Evaluating the Quality of Your Extended Essay Topic: A Guide for IB Students
Navigating the world of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay (EE) can be a challenging task, but with the right approach, you can create a well-structured, researchable, and original EE that meets the IB's rigorous standards.
Formulate a Clear Research Question
The first step in creating a successful EE is to formulate a sharp, well-defined research question (RQ) that aligns closely with the subject's methodology and scope. This clarity and focus are critical for top marks in Criterion A (Focus & Method).
Relevance is Key
Ensure relevance by choosing a topic strongly connected to your IB subject area. Using appropriate subject-specific terminology and theoretical frameworks supports Criterion B (Knowledge & Understanding) by demonstrating conceptual understanding and contextual awareness.
Make the Question Researchable
To make the question researchable within the 4,000-word limit, select a topic with accessible and sufficient sources or data for thorough investigation. This allows you to critically analyze and evaluate evidence rather than just describe facts.
Aim for Originality
Aim for originality by selecting a topic that offers new insights or a unique angle on a known issue. Narrow your focus to encourage analytical depth instead of general summary.
Consider Feasibility
The topic must be practical in terms of access to resources, data, and time constraints. Avoid topics requiring unavailable data or excessively broad investigations. Being realistic about research scope contributes to a coherent, manageable investigation.
Design for Scoring
Understand IB assessment criteria and tailor your topic and research approach accordingly. Demonstrate coherent argumentation, critical thinking, and application of subject methods consistently throughout the essay.
Examples of Successful EE Topics
A good EE topic might look like:
- For History: "To what extent did economic sanctions contribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989?"
- For Geography: "What impact has urban development had on flood frequency in Mumbai from 2000 to 2020?"
These examples are specific, timely, and allow in-depth analysis with feasible research scope.
Seeking Expert Guidance
Services like RevisionDojo offer topic reviews, RQ development, outline feedback, and full editing services. Their experts review IB students' EE topics and RQs for clarity, focus, and scoring potential, providing feedback based on real EE examiner insights and helping align topics with assessment criteria.
Finalising Your EE Topic
Ideally, finalise your EE topic before the end of IB Year 1, but flexibility depends on your school. Before committing to a topic, pitch it to your EE Supervisor, a knowledgeable subject teacher, trusted classmates or friends, and ask if it sounds specific, manageable, and interesting.
Adjusting Your Topic
It's okay to change your EE topic after submitting your proposal, but check your school's internal deadlines and supervisor approval. If your research hits a dead end or your question becomes unworkable, it's okay to pivot early. Discuss changes with your supervisor, keep any useful research, and reuse it. Changing late is tough but better than writing a weak EE.
By following these principles, you can create an EE topic that is focused, relevant, researchable, original, scoring-friendly, and feasible, maximizing your potential score.
Your education and self-development can benefit from learning strategies to create a successful International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay (EE). Inspire originality by forming a unique research question (RQ), and ensure it is researchable within the word limit, providing avenues for critical analysis and evaluation. Engage in learning about the IB assessment criteria to design an essay that demonstrates coherent argumentation and critical thinking. Seek guidance from experts like RevisionDojo, who offer valuable feedback on EE topics and RQs, helping you align your work with IB assessment standards.
