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History Extended Essay Guide
A complete guide to researching, structuring and writing a high-scoring IB History Extended Essay.
What is a History Extended Essay?
The History Extended Essay (EE) is one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of the IB Diploma. Below you will find everything you need to choose a strong topic, design your methodology, and write a high-scoring EE in History.
Word Count
3,500 – 4,000 words
Excluding bibliography, abstract, and appendices. Budget every section carefully before you start writing.
Assessment
Graded A–E
Combined with the TOK essay for up to 3 bonus IB Diploma points. A strong EE and TOK = maximum bonus.
Timeline
12–18 months
From initial topic to final submission. Most students underestimate this. Start early and plan backwards from your deadline.
Supervision
3 required meetings
Initial, interim, and final (viva voce). Each requires an RPPF reflection. Your supervisor approves your RQ.
Strong History EE Topic Ideas
| Topic Idea | Why It Works | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| To what extent was the Treaty of Versailles responsible for the rise of the Nazi Party? | Debated, good historiography, clear argument | Easy |
| How effective was Soviet propaganda in legitimising Stalin’s Great Purge (1936–1938)? | Primary sources available, good scope | Medium |
| To what extent did Operation Barbarossa determine the outcome of WWII on the Eastern Front? | Military history, strong evidence base | Medium |
| How did the Cuban Missile Crisis reveal the limitations of Cold War deterrence theory? | Archival evidence, historiographical debate | Hard |
| To what extent was Mao’s Cultural Revolution a political power play rather than an ideological project? | Chinese history, strong primary sources (diaries, speeches) | Hard |
| How significant was the role of women in the French Resistance during WWII? | Social history angle, archival sources, clear scope | Medium |
Subject-Specific Advice
Primary Sources
Essential — not optional
Your EE must use primary sources: speeches, newspapers, photographs, government documents, eyewitness accounts. The IB expects historians to work with original evidence.
Historiography
Engage with historian debate
Cite at least 2–3 historians who interpret your topic differently. Explain their positions and evaluate whose argument the evidence supports.
Scope
Time period and geography
Specify the exact time period and geographic scope of your RQ. “The Cold War” is too broad. “Soviet foreign policy between 1947 and 1953” is specific and manageable.
Causation
Avoid narrative
Structure your essay around causation and argument — not chronological narrative. “Why” and “to what extent” questions force analytical, not descriptive, writing.
Assessment & Common Mistakes
Assessed on: use of historical sources, historical awareness, analysis and argument, and critical evaluation of historical perspectives. The strongest essays combine primary source analysis with sophisticated engagement with the historiographical debate.
⚠ Common Pitfall
The most common History EE mistake is writing a narrative (“first this happened, then that happened”) instead of an argument. Every paragraph should make a historical claim and support it with specific evidence — not just tell the story. Examiners penalise description heavily.
History EE Checklist
- ✓ My RQ asks a “to what extent” or “how significant” question — not a “what happened” question
- ✓ I have at least 3 primary sources (speeches, documents, newspapers, photos)
- ✓ I engage with at least 2 historians who disagree about my topic
- ✓ My essay is organised around arguments, not chronology
- ✓ Every historical claim is supported by specific, cited evidence
- ✓ My conclusion evaluates the competing arguments and reaches a justified historical judgement
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