By Dr. Catherine Owino, IB Coordinator · August 2025 · 10 min read
The Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (ToK) together can contribute up to 3 points to your IB Diploma total. Those 3 points are the difference between 42 and 45, between a conditional and a firm offer from Oxford. Yet most students treat the EE as an afterthought. Here is how to treat it properly.
The EE is a 4,000-word independent research essay in one of your six Diploma subjects. Pick the subject you are strongest in, not the one you find "interesting." Interesting does not write itself. Strong gets you a Grade A.
The question must be specific, arguable, and answerable within 4,000 words. "Is Shakespeare relevant today?" is not an EE question. "To what extent does the portrayal of female madness in Hamlet differ from that in Macbeth?" is. The question should fit on one line but require 4,000 words to answer.
You are assigned an EE supervisor — usually a teacher from your school. They can give you 3–5 hours of guidance total. Use that time strategically: 1 hour on the research question, 1 hour on the plan, 1 hour on a draft, 1 hour on feedback, 1 hour near the end. Do not disappear for months and show up expecting rescue.
Introduction (500 words) — state your question and its importance. Body (2,800 words) — your actual analysis, split into 3–5 subsections. Conclusion (400 words) — what you found and what remains unanswered. Bibliography — everything you cited. Appendices if needed.
The EE is marked on 5 criteria: focus and method, knowledge and understanding, critical thinking, presentation, and engagement (via the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form). Critical thinking is worth 12 of the 34 points — nearly a third. Your essay must show evaluation, not just description.
The Reflections on Planning and Progress Form is 500 words you write yourself, in three entries across the year. It is marked by your examiner. Students who leave it to the last week consistently lose 3–4 points here. Write one reflection every time you meet your supervisor.
IB uses strict academic standards. Cite every fact that is not common knowledge. Use one citation style consistently — MLA, APA, or Chicago. Unreferenced ideas are treated as plagiarism. Your EE will be submitted through Turnitin.
A Grade A Extended Essay + Grade A Theory of Knowledge gives you 3 bonus points. That costs roughly 80 hours of focused work across a year. No other 80-hour investment in the IB programme pays as well.