EE in Physics HL or SL, then it does not matter too much. You’d use the topics discussed in class content, ranging from textbooks to lectures as source material for inspiration to create a topic for yourself. 

Perhaps you found yourself particularly interested in planetary physics – you could then read more into that unit of the course and hopefully find bits of information to help create a topic. 

After finding a source of inspiration for your topic, structuring your ideas in a specific format to create a topic is important. 

On the idea of physics, a great topic would be:

Physics EE on Aerodynamics: What is the relationship between frequency and surface area against lift of the propeller of a toy helicopter?

The reason this topic is great is because we can instantly tell how specified and narrowed down the central focus of the paper is just off a glance. Narrowing down your focus in your topic allows you, as the writer, to stay on track throughout the entirety of the paper. Derailing from your topic and going out of its bounds can lead to irrelevant information, making the content of your paper essentially useless. Keep your topic narrow and make sure to follow the topic throughout the entire paper, so you end up with a concise paper that actually can conclude with a solution to whatever your paper seeks to solve. 

Additionally, using keywords in your topic that give the examiner an idea of what they’re going to read is important. In this case, the writer used “frequency” and “surface area,” telling us they’re writing a paper related to mechanics as well. 

Understanding that the topic is the skeleton of your essay, make sure to refer back to it every time you make a finding or reveal data directly relevant to answering the topic’s question. Using data and evidence that isn’t relevant to your narrowed down topic will also cause you to lose points, simply because of the lack of use for it. 

The EE is scored out of 34 total points, with grade boundaries being assigned to associated letter grades with it. The following table lists the grade boundaries with their respective letter grades:

As mentioned earlier, the EE is part of a larger component of the IB curriculum, the core of IB. The core has its own grading scheme that also determines whether or not you pass and earn the diploma. It goes by the following table:

How Does the Extended Essay Affect My Admissions Chances?

While the EE has no direct impact on your college admissions, it does impact your total IB grade. However, even though your IB grade has little impact on your college admissions, being part of IB demonstrates proof of taking rigorous classes, which will positively impact your college admissions. 

That being said, writing the EE will also make you a much better essay writer, and this could later help you in writing essays for college admissions! For more information on how your chances of college admissions look, use CollegeVine’s admissions calculator ! This tool takes into account GPA, test scores, classes, and more to calculate your admissions chances at your dream schools!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

• Support Sites

Extended Essay Support Site

Welcome to this free Support Site on the Extended Essay for the IB Diploma Programme . The content, created by  Brad Philpot  and John Royce, provides coordinators, supervisors, teachers and students access to student samples, writing tips, guidance and discussion groups. This site is developed independently from the IB.

Feel free to browse this Support Site as much as you need - a subscription is not needed. Please contact us for questions: [email protected]

• About the authors

Getting started

This section offers you a quick guide to the guide and some tips on how to get started. It is not presented as a replacement for the official guide, which can be found here .  Rather this section captures the essentials of the guide for students and supervisors who are looking to start this journey. 

• The journey
• Common misconceptions
• DOs and DON'Ts of the EE
• Topic, subject, question and title
• Interdisciplinary essays
• Approaches to learning

The Extended Essay is externally assessed by IB examiners. The following pages provide you with the assessment criteria , the grade boundaries , the TOK / EE matrix and tips on how to unpack the criteria. "Begin with the end in mind," as Stephen Covey famously said. It is recommended that you practice assessing extended essays, using these criteria, before writing an essay or submitting predicted grades to the IB. See the section with example essays. 

• Assessment criteria
• TOK / EE matrix
• Grade boundaries
• Criteria quiz

Supervision

The Extended Essay is written under supervision, meaning that every student has a supervisor . Supervisors are usually subject teachers of the subject in which the essay is registered. What are the roles and responsibilities of the student and supervisor ? What kinds of expectations can be set? What do realistic deadlines and timelines look like? This section explores the supervision process and the relationship between the supervisor and student. 

• Agreements and contracts
• Allocating supervisors
• EE Coordinator

The Extended Essay is an exercise in 'inquiry'. Inquiry is the art of identifying knowledge, framing questions and finding answers. It is a skill. One of attributes of an IB learner is being an 'inquirer'. The pages below focus predominantly on the early stages of research, in which you are identifying your aims, writing your research question and considering your methodology . 

• Research question
• EE proposal
• KWL diagram
• Methodology
• Unpacking questions
• Models of inquiry

The Extended Essay is a research paper. But what does 'research' look like? Where does it happen? How can you get good at doing research? Answers to these questions may be different for everyone. But some research skills are useful to all Extended Essays, such as the ability to gather data, organise notes and evaluate sources. These pages provide you with tips and activities to develop good research skills for your Extended Essay.  

• How research is assessed
• Primary and secondary sources
• Designing a search
• Research habits
• Evaluating sources
• Annotated bibliography

After hours of research and reflection, it's time to write the Extended Essay. This, however, is easier said that done. Most often notes evolve into paragraphs, outlines evolve into headings and quotations evolve into arguments. First drafts are often rough and you may stumble upon game-changing ideas late in the process. Here are few pages to guide you through the writing and reviewing processes. 

• Essay structure
• The introduction
• Coherent paragraphs
• Concise writing
• Connectives
• Presentation
• Citing sources

It is recommended that students maintain a Researcher's Reflection Space ( RRS ) or journal as they engage in inquiry, conduct experiments, take notes or build a bibliography. After submitting the essay, each candidate must complete and submit a Reflections on Planning and Progress Form ( RPPF ). The pages below offer candidates and supervisors guidance on the RPPF . The RRS is explored in the section on research. 

• RPPF questions
• Useful RPPF phrases
• An RPPF with examiner comments

Example essays

To better understand the scope and nature of Extended Essay, it helps to read a few examples. Each example below is accompanied by a list of tips to consider when writing about the subject under which is was registered. Mark an example essay from your subject area, applying the assessment criteria , before reading the examiner's comments and marks that are provided. 

• History - Khmer Rouge
• Visual art - Klee
• Biology - Smoking

Course Dashboard

IB EE examples for all subjects

Filter exemplars, to what extent has satya nadella's transformational leadership style contributed to creating a "growth mindset" at microsoft corporation, to what extent does the tension being applied on a wire affect the resonance frequency, want to get full marks for your ee allow us to review it for you 🎯, how does the total energy supplied during ultrasonic cavitation of benzene affect the integrated photoluminescence intensity and quantum yield of graphene quantum dots (gqds), to what extent was the british government responsible for the collapse of the sunningdale agreement of 1973, to what extent does the type of alcohol used in the fischer-speier esterification reaction affect the average rate of reaction as measured through back titration., fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, to what extent does global self-esteem influence academic performance, to what extent has zoom’s freemium business model influenced its market leadership position in the north american video conferencing market from 2020 to 2021, to what extent does the presence of acetaminophen (tylenol), polymixin b (polysporin), and diphenhydramine hydrochloride (benadryl) in the growth medium of cotoneaster acutifolius affect the average change in leaf length over a period of 15 days in five different concentrations, to what extent do different concentrations of magnesium nitrate (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 mm) affect the concentration of chlorophyll a and b in ocimum basilicum at 645 nm and 662 nm wavelength using spectrophotometer, how does 5g of different types of oils (palm oil, avocado oil, castor oil, and olive oil) contribute to the production of soap bars with a ph level closest to 7 measured at constant temperature (50°c) and after constant time of refluxing (30 minutes) through the saponification process, how have amazon's market strategies contributed in successfully growing its e-commerce business internationally, to what extent has the change in corporate leadership at apple inc. from steve jobs to tim cook impacted the company's innovation and product development, fluid’s density effect on falling objects, to what extent will toyota’s diversification help increase business revenues and market share, to what extent does vivienne westwood's sustainable fashion initiatives provide it with a competitive advantage over other luxury brands, to what extent were queer people liberated in weimar germany, 1919-1933, to what extent does market-oriented approach give netflix, inc. a competitive advantage in the streaming entertainment industry, how is the lift at various angles of attack affected by flap deflection angles, to what extent do different species of chili pepper consumption biologically affect the rate of lipid digestion in terms of ph change within 30 minutes, to what extent do phytochemicals such as resveratrol, glyceollin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (egcg) possess comparable antibacterial effects against staphylococcus aureus bacteria to a non-prescription otitis externa (oe) treatments such as ciprofloxacin using bacillus subtilis as a prokaryotic model organism, to what extent is blood pressure related to the development of alzheimer’s disease in people in age above 50, to what extent does oxytocin affect interpersonal trust in young adults, how has apple used sustainable innovation to gain a competitive edge, to what extent do extracts of allium sativum (garlic) and zingiber officinale (ginger) reduce antimicrobial activity and how effective it is compared to antibiotics, how do different concentrations of punica granatum extracts: peel, flower and leaves (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/ml) affect the rate of reaction of α-amylase and compare with metformin (anti-diabetic drug) as measured by a spectrophotometer at 587nm, how effective is the cone repair technique when treating ebstein’s anomaly in comparison to other treatments, to what extent do social networking sites increase rates of anxiety in adolescents, what effect does the difference in radius at the top and bottom of the roller coaster loop have on the maximum change in g-force that a passenger experiences, to what extent can four seasons hotel’s success be attributed to its corporate culture and isadore sharp’s leadership style, how does the concentration of harpagoside, which is identified by the surface area of the spot on the chromatography paper, changes in the equine mane over the period of one month after gradual consumption of the supplement “devil’s claw”, what is the relationship between the height of the siphon and the flow velocity out of the siphon, what is the effect of salinity stress (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mm nacl) measured through microscopic (stomatal aperture) and morphological (leaf area, leaf dry mass, and root length) characteristics on pre-treated radish (raphanus sativus) seeds with magnetopriming (48 hours), to what extent has the launch of disney+ proven successful in advancing disney’s digital presence and establishing market dominance in the subscription-based video on demand (svod) market, how could family-based therapies such as cff-cbt, fft, and fft-hr be implemented in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder, to what extent were the nuremberg trials defendants afforded a fair due process, to what extent has google's diversification into the wearables industry increased its profitability, to what extent has japan taken steps to end overfishing in order to meet sustainable development goal 14, to what extent was the popular violence of the cultural revolution driven by mao’s need to eliminate opposition, to what extent has the vehicular emissions scheme (ves) been effective in increasing the consumption of light electric vehicles between 2018 and 2020 in singapore, how does the type of solvent (ethanol, propanone) and its solvent to water ratio (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100% v/v) in the extraction of polyphenols via ultrasound-assisted extraction (uae), affect the total phenolic content extracted from rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis), quantified by folin-ciocalteu assay.

EE Assessment Explained

On this page....

You are provided with summary information regarding the assessment of the EE

By navigating to the offical IB resources you can directly access the IB EE Handbook for more information

Total Points

The EE is graded out of 34 points; broken into five mains sections.

A: Focus and method [6 points]

B: Knowledge and understanding [6 points]

C: Critical thinking [12 points]

D: Presentation [4 points]

E: Engagement [6 points] 

Criteria A to D is for your Extended Essay, whilst E is for the 500 word reflection.

Letter Grades

From IBO.org

All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB. They are marked on a scale from 0 to 34.

The score a student receives relates to a band. The bands are:

A – work of an excellent standard.

B – work of a good standard.

C –work of a satisfactory standard.

D – work of a mediocre standard.

E – work of an elementary standard.

Grade Boundaries

Previous years tend to have used these boundaries:

A = 27 - 34

B = 21 - 26

C = 14 - 20

TOK AND EE TOGETHER

Remember that the Extended Essay in Combination with the Theory of Knowledge Grade make up a total of 3 bonus points towards the IB Diploma. 

The matrix on the right shows how the points can be combined from TOK and EE to earn the points. 

*If you do not complete or fail either TOK or the EE you are not eligible to receive an IB Diploma. 

A: Focus & Method

This criterion focuses on the topic, the research question and the methodology. It assesses the explanation of the focus of the research (this includes the topic and the research question), how the research will be undertaken, and how the focus is maintained throughout the essay.

click the document to see the full description

B:Knowledge & Understanding

This criterion assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area/discipline used to explore the research question, or in the case of the world studies extended essay, the issue addressed and the two disciplinary perspectives applied, and additionally the way in which the knowledge and understanding is demonstrated through the use of the appropriate terminology and concepts.

C: Critical Thinking

This criterion assesses the extent to which critical-thinking skills have been used to analyse and evaluate the research undertaken.

D: Presentation

This criterion assesses the extent to which the presentation follows the standard format expected for academic writing and the extent to which this aids effective communication.

E: Engagement

This criterion assesses the student’s engagement with their research focus and the research process. It will be applied by the examiner at the end of the assessment of the essay, and is based solely on the candidate’s reflections as detailed in the RPPF, with supervisory comments and extended essay itself as contex

Grade Descriptors

This two page doc is extracted from the IB Booklet titled Grade Descriptors . 

The IB EE Guide clearly states...

"The extended essay is externally assessed, and as such, supervisors are not expected to mark the essays or arrive at a number to translate into a grade. Predicted grades for all subjects should be based on the qualitative grade descriptors for the subject in question. These descriptors are what will be used by senior examiners to set the boundaries for the extended essay in May 2018, and so schools are advised to use them in the same way." 

Unpacking the Criteria