Free, in-depth guides for IB Diploma students: how the assessment criteria work, where marks are lost, and how to plan university applications.
Check the question, evidence, evaluation, references and final file of your own EE draft, then choose what to revise first.
5 min readWhat replaces World Studies from May 2027, and how to check that both subjects contribute to the same argument in your draft.
5 min readThe 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 business research project: the research question, the key concept, three to five supporting documents, tools and theories, and the 1,800-word limit.
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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