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How Singapore Education Works | International Baccalaureate® (IB) Extended Essay 2027: New Criteria, Research Question, RPF and 4,000 Words

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by

eduKate Asia
Three students sit around open books and worksheets at a classroom table, reading, writing and discussing the work together.

Quick answer: The revised IB Extended Essay is first assessed in May 2027. It remains an independent research essay of up to 4,000 words, but the assessment now uses five redesigned criteria worth 30 marks: Framework (6), Knowledge and understanding (6), Analysis and line of argument (6), Discussion and evaluation (8), and Reflection (4). Reflection focuses more explicitly on how the student grows as a learner and develops transferable research skills.

This guide explains the new EE framework for Singapore IB students and parents, from choosing a subject or interdisciplinary question to planning the method, evaluating sources, working with a supervisor and writing an authentic reflection.

Find the answer you need

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The Extended Essay (EE) is a compulsory core component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. It is an independent research project presented as a formal academic essay of up to 4,000 words. Students investigate a focused question in a DP subject or, where appropriate, through an interdisciplinary approach using two subjects.

The purpose is not to produce a university thesis or discover something that changes the world. It is to learn how to ask a manageable research question, locate and assess evidence, choose an appropriate method, develop a line of argument and evaluate what the research can and cannot establish.

The EE is externally assessed. The school supervises the process and supports students in planning, but the essay must remain the candidate’s own independent work. Research decisions, analysis, writing and reflection must be authentic and consistent with IB academic integrity requirements.

Which students must follow the new 2027 EE?

The revised Extended Essay is first assessed in May 2027. Students entering the assessment under the new framework should use the revised EE guide and criteria. The IB launched the new guide in February 2025, and schools have been preparing students under the updated approach.

This matters because older online advice may describe the former assessment criteria or a previous reflection form. Earlier sample essays can still demonstrate academic writing, but the candidate and supervisor need to judge them using the correct 2027 requirements rather than assuming every old rubric or planning template remains current.

For candidates whose EE is assessed in May or November 2027, confirm the current school calendar, upload deadline and the form used for reflections. The IB’s examiner instructions and the school’s coordinator determine the session-specific administrative steps.

What changed in the new Extended Essay?

The new EE retains the central purpose of independent research and the familiar maximum essay length, but the assessment criteria have been redesigned. The IB says the new framework is intended to make assessment more reliable and consistent by clarifying what quality looks like across the essay and the student’s reflection.

The new guide also gives reflection a clearer focus on the student’s growth through the research experience, especially the transferable skills developed. Reflection is not just a diary of meetings or a list of tasks completed. Students should consider how their understanding, research judgement and approach to learning developed through the process.

The IB has removed the former language A and language B categories. Students should follow the current subject and interdisciplinary guidance for the assessment session rather than rely on old category labels or an archived subject guide.

The five new assessment criteria

The revised assessment totals 30 marks across five criteria. The framework for the essay is worth 6 marks; knowledge and understanding, 6 marks; analysis and line of argument, 6 marks; discussion and evaluation, 8 marks; and reflection, 4 marks.

The criteria are designed to assess different aspects of research quality. A well-formatted essay cannot compensate for a weak research question. Detailed subject facts do not automatically create analysis. A strong argument still needs discussion of limitations and evaluation of the findings. Reflection asks what the research experience taught the student as a learner.

Students should use these criteria as a planning tool, not as a checklist for inserting rubric vocabulary into every paragraph. The essay must remain a coherent piece of research. Each criterion should be visible through the quality of the work itself.

Criterion 1: Framework for the essay (6 marks)

The framework criterion asks whether the research question, research methods and structural conventions provide an effective framework for the essay. It rewards a focused question that can be investigated using appropriate methods and organised in a way that supports the research.

A broad topic such as “climate change in Singapore” is not yet a research question. A more focused question might investigate how a defined environmental indicator changed in a particular area over a specified period, using identified public datasets and a clear method. The exact suitability depends on the subject and available evidence.

The student should explain why the chosen method can answer the question. A History EE, for example, needs appropriate historical sources and contextual analysis. A Biology EE needs a scientifically appropriate method and careful treatment of variables. An Economics EE needs a clear economic framework and reliable data.

The essay’s structure should guide the reader through the argument. Headings and diagrams may help when appropriate, but they cannot repair an incoherent research design.

Criterion 2: Knowledge and understanding (6 marks)

This criterion asks whether the student demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being used in the research. The student must show that they understand the concepts, terminology, theories and evidence relevant to the question.

Subject knowledge should be accurate and applied. A student investigating a historical decision must understand its context and the relevant historical debate. A student analysing a mathematical model must explain what the variables represent and why the mathematics is suitable. A student studying literature must understand the text and its literary features rather than rely on plot summaries.

The essay should not become an encyclopaedia. Include the background that helps the reader understand the research question and argument. Too much unrelated information uses words without improving the investigation.

Criterion 3: Analysis and line of argument (6 marks)

Analysis means doing something with the evidence: identifying patterns, comparing explanations, testing relationships, interpreting passages or evaluating the implications of findings. A line of argument connects the evidence to a response to the research question.

A descriptive essay tells the reader what sources say or what happened. An analytical essay explains why the evidence matters and how it supports or challenges a claim. Students should make the reasoning visible rather than leave the reader to infer why a fact has been included.

A useful paragraph has a clear function: it makes a claim, presents relevant evidence, analyses the evidence and connects the result to the question. The same pattern can apply across different subjects, although the methods and conventions differ.

Criterion 4: Discussion and evaluation (8 marks)

This is the highest-weighted criterion. It asks students to discuss their findings and evaluate the essay. Students must consider the strength and limits of the evidence, the suitability of the method, alternative interpretations and how far the research question has been answered.

Evaluation is not a final paragraph saying “more research is needed”. The student should identify specific limitations and explain their likely effect. A sample may be small; a data source may measure an imperfect proxy; a historical record may reflect the perspective of its author; an experiment may have uncertainty that limits the precision of its conclusion.

A good discussion also recognises when the evidence does not support the initial expectation. Research is not a process of forcing results to match a hypothesis. A defensible conclusion may be qualified, and that can be more academically convincing than an exaggerated claim.

Criterion 5: Reflection (4 marks)

Reflection assesses how the student evaluates the effect of the Extended Essay learning experience on them as a learner. The IB specifically highlights transferable skills: how the student’s research, thinking, decision-making and learning approach developed through the process.

A useful reflection explains a real change. The student may have discovered that the original question was too broad, learned to distinguish strong sources from weak ones, changed a method after a pilot investigation or realised that a conclusion had to be narrower than first expected.

A weak reflection lists activities: “I met my supervisor, read three articles and finished my first draft.” A stronger reflection considers what the student learned from a difficulty, why a decision changed and how that learning may be applied to future independent work.

Reflection should be genuine and specific. It should not be written as a performance designed to sound impressive or as a fabricated account of research difficulties that did not occur.

How to choose a subject-focused or interdisciplinary EE

A subject-focused EE investigates a question through one DP subject. An interdisciplinary EE combines two subjects where the research question genuinely requires perspectives from both. The decision should follow the question, not the desire to use two subjects simply because doing so sounds more advanced.

A question about a literary work may be best answered through Literature. A study of how a particular economic policy affected a measured outcome may fit Economics. An investigation connecting urban heat with human activity could require a scientifically defensible interdisciplinary design if the question and permitted subject combination support it.

The student must follow the subject-specific guidance for the session. An interdisciplinary approach should integrate both subjects in the argument, rather than write two separate mini-essays that happen to share a title.

How to write a research question that can be completed

A good research question is focused, researchable, connected to a DP subject and manageable within the word limit and school schedule. It defines the area of investigation and gives the student a clear route to evidence.

Avoid questions that are purely descriptive, too broad or impossible to investigate with accessible evidence. “What is the impact of social media?” covers too much. A more focused version might examine a specific feature, group, period or measurable outcome, provided the chosen subject method can genuinely answer it.

Test the proposed question with four checks: Can the student obtain credible evidence? Is there a method appropriate to the subject? Can the answer be argued within 4,000 words? Are there relevant limitations the student can evaluate? If not, refine the question before writing large sections of background.

The question may change after preliminary research. That is normal. A student should document why the focus was narrowed or revised and ensure the final essay answers the final approved question.

What does a good EE timeline look like?

The best timeline starts before the student believes they are ready to write. First select a possible subject and topic, then conduct preliminary reading, test whether the evidence exists and refine the research question. A short feasibility check can prevent months of work on a topic that cannot be answered.

Next, plan the research method and collect evidence systematically. Keep accurate notes and source details while reading. Do not rely on browser history to reconstruct references at the end. Draft the argument only when there is enough evidence to support it, and allow time for a critical review of the structure and conclusion.

The final stage includes editing, citation checks, academic-integrity review and reflection. Students need to leave time for the school’s submission process and authentication. Last-minute writing increases the risk of poor referencing, unexamined assumptions and accidental over-reliance on copied material.

Working with the supervisor: what support is appropriate?

The supervisor guides the student’s process, helps them understand the requirements and provides feedback within the IB rules. The supervisor should not select all the arguments, write paragraphs, provide a ready-made analysis or turn the essay into the adult’s work.

Students should attend meetings with a clear agenda: what they have done, what decision they need to make, which research problem has arisen and what they plan to do next. This helps the student retain ownership and makes supervision more effective.

If the research question is not working, the student should explain the evidence gathered and why it is insufficient. A supervisor can help the learner think through the options, but the final intellectual decisions belong to the candidate.

Sources, citations and academic integrity

Students should keep complete source records from the beginning: author, title, publication, date, page or stable locator and the details needed by the chosen referencing style. Every quotation, paraphrase, dataset, image or idea that is not the student’s own must be acknowledged according to the school’s guidance.

Do not treat a search result snippet as a complete source. Read the actual material and check whether it supports the statement being made. A source may be authoritative for one kind of information but not another. For example, a company report may provide operational data while also presenting the company’s perspective on the meaning of that data.

AI tools and other assistance must be used in line with IB and school academic integrity rules. Students must not present generated writing, fabricated citations, invented research data or another person’s analysis as their own. If tools are permitted for a task, the candidate should follow the school’s disclosure and referencing requirements.

The EE is assessed as independent research. Honest acknowledgement of help and sources is essential to the credibility of the essay.

A worked example: improving an EE question

Imagine a student interested in Singapore public transport who initially proposes “How good is the MRT?” The question is subjective and broad. It does not identify a subject approach, measure or period. It could generate a descriptive essay rather than an investigation.

The student narrows it to a question that can be answered using a defined dataset and method, such as comparing travel-time variability across two specified routes during a defined period. They then check whether the available data are sufficiently reliable and comparable, whether the variables are clear and whether the research is appropriate for the selected subject.

During analysis, the student may discover that one route has more observations or that service disruptions affect the comparison. Rather than hide those limitations, they explain how the evidence affects the conclusion. The final answer becomes narrower but more defensible.

This is the essence of a good EE process: refine the question, choose a method, analyse evidence, evaluate limits and learn from decisions.

How the EE connects with TOK and CAS

The Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity, Service are three different parts of the DP core. The EE is independent research in a subject or interdisciplinary approach. TOK asks students to reflect on the nature of knowledge and how we know what we claim to know. CAS involves sustained engagement in creativity, activity and service.

They can inform one another without becoming interchangeable. TOK can help a student recognise assumptions about evidence and knowledge, but a TOK essay is not a substitute for the EE. A CAS project may inspire a research question, but participation alone does not become a valid EE investigation.

Plan the three requirements together to avoid deadline collisions, but retain their different aims and assessment requirements. A student who uses one project to satisfy several tasks must check whether the IB allows that overlap; the same piece of work cannot automatically be submitted for multiple assessment components.

A Singapore parent and student EE checklist

Confirm which EE assessment guide applies to the student’s examination session and obtain the new criteria. Choose a subject-focused or interdisciplinary approach only after the research question and evidence have been considered.

Ask the school when topic approval, supervisor meetings, reflection sessions and final upload deadlines occur. Check the word limit, referencing requirements and the school’s process for authentication. Keep a research log and source records from the beginning.

Review the essay against the five criteria: framework, knowledge and understanding, analysis and line of argument, discussion and evaluation, and reflection. Do not focus only on presentation or the word count. The argument and evaluation are central to the final quality.

Finally, ensure the student’s other Diploma work remains manageable. The EE should teach independent research skills, not create a crisis that harms all six subjects and the rest of the core.

Extended Essay 2027 checklist

  • Confirm that the student’s examination session uses the new EE guide first assessed in May 2027.
  • Choose a subject-focused or genuinely interdisciplinary approach.
  • Create a focused research question that can be answered using available evidence.
  • Agree on a method that fits the chosen DP subject and research question.
  • Keep a complete research log and source record from the first day.
  • Use the five criteria to review the framework, knowledge, analysis, evaluation and reflection.
  • Do not exceed the 4,000-word limit or rely on unrelated background material.
  • Use supervisor feedback appropriately while retaining independent ownership.
  • Check all citations, paraphrases, data, images and permitted AI assistance.
  • Reflect on how research decisions and difficulties changed the student’s learning.

Frequently asked questions

When is the new IB Extended Essay first assessed?

May 2027.

What is the Extended Essay word limit?

A maximum of 4,000 words.

How many marks is the new EE worth?

The revised assessment criteria total 30 marks.

What are the five new EE criteria?

Framework for the essay (6), Knowledge and understanding (6), Analysis and line of argument (6), Discussion and evaluation (8), and Reflection (4).

What is different about reflection in the new EE?

It focuses more explicitly on the student’s growth through the research experience and the transferable skills developed.

Can the EE be interdisciplinary?

Yes. The student can use a subject-focused approach or an interdisciplinary approach involving two subjects, where supported by the current guidance.

Do the old Language A and B EE categories still apply?

The IB says those categories have been removed in the revised framework.

Can a tutor write or rewrite my EE?

No. The essay must remain the student’s independent work. Tutoring can support understanding and planning but cannot replace the candidate’s research and writing.

Is the EE the same as TOK?

No. The EE is independent research; TOK is a course about the nature of knowledge.

Does a detailed bibliography guarantee a strong EE?

No. Sources must be appropriate and used analytically; the argument, research design and evaluation matter.

Official sources and connected eduKateSG reading

Reviewed 10 November 2026. The assessment framework and first-assessment date reflect the IB’s published Extended Essay update and the 2027 guide. Schools should confirm session-specific milestones, supervisor procedures and RPF submission instructions. eduKateSG is an independent educational publisher.

These guides cover different parts of the Diploma: mathematics subject choice, an interdisciplinary literary and theatre course, and independent research. Always match the correct course guide to the student’s first assessment year and intended university pathway.