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Essay writing and AI research guides

Practical notes for developing stronger drafts, checking AI-assisted work, and keeping evidence, authorship, and editorial judgment visible.

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Research practice

Featured guide

The Best Extended Essays (Grade A Exemplars & Winning Strategy Guide)

Explore the best Grade A IB Extended Essay examples across History, Physics, Literature, Economics, and Psychology. Learn the 7-step blueprint to write your own top-scoring paper.

Key takeaways

  • Grade A essays excel across all 5 criteria — especially Criterion C (Critical Thinking, 12 marks).
  • Narrow your research question ruthlessly: tight scope beats broad ambition every time.
  • Engage with counterarguments and evaluate source limitations to demonstrate original thinking.

Latest guides

Focused guidance for the decisions writers make between an early outline and a reviewed final draft.

Essay writing

The Ultimate IB Extended Essay (EE) Survival Guide: RPPF Tips & Hitting Your Word Count

Score an A on your IB Extended Essay with proven strategies for Criterion E (RPPF reflections), hitting 4,000 words ethically, and maximizing supervisor feedback.

Key takeaways

  • Criterion E (RPPF) is worth 6 free marks — use guided questions for each reflection session.
  • Submit a 90% finished draft to get high-level supervisor feedback, not grammar corrections.
  • Expand depth with counterarguments and implications instead of filler words.
Essay writing

Is There a Minimum Word Count for the Extended Essay?

The IB extended essay maximum word count is exactly 4,000 words. Learn what counts, the safe minimum by subject, and how to fix your word count without losing marks.

Key takeaways

  • No official IB minimum, but under 3,500 words usually lacks depth for humanities.
  • STEM essays can score well at 2,500–3,500 words since formulas and data don't count.
  • Examiners stop reading at 4,000 — anything after is not assessed.
Essay writing

How to extend an essay without adding filler

A longer essay should contain more reasoning, context, and evidence, not repeated claims. Start by locating the places where a reader still needs an explanation, then expand one logical gap at a time.

Key takeaways

  • Mark claims that need a reason, example, limitation, or implication.
  • Keep each new paragraph connected to the thesis and surrounding evidence.
  • Remove any sentence that increases length without improving the argument.
Responsible AI

A five-step AI editing checklist for academic writing

Treat generated text as a draft that needs substantive review. A repeatable checklist makes it easier to identify unsupported claims, vague transitions, and language that no longer sounds like you.

Key takeaways

  • Compare the output against the original thesis.
  • Verify facts, quotations, sources, and calculations.
  • Revise the structure and language before submitting or publishing.
Research practice

How to preserve citations when expanding a draft

Expansion can separate a citation from the claim it supports or introduce statements the source never made. Keep source boundaries explicit and review every new factual sentence.

Key takeaways

  • Attach each citation to the precise claim it supports.
  • Distinguish source findings from your interpretation.
  • Never accept a newly generated reference without checking the original source.
Essay writing

Choosing the right tone for academic writing

Academic tone is not about making every sentence complicated. It comes from precise claims, measured confidence, clear relationships between ideas, and terminology suited to the discipline.

Key takeaways

  • Use cautious language when evidence is limited.
  • Prefer specific verbs and concrete relationships over inflated phrasing.
  • Match formality to the assignment, discipline, and intended reader.
Put the method into practice

Develop your next draft with more control

Use the essay extender to add context and reasoning, then apply the review principles from these guides.

Try the essay extender