Maximising the IB's Extended Essay 📑

The Extended Essay (EE) is a core component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. It is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating in a 4,000-word paper. The EE allows students to engage in an in-depth study of a topic of interest within one of the subjects they are studying. The goal is to develop research, writing, and critical thinking skills that will prepare students for university-level work.

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Break down your essay ☕️

In the same way that you would break down a paragraph from a text in class, you need to pretend that your entire essay is a piece of text that you need to analyse and evaluate. This time is incredibly valuable and is often skipped over by many students. It is quite literally the purpose of writing a practice essay. Breaking down your essay will allow you to understand what elements you have included and what is missing. This is essential to know if you have ticked all the required sections of your marking criteria.

To do well on the Extended Essay, students should choose a topic that genuinely interests them and aligns with their academic strengths. It's important to start early, as the EE is a lengthy process that involves thorough research, planning, and writing. Developing a clear research question and thesis statement is crucial, as it will guide the direction of the essay. Students should also familiarize themselves with the assessment criteria to ensure they are meeting all requirements.

In terms of requirements, the Extended Essay should be a formal piece of academic writing, structured like a research paper. It should include an introduction, a clear research question, a coherent argument, and a conclusion. Students are expected to use a range of primary and secondary sources, and to demonstrate critical analysis and synthesis of these sources. Proper citation and referencing are also important!

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Read and incorporate your feedback ✅

Often, when you’re writing essays as practice for yourself, you don’t always get feedback from teachers and other peers. But when you do receive an opportunity to have your essay marked, use the feedback!

I know this sounds super cliché and repetitive but it’s crazy how much improvement you can see in your next essay when you properly apply your feedback. Quite frequently, students tend to believe that looking at feedback is a waste of time, and it is better spent writing another essay, but doing this is kind of like shooting yourself in the foot before a race. You are more likely to repeat the same mistakes again in your next essay. The best way to actually improve is to ask someone to read over your essay and provide actionable feedback. So yes, essentially one of the best things you can do for yourself to ‘study smart and not hard’ is to use your feedback effectively.

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Research and planning are important!✍️

Select a topic that genuinely interests you, as you will be spending a significant amount of time researching and writing about it. Your enthusiasm will help you stay motivated throughout the process. The Extended Essay is a long-term project, so it's important to start early and create a realistic timeline for each stage of the process, including research, writing, and revision. This will help you avoid last-minute stress and ensure you have enough time to produce a high-quality essay.

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Want an expert tutor to read over your Extended Essay before handing it in? You've come to the right place.

Send it through to us now and we'll return your essay to you with detailed marking and feedback. Don't forget to also attach the original prompt! We'll even compare it to any criteria or rubric you've been given to make sure it aligns with your marking standards 🔥

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KIS Academics is committed to maintaining the highest levels of academic integrity by creating, using, and sharing information in a manner that is responsible, honourable, and, at all times, ethical.

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KIS Academics considers the upholding of academic integrity to be the responsibility of all employees within the company, as well as all private tutors.

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KIS Academics takes an educative - not punitive - approach to ensure students and private tutors are provided with the support needed to effectively address any academic integrity issues that may be identified.

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KIS Academics mandates our tutors to maintain the highest levels of academic integrity in all their interactions with their students.

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Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) defines academic integrity as ‘a commitment ... to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage’ (International Centre for Academic Integrity, 2014 AS CITED IN TEQSA).

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These fundamental values are the basis on which principles and behaviours within the scope of academic integrity are developed. For the purpose of this policy, academic integrity is the moral and ethical code of conduct related to the use, generation and communication of information in an honourable, fair, and responsible manner.

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Submitting your assignment to be reviewed by a KIS Academics tutor will ensure you not only receive top-notch feedback and guidance on how to improve your academic skills, but you do so in a way that is ethical, legal and maintains academic integrity

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