IB Extended Essay Tutoring
One-to-one online preparation for the Extended Essay programme
IB Extended Essay support begins by narrowing the research question: a student who sets off with a question too big for 4,000 words hits the wall a few weeks before the deadline. Sixty-minute sessions cover source searching, structure and the argument's flow. We do not write it for the student – the IB's academic integrity rules keep the essay their own work.
Quick Answer
EE support runs in 60-minute sessions, usually six to eight of them: narrowing the question, searching sources, reading drafts and the final revision. We do not write the essay for the student – under the IB's academic integrity rules the text stays their own work. We fit around your school supervisor.
Programme
Level
Fully Online
Format
60 min
Lesson length
€85 per 60 min one-to-one lesson
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund.
See packages and lower per-lesson rates
IB Specialists
Experienced Team
About IB Extended Essay Tutoring
Our IB Extended Essay tutoring programme fully covers the Extended Essay process, one of the core components of the IB Diploma Programme. We develop independent research and academic writing skills with a systematic approach. Our experienced IB teachers guide you through this demanding 4,000-word project.
The topic and the research question matter more than anything else. We help you choose a topic that suits your interests and strengths, and frame a focused research question you can actually investigate. Our teachers share successful EE examples from different disciplines.
Research methodology forms the foundation of the EE. We teach the identification of primary and secondary sources, reliability evaluation, note-taking techniques and citation and referencing formats (MLA, APA, Chicago). We also provide guidance on academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism.
Academic writing skills are the key to a high score. We systematically cover essay structuring (introduction, body, conclusion), argument development, use of evidence, academic language and tone, transitions and flow. Detailed feedback is given on drafts.
The EE grade is decided by the assessment criteria. We teach strategies for each criterion (Focus and Method, Knowledge and Understanding, Critical Thinking, Presentation, Engagement). Our teachers give feedback against the IB assessment criteria.
Reflection sessions and the RPPF (Reflections on Planning and Progress Form) are important components of the EE process. We provide support in preparing for the three mandatory reflection sessions and writing an effective RPPF.
Every programme is built around the student's chosen topic and discipline. The Extended Essay, together with TOK, can contribute up to 3 points to the IB Diploma score. Our programme builds the academic skills a high score needs, through a plan we agree with you.
IB assessment experience
Lessons are planned with teachers who have relevant subject experience and a strong command of the IB assessment criteria. Matching is done by subject, level, the student's current standing and teacher availability.
Syllabus Topics
Exam Papers
IB Extended Essay exam structure and focus areas
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Essay | — | 100% | 4,000-word independent research essay |
Source: the assessment components and weightings on this page follow the IB Extended Essay subject guide published by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Your school's IB coordinator can access the current session documents. ibo.org
About grade boundaries: TOK and the Extended Essay are graded A-E, not 1-7. The two together contribute up to 3 points to the diploma through the core points matrix; a failing condition in either can also prevent the award of the diploma. Your school's IB coordinator can access the relevant session's descriptors and boundaries.
Process & Support
At which stages of the process do one-to-one lessons help?
The question has to fit 4,000 words
The usual accident is setting off with a broad question and finding, a few weeks before submission, that nothing has been proved. We pull the question to a width where one argument can be carried all the way. This is done in the first two sessions and shortens everything that follows.
Your subject's own rules
What an EE must do changes by subject: History does not allow topics from the recent past, the sciences expect you to generate your own data, the languages restrict which texts you may work on. Before the topic is fixed we read your subject's rules together.
Sources you can actually reach
A question resting on an archive you cannot enter, or a paywalled database, stays stuck until the deadline. So the source search comes before the topic is settled; we do not fix the question until we can see what you have in hand.
The RPPF and three reflection sessions
The reflection form is marked separately and reads hollow when written all at once in the final week. After each meeting we have you write what changed that week and why, so at submission there is a real record of the process.
The text is your own work
In 60-minute sessions we read drafts and work on structure and the flow of the argument. We do not write it for you – the IB's academic integrity policy forbids it, and in the reflection sessions your supervisor will ask you about the text.
Comparing Preparation Paths
How self-study, group classes and one-to-one support compare for IB Extended Essay
| Preparation path | Pros | Limitations | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working on your own |
|
| Students who like working independently and can hold their own schedule. |
| Your school supervisor |
|
| Students whose topic is settled and who work steadily. |
| One-to-one online lessons with us |
|
| Students with a topic who cannot narrow the question, or who have stalled mid-draft. |
Lesson packages
Not happy after your first lesson? Full refund. Split 10- and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like, with no expiry date.
Study Plan Framework
A typical five-phase plan for IB Extended Essay in one-to-one lessons, adapted to the student's exam date.
Choosing the subject and topic
the first 1-2 sessions
- Deciding which subject to write in, given your goals
- Reading that subject's rules for the EE
- Filtering candidate topics by whether the sources are reachable
Narrowing the research question
2 sessions
- Reducing the question to a single argument
- Distributing the 4,000 words across sections
- Preparing for the first reflection session
Source search and structure
3-4 weeks
- Separating primary and secondary sources
- Setting up citation and bibliography from the start
- Drawing up section headings and the flow of the argument
Draft rounds
4-6 weeks, set by your school's calendar
- Writing and reading section by section
- Marking what is missing against the criteria
- Preparing for the second reflection session
Final revision and the RPPF
the 2 weeks before submission
- Cutting to the word limit
- Checking bibliography and formatting
- Summarising the process for the final reflection session
This framework is a sample plan; it is customised for each student based on exam date, target grade and current level.
How One-to-One Lessons Work
How IB Extended Essay sessions are structured
No writing until the question narrows
Most of the time lost on an Extended Essay goes into sections written under a broad question and then rebuilt. So the first sessions are about the question, not the text. Students are usually impatient to start writing; we hold the order anyway.
Sources first, topic second
Whether a topic can be written at all is decided by which sources you can get hold of. Fixing the topic and then looking for material ends in a question resting on things you cannot reach. We reverse the order.
You write the text
In the sessions we work on structure, argument and the use of sources; the sentences are yours. This is not only about academic integrity: in the reflection sessions your supervisor asks you about the decisions behind the text.
A written progress report every two weeks
We share which section was written, which draft was read and what comes next, in writing.
Where Students Struggle
Our experienced IB teachers help you get past each of them.
Our Teaching Approach
IB-Focused Methodology
Work with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria inside out.
Where We Start
The first lesson sets the level, and the topic order follows from it.
The IA and the Exam
From the research question to the report, from past papers to mark schemes.
Past-Paper Focused
Real exam questions and mark scheme analysis.
Share before your first lesson
The information below helps the lesson plan focus on the student's real needs from the very first minutes.
- Target IB grade (e.g. 6 or 7) and exam date
- Current level: latest mock grade, predicted grade or weak topics
- School curriculum: the textbook used, IA / EE topic, deadlines
- Study schedule: lessons per week, available days and time slots
Who Is This Programme For?
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does IB Extended Essay tutoring take?
Which disciplines does IB EE tutoring cover?
Does IB Extended Essay tutoring help with the RPPF?
Programme Features
- Narrowing the research question
- A scope that fits inside 4,000 words
- Literature search and referencing discipline
- Building the argument section by section
- Draft reading and a final revision pass
- Preparing for your supervisor meetings
- 60-minute sessions; the essay stays your own work
Contact us for a lesson plan
Tell us your target grade, where you are now and when you sit the exam, and we will work out the weekly schedule with you.
Quick Info
Tutors who teach this course
- Dilara S.
IB Extended Essay Teacher
- Kerem E.
IB Extended Essay Teacher
Our teachers are currently working in IB schools, so we cannot share their full surnames.
Our tutors provide mentoring, structure suggestions and feedback during the IA / EE process. IB Courses does not write a student's IA or assignment for them.
Related IB Courses & Support
Other IB support often chosen alongside IB Extended Essay
IB TOK Tutoring
IB TOK support covers the essay, exhibition, knowledge questions and assessment criteria with a focus on academic integrity.
Go to the IB TOK Tutoring pageIB ProgrammeInternal AssessmentIB Internal Assessment Tutoring
IB IA support covers topic choice, research structure, data analysis and interpretation, with improvement suggestions aligned to the rubrics.
Go to the IB Internal Assessment Tutoring pageIB ProgrammeRevisionIB Revision Courses
Prepare for IB finals with a 10-week plan covering topic review, past-paper practice and exam strategies built around your subjects.
Go to the IB Revision Courses pageIB ProgrammeTITCIB TITC Tutoring
IB TITC (Turkey in the 20th Century) combines history, geography and sociology. One-to-one help with Papers 1 and 2 and the 2,000-word IA worth 40%.
Go to the IB TITC Tutoring pageLet's work out where to start with IB Extended Essay
On a free intro call with our experienced IB teachers, we'll decide together how many lessons you need and what to focus on.
The intro call is free and non-binding. We do not guarantee a specific IB grade.