The IB Extended Essay Grading is a mini-thesis prepared by a diploma student as a part of the IB curriculum. The Extended Essay is 4,000 words long and contains research studies related to a specific theme and topic. A student can put effort into the research subject of their choice and present a thesis showing the outcomes of their research findings. EE is a significant part of a student’s research as it plays an imperative role in deciding the final result of the examination. A student might find themselves standing at the fork of a road, unable to comprehend what a good essay might look like. This is quite obvious, as most of the students are unaware of what is expected to be written in an EE. In this particular article today, we will look at the rubrics that become the deciding points of the EE evaluation.
The EE is graded on a scale of 0 to 36 points, with 36 being the highest score. There are two assessment realms that are discussed further here:
- Criteria-Based Assessment: The Extended Essay is assessed against a set of criteria specific to each subject. Each subject has different rubrics upon which it is assessed. The criteria can be analysis, presentation, argumentation, usage of research methods, authenticity of data, etc. There are generally five or six criteria, and each is awarded a score on a scale of 0 to 6. Now, as a student, you need to keep the rubrics in mind before writing the essay so you don’t end up writing an essay that doesn’t match the evaluation criteria of the evaluator. The rubrics differ as per the subject, but many are quite similar for most of the subjects, like presentation, argumentation, authenticity of research, and usage of language are common pointers to all. A grade point from 0 to 6 is assigned to every pointer, and after grade points are assigned to every pointer, a total of 36 points is gathered.
- Aggregation: As discussed in the above point, the aggregation is obtained by adding the score obtained in the individual criterion.
There are, however, three more points known as ‘matrix points’; these points are awarded for the content. Sometimes two essays are equal on technical grounds, but the quality and engagement of one essay are such that it keeps the evaluator totally hooked. Mentioned below is the grading process in detail:
- 36–30 Points: This grading suggests that you have written an impeccable essay and there are very few to no flows in your research. The data collected is authentic, and the research is both critically and comparatively analysed. It means that the student has given 100% to the work, and the work now speaks for the student.
- 29–24 Points: This grading implies that the essay is not meticulous and without flow but displays a good degree of knowledge. The student could have done good research but has not succeeded fully in the presentation of data to gain the needed appreciation from the evaluator. The essay can be termed ‘good’.
- 23–17 Points: This grading resonates with labelling the essay as just satisfactory. The essay does not represent higher and more critical thinking but is just labelled satisfactory. There is a lack of well-structured research and proper analysis that can make the essay excellent. It may provide some kind of support or clarity on the research question but fails to completely address the issues relevant to the research question.
- 16–8 Points: This is the second-least grading arena that a student can be a part of. This directly reflects that the essay is quite weak and needs more research. The essay fails at multiple levels. It is neither presented in a perfect manner nor supported by enough research evidence. A student should never be a part of this arena at all. This will widen the gap between your subjective academic score and your overall score with EE. A poor Extended Essay will put you a lot behind in terms of the score you will get.
- 0 to 7 points: This grading is like an emergency warning. One should avoid falling into this category at all costs. This directly implies that the essay is highly flawed. It doesn’t have a clear research question or is totally flawed in the presentation. The idea presented is fragmented and weak. There are many structural and analytical issues pertaining to the theory of research.
To conclude, these were the grading areas of the EE. You must keep them in mind, as EE is a significant contributor to the final grade of the diploma. In order to pass the diploma effectively, you must score well on the EE as well. These pointers can definitely help you go a long way toward getting a good final score on the diploma.
