An Economics extended essay is a 4,000 words project based on autonomous, self-directed research on a topic of personal interest.
IB requires you to demonstrate your research and analytical skills, apply economic theories to real-world issue, and analyze the outcome of your study.
The Economics extended essay requires proper topic selection, data collection, analysis and evaluation, comprehensive reflection, and a clear structure.
Topic Selection for an Economics Extended Essay
A strong Economics EE topic balances personal interest with academic focus. The ideal topic allows for the application of economic theories and tools from the IB curriculum, and primarily relies on secondary research – though original research may be included if relevant.
The best topic to investigate is the one that allows you to:
- Address a research issue from the past five years.
- Apply economic principles to answer a focused research question.
- Have space for critical evaluation of data and sources.
An effective topic is neither too broad nor too limited. It must align with the EE’s analytical depth and methodological scope.
How Do I Structure an Economics Extended Essay?
You must have a comprehensive structure to write a good extended essay in Economics. Ideally, your essay should feature a title page, table of contents, introduction, methodology, main body, conclusion, bibliography, and appendices.
Note that the title page and table of contents are not included in the word count. Additionally, your extended essay must not include an abstract because IB no longer requires one.
Title Page
The title page should have only the following elements:
- Essay Title: Write a clear and focused summative statement of the research
- Research Question (RQ): Present this as a question
- Subject: Economics
- Word Count
Additionally, the title page must not include the candidate’s name, date, candidate number, or school name.
Table of Contents
List each of the following section of the essay along with corresponding page numbers:
- Introduction
- Methodology
- Main Body
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Appendices
Introduction (Approx. 250 words)
The introduction should outline the subject of investigation and provides context supported by key data or statistics.
You should define major terms to ensure comprehension of the research scope and demonstrate the significance of the topic by highlighting its relevance to the broader economic implications. Additionally, outline the structure of your analysis and detail how you will address the research question.
Methodology (Approx. 350 words)
You should organize the methodology section into two components: sources and tools.
Sources
Secondary research will dominate the data collection process of your Economics extended essay, making up to 80% of the sources. Useful secondary sources include academic journals, textbooks, industry publications, government and consumer reports, and credible news outlets.
Primary sources take up to 20% of your research, and it may include interviews, surveys, or periodic data collection.
For sources:
- Identify and evaluate both primary and secondary research sources.
- Provide a rationale for each source and explain its relevance, reliability, and limitations such as potential bias, limited scope, or data validity issues.
Tools
Write, in brief, about the economic tools and concepts employed in your extended essay. Each tool must be justified in terms of how it contributes to answering the research question and demonstrating a clear understanding of their application and limitations.
Main Body (Approx. 2800 words)
Structure the main body into two segments: course-based research and extended research.
Course-Based Research
This section should apply core IB Economics concepts and tools, such as 3 to 5 diagrams or models, to analyze the research question.Each tool requires a contextual analysis using case-specific data and a critical evaluation.
Evaluations should incorporate considerations such as assumptions, limitations, and stakeholder impacts. It must be evident how each tool contributes to answering the research question, with no inclusion of irrelevant content.
Extended Research
This segment allows for exploration beyond standard course material. You should introduce and link advanced theories and analytical tools relevant to the topic directly to the research question.
Analytical depth is essential, so your explanations should not be purely descriptive. Concepts like anti-competitive behavior, nuanced unemployment metrics, or specialized industry ratios may be appropriate here. Where possible, add visual representations or calculations to theoretical analysis to enhance understanding and add more insights.
Conclusion (Approx. 600 words)
The conclusion should synthesize findings from the body of the essay to answer the research question. You must high and connect key insights cohesively.
Additionally, the conclusion section should present comprehensive evaluation, addressing pros and cons, time-based implications, and stakeholder perspectives. You must not introduce new data or concepts.
Acknowledge at two or more limitations of the research in the conclusion of your essay. The limitations may include data constraints, methodological challenges, or unresolved aspects of the research.
Bibliography
The bibliography must comprehensively list all sources referenced in the essay. This includes at least three books (including textbooks), a minimum of four online sources, and at least three advanced or specialist sources (such as academic journal articles, trade publications, or interviews).
You should aim for 2 to 3 pages, with one page of primary sources, but keep in mind that the bibliography isn’t part of the word count.
Appendices
Although not assessed directly, appendices may support the evaluation of the research process. Effective use includes transcripts, raw data, supplementary calculations, or survey results.
The purpose of the appendices is to document the effort and rigor applied during the investigation. However, as per the EE Guide, examiners are not required to review appendices during assessment.
What’s the Rubric Used for an Economics Extended Essay?
Examiners look at focus and method, knowledge and understanding, critical thinking, presentation, and engagement. The following table is a summary of the assessment criteria used:
| Criterion | Points | Focus & Requirements |
| A: Focus & Method | 6 | Examines the topic, research question, and methodology; assesses clarity of study description and research approach. |
| B: Knowledge & Understanding | 6 | Assesses relevance to the topic, use of economic terms, and understanding of subject-specific concepts |
| C: Critical Thinking | 12 | Evaluates research quality, depth of analysis, discussion, and evaluation of findings |
| D: Presentation | 4 | Reviews structure and layout; requires adherence to standard extended essay format |
| E: Engagement | 6 | Measures involvement in the research process and completion of the essay |