Writing a 4,000-word Extended Essay for your International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) is a very meticulous process. Most students find it extremely hard and nerve-racking, to say the least. We have created the perfect guide for IB Extended Essay.
This Guidebook includes:
IB Extended Essay Guide- Video
What is an Extended Essay?
The extended essay is an independent piece of research done on a particular subject approved by the IBO. It is a mandatory core requirement of the IB Diploma Programme which must not exceed 4,000 words. The purpose of the assignment is for students to explore and exhibit their knowledge on a topic that interests them. A mentor is allotted to supervise the progress and help with any issues that the student faces.
How is Extended Essay Graded?
The extended essays are evaluated by external IB assessors on a scale of 0 to 36. The mark is converted into a grade from A to E; The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK Theory of Knowledge (ToK) grade to find out how many points you get towards your IB Diploma Grading.
| GRADE |
SCORE |
| A |
30 – 36 |
| B |
25 – 29 |
| C |
17 – 24 |
| D |
9 – 16 |
| E |
0 – 8 |

IB likes structure. Your Extended needs to have
- A Clear Introduction (which should be 1-2 pages double-spaced),
- Research Question/Focus (i.e. what you will be investigating), body, and
- A Conclusion (about 1 page double-spaced).
An Essay that has poor organisation will be graded poorly. Also, make sure your 300-word abstract is clear and briefly summarises your idea and argument. A poor abstract will make it more challenging for the reader to follow the essay's argument and will also affect the grading of your EE.
The body of the EE should cover the bulk of the essay. It could be about 8-18 pages double-spaced or not you include diagrams. Your body can be split into multiple parts.
Analysis
If you are conducting an experiment or analysing data such as in this EE, your EE body will have a clear part following the scientific method:
- Stating the Research Question
- Discussing Your Method
- Showing the Data
- Analysing the Data
- Discussing Uncertainties &
- Drawing a Conclusion/Evaluating the Experiment
What Topics to choose for IB EE?
Even though there are no restrictions on the topic you choose for the IB essay, they should be within the framework of IBO approval. That means that topic should fall within the IB course categories Viz.)
- History
- Film
- Spanish
- French
- Math
- Film
- Biology
That is not going to be tough because there are so many class subjects you have studied during the past couple of years.
Options Are Plenty
The options of subjects are plenty for you to choose from to write an impressive essay which takes you to get two/ 3 of the marks. Let us go through the process of selecting topics in a more detailed way to make your essays stand out.
You May Choose a Topic You Are Familiar with and which Gives You Thrill
The topic you choose may land you in a scholarship on that topic depending on the merit. Take the case of Theatre. You are good in dramatics, script wrings, stage management, visual art, and lighting. It all boils down to put your thoughts and exposure impressively. You can choose maths if you are good at problem-solving, or that matter you may choose ecology and environment if you are convinced. You may go in for English poetry if you are passionate about it.
Example
Suppose you have chosen Physics as the topic broadly. Ask yourself the following question
- Is it not Nuclear Physics your favourite?
- Which specialisation of Nuclear physics do you want to pursue?
- What about the subatomic particles is of interest to you?
- Perhaps, you want to explore quantum physics?
Choose a Topic – More Specific and Focussed
Narrowing down the topic would help you to gather materials for a 4000 worded essay with lesser strain. The subject should not be bulky or unwieldy.
Tips to write an Excellent IB Extended Essay
Communicate with your supervisor
A supervisor can turn your good essay into a great one. Supervisors are qualified teachers who help you guide through this process of essay writing from planning to execution. Regularly communicate with your supervisor and take their notes into account while editing your essay.
Before you seek assistance from your part, make a deliberate attempt to find the weakness and strengths of the topic. Maybe not your favourite teacher, but an accomplished teacher would help you better.
Some IB high schools insist that your IB Extended Essay advisor sign a kind of Agreement Form.
No Procrastination
You should Start Writing Sooner to get a good ranking. Students often lose their motivation and take long gaps in between which completely ruins the flow. The delay you make in writing will affect the quality adversely.
Right from choosing the topic, the whole process of research writing, proofreading and editing shall be according to a viable schedule.
Your Interest, Your Goal and Your Ambitions
The essay should reflect all these and much more. The essay should fulfil your ultimate goal in life. The cumulative result should be in tune with your personality. Your smartness, calibre, capability and belief should culminate into a creative masterpiece.
Come Out with an Original
The topic you choose should be adequate to write an essay with originality. You may have to spend some time with internet search and research to get maximum leverage. You are getting a platform to express your thoughts and views. You can build confidence by writing essays. You can enhance your mental faculty.
Preferably choose from HL subject
Yes, you have six subjects to choose from, out of which 3 are SL but choosing a HL subject will definitely give you an edge as these subjects are highly detailed and comprehensive. You will have more understanding and information about the subject which will help you to make better arguments for your research question.
Cite your sources
With every data and statistic that you provide for your arguments, don’t forget to cite the source. It not only looks professional but it looks like you have done your research properly. Be responsible and acknowledge the source whether it is a book, magazine or an article.
Don’t Plagiarize
Stealing someone’s work is CRIMINAL! Don’t merely copy-paste an idea. IB is very strict with it’s policy and has highly advanced programs to detect plagiarism. You will get caught and the consequences will be very harsh. So don’t even think about it.
IB Extended Essay Samples:
And lastly, finding IB Extended Essay Samples on the internet is a tough thing. But I will walk you through the best stuff. To get to know more about IB Extended Essay Samples, CLICK HERE

What's Next?
- How to Choose Topics, Ideas for the IB TOK
- How to Deal with IB CAS: Project Ideas for CAS
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