IB History EE

IB History Extended Essay Grader

1. Lots of students struggle to decode their History Extended Essay grade and assessment.
2. This is a free grading tool that breaks down the IB History EE rubric into plain English, so you understand exactly where your 4,000-word historical research project stands across all five assessment criteria.
3. The embedded grader makes self-evaluation faster and more accurate than manual rubric checking, so you're never left guessing.

Quick Start Checklist

1. Before using the grader, ensure you have these key elements ready:
   1. Research Question - Clear, focused historical question that allows for extended investigation and analysis
   2. Historical Focus - Must be based on historical events, developments, or issues with sufficient temporal scope for extended research
   3. Primary and Secondary Sources - Substantial collection of primary sources (documents, artifacts) and secondary sources (historical scholarship)
   4. Historical Analysis - Extended critical evaluation of historical evidence with source analysis and interpretation
   5. Word Count Verification - Maximum 4,000 words (excluding bibliography, footnotes, and appendices)
   6. Complete Structure - Introduction, Investigation, Analysis, Conclusion, Bibliography, and Reflections
   7. Supervisor Meetings - Evidence of 3 mandatory reflection sessions with your EE supervisor
   8. Historical Methodology - Demonstration of understanding of historical research methods and source evaluation

Rubric Breakdown

The History EE is assessed using five criteria, totaling 34 marks.

Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 marks)

1. This criterion tests how clear and focused your historical research question is.
2. It evaluates whether your methodology is appropriate for historical investigation.

Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 marks)

1. This evaluates your grasp of historical concepts and understanding of historical context.
2. It tests how well you apply historical knowledge and demonstrate subject expertise.

Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 marks)

1. This is the most important criterion - worth 35% of your total grade.
2. It assesses your ability to analyze historical evidence, evaluate historical arguments, and synthesize findings.

Criterion D: Presentation (4 marks)

1. This assesses professional presentation and academic formatting.
2. It includes structure, historical communication, and adherence to academic conventions.

Criterion E: Engagement (6 marks)

1. This tests your personal engagement with the historical research process.
2. It's based on your reflection sessions and demonstrates your intellectual development.

How to Interpret Your Grade from the Tool

1. The embedded grader calculates your total score out of 28 marks across all criteria except E, your reflections.
2. Here's how to interpret your results:
   1. 24-28 marks (Grade A territory): Excellent work with sophisticated historical research. Minor refinements needed.
   2. 19-23 marks marks (Grade B range): Strong project with good historical analysis. Focus on critical evaluation and source synthesis.
   3. 14-18 marks (Grade C level): Competent work meeting basic requirements. Strengthen historical analysis and evidence evaluation.
   4. 9-13 marks (Grade D range): Adequate foundation but needs significant improvement. Review research focus and historical understanding.
   5. Below 9 marks (Grade E): Major revision required across most criteria. Restructure approach and strengthen historical fundamentals.

Grade Boundaries & Converting Your Mark

IB Extended Essay grade boundaries are consistent across subjects but can vary slightly by session:

Subject-Specific Tips

Political History Focus:

1. Investigate political movements, diplomatic relations, policy development, or governmental transitions.
2. Include government archives, diplomatic correspondence, policy documents, and political memoirs.

Social History Focus:

1. Examine social movements, demographic changes, cultural transformations, or everyday experiences.
2. Use census data, personal diaries, newspapers, photographs, and oral histories.

Economic History Focus:

1. Study economic policies, industrial development, trade patterns, or financial systems.
2. Include economic statistics, business records, trade documents, and financial reports.

Military History Focus:

1. Investigate military campaigns, strategic decisions, technological developments, or war impacts.
2. Use military archives, battle reports, strategic documents, and veteran testimonies.

Cultural/Intellectual History Focus:

1. Analyze intellectual movements, artistic developments, educational changes, or religious transformations.
2. Include literary works, artistic pieces, educational documents, and religious texts.

International History Focus:

1. Study diplomatic relations, international organizations, transnational movements, or global processes.
2. Use diplomatic archives, international agreements, organizational records, and multilateral correspondence.

Research Process Guide

1. Planning Phase: Research question development → Source identification → Methodology planning → Supervisor consultation
2. Research Phase: Primary source collection → Secondary literature review → Source analysis → Evidence organization
3. Writing Phase: Argument structure → Evidence integration → Critical analysis → Conclusion development
4. Reflection Phase: Methodology evaluation → Source assessment → Research challenges → Learning insights

FAQs

1. What time periods can I investigate?
   1. Any historical period ending at least 10 years before your research date.
2. How many sources should I include?
   1. Minimum 15-20 sources with substantial primary source component.
3. Should my question connect to syllabus content?
   1. No - choose any historical topic of personal interest outside current syllabus.
4. What makes strong primary sources?
   1. Archival documents, contemporary newspapers, government records, personal correspondence, or artifacts.
5. How should I access archives?
   1. Use digital archives, university collections, national libraries, or specialized repositories.
6. Can I use translated sources?
   1. Yes - but acknowledge translation limitations and cite original language where possible.
7. Should I include maps and images?
   1. Where relevant - historical maps, photographs, documents, or artifacts enhance historical analysis.
8. How detailed should my historiography be?
   1. Engage with key historians and major interpretations relevant to your research question.
9. What reflection topics work well?
   1. Discuss archival challenges, source limitations, methodological decisions, or interpretation difficulties.
10. Can I conduct interviews?
    1. For recent history (post-1950) - oral history interviews can provide valuable primary evidence.
11. What makes a History EE exceptional?
    1. Original research question, extensive primary sources, sophisticated analysis, historiographical engagement, and methodological sophistication.

Use the Free History Extended Essay Grader Now

1. Stop guessing about your grade.
2. The comprehensive grading tool evaluates your EE against all five official criteria, giving instant feedback on strengths and improvement areas.
3. Input your project details and get a preliminary grade calculation that helps you focus revision efforts where they matter most.
4. History-specific analysis helps you master the historical research and critical evaluation that separate excellent from average History Extended Essays.