One of the most important technical requirements for your IB Internal Assessments (IAs) and Extended Essay (EE) is the word count. Exceeding or falling short of the word count can affect how your work is assessed—and ultimately, your grade. This guide explains the key word count limits, what counts toward them, and how to manage your writing effectively.
Why Word Count Matters
IB examiners will not read beyond the stated word limit for an IA or Extended Essay. If you exceed the limit, any content past that point will not be considered in marking. This means critical analysis, evaluation, or conclusions could be ignored—costing you valuable marks. On the other hand, writing too little can indicate insufficient depth, reducing your score.
IB Word Count Guidelines by Assignment Type
Internal Assessments (IA)
Word count limits vary by subject. Below are common examples:
- Biology IA – Maximum 2,200 words
- Chemistry IA – Maximum 2,200 words
- Physics IA – Often up to 3,000 words
- Geography IA – Maximum 2,500 words
- Psychology IA – Maximum 2,000 words
- Business Management IA – Typically 1,500–2,000 words
Most IAs fall within a 1,500 to 2,500 word range, depending on the subject and level (SL/HL).
Extended Essay (EE)
- All subjects – Maximum 4,000 words
This is a strict upper limit. The IB recommends aiming close to this word count to ensure sufficient depth and analysis.
What Counts Toward the IB Word Count?
Included in word count:
- Introduction, methodology, analysis, discussion, and conclusion
- Research question
- Direct quotations
- Footnotes that contain substantial text (e.g., additional analysis)
Excluded from word count:
- Title page
- Table of contents
- References/bibliography
- Appendices
- Tables, diagrams, charts, calculations (if not embedded within text)
- Short footnotes or citations that simply reference sources
Risks of Exceeding or Falling Short
- Exceeding word count: Examiners will stop reading at the limit. Any arguments or conclusions beyond the word count won’t be marked, which can hurt your grade.
- Falling significantly short: Producing work well under the expected word count usually signals insufficient analysis, evaluation, or depth. This can result in lower marks across several assessment criteria.
Tips for Staying Within Word Count
- Plan your structure and allocate a rough word count to each section (e.g., intro 300 words, analysis 1,000 words).
- Be concise. Avoid filler phrases, repetition, or unnecessary explanation.
- Use appendices for raw data, large tables, or supplementary materials.
- Revise carefully. Tighten your language in later drafts without losing clarity or depth.
- Use word count tools in your document editor to check section totals during drafting.
Final Thoughts
IB word counts are strict guidelines designed to keep your work focused and manageable. By staying within the limits, you ensure that all your key points and analysis are considered during marking. Going over risks losing credit for important sections; writing too little risks insufficient depth.
For checklists, word count planners, and exemplar IAs and EEs to guide your writing, visit RevisionDojo, where IB specialists provide tools to help you stay on target and maximize your marks.
