How to Write a Psychology Extended Essay?

I can help you with your Psychology Extended Essay if you want to know how to write one. After years of looking over hundreds of EEs, I now understand what makes a Psychology Extended Essay not just good but a great one. This guide was written with you, the IB student, in mind. It is based on real events and is organized to help you stay on track.

Let’s break it down with real-life examples, valuable tips, and the honest direction I wish someone had given me when I first started.

What Is a Psychology Extended Essay?

Psychology Extended Essay is a research paper you can write on your own that lets you study a specific topic in psychology. As a core requirement for the IB Diploma Program, it gives you a chance to show a real academic skill. From what I’ve seen, this is often the first time students write at this level for school, and it’s a big step to learning how to think and work like a college student.

You shouldn’t write about something vague and general. Instead, you should come up with a clear research question and base your essay on facts and psychology theories. You won’t just talk about research; you’ll also analyze it, make sense of it, and build a strong case. In essence, this makes the Psychology Extended Essay different from your average high school task.

Some students might want to choose a well-researched topic that seems “easy,” but I’ve seen that those writings often fall flat. Students who choose an interest they are truly interested in, such as how music affects memory or the cognitive flaws present in eyewitness evidence, tend to produce thoughtful and unique work. Plus, many students tell me that this process helps them determine if they want to go to college and study psychology. This means that even though it’s hard, it can ultimately pay off.

So, writing your IB Psychology EE gives you a chance to apply what you’ve learned in class to research that you can do in the real world.

IB Psychology EE Format and Assessment Criteria

According to standard IB requirements, your Psychology Extended Essay should have a well-defined format. Although innovation is vital, the format is not where you want to “stand out”; instead, keep to what the IB wants. Your essay should have the following components, each presented in a formal academic style:

• Title page.
• Table of contents.
• Introduction.
• The main body is arranged around your topic and arguments.
• Conclusion.
• References and bibliography (APA format).

You have a rigorous 4,000-word restriction, which includes the introduction and conclusion. The title page, table of contents, and references are all omitted from the count. I experienced that establishing your structure beforehand pays off significantly when approaching the word limit.

In terms of grading, the IB considers five primary evaluation criteria:

• Focus and method – how successfully you’ve selected and maintained your research question and methodological approach.
• Knowledge and understanding – your comprehension of psychological material and appropriate context.
• Critical thinking – the depth with which you analyze and evaluate psychological ideas and research.
• Presentation – the general structure, layout, and arrangement of your essay.
• Engagement – your unique voice, planning, and opinions on the research process.

In my experience, involvement may be the difference between a good essay and a terrific one. The examiners seek evidence that you are actively thinking about the topic and making it your own rather than just regurgitating material.

In summary, the Psychology EE gives you the opportunity to think like a psychologist, write like a researcher, and push yourself in ways that ordinary class essays seldom do. While it may seem daunting initially, breaking it down into manageable chunks and remaining organized can help you excel.

What Makes a Good IB Psychology EE Topic?

Your topic can make or destroy your EE, to be honest. A good IB Psychology EE topic should be wide enough to allow for in-depth debate while also being doable. For example, “How does stress affect the brain?” is too broad. A more specific and amenable research question might be, “How does chronic academic stress impact working memory in adolescents?”

Keep in mind that the IB Psychology curriculum must be compatible with your topic. This implies that it should be relevant to fundamental fields like biological, cognitive, or social psychology.

A few instances from students I’ve taught in the past are these:

✅ “How much does schema theory clarify the distorted memories of eyewitnesses?”

❌ “What exactly is memory?”

You may analyze the first question since it is specific, pertinent, and analytical. The second one seems like Google generated it and covers too much ground.

Choose a theme that goes with one of the main ways of thinking about psychology. If you’re interested in hormones and behavior, the biology method is the best way to go. You could look into cognitive ideas if you want to know more about remembering. Staying grounded in psychology theory is essential; this connection will help you.

How to Conduct Psychological Research for IB Psychology EE?

Before you begin, you must know this important fact: you are not permitted to perform original experiments in an IB Psychology EE. Those students who come up with cool novel ideas are often surprised by that rule. However, the IB clarifies that you can only use secondary sources for your Psychology Extended Essay. That is, you will be looking at and judging research that has already been made public.

Now, I know that some students are worried that this rule will make it harder for them to be creative. But from what I’ve seen, the reverse is often true. You can focus on analysis, explanation, and critical review when you work with well-established studies. These are the skills that the IB values.

Stick to academic magazines, books, and studies that have been reviewed by other experts and come from trustworthy sources. Blogs, opinion pieces, and pop psychology sites should not be used unless you directly criticize them. And yes, using random posts on social media as proof is a big red flag. The IB wants students to be critical.

One more tip? Make a chart or a record of your research as you go. I’ve seen that students who keep track of their sources from the start find it a lot easier to write the list.

Instead of making your experiment, your goal is to make a strong case based on good psychology research.

How to Reference Psychological Theories and Studies in Psychology Extended Essay?

The real work starts once you have your sources. Your goal isn’t just to add quotes to your paper to make it longer. Your case is based on psychology theory and backed up by relevant research.

That means using well-known studies when they back up what you’re saying, but not just describing them. Anyone can sum up Bandura’s Bobo Doll project. But IB examiners want to know what it means, how it relates to your question, and if the way it was done can stand up to close examination. As an example:

• Was the sample size too small?
• Were there cultural or ethical concerns?
• Can the findings be applied to your population of interest?

You should also link research to three main areas of psychology: biology, cognitive, and social. From what I’ve seen, students who clear these links tend to do better in the “critical thinking” and “knowledge and understanding” categories.

If they are related to your topic, here are some examples of well-known studies that you could use as samples:

1. Bandura et al. (1961) – Social learning theory and aggression
2. Loftus and Palmer (1974) – Memory reconstruction and eyewitness testimony
3. Milgram (1963) – Obedience to authority
4. Baumrind (1967) – Parenting styles and child behavior
5. Schachter and Singer (1962) – Emotion and cognition

These aren’t just filler; use them to help your research. You should still ask, “How does this help my argument?” when you use a well-known study.

Finally, when you quote something, you should always use APA style. The IB Psychology EE requires this, and using wrong or odd sources can lower your grade. The text should have quotes and a list of sources at the end. Before you turn it in, make sure that everything is written correctly.

Even though you’re using research already done, your imagination comes through when picking, analyzing, and discussing your sources. You can think like a scientist even though you’re not wearing one.

Final Thoughts

Writing an IB Psychology EE might seem impossible, but if you know how to do it right, it will be much easier and even fun. From what I’ve seen, the best essays are usually written by students who take the task seriously, stick to a framework, and care about the topic.

Still not sure how to write a Psychology Extended Essay? A good question, a clear plan, and the belief that you can do it are the best places to start. One last piece of advice: start writing early, write often, and don’t hesitate to ask for help from our experienced IB writers. So, good luck—you can do it!