📖
English Literature Extended Essay Guide
Comprehensive guide to writing a Band A IB Extended Essay in English Literature.
What is a English Literature Extended Essay?
The English Literature 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 English Literature.
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 English Literature EE Topic Ideas
| Topic Idea | Why It Works | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| How does Nabokov use unreliable narration in Lolita to implicate the reader? | Specific technique, rich for analysis, clear argument | Hard |
| To what extent does Woolf use stream of consciousness in Mrs Dalloway to critique post-WWI society? | Strong social context, excellent for textual analysis | Medium |
| How does Achebe challenge colonial discourse in Things Fall Apart? | Postcolonial framework, clear thesis direction | Medium |
| What role does silence play in Pinter’s The Homecoming? | Original angle, strong dramatic analysis potential | Hard |
| How does Fitzgerald use colour symbolism in The Great Gatsby to critique the American Dream? | Classic and manageable, lots of secondary criticism | Easy |
| To what extent is 1984 a satire of Stalinism rather than totalitarianism in general? | Historical context, clear argument direction | Medium |
Subject-Specific Advice
Text Selection
Choose 1–3 texts maximum
Focus on one or two texts. Three texts spreads analysis too thin. Depth beats breadth every time.
Literary Theory
Apply a critical lens
Feminist, postcolonial, Marxist, psychoanalytic — a theoretical framework sharpens your argument and impresses examiners.
Avoid Biography
Focus on the text, not the author
Biographical information about the author is almost never relevant. Keep your analysis rooted in the text itself.
Secondary Sources
Use criticism purposefully
Cite literary critics to support or challenge your argument — not just to agree with them. Engage critically.
Assessment & Common Mistakes
Examiners assess: knowledge of the text, quality of argument, use of literary concepts, and critical engagement with secondary sources. The essay must read as genuine literary scholarship.
⚠ Common Pitfall
Students often write descriptive analysis that says what happens in the text rather than what a technique achieves. Every analytical point must answer: what does this technique reveal, and why does it matter for my argument? Also, avoid retelling plot.
English Literature EE Checklist
- ✓ My RQ focuses on a specific literary technique, theme, or question — not a plot summary
- ✓ I have selected 1–2 texts (3 maximum) and I have read them carefully with annotations
- ✓ I apply a clear literary framework (feminist, postcolonial, formalist, etc.)
- ✓ Every paragraph analyses a specific textual moment — not describes it
- ✓ I use secondary criticism to support AND challenge my own readings
- ✓ My conclusion makes an original claim, not just a summary
Need a English Literature EE tutor?