Extended essay 2027

Supervising a student on their Extended Essay (EE) can be a rewarding part of teaching in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The IB released a new Extended Essay guide in February 2025 (and updated four times since then). The first students to write an extended essay in accordance with this new guide take their IBDP exams in May 2027.

The purpose of this page is to provide a clear, organized overview of what has changed, what remains the same, and how we can best support our students through the EE process. Furthermore, we will make some suggestions with particular reference to mathematics extended essays.

Overview of the 2027 Extended Essay

The rationale behind the EE remains unchanged: it is a compulsory core component of the DP that provides an opportunity for a student to engage in an in-depth study on a focused topic. It requires students to independently research and write a 4,000-word (maximum) academic paper that is expected to involve approximately 40 hours of work.

The most significant shift in the new EE guide is its "voice" and intended audience. The guide has been rewritten with a student-centered approach to improve direct engagement and highlight the independent inquiry aspect of the essay. The aims have also been updated explicitly to encourage intellectual exploration and student-led academic research. 

As teachers, we are encouraged to share all relevant sections of the guide with our students rather than acting as the sole gatekeepers of the information. Furthermore, the guide is now shorter (but still 128 pages), more user-friendly, and uses visuals to help both students and supervisors navigate the requirements more easily.

All teachers who will supervise an extended essay must read the Extended Essay guide (first assessment 2027). If you do not have the time to read the entire EE guide in one sitting (not advised), then I suggest reading the guide in 3 stages.

Note: If supervising a mathematics EE, you only need to read pages 69-72 in the Subject-specific guidance section (pgs. 43-80).

Reading the EE guide in 3 stages (see image right of the EE guide’s table of contents)

Read the parts of the guide in the following order:

(1)  sections highlighted in light orange

(2)  sections highlighted in blue

(3)  sections highlighted in green

EE Pathway Options

When students begin work on their EE, they will benefit from using a decision tree featured in the guide to help them select between two distinct research pathways (see Figure 5 on page 19 in the guide).

• The Subject-Focused Pathway: This pathway is best for topics that are specifically associated with one DP subject. The student develops an understanding of their chosen topic strictly within the academic boundaries of that specific subject.
   
• The Interdisciplinary Pathway: This pathway is ideal for investigating a topic through the combined lenses of two distinct DP subjects, such as Mathematics paired with Biology or Economics. This option has been broadened and inherits many characteristics  of the former World Studies Extended Essay (see pages 37-38 of the guide).

Requirements for Students

To successfully complete the Extended Essay, students must adhere to several exacting requirements.

• The Research Question (RQ): Students are required to formulate a focused research question. Unlike the previous EE guide, they no longer need to submit a broader topic with the RQ.
   
• Word Count: The essay must not exceed the 4,000-word limit.
   
  • Included in the word count: The introduction, main body, conclusions, quotations, and any footnotes or endnotes that are not used for referencing.
     
  • Excluded from the word count: The cover/title page, contents page, maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations, equations, formulas, calculations, citations, references, bibliography, and headers. Tables containing statistical data are also excluded, but we must warn students that they cannot circumvent the word limit by placing analysis or explanations inside tables or appendices.
     
• Reflection Sessions: Students are required to attend three formal reflection sessions with their supervisor. The third and final session is the viva voce. A supervisor or student can certainly request additional brief ‘check-in’ sessions. It is important that a student is well-prepared for each formal reflection session.
   
• The Reflection and Progress Form (RPF): The old RPPF has been renamed the RPF. Students need to submit only a single, 500-word (maximum) written reflection statement on this form at the very end of the EE process, after their viva voce (final reflection session).
   
• Ethical Research: Students must conduct their research ethically. They must produce authentic work, acknowledge the work of others, and properly address the use of any artificial intelligence (AI) tools in accordance with the IBDP’s academic integrity guidelines. Secondary research remains a formal requirement for all essays, though most subjects will now accept the use of primary research as well.

Requirements for Teacher Supervisors

As a teacher who supervises an EE, we must fulfil certain responsibilities.

• Supervision Time: We should dedicate between 3 to 5 hours of supervision time per student, which includes the three mandatory reflection sessions and any brief ‘check-in’ sessions.
   
• Conducting the Reflection Sessions: We are strictly required to hold three formal reflection sessions: one early in the process, an interim meeting, and the final viva voce. We are encouraged to hold additional check-in sessions, but these do not need to be recorded on the official form.
   
• Completing the RPF: A major change that will save us time is that supervisor comments are no longer required on the RPF. After each of the three mandatory sessions, we simply need to record the month the session took place, note the student's DP year (1 or 2) at that time, and add our initials to the form. NOTE: If the RPF is left blank, not submitted, or written in an incorrect language, the student will automatically receive a 0 for Criterion E.

The Assessment Criteria

All essays, regardless of their pathway, are externally assessed by an IB examiner using five criteria. The maximum possible score has been reduced from 34 to 30 marks. The markband descriptors have also been rewritten to be clearer and more concise. 

• Criterion A: Framework for the essay (6 marks). This replaces the old "Focus and method" criterion. While "Presentation" is no longer a separately graded criterion, structural conventions are now assessed here under Criterion A.
   
• Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks). This evaluates how well the student demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, terminology, and concepts.
   
• Criterion C: Analysis and line of argument (6 marks). The previous “Critical thinking” criterion has been split. Criterion C now strictly focuses on the student's analysis and the development of their line of argument.
   
• Criterion D: Discussion and evaluation (8 marks). This represents the second half of the old “Critical thinking” criterion, now focusing entirely on how the student discusses findings and evaluates the essay.
   
• Criterion E: Reflection (4 marks). This criterion has a fresh focus on the learner's personal growth, evaluating the effect of the EE experience on them as a learner, with an emphasis on skills development and transfer (such as research, self-management, and agency).

General Advice for EE Supervisors

To best support students writing an EE under the new 2027 EE guide, here are a few practical strategies.

• Promote the Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS): Because students now only write one single reflective statement at the very end of the process, maintaining a Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS) is more important than ever. Encourage them to use an RRS to record their personal reflections, questions, and thoughts on their research and writing. This will make writing their final 500-word RPF statement much easier and more meaningful.
   
• Oversee a student’s reading of the EE guide: We should instruct our students to read the guidance materials in a specific sequence. They must start with the "Generic guidance," followed by the "Subject-specific guidance". Ensure they do not skip straight to the subject-specific section, as the generic guidance contains vital information pertinent to all essays that could impact their performance.
   
• Secondary research is required: All extended essays must include secondary research (literature review). It is important for students to understand what is an appropriate primary or secondary resource in their subject(s). While primary research is acceptable in most subjects, advise your students carefully. NOTE: Primary research rarely works well for a Mathematics EE.
   
• Embrace the assessment criteria as a writing tool: Encourage students to reference each assessment criterion actively during their writing process. Using the criteria as a framework helps weave their work into a coherent essay with a clear, strong line of argument.  

By understanding these streamlined processes and emphasizing student agency, we can help our students not only produce excellent academic research but also develop transferable skills that will serve them well in the future.