Extended Essay Handbook

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA

PROGRAMME
 TABLE OF CONTENT
1. General overview 4
Key features of the extended essay 4
The nature of the extended essay 4
Aims 6
Assessment objectives 5
Grade chart 7
Student responsibility 7
2. Reflection in the extended essay 8
Researcher's reflection space 8
The role of the RRS 9
The student-supervisor interaction 9
Formal reflection sessions 9
Submitting draft version of the extended essay 10
Submission requirements 11
3. General guidelines 12
Research and writing process 11
Subject Choice 13
Subject area specifics 13
Research Question 18
Sample research questions 19
4. Structure of the extended essay 20
Title page 21
Contents page 21
Introduction 22
Body of the essay (research, analysis, discussion and evaluation) 22
Conclusion 23
References and bibliography 23
5. Presentation 23
Word Count 24

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 Acknowledgments and dedications: 24
Illustrations 25
Tables 25
Headers 25
Footnotes and endnotes 25
Appendices 26
Reliance on external resources 27
Academic honesty 27
Bibliography 27
Citations 28
Referencing 28
Proofreading 28
6. Assessment of the extended essay 26
Inclusive assessment arrangements 29
Overview 30
Grade descriptors (Effective May 2018) 30
7. References 34

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 GENERAL OVERVIEW

Key features of the extended essay

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

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 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.
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
are guided through this process by a supervisor and encouraged to reflect on
insights gained, evaluate decisions, and respond to challenges encountered
during the research.
Aims
The aims of the extended essay are for students to:
● engage in independent research with intellectual initiative and rigour
● develop research, thinking, self-management and communication skills
● reflect on what has been learned throughout the research and writing process.

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

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Assessment objectives

Knowledge ● To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the topic

and chosen and the research question posed.
understanding ● 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 ● To select and apply research that is relevant and appropriate to

and analysis the research question.
● To analyse the research effectively and focus on the research
question.

Synthesis and ● To be able to discuss the research in terms of a clear and coherent
evaluation 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 ● To be able to present information in an appropriate academic

(research) format.
skills ● To understand and demonstrate academic integrity.

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 Grade chart

Student responsibility
● Choose a subject from the available extended essay list. See Diploma Programme
coordinator or extended essay coordinator for details.
● Ensure that the starting point for your essay is a subject that is available.
● Observe the regulations with regard to the extended essay, including the
IB’s ethical guidelines.
● Read and understand the subject-specific requirements for the subject in which
you intend to complete your extended essay, including the interpretation of the
assessment criteria.
● Meet all internal deadlines set by the school in relation to the extended essay.
● Understand concepts related to academic honesty, including plagiarism and
collusion, for consistent manner. This also includes understanding the

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 implications of the General regulations: Diploma Programme should there be a
breach of these.
● Attend three mandatory reflection sessions with your supervisor, the last of
which is the viva voce.
● Record your reflections on the Reflections on planning and progress form for
submission as part of the assessment of criterion E (engagement).

REFLECTION IN THE EXTENDED ESSAY

Student reflection in the extended essay is a critical evaluation of the decision-

making process. Effective reflection highlights the journey the student has taken
to engage in an intellectual and personal process as well as how it has changed
him or her as a learner and affected the final essay. Reflection must be
documented on the Reflections on planning and progress form (RPPF).

Researcher's reflection space

The RRS is a personal learning environment that can be either a physical or
virtual support tool. It is a space in which student record reflections on what they
are reading, writing and thinking. The use of the RRS helps students to prepare
for their reflection sessions with their supervisors and inform the discussions
that take place. In preparing for their reflection sessions students could use their
RRS to:
● record their reflections
● respond to artefacts, such as photos, newspaper clippings, twitter feeds, blogs,
and so on
● respond to prompts and questions that may arise in the students’ subject areas,
TOK classes or other aspects of the Diploma Programme
● create MindMaps
● record emerging questions.

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 The role of the RRS
Insights and information recorded in the RRS are expected to form the basis for
and find direct expression in the essay, reflection sessions and Reflections on
planning and progress form. Students are expected to share excerpts from the
RRS in discussions with their supervisor. Using these reflections as a point of
reference in their supervision sessions, students will be able to:
● demonstrate their planning
● discuss what they are learning
● evaluate their progress.

The student-supervisor interaction

The student-supervisor interaction would include minimum 3-5 hours of three
formal reflection sessions and supervision sessions.
The recording of reflections on the Reflections on planning and progress
form is mandatory and must be submitted with the completed extended essay
for assessment under criterion E (engagement). The supervision sessions do not
form part of the formal reflection process and do not, therefore, need to be
reported on the RPPF. However, they nevertheless form an important part of the
student-supervisor interaction process.

Formal reflection sessions

There are three mandatory reflection sessions that are a formal part of the
extended essay and should be recorded on the RPPF Following each session,
students are required to complete the relevant comment section on the form and
submit it to their supervisor.

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First formal This initial reflection session is a dialogue between the student and
reflection the supervisor based on the student’s initial explorations. The
session student sends their supervisor an outline of their research proposal
ahead of the meeting in order to give the supervisor the
opportunity to review their work.
Following this first session, the student is required to complete the
first student comment section of the PRPPF and submit it to their
supervisor.
The interim During this session the student must demonstrate the progress they
reflection have made in their research. The student needs to submit a
session completed piece of sustained writing in order to ensure the
supervisor that they understand the academic writing
requirements, including referencing formats.
Final The viva voce is conducted once the student has submitted the final
reflection version of their extended essay.
session (viva The viva voce is a short interview between the student and the
voce) supervisor, and is the mandatory conclusion to the extended essay
process. At this point in the process no further changes can be
made to the essay. The viva voce is a celebration of the completion
of the essay and a reflection on what the student has learned from
the process. The student is required to complete the last student
comment section of the RPPF and submit it to his or her supervisor.

Submitting draft version of the extended essay

The student needs to submit the essay prior to the final reflection session to allow
the supervisor to add their comments. This could be followed by a one-to-one
discussion between the supervisor and the student in which they go through the
comments together.

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Submission requirements
After commenting on one full draft, the next version of the essay that the
supervisor sees must be the final one submitted to them before the viva voce. This
version of the extended essay must be clean; in other words, it must not contain
any comments from the supervisor or any other person. Once this version has
been submitted to the supervisor and discussed, students are not permitted to
make any further changes to it, unless deemed appropriate by the supervisor
because of an administrative error.

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 GENERAL GUIDELINES

Research and writing process

When researching the extended essay, students should follow the steps below.
1. Choose an available Diploma Programme subject for the extended essay
for the session in question.

2. Read the following materials: The assessment criteria, relevant subject-

specific chapter of the Extended essay guide, the IB’s ethical guidelines
and other associated policies where relevant, such as those relating to
animal experiments.

3. Set up RRS and use this as the key planning and reflection tool for the
extended essay process

4. Choose a topic and undertake some background reading on it.

5. Formulate a preliminary research question. Incorporate an IB command

term in the research question if possible.

6. Draw up an outline plan for the research and writing process. This
should include timeline.

7. Identify and begin gathering source material for the research

8. Identify and understand the academic referencing system in use.

9. Set realistic deadlines for themselves based on the school deadlines.

10. Plan a structure for the essay to get a sense of direction. This may change
as the research develops.

11. Undertake some preparatory reading in light of the proposed research

question. Meet the supervisor with the findings.

12. Carry on the research.

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 Subject Choice:
Students may choose to complete an essay in any ONE of the subject areas
allowed. Since the objective of this essay does not include an integration of
subject areas, the information presented in the essay should be confined to only
one category.
● English Literature (Group 1)
● Hindi (Group 2)
● Business Management
● Psychology
● Economics
● Digital Societies
● Mathematics
● Computer Science
Subjects that require an experiment
● Biology
● Chemistry
● Physics
● Environmental System and Societies
● Computer Science

Subject area specifics

● Your extended essay can be written in the chosen subjects for the IB diploma.
● You cannot write on any topic you have used for an IA or any other assignment.
● It is not recommended that students write in a subject that they have not studied
in class.

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Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature (English)

Category 1 – Literacy Analysis: Analyze a literary work (or works) originally

written in English with a major emphasis on literary analysis and criticism.

Category 2 – Literacy Analysis: Analyze two or more literary works where at

least one was originally written in English and the other(s) were originally written
in another language with a major emphasis on literary analysis and criticism.

Category 3 – Language: Studies in language‐ in other words, analyze how words

make meaning in a close analysis of a particular text that was originally written in
English. The term ‘text’ in category 3 language is defined to include a wide range
of oral, written and visual materials. See the IB directions for more specifics.

Group 2: Language Acquisition (Hindi)

**A Group 2 Extended Essay must be written in the language in which it is registered
and focused on matters related to the target culture. You do not have to be fully fluent in
the language to be successful.

Category 1: Language: A specific analysis of the language (its use, structure and
so on) normally related to its cultural context or a specific text.

Category 2: Culture and Society: An analysis of a cultural nature that describes

the impact of a particular issue on the form and use of the language.

Category 3: Analysis: A literary analysis of a work(s) of literature originally

written in the target language.

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 Group 3: Individuals and Societies

Business Management: The EE gives students an opportunity to develop their

research skills by-

● reviewing business theories, concepts and principles.

● critically analysing their use and application in the business world and
their resultant impact on business activity.

Students are strongly advised to choose a topic that enables them to carry out
research and apply business management theories and techniques in a real-
world setting. This setting may be an organization, industry or market in a
particular region or country, or globally.

The EE requires the application of business management theories, tools and

techniques to produce a coherent and structured analytical essay that effectively
addresses the research question.

Psychology: An extended essay (EE) in psychology gives students the

opportunity to:
• investigate in depth a topic of their choice within the subject

• develop their skills in research, analysis and evaluation, and communication

• increase their understanding of behaviour from a psychology perspective.

Students undertaking an EE in psychology need to have a sound understanding

of the subject and its methodologies. They should choose a topic amenable to
psychological investigation and analysis.

Economics: An extended essay (EE) in economics provides students with an

opportunity to undertake in-depth research. Students should take a recent
economic issue, policy, concept or event, and then gather data and apply
economic theories, models and tools to evaluate it. Appropriate resources for an

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EE in economics could include both primary and secondary data, obtained from
economics textbooks, general economics books, newspapers and magazines,
government publications, databases, interviews, or surveys.

Digital Societies: Digital Societies focuses on the systematic and critical study of
the relationship between information and communication technologies (IT
systems) and individuals and society.

Digital Societies requires:

• sufficient technical knowledge of IT systems in the context in which they are
being considered

• an understanding of their impacts on stakeholders.

The issues are often ethical—for example arising from the development,
implementation, use or disposal of IT systems—and require informed
decision-making.

Group 4: Sciences

Biology: A biology extended essay should incorporate biological theory and

emphasize the essential nature of the subject. Essays in biology may be based on
data collected by the student or information obtained from literature, ideally
from primary sources, and manipulated or analyzed in an original way by the
student.

Chemistry: A chemistry extended essay has a clear chemical emphasis. The essay
may be based on literature, theoretical models or experimental data, but students
are strongly encouraged to undertake experimental work as part of their
research.

Physics: An extended essay in physics should have a basis in physical theory and
emphasize the essential nature of the subject. The student must be personally

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involved with the subject matter and not be simply an informant. Essays in
physics may be based on data collected by the student or information obtained
from literature, ideally from primary sources, and manipulated or analyzed in an
original way by the student.

Computer Science: An extended essay (EE) in computer science provides

students with an opportunity to investigate a particular aspect of computing and
its implications for society and the real world. There are many possible areas to
be explored: advances in hardware and software development, comparison of
the efficiency of algorithms designed to speed up data transmission or to encrypt
data, network systems, computer control systems .It is important that the chosen
topic and its treatment reflect a firm emphasis on computing science and that the
work goes beyond a summary of journalistic views on a particular topic. It is not
sufficient for the student simply to describe new advances and developments in
computing. Students are expected to analyse their findings and consider the
implications.

Environmental System and Societies: Environmental issues are occupying a

position of increasing significance on the world agenda, and an extended essay in
environmental systems and societies provides students with an opportunity to explore
an environmental topic or issue of particular interest or relevance to themselves and
their localities. The EE provides the students with the opportunity to explore

questions in terrestrial, freshwater or marine environments. The characteristic

nature of the essay will lie in the application of a systems approach to an
environmental issue.

Group 5: Mathematics

Mathematics: An extended essay (EE) in mathematics is intended for students

who are writing on any topic that has a mathematical focus and it need not be
confined to the theory of mathematics itself.

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 Essays in this group are divided into six categories:
● the applicability of mathematics to solve both real and abstract problems
● the beauty of mathematics—eg geometry or fractal theory
● the elegance of mathematics in the proving of theorems—eg number
theory
● the history of mathematics: the origin and subsequent development of a
branch of mathematics over a period of time, measured in tens, hundreds
or thousands of years
● the effect of technology on mathematics:
● in forging links between different branches of mathematics,
● or in bringing about a new branch of mathematics, or causing a particular
branch to flourish.

Research Question
Difference between topic, title and research question
● The topic of the extended essay is the subject, issue or theme that you are
investigating within a specific DP subject or world studies area of study. The
topic, which develops during the initial thinking about the EE, should later be
reflected in the wording of the title.
● The title of the EE is a clear, summative statement that specifically focuses the
topic being researched. It appears on the title page. A title should:
o be short, descriptive and succinct
o not be phrased as a question
o use key words that connect with the topic and the DP subject or world studies
area of study
o attract the interest of the reader.
● The research question derives from the title and is expressed as a question that is
intended to be answered through researching and writing the EE. It appears on

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 the title page and could also be visible as a header throughout the essay. It
should:
o be clear and focused
o provide a path through which you can undertake achievable research
o use key words that connect with the topic, the title, and the DP subject or world
studies area of study
o support the development of an argument.

Sample research questions

The following table gives guidance on the difference between unclear and
unfocused research questions and those that are appropriately clear and focused,
lending themselves to in-depth research.

Unclear, unfocused and Clear, focused, narrow research questions lending

unarguable research themselves to in-depth research
questions

What was the impact of To what extent was nationalism the guiding factor
Ho Chi Minh’s allegiance in Ho Chi Minh’s adoption of Leninism in 1920?
to Lenin?

What is the history of How does the legacy of Mei Lan Fang contribute to
Chinese theatre? modern Jingju?

How important is What is the effect of different concentrations of

chlorophyll to plant life? kinetin on leaves aging and the biosynthesis of
chlorophyll?

How can the US To what extent did the rising COE prices affect the
government’s spending demand for new and used cars by the consumer
policy be reformed? population and hence affect the revenue generated
by the Singaporean economy for the period 2012–
16?

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 STRUCTURE OF THE EXTENDED ESSAY

There are six required elements of the final work to be submitted.

Six required elements of the extended essay:
1. Title page
2. Contents page
3. Introduction
4. Body of the essay
5. Conclusion
6. References and bibliography

Title page

The title page should include only the following information:

● the title of the essay
● the research question
● the subject for which the essay is registered (if it is a language essay also state
which category it falls into; if a world studies essay also state the theme and the
two subjects utilized)
● word count.
If footnotes have been used for anything other than referencing, the word count
stated on the coversheet should include the footnotes, with an explicit statement
that the stated word count includes explanatory footnotes.

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AN IMPORTANT NOTE:

Please note that the name of the student or the school should not appear on the title page
or on any page headers. This is because the work is assessed anonymously.

The title
The title of your essay should be a clear, focused summative statement of your
research, which gives the reader an indication of your research topic. It
should not be phrased as a research question.

Title Research question

Negative externalities of How effective has the Australian policy of plain

consumption: Australian cigarette packaging been in reducing the negative
policy on cigarette packaging externalities associated with the consumption of
cigarettes in X?

Commodification and the To what extent can we interpret the negative attitude
body—an ethnographic from laymen towards organ donation as an act of
study of social resistance towards the demands of the hegemonic
representations about the medical model? The case of organ donation in
human body with relation to Argentina.
organ donation

An exploration of evil as a How effectively does Christopher Marlowe present his

motivating force in drama view of evil in Dr Faustus?

The feasibility of wireless To what extent is wireless networking a feasible

networking in a city-wide alternative to cabled networking within a whole-city
context context?

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Contents page

A contents page must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all
pages should be numbered. Please note that an index page is not required and if
included will be treated as if it is not present.

Introduction

The introduction should tell the reader what to expect in the essay. The
introduction should make clear to the reader the focus of the essay, the scope of
the research, in particular an indication of the sources to be used, and an insight
into the line of argument to be taken. While students should have a sense of the
direction and key focus of their essay, it is sometimes advisable to finalize the
introduction once the body of the essay is complete.

Body of the essay (research, analysis, discussion and evaluation)

The main task is writing the body of the essay, which should be presented in the
form of a reasoned argument. The form of this varies with the subject of the
essay but as the argument develops it should be clear to the reader what relevant
evidence has been discovered, where/how it has been discovered and how it
supports the argument. In some subjects, for example, the sciences, sub-headings
within the main body of the essay will help the reader to understand the
argument.
Once the main body of the essay is complete, it is possible to finalize the
introduction (which tells the reader what to expect) and the conclusion (which
says what has been achieved, including notes of any limitations and any
questions that have not been resolved).

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Any information that is important to the argument must not be included in
appendices or footnotes/endnotes. The examiner will not read notes or
appendices, so an essay that is not complete in itself will be compromised across
the assessment criteria.

Conclusion

The conclusion says what has been achieved, including notes of any limitations
and any questions that have not been resolved. While students might draw
conclusions throughout the essay based on their findings, it is important that
there is a final, summative conclusion at the end. This conclusion(s) must relate
to the research question posed.

References and bibliography

Students should use MLA style of academic referencing as soon as they start
writing following the guidelines of the IB document Effective citing and
referencing.

PRESENTATION

The extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal academic
style, appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. Given that the
extended essay is a formally written research paper, it should strive to maintain a
professional, academic look.
To help achieve this, the following formatting is required.

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● Readable font, font size 12-point, double spacing (conducive to on-screen
marking)
● page numbering
● no candidate, supervisor, or school name on the title page, page headers,
appendices or acknowledgment pages
● the file size must not be more than 10 MB. (Note that the RPPF is uploaded
separately and is not part of the overall file size of the essay.)

Word Count
The upper limit of word count is 4,000 words for all extended essays.

Please note: Examiners are instructed not to read or assess any material in excess
of the word limit.
Please refer to the following guidance on what content should be included in the
word count.

Included in the word count Not included in the word count

The introduction The contents page

The main body Maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations

The conclusion Tables

Quotations Equations, formulas and calculations

Footnotes and/or endnotes that Citations/references (whether parenthetical,

are not references numbered, footnotes or endnotes)

The bibliography

The Reflections on planning and progress form

Headers

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Acknowledgments and dedications:
An acknowledgment/dedications page may be included in the EE if this is
important to the student, but it must contain no “identifiers”, for example,
people should not be detailed in any way that makes the student’s school
identifiable. An acknowledgment/dedications page is not a formal requirement
of the EE, so it does not contribute to either the word count or assessment.

Illustrations

Presentation and overall neatness are important. Graphs, diagrams, tables and
maps are effective only if they are clearly labelled and can be interpreted with
ease.
All such material that is incorporated into the extended essay must be directly
related to the text and acknowledged where appropriate. The use of photographs
and other images is acceptable only if they are captioned and/or annotated and
are used to illustrate a specific point made in the extended essay. Students are
advised to use illustrations with caution as excessive use may detract from the
discussion in the essay.

Tables

The use of tables should be considered carefully and are only really appropriate
in certain subjects. Tables must not be used in an attempt to circumvent the word
limit.

Headers

Students may wish to use the header function for their research question, so that
it appears on each page. This may help retain focus.

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 Footnotes and endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes may be used for referencing purposes and if this is the
case will not be included in the word count of the essay. If information is
contained in a footnote or endnote and is not a reference, this must be included
in the word count. As footnotes and endnotes are not an essential part of the
extended essay students must take care to ensure that all information with direct
relevance to the analysis, discussion and evaluation of their essay is contained in
the main body of it.

Appendices
Appendices are not an essential part of the extended essay and examiners will
not read them, or use any information contained within them, in the assessment
of the essay. Students must take care to ensure that all information with direct
relevance to the analysis, discussion and evaluation of their essay is contained in
the main body of it. Appendices may contain:
● an exemplar of a questionnaire or interview questions
● an exemplar of permission letters
● group 1, category 1 essays: copies of poems or short stories (of less than three
pages)
● group 1, category 3 essays: excerpts from newspapers, advertisements and
transcripts of speeches
● language acquisition, category 1 and 2: excerpts from newspapers,
advertisements, transcripts of speeches, etc
● language acquisition, category 3: excerpts or copies of poems or short stories (less
than 3 pages)
● an external mentor letter, where one has been used
● raw data or statistical tables for experimental sciences (this should not include
any analysis or conclusions).

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Students should not continually refer to material presented in an appendix as
this may disrupt the continuity of the essay and examiners are not required to
refer to them.

Reliance on external resources

Irrespective of the subject, the extended essay should be a complete piece of

independent research, modelled on an academic journal/research paper, which
can exist and be understood on its own, without the need to access external links,
such as hyperlinks, or accompanying material such as DVDs.
Examiners will not access any material contained in an external source when
assessing an essay. Material that is pertinent to the argument being made must
be contained in the essay itself to be considered by examiners in their assessment
of it.

Academic honesty
Research practices when working on an extended essay must reflect the
principles of academic honesty. The essay must provide the reader with
the precise sources of quotations, ideas and points of view through accurate
citations, which may be in-text or footnotes, and full references listed in the
bibliography.
Failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as academic misconduct and will,
therefore, be treated as a potential breach of IB regulations.

Bibliography

A bibliography is an alphabetical list of every source used to research and write

the essay. Sources that are not cited in the body of the essay but were important
in informing the approach taken should be cited in the introduction or in an
acknowledgment. The bibliography must list only those sources cited.

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Citations

A citation is a shorthand method of making a reference in the body of an essay,

either as an in-text citation or footnote/endnote. This must then be linked to the
full reference at the end of the essay in the bibliography. A citation provides the
reader with accurate references so that he or she can locate the source easily.
How sources are cited varies with the particular referencing style that has been
chosen. Page numbers should normally be given when referencing printed
material and this is especially so in the case of direct quotations. For some styles
this will also be in the citation, in others in the full reference. Once again, it is
important to emphasize that there must be consistency of method when citing
sources.

Referencing

A reference is a way of indicating to the reader, in an orderly form, where

information has been obtained. A reference provides all the information needed
to find the source material. References must be cited because they acknowledge
the sources used, and enable the reader to consult the work and verify the data
that has been presented.
References must be given whenever someone else’s work is quoted or
summarized. References can come from many different sources, including books,
magazines, journals, newspapers, emails, internet sites and interviews.
Students should provide referencing and citations according to the guidelines of
the IB document Effective citing and referencing.

Proofreading
The whole essay needs to be proofread carefully by the student (computer
spelling and grammar checkers are useful but will not do everything). They must

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 not ask someone else to proofread their work as this is an important part of the
learning experience.

ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENDED ESSAY

Assessment of the extended essay is a combination of formative assessment

(the Reflections on planning and progress form) and summative assessment
(the extended essay itself). Generic assessment criteria are used with subject-
specific interpretations.
Inclusive assessment arrangements
Inclusive assessment arrangements are available for students with assessment
access requirements. These arrangements enable students with diverse needs to
access the examinations and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of
the constructs being assessed.
Overview
Total marks available: 34

Criterion A: Criterion B: Criterion C: Criterion D: Criterion E:

focus and knowledge and critical presentation engagement
method understanding thinking

● Topic ● Context ● Research ● Structure ● Process

● Research ● Subject-specific● Analysis ● Layout ● Research focus
question terminology and
● Discussion

● Methodology concepts and

evaluation

Marks Marks Marks Marks Marks

6 6 12 4 6

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Grade descriptors (Effective May 2018)

Grade A

Demonstrates effective research skills resulting in a well-focused and

appropriate research question that can be explored within the scope of the
chosen topic; effective engagement with relevant research areas, methods and
sources; excellent knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context
of the relevant discipline; the effective application of source material and correct
use of subject-specific terminology and/or concepts further supporting this;
consistent and relevant conclusions that are proficiently analyzed; sustained
reasoned argumentation supported effectively by evidence; critically evaluated
research; excellent presentation of the essay, whereby coherence and consistency
further supports the reading of the essay; and present and correctly applied
structural and layout elements.

Engagement with the process is conceptual and personal, key decision-making during the
research process is documented, and personal reflections are evidenced, including those
that are forward-thinking.

Grade B

Demonstrates appropriate research skills resulting in a research question that can

be explored within the scope of the chosen topic; reasonably effective
engagement with relevant research areas, methods and sources; good knowledge
and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the relevant discipline; a
reasonably effective application of source material and use of subject-specific
terminology and/or concepts; consistent conclusions that are accurately
analysed; reasoned argumentation often supported by evidence; research that at

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times evidences critical evaluation; and a clear presentation of all structural and
layout elements, which further supports the reading of the essay.

Engagement with the process is generally evidenced by the reflections and key decision-
making during the research process is documented.

Grade C

Demonstrates evidence of research undertaken, which has led to a research

question that is not necessarily expressed in a way that can be explored within
the scope of the chosen topic; partially effective engagement with mostly
appropriate research areas, methods and sources—however, there are some
discrepancies in those processes, although these do not interfere with the
planning and approach; some knowledge and understanding of the topic in the
wider context of the discipline, which is mostly relevant; the attempted
application of source material and appropriate terminology and/or concepts; an
attempted synthesis of research results with partially relevant analysis;
conclusions partly supported by the evidence; discussion that is descriptive
rather than analytical; attempted evaluation; satisfactory presentation of the
essay, with weaknesses that do not hinder the reading of the essay; and some
structural and layout elements that are missing or are incorrectly applied.

Engagement with the process is evidenced but shows mostly factual information, with
personal reflection mostly limited to procedural issues.

Grade D

Demonstrates a lack of research, resulting in unsatisfactory focus and a research

question that is not answerable within the scope of the chosen topic; at times
engagement with appropriate research, methods and sources, but discrepancies

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in those processes that occasionally interfere with the planning and approach;
some relevant knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of

the discipline, which are at times irrelevant; the attempted application of source
material, but with inaccuracies in the use of, or underuse of, terminology and/or
concepts; irrelevant analysis and inconsistent conclusions as a result of a
descriptive discussion; a lack of evaluation; presentation of the essay that at
times is illogical and hinders the reading; and structural and layout elements that
are missing.

Engagement with the process is evidenced but is superficial, with personal reflections
that are solely narrative and concerned with procedural elements.

Grade E (failing condition)

Demonstrates an unclear nature of the essay; a generally unsystematic

approach and resulting unfocused research question; limited engagement
with limited research and sources; generally limited and only partially
accurate knowledge and understanding of the topic in the wider context of the
relevant discipline; ineffective connections in the application of source
material and inaccuracies in the terminology and/or concepts used; a
summarizing of results of research with inconsistent analysis; an attempted
outline of an argument, but one that is generally descriptive in nature; and a
layout that generally lacks or incorrectly applies several layout and structural
elements.
Engagement with the process is limited, with limited factual or decision-making
information and no personal reflection on the process.

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 REFERENCES

● https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/extendedessay/apps/dpapp/index.html?d
oc=d_0_eeyyy_gui_1602_1_e
● https://resources.ibo.org/dp/ap/dp-2020/forms/?lang=en
● https://resources.ibo.org/dp/subject-group/Extended-essay-first-
assessment-2018/resource/11162-43483/?lang=en

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