What the Extended Essay Is and Why It Matters

The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed piece of research that every Diploma Programme student completes, ending in a formal essay of up to 4000 words. Unlike an internal assessment tied to one course, the EE is a standalone research project supervised by a teacher but driven by you. It is externally assessed by an IB examiner, graded on a band of A to E, and combined with your Theory of Knowledge result to award up to three additional points toward the Diploma. This lesson explains what the task really involves and why it deserves your full attention early.

A genuine piece of research, not a long homework essay

The EE asks you to behave like a scholar in miniature. You pose a question that has not been handed to you, gather and evaluate evidence, build an argument, and pr