Formatting is the most boring part but the easiest way to make your paper look professional. Examiners see hundreds of essays — properly formatted ones immediately signal "this student is serious." It's free marks.
The Non-Negotiable Formatting Rules
Font
Times New Roman, 12pt. No exceptions. The universal academic standard.
Spacing
Double-spaced throughout. Only exception: block quotes and bibliography entries.
Margins
2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides. The default in most word processors — double-check.
Alignment
Left-aligned, not justified. Justified text creates uneven spacing between words.
Title Page Requirements
| Include | Do NOT Include |
|---|---|
| Title of your EE | Your name |
| Research question | Your school name |
| Subject | Any identifying information |
| Word count | Borders, colours, or images |
| Session (e.g., May 2026) | Decorative elements |
Citations — MLA Style
- 1In-text: Author's last name and page number — (Porter 45). No page for websites: (Shastri).
- 2Placement: After closing quotation mark but BEFORE the period.
- 3Block quotes: For quotes longer than 4 lines — indent, no quotation marks, citation after the final period.
- 4Bibliography: Alphabetical by last name, hanging indent, double-spaced.
The model suggests "competition drives innovation." (Porter 45)
The model suggests "competition drives innovation" (Porter 45).
MLA Citation Formats
Here are the key MLA citation formats you'll use most often:
| Source Type | Format |
|---|---|
| Book | Surname, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. |
| Journal Article | Surname, First Name. "Title of Article." Journal Name, vol. X, no. Y, Year, pp. X–Y. |
| Website | Surname, First Name. "Title of Page." Website Name, Day Month Year, URL. |
| Annual Report | Company Name. Title of Report. Year. URL. |
Tip
Use a citation generator like EasyBib or Scribbr's MLA generator to format your citations. Then double-check them manually because generators aren't perfect. This saves hours and reduces errors — and this is why the EE Dump method is so valuable, because you're keeping all the links handy.
Block Quotes & Footnotes
For quotes longer than 4 lines, use a block quote: indent the entire quote, no quotation marks, and place the citation after the final period. But honestly? Minimise block quotes in your EE. They eat up word count and examiners want to hear YOUR analysis, not long chunks of someone else's words.
You can also use footnotes (technically Chicago style, but the IB accepts either). Footnotes work really well for Business Management because they keep the text clean while still showing your sources. Number them consecutively and keep them brief.
Figures, Tables, and Charts
- Label everything. Every figure gets "Fig 1, Fig 2." Every table gets "Table 1, Table 2."
- Captions go below figures and above tables (standard academic convention)
- Reference them in your text — don't just drop a chart in and move on
- Source your visuals. If you made it: "Author's calculations based on [source]." If pulled from elsewhere, cite it.
- Keep them relevant. Every visual should serve a purpose. Examiners can tell when you're padding.
Academic Integrity
Note
What counts as misconduct: copying from Clastify, having AI write portions of your essay, paraphrasing too closely, fabricating data, or submitting substantially co-written work. The consequences are severe — don't risk your diploma.
Turnitin — Use It to Your Advantage
Your school will likely run your EE through Turnitin. Before you submit your final draft, ask your supervisor if you can check your Turnitin score. Anything under 15–20% similarity is generally fine (some matching is inevitable with common phrases and properly cited quotes). If it's higher, review what's being flagged and paraphrase more thoroughly.
Tip
Nothing worse than writing a great paragraph and not being able to remember where you got the data from. This is why the EE Dump method is so critical — your sources are always linked right there.
The 15-Minute Formatting Checklist
- 1Font and spacing are correct throughout
- 2Page numbers are in place (starting from first content page)
- 3Title page has all required elements and no personal info
- 4Table of contents matches actual page numbers
- 5Headings are consistent in style and hierarchy
- 6Citations are consistent throughout
- 7Bibliography is complete and alphabetically ordered
- 8Word count is under 4,000
- 9One final spell-check and proofread completed
Tip
This 15-minute checklist before submission is probably the easiest mark boost you'll ever get. A 32/34 scorer didn't proofread once — imagine the score with proofreading.
Key Takeaways
- Formatting = free marks (Criterion D = 4 marks)
- Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced, left-aligned, 1-inch margins
- Citations go after the quote mark, before the period
- Run the 15-minute checklist before submission — every time