What Is an Extended Essay?
The Extended Essay is a 4,000-word independent research paper. You choose a topic within one of the six IB subject groups, develop a focused research question, and produce an argument-driven essay that demonstrates your ability to conduct genuine academic inquiry.
Think of it as a condensed undergraduate thesis. The research question must be investigable, meaning it invites analysis rather than a factual answer, and your essay must sustain a coherent argument across its full length, not just summarise what you found.
The six subject groups you can write within are:
Your EE must be registered under one of these groups, and your research question must fit meaningfully within the subject's academic conventions. A history EE and a biology EE are assessed using the same five criteria, but require completely different methodological approaches.
Why the Extended Essay Matters
The EE is worth up to 34 points, assessed against five criteria. Combined with your TOK grade, it contributes up to 3 bonus points toward your final IB score.
The matrix works as follows: An A in the EE combined with an A in TOK earns 3 bonus points; an A combined with a B earns 2; a B combined with a B earns 1.
At the other end, an E in either the EE or TOK, or a combined E in both, results in automatic failure of the IB Diploma regardless of your subject scores. The EE is the only component of the Diploma where a single grade can disqualify you entirely.
Beyond the points, universities, particularly in the UK, treat the EE as evidence of independent research ability at a level above standard coursework. Because it's self-directed and externally marked, it carries more weight in admissions conversations than internal assessments. Students who write strong EEs in a subject relevant to their intended degree frequently reference them in personal statements and interviews as evidence of genuine academic interest rather than just curriculum compliance.
How to Write an Extended Essay: 7 Steps
Step 1: Choose a Strong Topic and Research Question
Start by choosing your extended essay topic within a subject you know well, one you've studied in school and feel confident navigating. The EE is not the place to explore a field you've never encountered; the research challenge is already significant without adding an unfamiliar subject on top.
Within that subject, narrow your focus aggressively. "Climate change and biodiversity" is a thesis topic for a PhD candidate, not a 4,000-word IB essay. "The effect of ocean acidification on coral bleaching rates in the Great Barrier Reef between 2010 and 2020" is something you can investigate and argue within your word count.
Your research question must be investigable. It should invite analysis, not just a factual answer. Useful question frames include:
- "To what extent does..."
- "How did [X] influence [Y] in [specific context]..."
- "What role did [X] play in [specific outcome]..."
Before committing, verify that enough credible sources exist. A research question with five available academic sources is a research question you cannot answer adequately.
When you have a draft question, check if it fits cleanly into one of the six DP subject groups. If it sits ambiguously between two groups, resolve that ambiguity with your supervisor before proceeding. The subject group shapes the methodology the examiner expects to see.
Step 2: Conduct Your Background Research
Build a solid knowledge base before you start writing, or even outlining. Research is the foundation your argument sits on. The thinner the research, the weaker the argument, regardless of how well-written the prose is.
Start with general sources: textbooks, subject-specific encyclopedias, and summary articles that give you the conceptual landscape. Then move to academic sources, such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and your school's library database, for the primary evidence and expert debate your argument needs.
Take structured notes from the beginning. Record the full citation details of every source immediately:
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Losing track of a source mid-draft and spending hours reconstructing it is avoidable.
As you research, notice where the evidence is pulling you. If your findings are consistently challenging your original hypothesis, that's not a problem. It's often better material for an analytical argument than evidence that simply confirms what you expected.
Step 3: Develop Your Thesis and Outline
Your thesis is the direct answer to your research question. It must be debatable, meaning it's a claim someone could reasonably dispute, supported by the evidence you've gathered.
Weak thesis: "The Treaty of Versailles ended the First World War." This is a fact, not an argument. |
Strong thesis: "The Treaty of Versailles created the economic and political conditions that made a second European war more probable than a lasting peace." This is a claim that requires evidence and can be contested. |
Once you have a thesis, build your extended essay outline around three parts: an introduction that establishes context and states your research question and thesis; body paragraphs grouped by argument or theme, each building on the last; and a conclusion that summarises your findings and reflects on their significance without introducing new material.
Step 4: Write the Introduction
The introduction does four things: provides a brief context on the topic, states your research question explicitly, presents your thesis, and signals how the essay is structured. It should be approximately 8 to 10 percent of your total word count, around 300 to 400 words for a 4,000-word essay.
Do not open with a dictionary definition. Do not open with a sweeping historical generalization. Open with the specific intellectual problem your essay addresses, and move quickly to your research question and thesis.
The introduction is also where examiners form their first impression of your analytical ability. A clear, focused, jargon-free introduction signals that you understand what you're arguing and why it matters. A vague or overlong introduction signals the opposite.
Step 5: Write the Body
Each Body Paragraph Advances One Element of Your Argument
Open with a clear topic sentence that connects to your thesis, present your evidence, and explain explicitly how that evidence supports your argument. The explanation is the analytical work. Summarising what a source says without connecting it to your thesis is description, not analysis, and examiners penalize description heavily under Criterion C.
Organize Body Sections Logically
Depending on your subject, that might mean chronologically, thematically, by type of evidence, or by sub-question. Whatever structure you choose, make the logic visible. A reader should be able to follow the progression of your argument without having to guess at your organizing principle.
Transitions Between Sections Should Do More Than Signal a Topic Shift
They should show the relationship between what came before and what comes next: "Having established X, the following section examines how Y complicates that picture."
Still staring at a blank document after reading all of that? Tell us your research question, subject area, and deadline, and our extended essay writing service can handle the research, drafting, and formatting and return a complete, IB-structured essay ready for your supervisor review.
Step 6: Write the Conclusion
The conclusion answers the research question directly, summarises the evidence that led you there, and reflects on the significance and limitations of your findings. It should not introduce new arguments or new evidence.
Be precise about what your findings actually show. Overclaiming, meaning asserting that your essay has "proven" a broad point, weakens the conclusion. Underclaiming, meaning hedging so heavily that your conclusion says nothing, is equally damaging. State clearly what your research question asked, what your investigation found, and what those findings mean within the limits of your study.
Examiners look specifically for a conclusion that "resonates with the argument developed in the body," which means it must trace directly back to your thesis, not introduce a new framing at the end. |
Step 7: Revise, Proofread, and Finalize
Step back from the draft for at least a day before revising. Reading with fresh eyes catches structural problems that become invisible when you've been inside the argument for weeks.
Check the argument first, line editing second. Ask: Does each body section connect to the thesis? Is the evidence sufficient for the claims being made? Does the conclusion answer the research question? Fix structural problems before polishing sentences. Rewriting a well-edited paragraph you later cut is wasted time.
Then check:
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Read the final draft aloud once. Sentences that work on the page often reveal themselves as unclear or clunky when spoken.
Extended Essay Format Requirements
Formatting is not an afterthought. IB has specific requirements, and Criterion D (Presentation) is worth 4 points. The following are the non-negotiable format standards.
- Font and size: Times New Roman or Arial, 12pt. No decorative fonts.
- Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout the body. Single spacing is acceptable for footnotes and the bibliography.
- Margins: 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides.
- Page numbers: Required. Placed in the header or footer, starting from the title page.
Title Page
The title page is page 1, but is not counted in the word count. It must include:
- The title of the essay (not the research question, but a descriptive title that reflects the content)
- The research question
- The subject the EE is registered under
- Your IB candidate number (not your name, as EEs are marked anonymously)
- The session (e.g., May 2025)
- Word count
Do not include your school's name, your supervisor's name, or any decorative elements. Keep the title page clean and factual.
Table of Contents
The table of contents lists every section and subsection in the essay with corresponding page numbers. It appears after the title page and before the introduction. It is not counted in the word count.
A standard EE table of contents looks like this:
Introduction .......................... 3
[Section 1 title] ..................... 4
[Section 2 title] ..................... 7
[Section 3 title] ..................... 11
Conclusion ............................ 15
Bibliography .......................... 17
Section titles in the table of contents must match the headings in the body of the essay exactly.
Citation Styles
IB does not mandate a single citation style, but it requires consistency throughout the essay. The three most common styles used in EEs are:
- APA: standard in the social sciences, including psychology, economics, and environmental systems.
- MLA: standard in language and literature essays.
- Chicago: common in history EEs, particularly for footnote-style citation.
Whichever style you choose, apply it consistently to every in-text citation and every entry in your bibliography. Inconsistent citation is flagged under Criterion D and costs points that are straightforward to protect.
Failing to cite sources is plagiarism. IB takes academic honesty violations seriously. In severe cases, the result is disqualification from the Diploma.
Extended Essay Examples
Before drafting, reading finished EEs in your subject is one of the most efficient uses of your preparation time. You can read extended essay examples across biology, history, English, economics, and psychology, with notes on what each one does well and where it falls short.
How the IB Extended Essay Is Graded
The criteria and grade boundaries below reflect the IB guide current for the 2024 to 2026 examination sessions.
Your EE is assessed by an external IB examiner against five criteria, for a maximum of 34 points. Your final grade is a letter from A to E based on where your total score falls.
The Five Criteria
Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points) The research question is clearly stated, focused, and appropriate for the subject. The approach to investigation is logical and well-chosen.
Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points) The essay demonstrates understanding of the topic and the subject area. Relevant concepts, theories, and academic context are correctly applied.
Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points) This is the highest-weighted criterion and the one most students underperform on. Examiners are looking for genuine analysis and evaluation, not summary. Evidence must be interpreted, sources must be evaluated, and your argument must show independent thinking throughout.
Criterion D: Presentation (4 points) The essay is correctly structured, formatted, and cited. The title page, table of contents, bibliography, and overall layout meet IB standards.
Criterion E: Engagement (6 points) Assessed through your Reflections on Planning and Progress (RPPF), which is the formal record of your supervisor meetings. This criterion is not assessed from the essay itself.
Grade Boundaries
Grade | Points range |
A | 25–34 |
B | 19–24 |
C | 13–18 |
D | 7–12 |
E | 0–6 |
A grade of E on the EE, or a combined E in EE and TOK, results in automatic failure of the IB Diploma regardless of your subject scores. A grade of D or above keeps you eligible.
You now know what IB examiners are looking for and how the 34 points break down. Knowing the rubric and writing an essay that scores well against it are two different things, especially at 4,000 words on a topic that needs genuine independent research. CollegeEssay.org's extended essay specialists work with IB students specifically: give them your research question, your subject group, and your deadline, and they'll return a structured, examiner-ready draft.
You've got the framework: the steps, the format requirements, and the rubric. What's left is the 4,000 words. If you'd rather not spend the next several weeks writing and revising alone, tell us your research question, your IB subject, and when it's due, and we can write your extended essay for you, formatted to IB standards and ready for your supervisor's first review.
