Is a History EE harder than an English EE?

History asks for more depth and sustained interest, which is why it is seen as harder. But if you have real passion and good sources, that depth becomes a strength rather than a barrier, and depth is what IB rewards most.

Should I pick the easy EE subject or the one I'm passionate about?

If you are indifferent, pick the easier subject. If you have real passion and material for a harder one, follow it. Passion drives the depth that scores well and makes the process enjoyable rather than a grind.

I have too many sources for my EE, what do I do?

Don't analyse everything. Find the two or three sources that actually change the assumptions behind your research question, and go deep on those. Depth beats volume in the EE.

Is a History EE Hard? How to Choose a Subject You're Passionate About

Here is a dilemma a lot of pre-IB students face. The "easy" EE subject at your school is something like English B, but you are genuinely obsessed with a History topic, say WW1 medicine, and you have already got archives and academic papers piling up. Is History too hard to risk it?

EEs grade you on depth

English gets called the easier EE subject because it is easier for most people to go deep, whereas History, Maths and the sciences ask for a level of depth and interest most students do not want to put in. But if you already have the passion and the material, you are exactly the kind of student who will go deep, and depth is the main thing IB rewards. Most students miss that.

Passion can't be replicated

A friend who did a Maths EE, one of the harder choices, mastered it purely because he was passionate enough to go deep. The general advice is to pick the easier subject if you are indifferent. If you have real passion, follow it. You will actually enjoy the process instead of grinding through it.

Too much material is a real problem

If you have got hundreds of archive pages and a stack of papers, you have too much, and that is its own challenge. Use AI to help surface the two or three highest-leverage sources rather than drowning in volume. Ask yourself which archive or paper actually changes the initial assumption behind your RQ. Those one or two are the ones worth analysing deeply.

Tip

Narrow the topic. "WW1 medicine" is too broad, so tighten it to where your sources concentrate, like European WW1 medicine. Primary sources are a big advantage most EE writers do not have, so lean into them.

Key Takeaways

History rewards depth, so if you have passion and sources, you are in the right category
Pick the easier subject only if you are indifferent, real passion is worth following
Too much material is a real problem, find the 2 to 3 sources that change your RQ's assumptions
Narrow a broad topic to where your sources concentrate
Primary sources are a major advantage, use them

Free guide

See how to frame a History RQ that goes deep instead of wide.

Read the History guide