Role of Supervisor
Besides being familiar with EE subject-specific guidance, it is highly recommended that supervisors also familiarize themselves with the IB's pedagogical support for the EE webpages.
The supervisor–student working relationship is probably the most important one in the extended essay process.
The supervisor plays an important role in helping students to plan and undertake their research for the extended essay. The relationship should be an active two-way process with the supervisor primarily there to support and guide the student, during the check in and reflection sessions, at the planning stage, and when the student is carrying out and writing up their research. This is done through the supervision process, including the three mandatory formal reflection sessions.
It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that students are familiar with the requirements of the extended essay. Supervisors must be aware of the subject-specific requirements, which can be found in the Extended essay guide. Use ctrl + f to search for the appropriate subject.
Supervisors and students must discuss:
the nature of the extended essay
their chosen subject, topic and research question
the most appropriate research methods to be used given the subject for which the student is submitting their essay
the formal requirements for the completion of the task.
Students are encouraged to initiate discussions with their supervisor to obtain advice and information.
Supervisors are required to
encourage students to meet all deadlines
undertake periodical check in sessions with each student they are supervising
undertake three mandatory reflection sessions with each student they are supervising
revise the reflection summarized on the Reflections on planning and progress form and provide comments at the end of the process.
provide students with advice and guidance in the skills of undertaking research
encourage and support students throughout the research and writing of the extended essay
discuss the choice of topic with each student and, in particular, help to formulate a well-focused research question which is suitable to the subject of registration and ensure that the chosen research question satisfies appropriate legal and ethical standards with regard to health and safety, confidentiality, human rights, animal welfare and environmental issues
is familiar with the regulations governing the extended essay and the assessment criteria, and gives copies of these to students
monitor the progress of the extended essay to offer guidance and to ensure that the essay is the student’s own work (this may include presenting a section of the essay for supervisor comment)
read and comment on one draft only of the extended essay (but do not edit the draft)
ensure that the final version of the essay is handed in before the final reflection session (viva voce) takes place, and that no changes are made to it subsequently
read the final version and, in conjunction with the viva voce, confirm its authenticity.
Supervisors are strongly recommended to
read recent extended essay reports for the subject
spend between three and five hours with each student, including the time spent on the three mandatory reflection sessions
monitor progress via Managebac (if you receive no update alerts from Managebac, this could signal that the student has fallen behind
encourage the development of a Researcher’s reflection space for students
ensure that the chosen research question is appropriate for the subject
advise students on:
access to appropriate resources (such as people, a library, a laboratory)
research methods
how to cite and reference.
Check in sessions
Supervisors are required to conduct two types of meetings with students. The more informal meetings are referred to as "check in sessions."
Students are encouraged to meet with their supervisor in between (and in addition to) the formal reflection sessions.
Two check in sessions are mandatory and guidance can be found here:
Supervision time should meet the needs of the individual student; therefore, the frequency and duration of these meetings will depend on the needs of the student and the supervisor’s requirements. Supervision time may consist of an occasional 10-minute check-in to discuss a timeline or clarification of a comment made by the supervisor. It may also include a more lengthy discussion about particular issues, for example, regarding access to resources. These supervision sessions do not form part of the formal reflection process and do not, therefore, need to be reported on the Reflections on planning and progress form. However, they nevertheless form an important part of the supervision process and should be recorded in the Reseacher's reflection space on Managebac.
Formal reflection sessions
These are the mandatory sessions. After the sessions students will document their reflections on the Reflections on planning and progress form. The formal documentation will occur with guidance during ToK classes.
It is recommended that formal reflection sessions last 15 to 20 minutes. During these sessions students should share excerpts from their Researcher’s reflection space with their supervisor. These sessions should focus on progress made so far and set clear objectives for moving forward in the research process. Students should be prepared for these sessions and the meetings should be a dialogue guided by questions posed by the supervisor.
There are three formal reflection sessions. Guidance can be found here:
The first point of contact for all issues relating to the EE is the supervisor.
Missed Deadlines
Flag the student as "concern" on Managebac.
Email the student and CC:
the parent
the IB Coordinator
the IB Assistant Coordinator
Academic Misconduct
If academic misconduct is suspected, supervisors must report this to the IB Coordinator, IB Assistant Coordinator and the Dean of Students. Action should then be taken to contact the student, parents, and counselor.
Misrepresentation on Reflection on progress and planning form
At the end of the process, look over the student's narratives on the Reflection on progress and planning form located on Managebac. Contact the IB Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator if the narratives do not reflect reality, for example:
If a student completes an EE with limited interaction with the supervisor this should always be reported to the coordinators; however, if the student misrepresents this lack of interaction on the Reflection on progress and planning form, the coordinators need to be informed so that they can complete reports for the IB.
If a student receives substantial support but has not reflected this in the Reflection on progress and planning form, the supervisor must report this to the IBDP and EE coordinators, who in turn with record this for the IB.