The IB Extended Essay: Structuring an Extended Essay

With 4000 words and a development period that often spans a year or more, the Extended Essay can be daunting for students. In particular, I have frequently seen students complete the investigation stage, look over their reams of primary and secondary sources, and then struggle as they try to bring structure to their ideas and the information they have gathered in the form of a coherent essay plan.

A major part of creating this coherency is a clear understanding of an effective structure and how it is assessed. It is explicitly addressed in the ‘structure’ strand within the new criterion A: framework of the essay. Additionally, how they guide the examiner through this structure is assessed to some degree in criterion C: analysis and line of argument, and criterion D: discussion and evaluation. 

Reassuringly for students, at the most basic level there is the classic three-part structure of an introduction, main body, and conclusion. This is explicitly recommended in the new IB guide and is something students will undoubtedly already be familiar with. Our new textbook expands on how this form can be refined for Extended Essays. 

Below is a sample of what is suggested for the introductory section of an EE, and a simple template I send out to the students I am supervising to help them fulfil the basics of an effective EE introduction.

Planning and Structuring Introductions

Students need to pay particular attention to the introduction, and it can also be helpful to require them to write it out in full at the planning stage. This not only helps them clarify their thoughts and the purpose of their essay, but it also provides you with insight into their writing style and any potential issues they may face with register and formality. 

Below is a simple template that can be sent out to students to help the sketch out the basics of their plan before writing it in full. Each element of the introduction not only helps them think clearly about their broader EE, but also ensures they fulfil the assessment criteria and maximise their potential grade.

Introduction: The Basics

• Argument outline
  Write an outline of your argument/thesis and a brief preview of what you think your conclusions will be here

• Methodology
  Briefly explain how you have gone about investigating your RQ here

• Academic Context and Worthiness
  Write about the academic context of your RQ and why you think your RQ is worth investigating here

• Scope
  Explain what you are your covering in your EE and what have you decided not to cover here

• Evaluation
  Write a brief preview of what you will say about the strengths and weaknesses of your investigation

For more information about the new textbook for the IB Extended Essay, click here. 

Other blogs in this series: 

• New Guide for the IB Extended Essay

• AI and citation

• Interdisciplinary Extended Essays

• Mastering the Extended Essay