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Extended Essay at a Glance
The extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from one of the student's six IB diploma subjects. It is intended to promote academic research and writing skills, providing students with an opportunity to engage in personal research in a topic of their own choice, under the guidance of an advisor. It is presented as a formal piece of sustained academic writing containing no more than 4,000 words, accompanied by a reflection form of no more than 500 words. The Extended Essay is compulsory for all students taking the Diploma Programme. It is externally assessed, and, in combination with the grade for Theory of Knowledge (TOK), contributes up to 3 points to the total score of the IB Diploma. A student must achieve a D grade or higher to be awarded the IB Diploma.
Why Write an Extended Essay?
The extended essay is a great opportunity for students to explore a topic of their choosing and develop research, writing and self management skills that will prepare them for similar assignments at college or university. This website is designed to guide students, advisors and parents through the process of an extensive research paper. It is meant to be used in addition to the official IB guide.
Timeline
Timeline
Assessment of the Extended Essay
The extended essay is graded on five assessment criteria. The criteria A-D assess the essay itself, while criterion E assesses the formal reflections on the RPPF (learn more about the RPPF on the Reflection page).
Criterion A (Focus & Method): This criterion focuses on the topic, the research question and the methodology. It assesses the explanation of the focus of the research (this includes the tile and the research question), how the research will be undertaken , and how the focus is mained throughout the essay.
6 Marks
Criterion B (Knowledge & Understanding): This criterion assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area/discipline used to explore the research question, or in the case of the world studies extended essay, the issue addresed and the two disciplinary perspectives applied, and additionally the way in which this knowledge and understanding is demonstrated through the use of appropriate terminology and concepts.
6 Marks
Criterion C (Critical Thinking): This criterion assesses the extent to which critical thinking skills have been used to analyse and evaluate the research undertaken.
12 Marks
Criterion D (Presentation): This criterion assesses the extent to which the presentation follows the standard format expected for academic writing and the extent to which this aids effective communication.
4 Marks
Criterion E (Engagement): This criterion assesses the student's engagement with their research focus and the research process. It will be applied by the examiner at the end of the assessment of the essay, after considering the students Reflections on planning and progress form (RPPF).
6 Marks
Refer to the pages with subject-specific information for information on how the assessment criteria are interpreted in different IB subjects. Refer to the official IB guide for more detailed information about the assessment of the extended essay.
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