The Extended essay

from the International Baccalaureate Organization, 2017

IB candidates (EXTENDED ESSAY) will be able:

• engage in independent research with intellectual initiative and rigor
• develop research, thinking, self-management and communication skills
• reflect on what has been learned throughout the research and writing process.

The extended essay at a glance:

The extended essay is an in-depth study of a focused topic chosen from the list of available Diploma Programme subjects for the session in question. This is normally one of the student’s six chosen subjects for those taking the IB diploma, or a subject that a course student has a background in.

The EE 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 a supervisor (an appropriately qualified member of staff within the school). This leads to a major piece of formally presented, structured writing, in which ideas and findings are communicated in a reasoned and coherent manner, appropriate to the subject chosen.

It is mandatory that all students undertake three reflection sessions with their supervisor, which includes a short, concluding interview, or viva voce, with their supervisor following the completion of the extended essay.

An assessment of this reflection process is made under criterion E (Engagement) using the Reflections on planning and progress form.

The extended essay is assessed against common criteria, interpreted in ways appropriate to each subject.

Key features of the extended essay:

• The extended essay is compulsory for all students taking the Diploma Programme and is an option for course students. 

• A student must achieve a D grade or higher to be awarded the Diploma. 

• The extended essay is externally assessed and, in combination with the grade for theory of knowledge, 
contributes up to three points to the total score for the IB Diploma. 

• The extended essay process helps prepare students for success at university and in other pathways 
beyond the Diploma Programme. 

• When choosing a subject for the extended essay, students must consult the list of available Diploma 
Programme subjects published in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme for the 
session in question. 

• The extended essay is a piece of independent research on a topic chosen by the student in consultation 
with a supervisor in the school. 

• 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. 

• It is the result of approximately 40 hours of work by the student. 

• Students are supported by a supervision process recommended to be 3–5 hours, which includes three 
mandatory reflection sessions. 

• The third and final mandatory reflection session is the viva voce, which is a concluding interview with the supervising teacher.

The nature of the extended essay:

The extended essay is a unique opportunity for students to explore an academic area in which they have a personal interest. This takes the form of an independently written research paper that allows students to demonstrate their passion, enthusiasm, intellectual initiative and/or creative approach for their chosen topic. Such topics can range from focused, in-depth analyses of specific elements of a subject to critically evaluating responses to issues of global significance in the case of the world studies extended essay.

Students develop important transferable skills such as research, critical thinking, and self-management, which are communicated in the form of an academic piece of writing. Emphasis is placed on engagement and reflection on the research process, highlighting the journey the student has made on an intellectual and personal level and how it has changed them as a learner and affected the final essay.

Students complete an extended essay in a specific discipline or in one of the interdisciplinary options available. In a disciplinary essay students must demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the theories, tools and techniques of a specific discipline explored through a topic of their choice. Students who choose a world studies extended essay must demonstrate how their understanding of an issue of contemporary global significance is enhanced by taking an interdisciplinary approach.

An important aim of the extended essay, as part of the Diploma Programme core is to support and be supported by the academic disciplines. Whichever subject is chosen, the extended essay is concerned with exploring a specific research question through interpreting and evaluating evidence, and constructing reasoned arguments. In undertaking the extended essay students model many of the elements of academic research by locating their topic within a broader disciplinary context, or issue
 in the case of a world studies extended essay, justifying the relevance of their research and critically evaluating the overall strength of the arguments made and sources used. Guided through this process by a supervisor, students are encouraged to reflect on insights gained, evaluate decisions, and respond to challenges encountered during the research.

Embedded within the process of writing the extended essay are many elements of the approaches
 to learning (ATL). While research skills are fundamental to successful completion, other ATL skills are implicit in the task. As the extended essay is an independent task, it requires students to self-manage by developing organization and affective skills, including mindfulness, perseverance, resilience and self- motivation. The process of researching and writing the extended essay represents the learner profile
 in action. Being open-minded, principled and reflective are aspects of the student experience within
the extended essay.

The extended essay provides students with the opportunity to become more internationally minded by engaging with the local and global communities on topics of personal inquiry. The development of the learner profile attributes help to unify IB learners in a larger community in this shared experience.

Assessment objectives:

In working on the extended essay, students are expected to achieve the following assessment objectives.

Knowledge and understanding:

• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topic chosen and the research question posed. 

• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of subject specific terminology and/or concepts. 

• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant and/or appropriate research sources and/or methods used to gather information.

Application and analysis:

• To select and apply research that is relevant and appropriate to the research question.
• To analyse the research effectively and focus on the research question.

Synthesis and evaluation:

• To be able to discuss the research in terms of a clear and coherent reasoned argument in relation to the research question. 

• To be able to critically evaluate the arguments presented in the essay. 

• To be able to reflect on and evaluate the research process. 


A variety of (research) skills:

• To be able to present information in an appropriate academic format. 

• To understand and demonstrate academic integrity.