IB Philosophy SL Extended Essay Example

You state a clear research question early and keep the essay broadly oriented around Rawls, taxation, and justification.

You explain the core philosophical frame in a logical order, which makes the argument easy to follow.

You use relevant comparative material, especially Nozick and Sandel, to support the direction of the inquiry.

Your discussion does not always stay tightly within the exact focus of the research question.

The move from Rawls’s original position to your own revised principles is not fully justified.

The methodology would be stronger if you explained more clearly why your selected sources and interpretive path are the best ones for the claim you are making.

You show strong familiarity with the main Rawlsian concepts and use them in a generally coherent way.

You apply source material effectively in the main argument, especially when explaining the difference principle and the role of taxation.

Your use of philosophical terminology is mostly accurate and sustained throughout the essay.

Some important distinctions are blurred, especially when Rawls is made to sound more collectivist than he is.

Your treatment of Sandel and the proposed virtue framework needs more conceptual precision.

Several claims are clear in intent but remain underexplained, so the knowledge shown is not always fully secure.