Your reflective statement is a single piece of writing, up to 500 words, submitted with your final Extended Essay. It is assessed in Criterion E: Reflection, which focuses on growth, decision-making, and self-awareness as a researcher.
Reflection is not about re-explaining your topic. It is about explaining your thinking.
Examiners are looking for three things:
1. How your thinking developed
What changed in your understanding as you researched and wrote?
How did you move from your early ideas to a more sophisticated approach?
2. How you made decisions
Which choices shaped your investigation, methods, structure or argument?
What influenced those choices?
3. What you learned as a researcher
Skills, insights, judgement, strategies, blind spots, strengths.
What do you take forward into future academic work?
These three areas are the heart of Criterion E.
Strong reflections in the new EE:
show clear shifts in thinking
explain turning points rather than describing timelines
analyse challenges and responses
evaluate decisions, not just recount them
connect learning to future contexts
show awareness of method, evidence and uncertainty
avoid emotional clichés and vague statements
Weak reflections:
re-summarise the essay
explain content instead of thinking
list tasks (“I read… I wrote… I drafted…”)
focus on enjoyment, stress, or gratitude
describe feelings without analysing them
restate the research question
talk about “improving time management” with no evidence
Use prompts that lead to analysis and evaluation, not narration.
Analytical Prompts
What assumption did I change, and why?
Which moment clarified what I was actually investigating?
Which source, dataset, or text shifted my line of argument?
How did my understanding of evidence or method evolve?
When did I realise my initial plan was not workable?
What made my research question become clearer or more focused?
Evaluative Prompts
Which of my decisions had the biggest impact on the outcome, and would I repeat it?
If I redesigned my method, what would I prioritise differently and why?
Which strategy genuinely improved the clarity or depth of my analysis?
What new questions emerged, and how would they shape a future investigation?
Where was my judgement strongest, and where did I misjudge something?
These are: evaluative, growth-focused, and research-centred.
These help push into analysis:
“I originally expected…, but once I examined…, I realised…”
“A turning point in my thinking occurred when…”
“I changed my approach because…”
“The limitation that shaped my work most significantly was…”
“My understanding deepened when I compared…”
“This process taught me that effective research requires…”
“If I repeated this investigation, I would adjust… because…”
“This experience has changed the way I will approach future academic work by…”
Completing my Extended Essay changed the way I understand independent research. At the start, I assumed my question was straightforward, but early reading revealed conflicting interpretations that forced me to reconsider my focus. Narrowing the question was the first point where my thinking shifted. It made me aware of how easily an investigation can become unmanageable without clear parameters.
The most significant development in my approach came when I realised that two of my key sources used different definitions for the same concept. This challenged my assumptions and made me re-examine how I was selecting and evaluating evidence. Adjusting for this inconsistency made my argument more precise and helped me understand the importance of conceptual clarity.
A major obstacle was recognising that part of my planned method was not producing meaningful data. After analysing the limitations, I changed direction and relied more on secondary sources. Although this felt like a setback, it taught me to prioritise feasibility over attachment to an idea. This decision improved the quality of my final analysis.
Looking back, I would begin with a more critical review of my initial assumptions and compare a wider range of interpretations earlier. The process has strengthened my confidence in evaluating sources, adapting my approach and working with uncertainty. I will apply these skills in future research, especially the importance of revising my thinking when evidence challenges my expectations.
Focus on thinking, not tasks
Choose moments that genuinely mattered
Evaluate your decisions
Show intellectual movement
Avoid retelling the essay
Do not try to impress, just be clear and specific
Your reflection should read like someone who genuinely understands their own learning process.
To what extent was my research successful?
Evaluate the effectiveness of your research outcomes.
If I changed approach or strategies during the process, why did I do this?
Reflect on the reasons behind any changes.
What did I learn from the experience in terms of my understanding of the subject area and/or skills needed?
Discuss insights gained regarding both content and skills.
How has my understanding of the topic and process developed?
Consider how your perspective has evolved over time.
If I did this again, what would I do differently?
Identify specific changes you would implement.
If I did this again, would I change the theories applied, or my methodology?
Contemplate adjustments to your theoretical framework or methods.
Would there be a different outcome?
Speculate on how changes might affect results.
Were the strategies I used most appropriate for achieving my outcomes?
Critically assess the effectiveness of your chosen strategies.
What questions emerged as a result of my research?
List new inquiries that arose and their potential impact on future research.
Would these questions influence my approach if I did this all over again?
Consider how newfound questions might shape your future research endeavors.