Free, in-depth guides for IB Diploma students: how the assessment criteria work, where marks are lost, and how to plan university applications.
The three-question format from 2026 entry explained, plus a checker for your own answers with a free preview: character checks, what a tutor would credit, what is missing.
ToolThree TOK essays at three levels, each with its full, unedited report and a note on where we disagree with the grader.
ExamplesWhat the IB allows, whether your teacher will know, and how to acknowledge AI feedback on IAs, the EE, orals and TOK.
5 min readThe May 2027 Extended Essay rubric explained: Framework, Knowledge and understanding, Analysis, Discussion and evaluation, Reflection, what changed from the 34-mark rubric, and how to check your draft.
5 min readCheck your TOK essay against the official holistic instrument: the five bands out of 10, the examiner question, and the concrete checks to run before submission.
4 min readThe reflective statement of up to 500 words that replaces the RPPF from May 2027: how Criterion E marks it, and how to write one that evaluates what the EE taught you rather than describing a timeline.
3 min readThe new May 2027 Psychology IA explained: a research proposal marked /24, no experiment conducted, criteria, word limit, and how to check your draft.
3 min readThe new CS IA criteria from May 2027: Problem specification, Planning, System overview, Development at 12 marks, Evaluation, and what changed from /34.
3 min readThe feedback the IB allows on your Extended Essay: your supervisor's role, checking your own draft against the criteria, and why other help needs your supervisor's agreement.
3 min readIBLens, RevisionDojo, MyRevisionAgent, Clastify and generic chatbots side by side: coverage, pricing models, free tiers, May 2027 rubric support.
4 min readCheck your exhibition commentary against the holistic instrument: one prompt, three objects with real contexts, justification and evidence.
3 min readCheck your IA against the criteria without a tutor: what each subject is marked out of, where the heaviest criteria sit, and a self-check sequence for any subject.
3 min readStructure, the criteria for both rubrics, research question tips, the word count rules, common mistakes, and what an A-grade essay does.
8 min readHow the IBLens IA grader works: the criteria it marks against in 14 subjects, what the report contains, and what it cannot do.
4 min readHow IAs differ by subject, how they are marked and moderated, where the weight sits in each subject, time management, and revision strategy.
8 min readPrescribed titles, claims and counter-claims, the five areas of knowledge, the holistic assessment instrument, and common errors to avoid.
7 min readHow the 7-point scale works, how subject grades and EE and TOK bonus points make up the Diploma score, the failing conditions, and why boundaries move.
5 min readHow criterion-based marking works, how examiners apply best fit, what separates good work from excellent, and how to self-assess.
7 min readHow the grader applies the criteria, what the report looks like, what it cannot do, how your essay is handled, and how it compares to tutors and teachers.
7 min readWhy full marked Extended Essays are hard to find, example research questions by subject, and what top-band essays do on each criterion.
8 min readResearch question examples in Economics, History, Biology, English, Mathematics, Psychology and Physics, with what separates a top-band essay in each.
8 min readThe TOK essay rules and conventions: the 1,600-word limit and what counts, the prescribed title, anonymity, structure and citations.
6 min readThe Biology EE: choosing a research question, how the EE differs from the IA, the criteria, structure, workable topics and the reflection.
5 min readThe Chemistry EE: research question examples, the criteria, structure, workable topics such as kinetics, electrochemistry and colorimetry, and common pitfalls.
5 min readGetting unstuck on the EE: narrowing the question, structuring the argument, what your supervisor can and cannot do, and why paying someone to write it fails.
6 min readThe official word count table: what counts towards 4,000 words and what does not, what happens if you go over, and how to cut.
5 min readOne exploration annotated passage by passage against criteria A to E, topic ideas for AA and AI, a workable structure, and the mistakes that cost marks.
8 min readOne investigation annotated passage by passage against the criteria, topic ideas, topics to handle carefully, and how to write a real evaluation.
7 min readOne titration investigation annotated passage by passage against the criteria, investigation types that work, and where marks are most often lost.
7 min readOne investigation annotated passage by passage against the criteria, topic ideas, linearising data, and uncertainty analysis.
7 min readHow to write the three Economics IA commentaries: choosing articles, the rubric requirements, diagrams, evaluation, and the word limit.
6 min readThe experimental IA through November 2026: choosing a study, group work, ethics, the inferential test, and what each criterion rewards.
6 min readThe historical investigation: choosing a question, evaluating sources, writing the investigation and the reflection, and the suggested word allocation.
6 min readHow an enquiry upon results works, when requests close, why a grade can go down, and a check of the EE or TOK essay you submitted before you decide.
4 min readHow IA marks are awarded and moderated, where marks are lost subject by subject, and how to estimate your mark before results day.
5 min readHow to add up your IB Diploma score from subject grades and EE and TOK bonus points, the failing conditions, and what Oxford, Cambridge and ETH publish.
4 min readPlanning IB university applications: a balanced list, HL subjects that fit your course, application deadlines and tests, and common mistakes.
4 min readHow UK, US and other university systems read the IB Diploma, and what to check on the course pages that matter to you.
4 min readWant specific feedback on your essay? Paste it and get feedback against the published criteria in a minute or two.
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