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The New Extended Essay:
What's Different and What's the Same?
Part 1 of 5
September 1, 2025
Hi Everyone,
I hope you had a great weekend!
This is part one of a new five-part Monday Morning Series breaking down the new Extended Essay guidance from the IB that takes effect this year for the Class of 2027.
I'm really excited to be sharing this with you and it's is based on our upcoming workshop, Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay, that we're hosting on November 8th via Zoom. If you would like to join us for that workshop, we'd love to host you.
Ok, let’s get started...
Let me just say this first. I absolutely love the changes that the IB has made.
That’s been clear to me from the moment the IB released all of the information back in February. I have been poring over the updates along with my colleague, Kurt Supplee. We round-tabled this information at our IB Coordinator Summit in June, and over the summer we have been preparing for a series of custom trainings for schools all around the world, including one we just completed last week with the American School of Quito in Ecuador, which was a wonderful experience.
It was fascinating to read through the new Subject Guide, to break it down, to see what has been changed, subtracted, or added.
And one huge, rather obvious observation stood out immediately.
When you change the way something is assessed (the Mark Scheme) and you change the assignment sheet (the Subject-Specific Guidance), you fundamentally alter the entire thing.
And the IB did both.
That is how big these changes are. But everything got better. It is clearer, more cohesive, and more accessible for us as supervisors.
This week, we are going to take a look at something simple: What’s Different and What’s the Same.
What’s Different?
Two Types of Extended Essays.There are now only two types of Extended Essays: the Interdisciplinary Pathway and the Subject-Focused pathway. We will dig into these in detail next week, but just so you know up front, these are the only two pathways students can choose from moving forward.
Reflection Interviews are now Reflection Sessions.What used to be called reflection interviews are now called Reflection Sessions. There are still three of them:
- The initial reflection session
- The interim reflection session
- The final reflection session (also called the viva voce)
Only One Reflective Writing Piece.Students are now required to write just one 500-word reflection, submitted at the time of the final reflection session. Instead of three shorter reflections totaling 500 words, students now submit a single reflection at the very end.
Subject-Specific Guidance is Now by Subject Group only.The IB has eliminated Subject-Specific Guidance for each individual course. Instead, there is one set of Subject-Specific Guidance for each subject group. For example, in Individuals and Societies (Group 3), there used to be eight or nine separate sets of guidance: Economics, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Business Management, and so on. Each subject had its own document. Now there is only one Subject-Specific Guidance for Group 3. This is a huge shift, and we will unpack it more in the weeks ahead. I love it.
A Significantly Revised Mark Scheme.The Mark Scheme has changed a lot, and it is vastly improved. It is now out of 30 marks instead of 34. It is still divided into five criteria, but they have been reshaped in important ways:
- Criterion A: Framework for the Essay (6 marks) — covering the research question, methods, and overall structure.
- Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 marks). Students are assessed on their ability to incorporate knowledge from the subject area of their essay. This includes use of subject-specific concepts and terminology, as well as how well they demonstrate understanding of the discipline.
- Criterion C: Analysis and Line of Argument (6 marks). This is where students show their ability to analyze material and build what is now called a “line of argument.” Put simply: is the essay cohesive, easy to follow, and logically constructed?
- Criterion D: Discussion and Evaluation (8 marks). This used to be part of analysis, but now it is separated out. Students are specifically assessed on their ability to evaluate and discuss their findings. An excellent change.
- Criterion E: Reflection (4 marks). This remains an evaluative piece of writing. Students reflect on their growth as learners, researchers, and thinkers, and consider how the Extended Essay experience will help them in the future.
The World Studies Extended Essay is Gone. :-(As much as I loved it, the World Studies Extended Essay is no longer offered. Personally, I think the Interdisciplinary Pathway is its natural evolution. The Interdisciplinary Pathway allows students to combine two Diploma Programme subjects, while the Subject-Focused pathway remains for essays anchored in a single subject. While it is a little sad to see World Studies go, I think the new structure makes sense and offers even more clarity for students and supervisors.
Supervisor Comments are Gone.Here’s another big one: supervisors no longer need to write Supervisor Comments at the end of the process. I know this will come as a relief to many of you, as it was often difficult to know exactly what to write. These have been removed in the new iteration of the Extended Essay.
Much Improved Guidance.The guidance throughout is better, clearer, more direct, and more accessible. The subject guide itself is well-organized and practical.
What’s the Same?
- It is still a 4,000-word essay where the student extends their studies into one particular area of inquiry.
- There is still a 500-word reflection. The format has changed (it is now written all at once at the end), but the essence of reflection is still there.
- The coordination structure your school uses will still work. For us, the cohort model we developed at the International School of Nido de Aguilas continues to serve us well.
- There is still a one-to-one relationship between each student and their supervisor. Every student needs one supervisor to guide them through the entire process.
- The relationship between the IB coordinator, the EE coordinator, and the supervisors remains the same.
- All Extended Essays must still conform to the conventions of their subject area. Even in the interdisciplinary pathway, the subject expertise of the supervisor remains critical to guiding the student toward what a proper 4,000-word essay should look like.
My Thoughts and Takeaways...
The Supervision Process Can Stay the Same.Whatever structures your school already uses for administering the Extended Essay can continue as is. For us, that means we will keep using the Cohort Model that Kurt and I have shared with 100s of teachers world In our Cohort Model Workshops. It was developed and refined over nearly a decade of working together at the International School Nido de Aguilas. For EE Coordinators and IB Coordinators, this is not a major change in terms of coordination.
Greater Collaboration Among Supervisors.With Subject-Specific Guidance now issued by subject group, supervisors in areas like Individuals and Societies or the Arts no longer need to navigate six or seven separate guidances. This common framework makes it easier for supervisors to collaborate within their departments.
Stronger Peer Collaboration Among Students.With just eight Subject-Specific Guidances overall, students writing in the same subject group, such as Group 3 or the sciences, are all working under the same expectations. That should lead to more opportunities for peer collaboration across the cohort.
Easier for IB and EE Coordinators to Stay Informed.In the past, there were 28 or 29 different Subject-Specific Guidances. It was overwhelming. Now, with just eight, Coordinators can realistically know and understand every set of expectations. That is empowering.
Line of Argument is Explicitly Rewarded.A fluid, cohesive essay has always been an expectation, but now it is written into the Mark Scheme. For all of us who value clarity and strong writing, this is excellent news.
Fewer Differences Mean Less Confusion.With fewer guidances, there are fewer contradictions, fewer moments of isolation, and more clarity for faculty and Supervisors alike.
But...With just one Subject Specific Guidance per Subject Group, our expertise in our individual course is going to matter more than ever. Plus, I feel this also means that we should shy away from allowing students to write Extended Essays in courses that they are not actually enrolled it. This is kinda a big point, if you think about it.
A Well-Written Subject Guide.The new subject guide deserves praise on its own. It is clear, straightforward, and should be required reading for all supervisors.
So that's a lot...
But hopefully, piece by piece you'll feel calmer and more confident in these new guidelines from the IB.
Next Monday we’ll dive into the two new pathways—The Interdisciplinary and the Subject-Focused—and look at what they mean for your students and Supervisors.
My regular newsletter will be coming out every Friday, but I hope you enjoy these Monday reads as well.
In the meantime, if you're interested in sending any members of your team to the Extended Essay Supervisor training on November 8th, we'd love host you. Last year we had over 40 attendees in each of the two sessions and we expect even more this year. If your school is planning to send more than five teachers, send me an email and we can set up a group discount.
I hope you have a great week wherever you are on this big ol' earth,
Brad
Book a Custom Training for Your IB Faculty - If your school would like a tailored training on the updated Extended Essay guidelines, we’d love to help—onsite at your campus or live online—just send me an email at [email protected] and we’ll work together to make it happen.
Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay - November 8th, 2025 - This focused and practical workshop is designed to help teachers confidently navigate the updated Extended Essay framework for the Class of 2027. Together, we’ll explore what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how to effectively guide students through both the Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary pathways.
Brad Cartwright
Educator | Speaker | Workshop Leader | Course Creator