Extended Essay supervisor guide

A practical workflow for Extended Essay supervisors

Effective supervision combines enough structure to keep the student moving with enough restraint to preserve independence. A clear workflow helps supervisors focus conversations on research quality, decisions and reflection rather than chasing deadlines through email.

Step 1

Establish expectations early

Clarify meeting expectations, school deadlines, communication channels, academic-integrity requirements and the boundaries of supervisor support before the student reaches the intensive research and writing stages.

Step 2

Use milestones as conversation anchors

Milestones work best when they make student thinking visible. Ask students to bring evidence of decisions, sources, analysis or problems rather than simply reporting whether they are “done”.

Step 3

Give feedback without taking ownership

Frame feedback as questions, priorities and problems for the student to solve. Avoid rewriting passages or prescribing an argument. The student should decide how to respond and record the reasoning behind important revisions.

Step 4

Record meetings and actions consistently

A concise meeting record helps both student and supervisor remember agreed actions and creates continuity across a long project. Focus on decisions, next steps and concerns rather than producing a transcript of everything said.

Step 5

Watch for risk patterns early

Repeated missed milestones, weak source quality, an unfocused question, unclear authorship or long periods of inactivity are easier to address early than close to final submission. Escalate concerns through school procedures where appropriate.

Practical checklist

The student understands the boundaries of supervisor support.
Meetings result in clear student-owned next actions.
Feedback identifies problems without rewriting the work.
Important concerns are documented consistently.
The student keeps evidence of research decisions and changes.
The final reflection conversation remains authentic and student-led.

Frequently asked questions

How often should supervisors meet students?

Schools should set a workable rhythm around their own deadlines and current IB requirements. The important point is that meetings are purposeful and do not replace student independence.

Should supervisors give a predicted grade?

Current assessment is external. Supervisors should follow their school’s process and current IB guidance rather than treating informal feedback as an official grade.

Can supervisors see private reflection notes?

A school platform can distinguish student-private reflection from content intentionally shared with a supervisor. Schools should make those visibility rules clear to students.

Manage the full EE journey in one place

Extended Essay Dashboard gives students a structured research journey while supervisors and coordinators get clear school-scoped oversight.

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This guidance supports school practice and does not replace current official IB documentation or your school's approved Extended Essay policies.