Many students find the thought of the IB Extended Essay (EE) intimidating. Rightly so, as it involves independent research work on the subject and topic of your choice and writing 4,000 words.
In fact, it is seen as a positive by university admissions officers, as it is a real taste of undergraduate work to come. That said, we are confident that completing a strong essay is within reach of every student. EE is a mandatory element of the IBDP. Without it, you just won’t receive your diploma. But to succeed in your Essay, you will have to work hard and be as creative as possible. Attacking this challenge earlier on in your course can be a good way to take the pressure off in the IB2 year and hopefully get some strong marks in place before the exams roll around.
In this article, we have got our TutorsPlus IB teachers and examiners to reveal practical ways in which you can pull off a great EE. Along with this, they provide recommendations for getting it out of the way before your stressful, second IB year.
What is the IB Extended Essay?
Essentially, the IB Extended Essay is an independent piece of research resulting in a 4,000-word essay.
It may take different forms depending on the subject area you have chosen. For instance, when it comes to STEM subjects, it is likely to be an experimental scientific investigation. On the other hand, an Extended Essay English A is often a comparative analysis of literary and non-literary works. In any case, an EE is obligatory for all IB Diploma students. You can find more information about it on the IBO website.
Along with the TOK and CAS project, the Extended Essay forms the so-called Diploma Programme Core. Students must complete all three Core elements to be eligible for their IB diplomas.
The topic a student chooses comes from one of the six IB subjects they study. In addition,it can also be in world studies. This is where a student combines topic areas to respond to a globally significant question in an interdisciplinary way. Each student is allocated a supervisor, usually an IB teacher, to support them and meet regularly for feedback as the essay progresses.
The process involves three reflection sessions with the IB Extended Essay supervisor. Having said that, the IB allows for just one round of written feedback on your Extended Essay.
Finally, the last session is a viva voce where students have a discussion about their research.
Overall, the IB Extended Essay is a valuable experience in your academic journey. Admissions Officers at universities agree that it is great preparation for university research work, above all for undergraduate theses and essays.
How is the Extended Essay Assessed?
Your Extended Essay awards up to 34 points across five criteria. In the table below, you can find these criteria, their requirements, as well as the number of points they contribute to your final score. You can also check out the full IB EE rubric for more information.
The assessment (marking) criteria for the IB Extended Essay
- Criterion A: Focus and Method – 0-6
- Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding – 0-6
- Criterion C: Critical Thinking – 0-12
- Criterion D: Presentation – 0-4
- Criterion E: Engagement – 0-6
Depending on the number of points awarded, students receive a mark from A to E. How many points you need for a certain mark varies every year based on the overall performance of all students. The results of the previous years give up the following average Extended Essay grade boundaries:
- A (excellent) – 27-34 marks;
- B (good) – 21-26 marks;
- C (satisfactory) – 14-20 marks;
- D (mediocre) – 7-13 marks;
- E (elementary) – 0-6 marks.
Finally, an EE grade together with a ToK grade form bonus points towards the IB Diploma. With both essays awarded a grade of A, it is possible to earn 3 points.
Get Your IB Extended Essay Timing Right
Students generally start working on their Extended Essays in the second term of IB1. However, many schools encourage them to get started earlier and write their first drafts over the summer.
In our experience as IB teachers, we have seen students who haven’t completed their first draft just days before the final deadline. Clearly, this leads to a poor Extended Essay mark and is simply a fast route to failure. Don’t repeat their mistakes!
The best approach to your Extended Essay is to start as early as possible, ideally having a good quality draft essay before the second year begins. Ultimately, this can help reduce the stress as the Diploma Programme progresses, as well as give you better odds of a higher Extended Essay mark. Most importantly, you will be able to prevent the car crash of IB deadlines in IB2.
Your IB teachers give you deadlines for a reason, even if they are ahead of the final deadline set by the IB Organisation. Believe it or not, they do it in your best interests. If you don’t have to juggle 10 things at once, you can achieve your academic goals with much less stress.
The IB EE Timeline
Although each school sets its own deadlines, we recommend keeping as close as possible to the following timings:
The Timeline for the Extended Essay Process
- January – February of IB1 Year — Choosing Your Research Topic:
- Decide on a topic that interests you the most and meets the IBDP criteria.
- Spring of IB1 Year — Research Plan:
- Prepare and submit your EE research plan.
- Discuss your research plan and title with the supervisor.
- Summer between IB1 and IB2 Year — The First Draft:
- Work on a strong draft of your EE. Aim to have a substantial amount of content before returning to school.
- September IB 2 Year — First Draft Revision:
- Have your supervisor read your first draft, receive feedback, and note the areas for improvement.
- Adjust and improve your essay based on the information obtained from your supervisor.
- October IB2 Year — The Secord Draft:
- Hand in the second draft and receive the feedback.
- With the suggested improvements in mind, start polishing your final draft. You will also need to finalise the presentation and layout (including bibliographies, appendices, etc.) as well as ensure you meet the word count of up to 4,000 words.
- November-January IB2 Year — The Final Essay and Viva Voce:
- Complete and submit your final Extended Essay;
- As a conclusive stage of your EE process, you will have a 15-30 Viva Voce interview with your supervisor. The questions usually concern the conclusions you made during your research, the aspects you find the most rewarding, which challenges you faced, how you overcame them, how your EE helped you to understand the topic better, among other things.
- February IB2 Year — Final Reflection:
- Write a final reflection of 150-200 words, in which you discuss the questions you had with your supervisor during your Viva Voce interview
Extended Essay Tips to Get Top Marks
And now it’s time for our tips on how to maximise your score. They are from our team of IB teachers and examiners. And they cover all the aspects of the EE writing process, from choosing the best topic to the most effective presentation of your ideas.
How to Choose Your IB EE Topic and Research Question
This early stage is often a vulnerable time for procrastination. That’s why choosing your EE topic should be your first priority. Make sure it’s one you’re passionate about, as this will help maintain your motivation throughout the long research process.
Next, you need to decide on a research question, but keep an open mind. As your research progresses, you may need to refine or change your question completely based on your findings.
It is very important to get your Extended Essay supervisor’s input at this point. They can help identify potential pitfalls within your topic area or in the way you’ve phrased your question.
Additionally, your supervisor can suggest valuable paths for your research and help adjust your question to ensure it’s neither too narrow nor too broad. In fact, the most common EE mistake is that the research question is too broad. You can avoid this by making it more specific while still leaving enough room for a detailed investigation.
Remember, it is important that you keep notes from all your supervisor meetings. Without them, you may find it difficult to write your final reflection. Furthermore, when you need to explain your responses to setbacks in your reflection, it is much easier to do when you have these notes at hand.
A top tip from our IB teachers is to choose an EE topic that you are passionate about. In this way, your enthusiasm will show through to the final EE draft. Besides, when you write about something you genuinely like, you’ll find the research phase much more engaging. However, try to avoid overly simple or “trendy” research questions. The truth is that examiners get tired of seeing the same topics and research questions over and over again.
How to Research Your IB Extended Essay
Before diving into the research process, ensure your EE supervisor has given you the go-ahead on the research question. This crucial step can save you weeks of potentially wasted effort – we’ve seen students conduct extensive research only to have their supervisor reject their questions.
Before you get started, you need to polish your research skills. Many students fall into the trap of speed-reading internet sources, quickly bookmarking them, and moving on. However, what the IB is looking for is evidence that you have thoroughly “read around” the chosen EE topic area. Below we unpack what kind of sources the examiners are expecting you to have looked at.
At the same time, you should keep your research focused on the specific topic and question. If you veer off course, you will not only lose your focus but also waste valuable time.
To demonstrate your research skills, you need to engage with both primary and secondary sources:
- Print sources (books, newspapers, trade publications);
- Academic sources (journals, research papers);
- Historical documents (diaries, etc.);
- Online academic resources (Google Scholar is an excellent starting point).
It is important to keep track of your sources since you will need them for your appendix.
You cannot rely solely on internet searches, as this is a clear warning sign your research is not as thorough as it should be. Instead, you should consult libraries, academic databases and journals, etc. You can also ask your librarian for help as their assistance can be invaluable in creating a top-grade EE.
Remember, search engines can throw up reliable and not-so-reliable sources alike. Therefore, it is essential to assess them before you decide to use them. To do so, we recommend using the CRAP test that determines the credibility of a source. The abbreviation stands for:
- Currency: How recent is the information?
- Reliability: Is the information accurate and verifiable?
- Authority: Who is the author/publisher?
- Purpose: What is the intention behind the information?
How to Draft and Edit Your IB Extended Essay
While the Extended Essay has a maximum limit of 4,000 words, your focus should be on quality rather than reaching this word count. In fact, it is common for students to initially write more than the limit and then carefully edit the draft.
Sometimes, students have to remove entire sections to make the Extended Essay more succinct. You might have to do it as well. But don’t be afraid to sacrifice some of your developments if you believe this may help create a more impactful essay. Less is more if your arguments start sounding clearer and more convincing. Often the Extend Essays with the most editing can be the highest scoring, as they have taken out all teh weaker parts of their arguement.
When working on your first draft:
- Use whatever note-taking method works best for you (handwritten or digital);
- Focus on writing all your ideas down – this will help you avoid writer’s block as you progress;
- Remember that any writing, even if it is rough, is better than no writing at all;
- Don’t worry about perfection – you can edit everything later.
Be Open to Your Supervisor’s Input
Your Extended Essay supervisor wants you to succeed. That’s why the changes they recommend are supposed to help you achieve the best possible grade.
The most important thing is that every part of your Extended Essay contributes to answering the research question. We suggest that you carefully review each paragraph and ask yourself if it serves this purpose. If it doesn’t, be ready to modify or remove it completely.
Apart from that, IB Extended Essay supervisors constantly emphasise the importance of meeting professional academic standards. In particular, this means using an appropriate register of language – your style, vocabulary, and tone should reflect this.
In our experience as IB examiners, we’ve seen too many essays that use slang, repeat themselves, as well as have spelling and grammar mistakes. No matter how good the research is in substance, we have to reduce marks because of these errors. Don’t let your essay be like that!
Before submitting your work, ask yourself these questions:
- Does my essay flow logically from one point to the next?
- Does it make sense to a reader who hasn’t done the research?
- Is it structured, logical, and clear?
- Are my arguments and counter-arguments backed up by evidence?
Maintaining high academic standards shouldn’t, however, make your essay complicated to read. On the contrary, simple and precise phrasing is best because it helps convey your ideas the way you intend.
Use EE Marking Criteria to Improve Your IB Extended Essay
It goes without saying that you should keep the marking criteria close at hand. Use them as a guide to ensure your work addresses every point as you go along. This way, you can make certain you are on track to deliver what the examiners are looking for in your IB Extended Essay.
You don’t want to leave valuable points on the table by not addressing even one of the marking criteria.
Each time you have completed an element of the Extended Essay, look at it critically and ask yourself how many marks would an examiner award. If it is hard to stay objective, don’t hesitate to ask a friend to take a look at your work. Whether you self-assess or seek help from outside, checking with the marking criteria will help you see what you need to add or change to secure all the allocated marks.
But how to make sure you really understand the requirements and can meet them?
We recommend using high-scoring Extended Essays as an example. Your teacher will likely share some of them with you. Your task here is to review them against the marking criteria.
Above all, try to understand why one Extended Essay has scored the maximum possible points while others didn’t do a great job. These insights should help you apply the best approaches to your own essay.
Academic Honesty and Your IB Extended Essay
IB students know that academic honesty is an essential part of the Extended Essay research. However, some aren’t so clear on why.
The IBO in its “Academic honesty in the IB educational context” outlines several key reasons for citing sources properly:
- It demonstrates respect for other authors’ work;
- Helps distinguish one’s own writing from that of others;
- Allows readers to check claims and follow up on references;
- Helps establish the credibility of the research process;
- Shows the ability to critically assess reliable sources, which serve to support claims;
- Enables drawing independent conclusions while sharing accountability.
Plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a serious issue. It may lead to failing your EE and risking not receiving the IB diploma. The IBO gives you a chance to write another Extended Essay (just as you are able to retake your exams) but why waste valuable time if you can make everything right from the start?
As we have already said, it is an absolute must to keep track of your sources. You can even use a citation generator to do this effortlessly.
Find Your IB EE Motivation
There are many ways to ensure you stay on top of your studies. Try to figure out what motivates you personally.
Is it working with a buddy? Then pair up with a peer to nudge one another into achieving the set goals. This could be a student from your school or someone you have met in an IB study online forum. You could have, for example, a WhatsApp group where you support each other and share insights.
At the same time, you cannot underestimate the assistance of your Extended Essay supervisor. They are the lifeline you can rely on if you’re stuck with your research. Don’t be scared to ask them for guidance when you need it.
However, their help is limited by the strict rules of the IBDP, so use their support wisely. Therefore, before you ask them to review your work, it must be as good as it can possibly be. In this way, you won’t waste a feedback session on elements you could have improved yourself.
Need some extra support? TutorsPlus is always at your disposal. You can always count on us to help you to doyour best. The earlier you seek support, the more impactful it will be. Last-minute help is never as effective.
Take a Good Rest Before You Crack on with Your Extended Essay
We recommend commencing your EE during the summer break between the two high school years. This doesn’t, however, mean that you should spend all your holidays researching and writing. On the contrary, you deserve some rest because you worked hard the entire year. With the right planning, it is possible to have a great vacation and complete your Extended Essay draft over the summer.
So, clear your head, relax, and come back full of energy to tackle the challenge.
As you dive into it, don’t forget to take pauses. Make some room for exercises and breathing fresh air to reset your mind. Grinding away at your desk non-stop is never a good idea.
Don’t Fall into the Procrastination Trap
Many students consider their EE a huge piece of work. Naturally, they try to put off the moment when they have to get the ball rolling.
True, 4,000 words may seem unattainable. However, if you think about it like four 1,000-word essays, it won’t seem anywhere near as bad. And if you break it into 500 words? They are fairly fast to write, you simply need to repeat it 8 times.
Or let’s look at it from a different angle. This blog post is around 4,500 words. This is actually more than you need to produce. Does it look huge and intimidating? Not at all! So is your scope of work. You just need to approach it with the right mindset.
Plan and Reward Yourself
Let us ask you: what does writing an essay have in common with eating an elephant? Well, they both need to be tackled one bite at a time. This is the secret to your Extended Essay success.
First, break the project into chunks of manageable size: come up with a topic, develop a research question, gather sources, conduct your research, analyse the data, and so on.
Second, create a plan that allocates a specific time for each stage. It is important to be realistic and honest with yourself. Try to organise lots of small deadlines which are easier to achieve.
Third, get to know the mark scheme like the back of your hand.
And, finally, get on with it and complete each chunk.
It is a good idea to share your Extended Essay plan with your family or a friend. Doing this will make you accountable for your decisions. Plus, this will reduce the possibility of your timings slipping.
It is an even better idea to reward yourself at the end of each stage. This way, you can motivate yourself to keep going through the Extended Essay marathon.
Don’t Panic – Everything in Your EE is Fixable!
Remember, until the final submission, you can change almost everything in your essay. So, if something doesn’t work out, don’t panic. You will have plenty of time to fix it.
Don’t think of the EE as torture. Instead, consider it a challenge to your intellectual curiosity and problem-solving skills. You can do it! In the end, you will have an EE you can be proud of!
The Structure of IB Extended Essay
There are no fast and hard rules on how to structure your IB Extended Essay. In other words, there is no template or layout everyone must follow. Nevertheless, IBDP requires you to have mandatory elements to meet the Criterion D: Presentation. Their purpose is to help you organise your arguments in the best way and give your work a professional look.
With that in mind, you should ensure that you have the following sections:
The structure of the IB Extended Essay
- Title Page
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
- References/Bibliography
- Appendices (if applicable)
The IB Extended Essay Introduction
This essential section introduces the main theme of your essay and prepares the reader for what to expect next. Moreover, it sets out the start of your argument.
In particular, the Introduction highlights:
- The main focus of your essay;
- The scope of your research;
- Your research question;
- Your line of argument.
Although the Introduction comes at the beginning of your essay, IB supervisors suggest writing it last. This way you can ensure that it better aligns with your finished work and accurately reflects its content.
Remember to keep all your notes and drafts until the end, as you never know when they might come in handy. Save them on the cloud in case anything happens to your computer! You might need them for something as simple as tracking down a source or going back to an earlier draft after a supervisor’s feedback.
The Body of the IB Extended Essay
This is where you develop your argument and use your research as evidence.
It is also critical that you specify:
- credible sources that provide a background for your research and support your claims;
- explanation of what evidence you’ve found and which methods you used;
- presentation and analysis of your findings. This also involves a discussion of their implications and the impact they had on your argument.
In some subjects, it makes sense to use sub-headings. They can help make it easier to read the information you present, let alone give it a more organised look.
Last but not least, don’t leave any important element of your EE body for the appendices or footnotes. Chances are that the examiner will simply not read them. As a result, your essay may look incomplete and you will not be able to meet the assessment criteria.
The Extended Essay Conclusion
The final critical element of your EE is a conclusion. It sums up your arguments and says what you have achieved. Even if you make some conclusions within the body of the essay, you cannot leave this section out.
As you sum up your findings, make sure to point out any limitations you have found in answering the question as well as the issues you couldn’t resolve and the reasons behind them. Finally, the conclusion must address the research question in all aspects.
References and Bibliography
Sometimes, students are so focused on their research and reflection that they simply overlook references and bibliography. However, these sections require attention to detail, and they are one of the simplest areas to pick up marks. Be sure to use the IB guide for citing and referencing here.
You should choose the preferred style of referencing even before you get down to writing your essay. This will help you keep track of all your citations. Nothing is more frustrating and time-wasting than trying to locate an appropriate citation when you have accumulated so much material.
Why Is the IB Extended Essay Important?
EE is important not because it is one of the core elements of the IBDP. And not because you have to complete it to earn your diploma. The truth is that it is a rewarding experience that will pay off in your future academic and work life.
Thanks to EE, you get:
- Get a hands-on undergraduate-level research experience;
- An opportunity to deeply investigate a topic you’re passionate about;
- A chance to extend your knowledge beyond the standard curriculum in one of your six DP subjects;
- Interdisciplinary understanding through the World Studies option, which lets you explore connections between different fields of knowledge.
Besides, the research and writing process allows developing crucial academic skills, such as:
- Research Competencies:
- Formulating focused research questions;
- Conducting systematic academic research;
- Evaluating and selecting reliable sources;
- Managing large-scale projects independently;
- Analytical Abilities
- Critical thinking and analysis;
- Building and sustaining arguments;
- Synthesizing information from multiple sources;
- Drawing meaningful conclusions;
- Communication Skills
- Structuring complex ideas clearly;
- Writing at an academic level;
- Presenting research findings effectively;
- Following academic conventions and citation requirements.
On top of this, many universities recognise the value of the Extended Essay as a preparation for university-level academic work. Your ability to conduct independent research as well as analyse and present complex information builds a foundation for success in higher education.
Get Top Marks in IB Extended Essay with TutorsPlus
Although the Extended Essay is an exciting opportunity for many students to try their hands at academic research, it can sometimes pose a challenge. Especially, when you have other commitments inside and outside the school. How to make sure you get everything right and receive an A grade?
Let us, TutorsPlus, be your secret weapon. Our tutors know the IB inside-out and truly work their magic to draw out each student’s ability to self-direct their learning. We can assist you with every aspect of your research, from choosing a killing topic to checking your essay against the assessment criteria. You can contact us at 022 731 8148 or info@tutorsplus.com to hire one of our tutors and boost your results.
By Sara Lloyd
Sara has been an education consultant for TutorsPlus for 15 years, and is an expert on international IB education. She is also a parent of two lively children.
