The single biggest signal to an IB examiner that your essay is A-grade is how it sounds. Academic writing doesn't mean long sentences and complicated words. It means precise, analytical prose that demonstrates you're engaging with ideas at a research level, not a school assignment level.
The Core Distinction: Description vs Analysis
This is the most important concept in academic writing for the EE. Description states facts. Analysis finds something unexpected, backs it with specific cited data, and draws a conclusion that actually answers your research question. A descriptive paragraph could appear in any textbook; an analytical one could only appear in your essay.
Sentence Patterns for Academic Analysis
The Claim-Evidence-Explanation Pattern
Make a claim. Back it with cited evidence. Explain what the evidence means for your argument. "X suggests Y (Author, Year). This implies Z because..."
The Concession-Counterargument Pattern
Acknowledge the opposing view, then counter it. "While Smith (2019) argues X, Jones (2021) demonstrates that Y, suggesting..."
The Limitation Pattern
Evaluate a source or finding rather than just accepting it. "This analysis, however, relies on secondary data, which may not fully capture..."
The Synthesis Pattern
Connect multiple pieces of evidence to a single conclusion. "Taken together, the financial data and the qualitative analysis suggest..."
Academic Register: Words That Signal Analysis
| School Essay Language | Academic/Research Language |
|---|---|
| "This shows that..." | "This suggests / implies / indicates that..." |
| "I think that..." | "The evidence points toward..." / "This analysis demonstrates..." |
| "This is important because..." | "The significance of this finding lies in..." |
| "In conclusion, X wins because..." | "The weight of evidence suggests that..." |
Write in Your Own Voice
Academic writing must have YOUR voice — your analysis, your conclusions, your evaluation. The biggest weakness in IB EEs is over-reliance on sources: spending paragraph after paragraph summarising what researchers found, rather than using those findings as evidence for your own argument.
A useful test: highlight every sentence in your essay. If more than 40% of highlighted sentences begin with the name of a researcher ("Smith argues...", "Jones found..."), you're reporting rather than analysing. The subject of most sentences should be the phenomenon you're studying, not the researchers.
Paragraph Structure
- 1Topic sentence: states what this paragraph will argue (not just what it's about)
- 2Evidence: 1-2 specific citations that support this argument
- 3Analysis: your evaluation of what the evidence means
- 4Link back to RQ: one sentence connecting this paragraph's argument to your research question
Words and Phrases to Avoid
Avoid these in your EE: "In today's modern world...", "Since the dawn of time...", "It is widely known that...", "As we can clearly see...", "Obviously...", "Interestingly...". These are filler phrases that weaken academic writing. Remove them wherever they appear.
Go deeper
Want worked before-and-after rewrites for your subject and the full writing system? It's inside the writing modules.
Key Takeaways
- Description states facts. Analysis evaluates what facts mean for your argument.
- Use claim-evidence-explanation as your paragraph template
- The subject of your sentences should be the phenomenon, not the researchers
- Academic register: "suggests", "implies", "the evidence indicates" — not "shows" or "I think"
- Every paragraph should end with a link back to your research question