Extended Essay (EE)
The Extended Essay (EE) is a 4,000-word independent research project that allows students to explore a topic of personal interest within one of the IB subject areas. It is designed to foster independent inquiry, critical thinking, and academic writing skills, preparing students for university-level research. Students formulate a focused research question, plan and conduct an investigation, analyze and evaluate evidence, and present a well-structured argument following IB’s formal requirements.
Common challenges include identifying a topic that is both engaging and appropriately focused, developing a clear and researchable question, finding and evaluating reliable sources, and sustaining a coherent argument across a long paper. Time management is another frequent difficulty, as students must balance planning, research, drafting, and revising alongside other IB coursework.
A tutor can help
A tutor can help by coaching students through the process step by step—helping them brainstorm and refine their research question, plan and organize their investigation, and learn effective research and note-taking strategies. Tutors can also teach essay structuring techniques, show how to integrate evidence appropriately, and give feedback to improve clarity and alignment with IB assessment criteria. Importantly, tutoring focuses on developing the student’s independent thinking and writing skills rather than providing answers or rewriting work, fully respecting IB’s academic honesty policies.