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Extended Essay Guide for CAC: EE Home

Welcome!

Welcome to the CAC MHS Library's support page for the IBDP Extended Essay. 

Look around. This guide is full of information to help you succeed. Take full advantage of the resources here. Anything missing? Please let Mrs. Ennis know. 

Don't pass up your Book-A-Librarian option. Available to CAC students, you can book time for a personalized research session with Ennis. 

Extended Essay Guide, Assessment & Check-list (Important)

The Extended Essay: Key components

The following is taken from "The Overview of the Extended Essay" in the Extended Essay Guide: Online, (2016):

Key features of the extended essay

  • The extended essay is compulsory for all students taking the Diploma Programme and is an option for course students.
  • A student must achieve a D grade or higher to be awarded the Diploma.
  • The extended essay is externally assessed and, in combination with the grade for theory of knowledge, contributes up to three points to the total score for the IB Diploma.
  • The extended essay process helps prepare students for success at university and in other pathways beyond the Diploma Programme.
  • When choosing a subject for the extended essay, students must consult the list of available Diploma Programme subjects published in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme for the session in question.
  • The extended essay is a piece of independent research on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with a supervisor in the school.
  • It is presented as a formal piece of sustained academic writing containing no more than 4,000 words accompanied by a reflection form of no more than 500 words.
  • It is the result of approximately 40 hours of work by the student.
  • Students are supported by a supervision process recommended to be 3–5 hours, which includes three mandatory reflection sessions.
  • The third and final mandatory reflection session is the viva voce, which is a concluding interview with the supervising teacher.

Class of 2026 Extended Essay Detailed Timeline

Meetings with Supervisors and Students

Meeting Agendas

Meeting #1 - Approve the Research Question and make sure their topic will be searchable. Update Checklist.

Meeting #2 - Approve One Page Outline and Annotated Bibliography Update Checklist.

Meeting #3 - Go through their Detailed Outline and ensure it correctly structures the essay.  Make sure that all research they will need is already embedded within the outline.  Update Checklist.

Meeting #4 - First Reflection Update Checklist.

Meeting #5 - Check In - make sure student has started writing first 1,000 words. Update Checklist.