Extended Essay Self-Assessment Checklist

Your task is to go through the tables below to check your progress against the structure, presentation, and criteria of the Extended
Essay before you hand in your final draft.

Where your answer is “no” or “partly” you need to make sure you can change it to “yes” in order to achieve a good grade in your
essay.

When looking at where you have ticked “yes” in the Extended Essay criteria, put yourself in the position of the examiner and write
down where you can evidence this in the essay. If you cannot evidence each part of the criteria, you will not be given credit for it.

The tables below include the generic criteria for every essay. In order to see how the Extended Essay is applied to the subject of you
essay you need to go “subject specific guidance” section of the International Baccalaureate’s Extended Essay website which can be
found here https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/extendedessay/apps/dpapp/guidance.html?doc=d_0_eeyyy_gui_1602_1_e&part=1&chapter=1
You must click on your subject, and on the left hand side you will see the option of “Interpreting the EE assessment criteria”. Please
click on this link to see how the criteria is applied for your essay.

Contents

1. Structure of your Extended Essay. Page 2.

2. Presentation of the Extended Essay. Page 2.
3A. Criterion A: Focus and Method. Page 3.
3B. Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding. Page 4.
3C. Criterion C: Critical Thinking. Page 5.
3D. Criterion D: Presentation. Page 6.
3E. Criterion E: Engagement. Page 6.

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 1. Structure of your Extended Essay.

Yes / No / Partly If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what improvements do you

need to make?
Does your essay have a title page?
Does your essay have an introduction?
Does your essay have a main body?
Does your essay have a conclusion?
Does your essay have references and a
bibliography?
Does your essay have appendices?

2. Presentation of the Extended Essay.

Yes / No / Partly If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what improvements do you

need to make?
Have you used a 12-point, readable font?
Have you used double spacing?
Have you numbered the pages?
Have you left your name, your supervisor’s
name and the school’s name off the title
page, page headers, appendices or
acknowledgment pages
Is your file size no more than 10 MB? (The
RPPF is uploaded separately and is not
part of the overall file size of the essay.

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 3A. Criterion A: Focus and Method.
Yes / No / Where is this evidenced in If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what
Partly your essay (include pages)? improvements do you need to make?
Is the Identification and
explanation of the research
topic effectively
communicated?
Is the purpose and focus of the
research clear and appropriate?
Is she research question clear?
Does the research question
address an issue of research
that is appropriately connected
to the discussion in the essay
Have an appropriate range of
relevant source(s) and/or
method(s) been applied in
relation to the topic and
research question?
Is there evidence of effective
and informed selection of
sources and/or methods

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 3B. Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding.
Yes / No / Where is this evidenced in If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what
Partly your essay (include pages)? improvements do you need to make?
Is the selection of source
materials clearly relevant
and appropriate to the
research question?
Is your knowledge of the
topic clear and coherent?
Are sources used effectively
and with understanding?
Is the use of subject-specific
terminology and concepts
accurate and consistent?
Do you demonstrate effective
knowledge and
understanding?

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 3C. Criterion C: Critical Thinking.
Yes / No / Where is this evidenced in If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what
Partly your essay (include pages)? improvements do you need to make?
Is the research appropriate
to the research question?
Is the application of the
research consistently
relevant?
Is the research is analysed
effectively?
Is the research clearly
focused on the research
question?
Are conclusions to individual
points of analysis effectively
supported by evidence?
Is an effective and focused
reasoned argument
developed from the research?
Is the conclusion reflective of
the evidence presented?
Is the reasoned argument
well-structured and
coherent?
Has the research been
critically evaluated?

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 3D. Criterion D: Presentation.
Yes / No / Partly If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what improvements do you
need to make?
Is the structure of the essay appropriate in
terms of the expected conventions for the
topic, the argument and subject in which
the essay is registered?
Are the layout considerations present and
applied correctly?
Does the structure and layout support the
reading, understanding and evaluation of
the extended essay?

3E. Criterion E: Engagement.

Yes / No / Partly If your answer is “no” or “partly”, what improvements do you
need to make?
Are reflections on decision-making and
planning are evaluative?
Do reflections include reference to your
capacity to consider actions and ideas in
response to challenges experienced in the
research process?
Do the reflections communicate a high
degree of intellectual and personal
engagement with the research focus and
process of research?
Do the reflections demonstrate
authenticity, intellectual initiative and/or
a creative approach?