4000-words sounds like the hard part of the IB Extended Essay. 

It isn't. 

The hard part is the blank page before you've picked a topic, because a weak research question can sink an EE before you've written a word of it.

Start by exploring these subject-specific IB Extended Essay research questions, then use the 5-step process to shape your own. 

If your EE will be assessed in 2027 or later, there’s also an important update you should know before choosing your question.

A Few Things Before You Choose a Topic:

• It's built around a research question. Your whole essay sets out to answer one focused question.
• It's tied to your DP subjects. You research within a subject, or across two, and your school has to be able to supervise it.
• The rules are changing. The IB has published a new Extended Essay guide for students assessed from 2027, so check the current requirements with your EE coordinator before you start.

That last point matters, because the topic you pick has to fit the framework you'll be assessed on. 

So where do good topics come from?

IB Extended Essay Topic Ideas by Subject

Each idea below is written as a research question, because that's the form your EE needs. Treat them as starting points: swap in your own text, location, product or dataset.

1. English (Language and Literature)

• How does the narrator's unreliability shape the reader's sympathy in a novel of your choice?
• To what extent do UAE tourism campaigns present the country as both modern and traditional?
• How do two news outlets frame the same climate summit through headlines and images?

2. Economics

• To what extent has rising rent affected small food businesses in a specific Dubai neighbourhood?
• How effective has a local sugar tax been in changing consumer buying habits?
• What impact has ride-hailing had on the income of traditional taxi drivers in one city?

3. History

• To what extent was the discovery of oil the main cause of economic change in a Gulf state between 1960 and 1980?
• How did propaganda posters shape public support for one country's war effort?

4. Biology

• How does the concentration of salt affect the germination rate of a local plant species?
• To what extent does temperature affect the activity of catalase in potato tissue?

5. Chemistry

• How does temperature affect the vitamin C content of orange juice over time?
• How does the concentration of a natural acid affect the rate of corrosion of iron nails?

6. Physics

• How does the length of a guitar string affect its fundamental frequency?
• How does the angle of a solar panel affect its power output across a day?

7. Mathematics

• How can probability models be used to predict the outcome of a penalty shoot-out?
• To what extent can a mathematical model describe the spread of a rumour on social media?

8. Business Management

• How effective has a local café's social media strategy been in increasing repeat customers?
• To what extent has a family business benefited from expanding into online sales?

Notice that every one of these is narrow, answerable and measurable. That's no accident, and it's exactly what the next section shows you how to do.

How to Write an IB Extended Essay Research Question

A strong research question is narrow enough to answer in 4,000 words and open enough to need real analysis.

Step 1: Start with a subject you actually enjoy

You'll live with this question for months. Pick a DP subject where you'd read beyond the syllabus anyway.

Step 2: Find a specific interest inside it

Not “economics”, but “why prices at my local supermarket keep rising”.

Step 3: Narrow it to one case

One text, one product, one city, one experiment. A tight focus gives you room for depth.

Step 4: Turn it into a question that needs an argument

Start with “To what extent”, “How does” or “How effective”. If the answer is a simple fact or a yes, keep refining.

Step 5: Check you can actually answer it

Can you get the data, sources or equipment? Can your school supervise it? If not, adjust now, not in month three.

Run your question through all five steps and most problems disappear. Most, but not all.

Common IB Extended Essay Mistakes

1. Choosing a topic that's too broad

“The effects of social media” could fill a book. Narrow it until one essay can answer it properly.

2. Asking a question with an obvious answer

If you can answer it in a sentence, there's nothing to analyse. Your question should need evidence and an argument.

3. Picking a topic you can't research

An exciting question is useless if you can't get the data, sources or lab time. Check feasibility before you commit.

4. Leaving it too late

The EE runs alongside your other DP work. Students who start early have time to fix a weak question rather than write around it.

Avoid these four and your EE starts on solid ground. But knowing the mistakes isn't the same as having someone check your question before you commit to it.

Build a Stronger IB Extended Essay

Mentor Match offers personalised 1:1 online tutoring for IB Extended Essay students. Every student starts with a diagnostic session to identify exactly where they need support.

From there, your tutor can help you:

• Narrow your topic into a focused, workable idea
• Refine your research question
• Build the subject knowledge your analysis requires
• Strengthen your argument, structure, and use of evidence
• Develop your essay alongside your school supervisor—not in place of them

Book a free session

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FAQs

What is a good IB Extended Essay topic?

A good EE topic is narrow, answerable in 4,000 words, and genuinely interesting to you. It should lead to a research question that needs analysis and evidence, not a simple factual answer.

What are some IB Extended Essay ideas for science?

Science EEs usually test one variable, such as how temperature affects vitamin C content in juice or how salt concentration affects seed germination.

How do I write an IB Extended Essay research question?

Start with a subject you enjoy, narrow it to one specific case, and phrase it as a question that needs an argument, such as “To what extent…” or “How effective…”.

Which subject is easiest for the IB Extended Essay?

No subject is easiest. The best choice is a DP subject you enjoy and know well, because you'll spend months researching it.

Has the IB Extended Essay changed for 2027?

Yes. The IB has published a new Extended Essay guide for students assessed from 2027. Check the current requirements with your school's EE coordinator.

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