Is it hard to get an A in your Extended Essay? It's challenging. But c'mon — you're balancing six subjects, IAs for every single one, CAS, college applications, and a life. If you approach this strategically, an A is absolutely achievable.
The IB gives us everything we need. They constantly drop clues that, when accumulated, become your 20%: "a formal piece of academic writing," "promotes academic research and writing skills." These phrases aren't filler — they're a direct statement of what an A looks like.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
The single best way you can approach your EE is not as a student writing an extended essay for the IB, but as an award-winning academic writing their 20th paper — the one that will finally get them the Nobel for the discoveries made and the quality of the research.
This mindset shift — from "assignment to submit" to "research paper to contribute" — combined with the criteria the IB has given us, constitutes the 20% that contributes to 80% of a stellar Extended Essay.
The Five Assessment Criteria
Your EE is marked across four main criteria plus one assessed through your RPPF. Total possible marks: 28 + 6 = 34. You need 27 to hit an A.
Demonstrate that you understand your topic, research question, relevant terminology, and chosen research methods. Examiners check whether you actually know what you're talking about — with genuine depth. This is primarily hit in your Introduction and Literature Review.
Apply relevant research methods and present relevant findings. The key word is "apply" — demonstrate your tools working on your specific topic, producing specific findings. This is the heart of your Analysis section.
Demonstrate the significance of your research, maintain a clear argument from RQ through findings to conclusion, and evaluate the effectiveness of your approach. This is where the strongest essays separate themselves — in the Discussion and Conclusion.
Communicate research according to structural conventions and demonstrate academic integrity. Formatting, structure, citations, tone, word count. The easiest criterion — entirely within your control if you follow the rules in Module 9.
Assessed through your Reflections on Planning and Progress Form. Evaluates genuine intellectual engagement with the research process — curiosity, problem-solving, growth as a researcher. Covered fully in Module 11.
Grade Boundaries
Here's how the 34 total marks translate to letter grades:
| Grade | Mark Range | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| A | 27–34 | Excellent — top-tier research, analysis, and presentation |
| B | 22–26 | Good — solid work with some areas for improvement |
| C | 14–21 | Satisfactory — meets basic requirements but lacks depth |
| D | 7–13 | Mediocre — significant gaps in quality or content |
| E | 0–6 | Elementary — fails to meet minimum standards |
27/34
Minimum for an A grade
79%
The A threshold — very achievable with strategy
4/4
Criterion D is fully within your control
The IB Research Process
The IB maps out the full research process in their subject guides. Every step they list maps directly to the criteria you're graded on. This isn't bureaucratic filler — this is a checklist for an A.
Choose a broad topic then refine and focus it
Start with a genuine interest. Don't use AI for this step — your EE is a reflection of you, and examiners can tell the difference between authentic and generated curiosity.
Decide the appropriate pathway
Interdisciplinary or subject-focused. The guidance: focus on one subject unless you can truly do justice to two. Interdisciplinary EEs require double the analytical work.
Choose the approved DP subject(s)
Your subject is IB-related. Your interest is personal. The magic happens when you connect the two — fashion and Business Management, gaming and Psychology, music and Physics.
Undertake some preparatory reading
Use Clastify before you commit. Study high and low-scoring essays in your potential subject. Understand the patterns before you pick your lane.
Form a well-focused research question
The RQ is the foundation everything else is built on. Module 4 — How to Find Your Research Question — is entirely dedicated to this. Don't rush it.
Plan the research and writing process
Build efficient systems from the start. Module 7 walks you through the structure that earned 32/34.
Plan a structure for the essay
Your structure will evolve as your research develops — that's expected and normal. Build the skeleton first, then let the research fill it out.
Carry out the research
The EE Dump system in Module 5 makes this the most intellectually enjoyable part of the entire process.
Using the Criteria as Your Blueprint
Most students write their essay and then hope it hits the marks. That's gambling, not strategy. Don't be most students.
Every section of your EE should intentionally target one or two criteria. When you write your introduction, you're primarily working on Criterion A. Your analysis section is Criteria B and C. Format and citations are Criterion D. Write each section knowing its job before you write a single word of it.
If the IB gives you a crystal clear rubric, craft your EE so it's easy for the examiner to give you high marks. Don't make them search for evidence. Put it right in front of them.
After writing each section, ask yourself: "Which criterion am I targeting here, and would an examiner see it clearly?" If the answer isn't obvious, rewrite until it is.
Key Takeaways
- You need 27/34 for an A — that's 79%, very achievable with strategy
- Each criterion has a specific job — map your sections to criteria before you write
- Criterion D (communication) is 4 marks that are entirely within your control
- The RPPF alone is worth 6 marks — do not treat it as an afterthought