Do I need a final research question before my first EE supervision meeting?

No, your research question can still be provisional at the first meeting. Bring 2-3 possible versions so that you and your supervisor can compare their focus, feasibility, and suitability for the subject. Preliminary reading should inform these versions, because a question cannot be judged properly without considering available evidence. Your supervisor may help you identify vague terms or an unrealistic scope, but the final decision remains yours. Record what you change and why in your Researcher's Reflection Space.

How many sources should I bring to the first EE meeting?

A practical target is 3-5 credible sources that you have opened, read, and briefly evaluated, unless your school specifies another number. Quality and relevance matter more than producing a long bibliography at this stage. Bring short notes explaining what each source contributes and where its limitations lie. In an experimental or data-based essay, you may also need preliminary information about datasets, equipment, or data collection procedures. If appropriate sources are difficult to locate, tell your supervisor because that may indicate a feasibility problem.

Is the first supervision meeting the same as the first formal reflection session?

Not necessarily, because schools may schedule an informal topic meeting before the first formal reflection. The IB requires three formal reflection sessions, but ordinary check-ins can also take place during the process. Ask your supervisor or EE coordinator whether the scheduled meeting will be formally recorded. This distinction matters because the formal sessions contribute to the official reflection process and authentication of your work. Always follow your school's calendar and the form applicable to your examination session.

What should I do if I have not chosen an EE topic by the meeting?

Bring 2-3 topic areas connected to subjects in which you have sufficient knowledge and genuine academic interest. For each area, identify one possible question, likely evidence, and a reason the investigation could be manageable. Your supervisor can help you compare feasibility, but should not select the topic on your behalf. Do a small amount of preliminary reading before the meeting so that your options are more than undeveloped interests. Leave the meeting with a specific research task and a deadline for proposing a narrower question.

Should I bring a draft introduction to my first EE supervision meeting?

A draft introduction is usually unnecessary unless your school or supervisor has specifically requested one. At this stage, your research question, method, scope, and source access are more important than polished prose. Writing an introduction too early can commit you to claims that later research does not support. A one-paragraph rationale or provisional answer is more useful because it exposes your current reasoning without requiring extensive drafting. Once the research design is viable, you can begin writing sections that directly support the emerging argument.

What should I write down after my first EE meeting?

Record the main decision, the reason for it, your next action, and the deadline you agreed upon. Note any changes to the research question, method, source strategy, or scope while the conversation is still fresh. You should also record unresolved issues, such as access to data or the need for ethical approval. Store these notes in your Researcher's Reflection Space, which can later help you explain how your thinking developed. If the meeting was a formal reflection session, complete any additional step required by your school and examination cohort.

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What to Bring to Your First EE Supervision Meeting

IB Diploma Extended Essay IB IB Extended Essay

• 2 Oct 2026•10

What to Bring to Your First EE Supervision Meeting

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What to Bring to Your First EE Supervision Meeting | RevisionDojo

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What to Bring to Your First EE Supervision Meeting

IB Diploma Extended Essay IB IB Extended Essay

• 2 Oct 2026•10

Your first Extended Essay supervision meeting is not an occasion to present a finished plan. Bring enough preliminary thinking for your supervisor to test the focus, feasibility, method, and direction of your proposed research.

For a meeting during the September-to-November period, prepare a one-page proposal, 2-3 possible research questions, 3-5 credible sources, preliminary method notes, a timeline, and specific questions. The aim is to leave with a clearer direction and manageable next steps for the IB EE fall term.

First confirm what kind of meeting this is

Schools use “first supervision meeting” differently. It may mean an informal check-in, a topic approval meeting, or the first mandatory formal reflection session. Ask your supervisor or EE coordinator which type has been scheduled because the documentation requirements differ.

The current official IB Extended Essay subject brief requires three formal reflection sessions. For students first assessed in May 2027, attendance is recorded on the Reflection and Progress Form (RPF), and a reflective statement of no more than 500 words is written at the end of the process. Earlier cohorts may use the previous guide and RPPF, so follow the documents supplied by your school.

An informal meeting does not automatically count as a formal session. The IB sets the overall framework, while schools determine internal calendars, approval procedures, and proposal deadlines.

What to bring to your first EE supervision meeting

Use this checklist as a working guide unless your school provides different requirements.

Item	What to prepare	Purpose
One-page proposal	Subject, topic, rationale, question, method, and likely evidence	Structures the discussion
2-3 question versions	Different wording or levels of scope	Supports comparison and refinement
3-5 credible sources	References and short annotations	Tests whether evidence is available
Method plan	How you will collect, select, and analyse evidence	Shows whether the question is answerable
Scope boundaries	Texts, variables, location, period, dataset, or case study	Keeps the project manageable
Timeline	School deadlines and weekly milestones	Turns the idea into a workable project
RRS notes	Decisions, problems, reactions, and changes	Records the development of your thinking
Supervisor questions	3-5 precise concerns	Produces focused feedback

A concise research proposal

Place the essential information on one page: the proposed subject or interdisciplinary pathway, topic, academic rationale, current research question, likely method, anticipated evidence, and immediate next step.

Explain why the topic deserves academic investigation, not only why it interests you. “I enjoy social media” gives a personal preference. Examining how a defined platform strategy affected political communication in a particular election identifies a potential analytical problem.

Alternative research questions

Bring alternatives instead of treating one formulation as final. A suitable working question should be:

Clearly connected to the selected DP subject or subjects
Focused enough for the 4,000-word maximum
Answerable with accessible evidence
Capable of producing analysis rather than description
Compatible with a subject-appropriate method

RevisionDojo's EE research question guidance can help you compare wording. Jojo AI can identify vague terms and possible scope problems, but you must evaluate the question and make the final decision.

Sources you have examined

Bring approximately 3-5 promising sources, unless your school specifies another number. Depending on the subject, these may include academic articles, books, primary documents, datasets, literary texts, or institutional reports.

For each source, record its full reference, central claim or relevant evidence, likely contribution, and important limitations. A list of unread search results does not establish feasibility. Early reading should reveal whether evidence is accessible, scholars disagree, or the proposed scope needs adjustment.

A preliminary method and scope

Your method explains how evidence will answer the research question. It must follow the conventions of the registered subject.

A literature EE might identify texts, literary features, and an interpretive approach. A history proposal could define the period, source types, and treatment of competing interpretations. A science proposal should identify variables, controls, data collection, safety issues, and the intended analysis.

Raise concerns about ethics, consent, laboratory safety, copyright, privacy, or data access before research begins. Also define boundaries such as dates, texts, cases, populations, or variables. These limits help make meaningful analysis possible within 4,000 words.

A realistic fall-term timeline

September-to-November often includes internal assessments, tests, CAS, and university applications. Set small outputs rather than writing “work on EE.” A practical sequence is:

September: test the topic, locate sources, and draft questions
October: confirm the question and method, expand the source base, and outline the essay
November: complete a defined block of research or data collection and begin analytical writing

Add school deadlines and formal reflection dates. If you do not have the official calendar, request it during the meeting.

Your Researcher's Reflection Space

The Researcher's Reflection Space (RRS) is a personal physical or digital record. It can include dated notes, question versions, source evaluations, failed approaches, supervisor takeaways, and reasons for changing direction.

The RRS is not the submitted reflection form. It is a recommended working tool that preserves details needed for meaningful reflection. RevisionDojo's RRS guide provides a practical structure.

Questions worth asking your supervisor

Specific questions produce more useful guidance than “Is my idea good?” Ask:

Which question has the clearest analytical focus?
Does this method fit the subject's conventions?
Is the scope realistic within 4,000 words?
Are there ethical, safety, or access concerns?
Which source type or perspective is missing?
What must I complete before the next meeting?
Is this a formal session, and how will it be recorded?

Your supervisor can challenge assumptions and help evaluate feasibility. They do not choose your argument, conduct your research, rewrite the essay, or guarantee a grade.

What not to bring

Do not prioritise polished formatting or a full introduction before the question and method are viable. Avoid bringing an undeveloped topic, unread search results, unverified AI-generated references, a predetermined conclusion, or a plan that ignores school deadlines.

Changing your question after preliminary research is often evidence of stronger understanding. The guide to revising an EE research question explains the difference between productive refinement and repeated restarting.

End with a recorded next step

Use the final minutes to confirm the decision, its reason, one deliverable, a deadline, and unresolved concerns. For example, you might narrow the investigation to one case study, read five additional academic sources, submit revised wording by a specified date, and confirm access to a proposed dataset.

Add this record to your RRS immediately. For formal sessions, follow your school's instructions. RevisionDojo's guides to the three EE reflection sessions and the RPF explain how these meetings fit into the wider process.

Conclusion

Bring a concise proposal, alternative questions, credible sources, a suitable method, scope boundaries, a timeline, RRS notes, and focused questions. You do not need a perfect plan, but you should be ready to explain what you have investigated and what remains uncertain.

Afterward, use the RevisionDojo EE Guides, Jojo AI, and EE Support to test your next steps while keeping the final decisions and writing your own.

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First confirm what kind of meeting this is

An informal meeting does not automatically count as a formal session. The IB sets the overall framework, while schools determine internal calendars, approval procedures, and proposal deadlines.