Choosing an Extended Essay topic is one of the most important decisions in your IB journey.
A great topic makes the EE enjoyable.
A bad topic makes it a year-long nightmare.
Here's how to choose a topic that is focused, researchable, and examiner-friendly.
🎯 1. Choose Interest Over Impressiveness
A "smart-sounding" topic is useless if you hate the subject.
Good signs you've chosen well:
- You want to know the answer
- You can imagine writing 10–12 pages
- You already have questions in your mind
Bad signs:
- You picked it to impress a teacher
- You picked what "scored well" for someone else
- You feel nothing toward the topic
Enthusiasm leads to better writing AND easier research.
🧩 2. Narrow It Down Until It Hurts
Most EE topics fail because they are way too broad.
Examples of weak → strong topics:
❌ "Climate change and agriculture"
✔️ "To what extent did rising temperatures affect wheat yield in Victoria between 2000–2020?"
❌ "Psychology of motivation"
✔️ "How does intrinsic motivation differ between male and female student athletes in school sports?"
Your topic should fit on one line — clearly and specifically.
🔍 3. Check If the Data Exists
Before committing, test:
- Can you find enough academic papers?
- Are data, texts, or experiments accessible to you?
- Can you collect your own data if needed?
If research sources look weak, change early.
🧠 4. Measure It Against the IB Criteria
You should be able to answer:
- Is it analytical?
- Is it focused?
- Is it research-based?
- Is it connected clearly to my IB subject?
Publishers, interviews, news articles, and journals should fit the subject's expectations.
📲 Use StudyIB for EE planning templates & evaluation tools
💬 Share your topic ideas on Discord