- 1Spark
- 2Frame
- 3Narrow
- 4Commit
From blank page to research question
Find an IB Extended Essay topic that's really yours
Choosing a topic is the most important decision in your EE — it drives everything else. This free guided topic finder helps IB Diploma Programme students explore Extended Essay topic ideas, narrow one into a focused research question, and check it against the Extended Essay guide (first assessment 2027) — so everything it recommends is valid for the 2027 cycle and every year after.
start with what you actually care about — the rest follows.
Sign in with your Google account or your own email (top right) to generate ideas and save your plan — it's free. Email sign-in sends a verification code, no password. We'll show your chosen subjects' 2027 source rules at each step too.
How the wizard works — from blank page to research question
Every stop pairs a decision you make with a focused step the wizard does for you. It never writes your essay — it structures your thinking, drafts options and checks every suggestion against the 2027 guide's rules, so what you take away is a topic you can defend to your supervisor.
Your choices drive everything · AI drafts, you verify · What you leave with
Spark — map your curiosity (Step 1 · ≈2 min)
You: tap any interest chips that fit and — more importantly — type a few sentences in your own words about what you actually enjoy reading, watching or arguing about. Specific beats impressive: "why my football team's ticket prices keep rising" is worth more than "economics".
Wizard: keeps exactly your words and feeds them, with the guide's subject pairings, into every later step — nothing you write here is ever reused elsewhere.
You leave with: a curiosity map that makes every later suggestion yours.
Frame — pick your route through the guide (Steps 2–3 · ≈2 min)
You: choose subject-focused (one DP subject, ideally one you study) or interdisciplinary (two subjects integrated inside one of five frameworks), then pick your subject(s) and essay language.
Wizard: enforces the 2027 rules before anything is generated — for example, Environmental systems & societies and Literature & performance can't be combined in the interdisciplinary pathway, interdisciplinary essays must be written in English, French or Spanish, and subjects with source restrictions (like Psychology: secondary sources only) are flagged with the verbatim guide rule on screen.
You leave with: a setup that's guaranteed legal under the 2027 guide — invalid combinations are blocked, not just discouraged.
Five candidate ideas — real, specific, researchable (Step 4 · ≈30 s generation)
Wizard: drafts five concrete topic ideas, each from a different angle of your interests — every one names its actual focus (a specific policy, text, place or dataset, never a vague area), why it could work for you, the analytical move it invites, the source types to look for and 2–3 first steps you could take this week.
You: read, compare, and pick the one that genuinely hooks you — or regenerate for five more.
You leave with: a chosen idea with a built-in reality check (sources it needs, first steps to verify it exists).
Narrow — take your idea for a walk (Step 5 · ≈3 min)
Wizard: asks the two narrowing questions that will squeeze your idea hardest (which specific work / place / event / dataset?), each with a model answer so you can see what "specific enough" looks like.
You: answer in rough notes — you're not being graded. The wizard then recommends a narrowed topic, an analysis angle, why it's analytical rather than descriptive, whether sources are feasible, and three concrete next steps.
You leave with: one sharp topic instead of a broad area — the difference between "social media" and "one platform's 2018 algorithm change". ⚡ Fast Track skips the questions and recommends a direction straight away.
Commit 1 — build the research question (Step 6 · ≈2 min)
Wizard: drafts three candidate research questions from your narrowed topic and scores each against the research-question strand of Criterion A — Framework for the essay (1–6 marks), quoting the exact markband text, listing which quality rules each question passes or fails, and giving a concrete edit that would raise a weaker one.
You: pick the question you'd actually enjoy answering for 4,000 words.
You leave with: a research question with its mark-band justification — exactly what your supervisor will ask about in your first reflection session.
Commit 2 — the health check (Step 7 · ≈1 min)
Wizard: stress-tests the whole plan: eight dimensions (focus, interest, argument line, 4,000-word feasibility, subject fit, ethics…) plus the companion's ten-item feasibility worksheet — sources available? accessible in your location? permissions needed? research can start now? IB ethical guidelines? — and finishes with a verdict: ready, refine or rethink, plus the single most important improvement.
You leave with: an honest to-do list, before you've sunk weeks into a topic that was never going to work.
Save & brief — walk into your first supervisor meeting prepared (any time)
You: save the plan (it appears under My plans, top right — you can reopen, continue or delete it any time) and download the Topic Brief: a one-page PDF of your pathway, subjects, research question, health check, questions to ask your supervisor, and what happens next with reflections.
Wizard: stamps it with a fixed AI-assistance disclosure for your researcher's reflection space (RRS) — the brief is a starting point to verify, never a citable source.
You leave with: a resumable plan and a printable brief that makes your first reflection session concrete.
Questions students ask about choosing an EE topic
Straight answers before you start — each one is exactly what the wizard does.
Is the EE Topic Wizard free?
Yes. It is free for IB DP students: sign in with a Google account or with your email — email sign-in sends a short verification code, no password. Generating ideas and saving plans needs an account so your work can be stored; generous daily per-student generation limits keep the free tool sustainable.
Which Extended Essay pathways and subjects does it support?
Both 2027 pathways: subject-focused (one DP subject) and interdisciplinary (any two DP subjects integrated through one of five frameworks — power, equality, justice; culture, identity, expression; movement, time, space; evidence, measurement, innovation; sustainability, development, change). Environmental systems & societies and literature & performance are subject-focused only, and interdisciplinary essays must be written in English, French or Spanish.
How does the wizard help me choose a research question?
From your narrowed topic it drafts three candidate research questions and scores each against the research-question strand of Criterion A — Framework for the essay (1–6 marks), quoting the exact markband text and giving a concrete edit for any weaker question. You pick the one you would enjoy answering for 4,000 words.
What is the Extended Essay word limit?
4,000 words for every essay. Examiners do not read or assess any material beyond the limit, so the wizard checks that each research question is focused enough to answer well within it.
Does the wizard check my topic against the 2027 guide rules?
Yes. Eligibility is enforced by a deterministic rules engine, not by the AI: invalid subject combinations are blocked before anything is generated, and subjects with source restrictions — like Psychology, secondary sources only — are flagged with the verbatim guide rule on screen.
Can I use AI tools for my Extended Essay?
The wizard drafts and structures; you verify. Every topic, source and claim must be checked against real sources and discussed with your supervisor, and each Topic Brief carries a fixed AI-assistance disclosure for your researcher's reflection space (RRS) — AI output is a starting point, never a citable source.
What do I leave with at the end?
A saved, resumable plan (under My plans — reopen, continue or delete it any time) and a printable one-page Topic Brief: pathway, subjects, research question, health-check verdict, questions to ask your supervisor and what happens next with reflections.
Is the EE Topic Wizard affiliated with the IB?
No — it is an independent tool, not affiliated with the IB. It is built solely on the Extended essay guide (first assessment 2027) and is designed to prepare you for the conversation with your supervisor, who always has the final word on rules.
IB Extended Essay 2027 Curriculum Guide & Investigation Rules
Essential reference rules encoded by the wizard, based on the Extended essay guide (first assessment 2027). Explore pathways, frameworks, subjects and assessment criteria before beginning your investigation.
The Two Pathways & Five Interdisciplinary Frameworks
The 2027 guide establishes two investigation routes:
- Subject-focused pathway: Deep investigation into one DP subject that you are (ideally) studying, applying its distinctive methodologies and theoretical frameworks.
- Interdisciplinary pathway: Integrates knowledge, concepts, theories and methods from two DP subjects inside one overarching framework. You may combine any two subjects (except Environmental systems & societies and Literature & performance, which are subject-focused only). Must be written in English, French, or Spanish.
All 28 DP Subjects & Investigation Data Policies
Primary data and source eligibility are strictly enforced by the wizard's deterministic rules engine:
Group 1 – Studies in Language & Literature
Language A: Language & Literature, Language A: Literature, Literature & Performance. Textual close reading. At least one primary text originally written in the registered language of the essay. (Literature & performance is subject-focused only).
Group 2 – Language Acquisition
Language B, Classical Languages. Target-language authentic cultural texts, media, or classical Latin/Greek texts with historical-linguistic contextual analysis.
Group 3 – Individuals & Societies
Business Management, Digital Society, Economics, Geography, Global Politics, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Social & Cultural Anthropology, World Religions.
Important source rules: Psychology strictly forbids primary experimental data or surveys (secondary academic literature only). History requires topics to have occurred at least 10 years ago. World Religions forbids comparative ranking or proselytizing.
Group 4 – Sciences
Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design Technology, Environmental Systems & Societies, Physics, Sports, Exercise & Health Science.
Primary laboratory experiments, physical simulations, or comprehensive secondary datasets. ESS is subject-focused only. Strict IB safety and animal/human experimentation ethics apply.
Group 5 – Mathematics
Mathematics (Analysis & Approaches, Applications & Interpretation). Rigorous mathematical modelling, geometric/algebraic proofs, or computational simulations with clear mathematical justification.
Group 6 – The Arts
Dance, Film, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts. Analysis of artworks, choreographies, films, compositions or theatrical productions within cultural and theoretical frameworks.
How Extended Essays Are Assessed (Criteria A–E, 30 Marks Total)
Every Extended Essay is scored out of 30 total marks across five assessment criteria:
- Criterion A — Framework for the essay (6 marks): Assesses the research question, research methods, and organizational structure.
Criterion A Research Question Markbands:
- 1–2 marks: "A research question is stated but it lacks relevance to the topic of investigation, clarity or focus."
- 3–4 marks: "The research question is relevant to the topic of their investigation and clear but only partially focused in relation to the scope of the essay."
- 5–6 marks: "The research question is relevant to the topic of investigation, clear and focused in relation to the scope of the essay."
- Criterion B — Knowledge and understanding (6 marks): Assesses subject-specific knowledge, precise terminology, and mastery of concepts.
- Criterion C — Analysis and line of argument (6 marks): Assesses critical analysis and the development of a sustained, reasoned argument.
- Criterion D — Discussion and evaluation (8 marks): Assesses discussion of findings, evaluation of sources/methodologies, and awareness of limitations.
- Criterion E — Reflection (4 marks): Assesses the student's reflective process, recorded on the Reflection and Progress Form (RPF, approx. 500 words). Three mandatory reflection sessions culminate in the viva voce.
Upper Word Limit: 4,000 words maximum. Examiners do not read or assess any material beyond 4,000 words.
The 10-Item Topic Feasibility & Ethics Checklist
Before committing to an inquiry, the wizard evaluates your topic against the guide's ten feasibility factors:
- Secondary literature: Sufficient peer-reviewed and authoritative secondary sources are available.
- Primary data availability: Primary data or texts can be accessed without geographic or security barriers.
- Local access: Resources and libraries are realistically accessible from your school or home location.
- Specialized facilities: Required laboratories, equipment, or archives are available.
- Permissions: Any required institutional, parental, or copyright permissions can be secured.
- Investigation timing: Research can commence immediately without pending seasonal or logistical delays.
- Ethical compliance: The plan fully adheres to IB animal experimentation and human subject guidelines.
- Supervisor expertise: A qualified supervisor in your school can oversee the subject's methodology.
- Disciplinary fit: The inquiry genuinely invites analytical evaluation rather than mere description.
- 4,000-word scope: The research question is tight enough to investigate systematically within 4,000 words.