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Whether you are a prospective IB student or you have already begun your academic journey, you have most likely heard about the Extended Essay, a key component of the IB Diploma Programme. Keep reading to learn about its significance, structure, the writing process, and the unique opportunity it provides for students to explore their interests in depth.
What is the Extended Essay?
The Extended Essay is a 4000-word research paper in which students investigate virtually any topic of their choice that relates to one of the six IB DP subject groups. It offers a valuable opportunity to explore a topic of personal interest and develop essential academic research and writing skills that can be highly beneficial for university life. The Extended Essay is assessed externally and is a mandatory component of the IB Core. Not only is it required to pass the IB DP, but it also contributes to the student's IB score, as along with TOK, it can earn up to 3 additional IB points (to learn more on how exactly the EE and TOK impact your IB score, click here).
The content and requirements of Extended Essays vary largely across subjects, and hence we recommend that you check out our wide array of EE exemplars for subject-specific examples. Nevertheless, all EEs share the same overall structure:
A cover page with the essay's topic and research question included
A table of contents page
An Introduction where the student introduces the research question, outlines the thesis, provides necessary explanations, background information and a justification of pursuing the topic
The essay's body, where the main analysis and exploration of the research question takes place
A Conclusion where the student summarizes the main findings of the essay and formulates an answer to the research question
A Bibliography listing all sources used in the essay
Apart from the Extended Essay itself, students are also required to participate in 3 mandatory interviews with their supervisor, based on which they produce 3 reflections in which they reflect on the writing process. The reflections are reviewed by IB examiners along with the EE itself.
EE Writing Process
The EE writing process begins with the selection of the subject in which a student wishes to pursue their EE. Students are then assigned a supervisor who helps them come up with an appropriate research question. This is also when students have their first interview with their supervisor, based on which they write their First Reflection.
Students then begin researching their topic, reviewing sources, and creating outlines. It is at this stage that students often refine their research question to a more suitable one.
After gathering a sufficient amount of information, knowledge and source materials, students begin writing their first full EE draft. The second interview takes place after a significant amount of work has been completed but before the first full draft is finished. Based on this interview, students complete their Second (Interim) Reflection.
After submitting their first full EE draft, students receive feedback from their supervisor, based on which they complete their final EE version. For an added layer of support, you can also upload your EE to receive personalised feedback and guidance from Clastify's tutors, with moderation from official IB examiners.
Once the final version is complete, students participate in the last interview, based on which they write their Final Reflection (Viva Voce).
Is there a deadline for the EE?
While the IBO does not specify an official deadline, the final EE version must typically be submitted not later than around 2 months before the exam session, with specific dates varying between schools, each setting their own internal deadlines.
How is the EE assessed?
As mentioned, the EE is marked externally by IB examiners selected by the IBO. Students may score up to 30 points. While grade boundaries may vary between exam sessions, they generally average as follows:
Grade | Points |
|---|---|
A | 24-30 |
B | 16-23 |
C | 11-15 |
D | 5-10 |
E | 0-4 |
The grade obtained from the Extended Essay contributes to the number of IB core points that a student may receive. For detailed information on how the EE impacts your IB score, check out our EE/TOK Matrix Post.
Interdisciplinary EE
The interdisciplinary pathway for the Extended Essay allows students to integrate knowledge and methods from two chosen DP subjects to research a topic of personal interest. This approach can lead to fresh insights and deeper understandings that a single-subject investigation might not provide. Key requirements for this pathway include:
Subject Selection – Students must combine two available DP subjects. However, cross-disciplinary subjects such as Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) and Literature and Performance cannot be used in the interdisciplinary pathway.
Interdisciplinary Frameworks – The topic should be positioned within one of the five provided frameworks:
Power, equality, justice
Culture, identity, expression
Movement, time, space
Evidence, measurement, innovation
Sustainability, development, change
Research Question and Integration – The research question must invite a critical examination of the topic by integrating perspectives from both selected subjects. While an even balance between the two disciplines is not required, the essay must demonstrate that their integration specifically enabled an effective response to the question.
Academic Rigour – It is strongly recommended that students study at least one of the two chosen subjects, if not both, to ensure they have the necessary disciplinary grounding to maintain research quality.
Global Significance – This pathway is particularly appropriate for investigating complex contemporary issues of global concern. Examples include exploring global sustainability through chemistry and geography, or climate change modelling using mathematics and computer science.
We hope that you now have a thorough understanding of the IB Extended Essay. Be sure to check out our IB EE exemplars for valuable EE resources. Good luck!
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