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IA and EE guidance is structured academic mentoring providing research framework interpretation, methodology discussion, and draft feedback delivered through IB Innovator's online platform by Certified IB Examiners
The service encompasses research question development dialogue, investigation planning frameworks, data analysis approach discussions, and evaluation methodology interpretation across all IBDP subject groups.
Students receive guidance for Internal Assessment across Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches, Applications and Interpretation), Individuals and Societies (Economics, Business Management, Psychology), and all other DP subject groups. Extended Essay mentoring covers single-subject and interdisciplinary approaches, addressing the complete 4,000-word research process from conceptualisation through submission Preparation
Critical academic boundary: IB Innovators provides guidance, framework interpretation, feedback, and structured academic mentoring. Tutors do not write, edit, or execute coursework content for students. This approach maintains academic integrity compliance with IB policies whilst developing authentic research capabilities students require for university success.
Internal Assessment and Extended Essay represent the IB Diploma Programme's most complex independent research requirements. These assessments demand skills students are still developing: research question formation, methodological rigour, critical evaluation, and sustained academic argumentation.
Unlike examined components with defined content boundaries, IA and EE require students to demonstrate research competencies typically developed through university-level supervision.
IB Innovators' guidance service addresses this developmental gap through examiner-led mentoring that interprets assessment frameworks whilst preserving student authorship. The service exists to provide the structured academic dialogue students need to understand assessment expectations, refine their investigative approach, and develop transferable research skills.
Our guidance tutors include certified IB examiners with 7+ years of assessment experience across IBDP subject groups. include certified IB examiners with 7+ years of assessment experience across IBDP subject groups. These examiners bring assessment literacy—understanding how marking criteria function, what evaluative language signifies, and how assessment judgements distinguish performance levels within rubrics.
For Sciences IA, examiners interpret methodology requirements, data processing expectations, and evaluation framework demands. Our examiner-tutors guide students through rubric interpretation, discussing draft work through the lens of assessment criteria to develop students' understanding of academic expectations.
Each IA and EE guidance session adapts to your specific subject discipline, assessment requirements, and research stage. A Biology HL student exploring enzyme kinetics receives methodology framework discussions rooted in experimental Sciences criteria, whilst an Economics SL student investigating market structures receives guidance grounded in Social Sciences research conventions.
According to IB assessment reports, subject-appropriate methodology represents the area where student understanding most frequently requires development. Subject-specific guidance ensures your investigation design aligns with disciplinary research conventions whilst developing your individual analytical approach.
IB Innovators' IA and EE guidance follows a systematic five-stage framework: research focus identification, question refinement dialogue, methodology framework interpretation, draft feedback cycles, and assessment criteria understanding.
Students who engage with guidance across all five stages demonstrate stronger research planning, clearer academic argumentation, and more sophisticated analytical frameworks in their submissions. The mentoring framework develops transferable research competencies applicable to university-level independent study, creating long-term academic development beyond IBDP assessment preparation.
Four structured stages designed to match students with subject-specialist mentoring
Every enquiry begins with a 30-minute consultation to understand your IA or EE project specifics, current research stage, and guidance requirements. Discuss your subject, research question considerations, methodological uncertainties, and assessment understanding needs.
Receive a tutor match recommendation based on your subject discipline, assessment type (IA or EE), and guidance requirements. Subject-specialist matching ensures your Biology IA receives mentoring from a Biology examiner with experimental Sciences assessment experience.
Work with your matched tutor to refine research questions, interpret methodology requirements, and develop investigation frameworks. For Sciences IA, discuss experimental design frameworks. For Social Sciences EE, explore qualitative or quantitative research frameworks.
Submit draft sections for structured feedback through assessment criteria frameworks. Receive detailed feedback identifying analytical strengths and areas requiring development. Tutors interpret marking criteria application to your specific work.
IA and EE guidance sessions operate at £55 per hour with flexible scheduling to accommodate research timelines. This structure applies across all IBDP subjects and assessment types including Internal Assessment, Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge Essay, and HL Essay guidance.
IA Projects: 4-8 hours typically
Extended Essays: 8-12 hours typically
Duration depends on subject methodological complexity and research stage. Sciences IA often require more methodology framework discussion compared to Social Sciences IA, whilst interdisciplinary EE require additional hours for dual-subject framework integration.
Sessions schedule flexibly around academic calendars, with intensive mentoring available during holiday periods for focused research development. The initial 30-minute consultation provides personalised guidance recommendations before any commitment.
Students typically engage with 4-8 guidance hours for IA projects and 8-12 hours for Extended Essays, depending on subject methodological requirements and research development stage. Sciences IA often require more methodology framework discussion compared to Social Sciences IA, whilst interdisciplinary EE require additional hours for dual-subject framework integration. Your consultation provides a personalised recommendation based on your specific research needs and timeline.
Yes, IB Innovators provides guidance at any research stage, including draft review and framework refinement. Students often seek guidance after completing initial drafts when they require feedback on analytical depth, evaluation framework development, or assessment criteria interpretation. Later-stage guidance focuses on understanding improvement areas within existing work rather than requiring fundamental restructuring.
IB Innovators provides guidance, feedback, and framework interpretation, but tutors do not write, edit, or execute coursework content for students. Guidance includes research focus discussion, methodology framework interpretation, draft reviews with development recommendations, and assessment criteria dialogue. Students maintain complete authorship and academic integrity of their IA and EE work, developing genuine research skills through expert mentoring. This approach ensures compliance with IB academic honesty policies.
Yes, IA and EE guidance covers all IB Diploma Programme subjects across six subject groups. Our tutor network includes certified examiners and subject specialists for Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, ESS), Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches, Applications and Interpretation), Individuals and Societies (Economics, Business Management, Psychology), Languages, and Arts. EE mentoring extends to all subject areas and interdisciplinary approaches.
The 30-minute consultation assesses your IA or EE research specifics, methodological considerations, and guidance requirements. Discuss your research question development, framework uncertainties, and assessment understanding needs with an IB Innovators academic advisor. The consultation includes a personalised tutor matching recommendation and estimated guidance structure tailored to your research timeline. No payment information is required.
IA and EE guidance develops understanding of higher achievement criteria through examiner interpretation of Level 6-7 descriptor language. Tutors discuss assessment framework expectations, analytical depth requirements, and evaluative sophistication that distinguish performance levels. Guidance ensures research questions, methodologies, and analytical approaches develop students' understanding of highest assessment standards through systematic examiner feedback on their developing work.
