Is my Extended Essay marked out of 30 or 34?

Sessions through November 2026 are marked out of 34 with the current criteria. From the May 2027 session the EE is marked out of 30 with new criteria: Framework 6, Knowledge and understanding 6, Analysis and line of argument 6, Discussion and evaluation 8, Reflection 4.

Which criterion is worth the most under the new 2027 EE rubric?

Criterion D, Discussion and evaluation, at 8 of 30 marks — the single heaviest criterion in the new rubric.

Does IBLens support the new 2027 criteria?

Yes. Choose May 2027 as the exam session in the analyzer and your EE is graded out of 30 against the new criteria; the May 2027 Psychology and Computer Science IA formats are supported the same way.

IB Extended Essay New Criteria 2027 — What Changed and How to Check Your Draft

If you started the IB Diploma Programme in 2025 and will sit exams in May 2027 or later, your Extended Essay is assessed under new criteria — marked out of 30, not 34. Sessions through November 2026 keep the current 34-mark criteria. Most guides online still describe the old rubric; this page covers the new one.

The new EE criteria (marked out of 30)

Criterion	Marks
A: Framework for the essay — research question, scope, methodology and structure	6
B: Knowledge and understanding	6
C: Analysis and line of argument	6
D: Discussion and evaluation — the heaviest criterion	8
E: Reflection	4

What changed from the 34-mark rubric

Total marks: 34 → 30.
Critical thinking (12) is split into Analysis and line of argument (6) and Discussion and evaluation (8) — Discussion and evaluation is now the single heaviest criterion at more than a quarter of the grade.
Presentation (4) is removed as a separate criterion; structural expectations move into Criterion A: Framework for the essay.
Engagement (6) becomes Reflection (4).
A new interdisciplinary pathway is introduced alongside the classic subject-focused EE.

How to check your draft against the new criteria

Framework: can a reader state your research question, scope and method after two pages?
Knowledge: is subject terminology accurate and consistent?
Analysis: does each section advance one sustained argument, or read as summaries?
Discussion and evaluation: is every major piece of evidence weighed — strength, limitation, competing interpretation — and does the conclusion follow from that weighing?
Reflection: do reflections show real decisions and turning points?

IBLens grades Extended Essays against both rubrics: set "Exam session" to May 2027 in the analyzer for the new 30-mark criteria, or leave it on May/Nov 2026 for the current 34-mark rubric. Free preview on every essay; a full report costs $4.99 with no subscription.

Check your EE draft against the 2027 criteria · IB Extended Essay Guide · EE Examples