IB Extended Essay (EE): How to Write It
A 4,000-word essay sounds daunting, but 90% of the EE is decided by your choice of topic and the design of your question. Here's the shortest route.
The Extended Essay (EE) is one of the IB Diploma's core (compulsory) components — a 4,000-word independent research paper. Together with TOK it adds up to 3 points to your diploma score. It looks like a long essay, but the outcome is mostly decided before you write a word — in your choice of subject, topic and research question (RQ).
Where the EE sits, and what it's worth
The EE is assessed alongside your TOK essay grade, and the matrix of the two adds 0–3 points to your score. Three points out of 45 is significant in any score strategy — sometimes the difference for a place at university.
The key fact to grasp first: EE and TOK earn points together. Pour everything into the EE while neglecting TOK and you'll forfeit the bonus.
Choosing a subject and topic
Picking purely on "what you like" backfires. Check three things:
- Are sources available? Enough primary/secondary sources, data and literature.
- Do you have the method? A topic you can handle with that subject's methodology.
- Is the question focused? Something you can cover in 4,000 words.
Even in a strong subject, a topic with no available data will stall halfway. Confirm "the sources definitely exist" first, then narrow the topic.
Designing the research question
A good RQ is narrow, analytical and not self-evidently answered.
- Pick a broad topic
- Shape it to invite analysis — "why", "to what extent", "how does it differ"
- Narrow it to something arguable in 4,000 words
- Reduce it to a single question
Descriptive "describe X" questions don't score well. A question involving comparison, causation or evaluation gives your discussion depth.
A rough schedule
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Mid DP1 | Lock subject and topic, meet your supervisor |
| Late DP1 | Collect sources, finalise RQ, outline |
| End DP1 – early DP2 | First draft |
| Early DP2 | Refine, sort referencing, manage word count |
| Mid DP2 | Final submission |
Because the deadline feels far off, the EE gets postponed — but the earlier your first draft, the more time you have to refine and the higher you score. With a long project like this, time management makes or breaks the result. Supervisor meetings (reflections) are also assessed, so keep a record.
Common mistakes
- A descriptive RQ with shallow analysis → rebuild it around comparison, causation or evaluation.
- Thin argument from too few sources → check source availability before locking the topic.
- Over the word count → anything past 4,000 isn't marked. Structure to trim.
- Referencing gaps → standardise the format and avoid plagiarism.
The EE is a long game. Stumble on topic and question design and all 4,000 words spin their wheels. You will often be running it alongside the IA, the other big piece of assessed work, so a quick check of your direction at the design stage with someone who's done the IB sharply reduces the risk of a rewrite.