An IB extended essay tutor can teach your child research methods, academic writing and the assessment criteria, and help them think about their subject more deeply, but the school supervisor guides the essay itself and every word must be the student’s own. The extended essay (EE) is a 4,000-word independent research project that, together with Theory of Knowledge, can add up to three points to the IB Diploma. This guide explains what support is allowed, where students lose marks and how to plan the work.

Written by Tutopiya, an online IB tutoring company. Academic integrity rules are set by the IB; ask your child’s supervisor or IB coordinator if unsure.

Key takeaways

• The EE is a 4,000-word maximum independent research essay, graded A to E.
• EE and TOK grades combine for up to three Diploma points.
• The school supervisor is the official guide; a tutor builds skills.
• A narrow, arguable research question is the biggest single success factor.

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What is the IB extended essay?

The extended essay is an independent, self-directed research essay of up to 4,000 words in one subject, assessed against published criteria. Students work with a school supervisor and complete reflection sessions recorded on the official reflection form. The IB’s Diploma Programme pages describe its purpose and structure.

Feature	Detail
Length	Maximum 4,000 words
Supervision	A school supervisor, with reflection sessions
Assessment	Criteria-based, graded A to E
Diploma points	Combined with TOK for up to 3 points
Subject	One DP subject, or an interdisciplinary option

What help is allowed?

A tutor can teach skills and subject knowledge; the student must plan, research and write the essay independently.

Allowed	Not allowed
Teaching how to find and evaluate sources	Finding sources for the essay
Explaining the criteria with sample essays	Writing any section
Subject teaching that deepens understanding	Choosing the research question for the student
Teaching referencing and academic style	Editing or proofreading the draft
Practising argument on a different topic	Commenting line by line on the real essay

Supervisors give limited, structured feedback on one draft. Students should not seek additional detailed feedback on the real essay from others.

Where do students lose EE marks?

Most lost marks trace back to the research question, the depth of analysis and the quality of reflection.

• a broad or descriptive research question (“How did World War II affect Europe?”);
• sources that are thin, unreliable or not evaluated;
• summary instead of argument;
• conclusions that don’t answer the question;
• weak reflection on the research process;
• poor referencing and structure.

How to plan the extended essay: step by step

1. Choose a subject your child enjoys and is strong in.
2. Read widely before fixing a topic.
3. Draft a narrow, arguable research question and discuss it with the supervisor.
4. Plan research: sources, data or experiments.
5. Outline the argument before writing.
6. Write a full draft for the supervisor’s feedback.
7. Revise independently and complete the reflections.

What can a subject tutor add?

A subject tutor deepens the knowledge and skills the essay depends on. For a chemistry EE, that might mean understanding the theory behind an experiment; for history, evaluating historiography; for economics, applying theory to real data. Our IB DP history tutors and IB DP biology tutors work on these skills through practice material.

EE subject	Skills a tutor can build
Sciences	Experimental design, uncertainties, data analysis
History	Source evaluation, historiography, argument
English	Literary analysis, close reading, structure
Economics	Applying theory to data, evaluation
Mathematics	Mathematical communication and rigour

What makes a good research question?

A good research question is narrow enough to answer in 4,000 words and open enough to argue.

Weak	Stronger
How does temperature affect enzymes?	How does temperature between 20 °C and 60 °C affect the rate of catalase activity in potato tissue?
What caused World War I?	To what extent was the July Crisis, rather than long-term alliances, responsible for the outbreak of war in 1914?
How do tariffs affect trade?	To what extent did the 2018 US steel tariffs affect imports from a named trading partner?

The supervisor helps refine the question; a tutor can teach the general principles with examples like these.

What’s a realistic EE timeline?

When	Focus
DP1, spring	Choose subject, read, draft questions
DP1, summer	Research and planning
DP2, autumn	Full draft, supervisor feedback
DP2, winter	Final version, final reflection

Schools set their own internal deadlines; follow them.

How Tutopiya tutoring works

Tutopiya offers one-to-one online IB tutoring, with EE-related skills support within IB rules.

• Subject specialists for the EE subject.
• Skills teaching, not writing or editing.
• A free first trial lesson, with no card needed.
• From 4 hours a month per subject. Each tutor sets their own rate, which you see before booking.
• AI lesson analysis gives a summary, flashcards and quiz questions after each lesson.

See our IB tuition page.

Common mistakes

• A broad research question → narrow it early.
• Starting research late → begin in DP1.
• Seeking extra feedback on the real draft → use the supervisor’s feedback.
• Describing instead of arguing → every paragraph should support the answer.

Talk to us

For coursework in individual subjects, see our guide to IB internal assessment tutoring; for TOK, see IB TOK tutoring. Or contact our team.

Summary: an extended essay tutor can build research, analysis and writing skills and deepen subject knowledge, but the supervisor guides the essay and the work must be the student’s own; a narrow research question and an early start matter most.

Frequently asked questions

Can a tutor help with the IB extended essay? +

Yes, within IB rules. A tutor can teach research and academic writing skills, explain the assessment criteria and discuss the subject in general. The school supervisor is the official guide, and the essay must be entirely the student's own work.

How long is the IB extended essay? +

The extended essay has a maximum of 4,000 words. It is an independent research project in one subject, supported by a school supervisor and reflection sessions.

How is the extended essay graded? +

It is assessed against published criteria and given a grade from A to E. The EE grade combines with the Theory of Knowledge grade to award up to three points towards the Diploma.

What is the most common extended essay mistake? +

A research question that is too broad or descriptive. A focused, arguable question makes research, analysis and evaluation much easier.

Does Tutopiya offer extended essay support? +

Tutopiya IB subject tutors can teach research, analysis and writing skills in their subject, within IB rules. The first trial lesson is free with no card required.

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