The International Baccalaureate Extended Essay (EE) is one of the most significant components of the IB Diploma Programme, challenging students to conduct independent research and produce a 4,000-word scholarly paper. Choosing the right topic can make the difference between a rewarding research experience and months of frustration. This comprehensive guide presents over 100 carefully curated Extended Essay topic ideas across multiple subjects to inspire your research journey in 2026.
Understanding the IB Extended Essay
Before diving into topic ideas, it’s essential to understand what makes an excellent Extended Essay topic. The best topics are focused, researchable, and genuinely interesting to you as a student. Your chosen topic should allow for critical analysis, have sufficient available resources, and align with IB assessment criteria.
The Extended Essay requires you to formulate a clear research question, conduct thorough investigation, and present well-structured arguments supported by evidence. Your topic should be narrow enough to explore deeply within 4,000 words but broad enough to find adequate research materials.
English Literature Extended Essay Topics
English Literature offers rich opportunities for literary analysis and interpretation. Consider these engaging topic ideas:
Contemporary Literature Analysis
1. How does Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie use narrative structure in “Americanah” to explore the immigrant experience?
2. To what extent does Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” challenge traditional notions of masculinity through poetic prose?
3. How does Madeline Miller reinterpret female agency in “Circe” compared to Homer’s original portrayal?
Classical Literature Exploration
4. How does Shakespeare’s use of soliloquies in “Hamlet” reveal the protagonist’s psychological deterioration?
5. To what extent does Jane Austen critique social mobility through marriage in “Pride and Prejudice”?
6. How does the symbolism of light and darkness function in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”?
Comparative Literature Studies
7. How do Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez and Salman Rushdie employ magical realism differently to address postcolonial identity?
8. To what extent do “1984” and “Brave New World” present contrasting visions of totalitarian control?
9. How do female protagonists challenge patriarchal structures in “The Handmaid’s Tale” versus “The Color Purple”?
Thematic Analysis
10. How is the concept of the American Dream deconstructed in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”?
11. To what extent does Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” employ stream of consciousness to explore mental health?
12. How does Toni Morrison use narrative fragmentation in “Beloved” to represent trauma and memory?
History Extended Essay Topics
History EEs allow you to investigate significant events, movements, and changes across different time periods and regions.
20th Century History
13. To what extent did propaganda influence public opinion during the Vietnam War in the United States?
14. How significant was the role of women in the French Resistance during World War II?
15. What were the primary causes of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and how did they reflect broader social tensions?
16. How did the Marshall Plan contribute to the economic recovery of Western Europe after World War II?
Cold War Studies
17. To what extent did the Cuban Missile Crisis alter Soviet-American diplomatic relations?
18. How did the Space Race influence technological advancement and education policy in the United States?
19. What role did youth movements play in the Prague Spring of 1968?
Social and Cultural History
20. How did the Harlem Renaissance challenge racial stereotypes in 1920s America?
21. To what extent did the suffragette movement in Britain employ violent tactics, and how effective were they?
22. How did the Great Depression impact immigration policies in the United States during the 1930s?
Regional History
23. What factors led to the partition of India in 1947, and what were its immediate consequences?
24. How did apartheid policies affect education access in South Africa between 1948 and 1994?
25. To what extent did nationalism contribute to the outbreak of World War I in the Balkans?
Biology Extended Essay Topics
Biology offers opportunities to explore life sciences through experimental work or literature-based research.
Ecology and Environmental Science
26. How does microplastic pollution affect the feeding behavior of zooplankton in marine ecosystems?
27. To what extent do invasive plant species reduce native biodiversity in local wetland ecosystems?
28. How does urban light pollution impact nocturnal pollinator activity?
29. What is the relationship between soil pH levels and plant species diversity in forest ecosystems?
Human Biology and Health
30. How does intermittent fasting affect blood glucose regulation in healthy adults?
31. To what extent does caffeine consumption influence reaction time and cognitive performance?
32. How do different exercise intensities affect post-exercise oxygen consumption?
33. What is the relationship between sleep duration and academic performance in IB students?
Cellular and Molecular Biology
34. How does temperature affect the rate of cellular respiration in yeast?
35. To what extent do different concentrations of salt solution affect osmosis in potato cells?
36. How does pH level influence the activity of catalase enzyme?
Genetics and Evolution
37. How has antibiotic resistance evolved in bacterial populations over the past two decades?
38. To what extent does genetic variation affect drought resistance in crop species?
39. How do environmental factors influence gene expression in model organisms?
Chemistry Extended Essay Topics
Chemistry EEs can involve laboratory investigations or theoretical analysis of chemical concepts.
Organic Chemistry
40. How does temperature affect the yield of ester formation in Fischer esterification?
41. To what extent do different catalysts influence the rate of alcohol oxidation?
42. How does the structure of different alcohols affect their oxidation rates?
43. What is the relationship between molecular structure and the effectiveness of natural antioxidants?
Analytical Chemistry
44. How does the vitamin C content in fruit juices change over time under different storage conditions?
45. To what extent can paper chromatography distinguish between natural and artificial food colorings?
46. How do different water purification methods affect water quality indicators?
Physical Chemistry
47. How does concentration affect the enthalpy change of neutralization reactions?
48. To what extent does surface area influence the rate of reaction between marble chips and hydrochloric acid?
49. How does temperature affect the equilibrium constant in reversible reactions?
Environmental Chemistry
50. How effective are different household materials at removing heavy metals from contaminated water?
51. To what extent do different soil types affect the leaching of fertilizer nutrients?
52. How does pH level influence the corrosion rate of different metals?
Physics Extended Essay Topics
Physics topics can range from theoretical investigations to practical experiments.
Mechanics
53. How does the angle of release affect the range of a projectile in different gravitational conditions?
54. To what extent does air resistance affect the motion of falling objects of different shapes?
55. How does the coefficient of restitution vary with drop height for different ball materials?
56. What is the relationship between the length of a pendulum and its period in simple harmonic motion?
Waves and Optics
57. How does the diffraction pattern change with varying slit widths in single-slit diffraction?
58. To what extent does the material of a lens affect chromatic aberration?
59. How does the intensity of polarized light vary with the angle between polarizing filters?
Electricity and Magnetism
60. How does temperature affect the internal resistance of batteries?
61. To what extent does the number of coil turns influence the induced EMF in electromagnetic induction?
62. How does the distance between capacitor plates affect capacitance?
Thermodynamics
63. How does the rate of cooling vary with surface area in Newton’s Law of Cooling?
64. To what extent does insulation material thickness affect heat transfer rates?
65. How does the specific heat capacity of different materials influence their cooling rates?
Economics Extended Essay Topics
Economics EEs allow exploration of economic theories, policies, and real-world phenomena.
Microeconomics
66. To what extent has the gig economy affected labor market flexibility in urban areas?
67. How does price elasticity of demand vary between luxury and necessity goods in the smartphone market?
68. What impact do minimum wage policies have on youth employment rates in developed countries?
69. How effective are carbon taxes in reducing emissions in the transportation sector?
Macroeconomics
70. To what extent did quantitative easing policies affect inflation rates following the 2008 financial crisis?
71. How do exchange rate fluctuations impact tourism revenue in small island economies?
72. What is the relationship between government debt levels and economic growth in European nations?
International Economics
73. How have trade agreements affected agricultural exports in developing nations?
74. To what extent has globalization increased income inequality within developed countries?
75. How do trade barriers impact consumer welfare in protected industries?
Development Economics
76. What role does microfinance play in poverty reduction in rural communities?
77. How effective are foreign aid programs in promoting sustainable development?
78. To what extent does infrastructure investment correlate with economic growth in emerging markets?
Psychology Extended Essay Topics
Psychology offers fascinating opportunities to explore human behavior and mental processes.
Cognitive Psychology
79. How does background music affect memory recall in different age groups?
80. To what extent does the use of mnemonic devices improve vocabulary retention in language learners?
81. How does multitasking impact task performance and accuracy among students?
82. What is the relationship between sleep deprivation and decision-making abilities?
Social Psychology
83. How does social media usage correlate with self-esteem levels among teenagers?
84. To what extent does group size influence conformity behavior in decision-making tasks?
85. How do cultural differences affect non-verbal communication interpretation?
Developmental Psychology
86. How does parental attachment style influence social development in early childhood?
87. To what extent does bilingualism affect cognitive flexibility in children?
88. How does screen time exposure correlate with attention span in young children?
Abnormal Psychology
89. How effective are different therapeutic approaches in treating anxiety disorders?
90. To what extent does stigma affect help-seeking behavior for mental health issues among adolescents?
91. How does cognitive-behavioral therapy compare to mindfulness interventions for stress management?
Mathematics Extended Essay Topics
Mathematics EEs can explore applications of mathematical concepts or theoretical investigations.
Applied Mathematics
92. How can game theory be applied to analyze competitive strategies in the smartphone market?
93. To what extent can mathematical modeling predict traffic flow patterns in urban environments?
94. How effective are different voting systems in representing voter preferences?
95. What is the optimal strategy for resource allocation in disaster response scenarios?
Statistics and Probability
96. How accurately can regression analysis predict housing prices based on various factors?
97. To what extent do different sampling methods affect survey result reliability?
98. How can statistical analysis reveal patterns in climate change data over decades?
Pure Mathematics
99. How can Fibonacci sequences be identified and analyzed in natural phenomena?
100. To what extent do different numerical methods provide accurate approximations for complex equations?
101. How can graph theory optimize network design in telecommunications?
Mathematical Modeling
102. How can differential equations model population growth in constrained environments?
103. To what extent can mathematical models predict epidemic spread in communities?
104. How effective are optimization algorithms in solving real-world scheduling problems?
Computer Science Extended Essay Topics
Computer Science EEs can focus on programming projects, theoretical concepts, or technology analysis.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
105. How effective are different machine learning algorithms in detecting spam emails?
106. To what extent can neural networks accurately classify images with limited training data?
107. How do various data preprocessing techniques affect machine learning model accuracy?
Software Development
108. How can mobile applications be optimized for accessibility for users with visual impairments?
109. To what extent do different sorting algorithms perform efficiently with large datasets?
110. How effective are various encryption methods in securing personal data transmission?
Cybersecurity
111. How vulnerable are common password authentication systems to brute force attacks?
112. To what extent can blockchain technology enhance data security in healthcare systems?
113. How effective are different firewall configurations in preventing network intrusions?
Human-Computer Interaction
114. How does user interface design affect user engagement in educational applications?
115. To what extent do different navigation structures improve website usability?
116. How can gamification elements enhance learning outcomes in educational software?
Environmental Systems and Societies Extended Essay Topics
ESS topics bridge natural and social sciences with environmental issues.
Climate Change
117. How effective are urban green spaces in reducing heat island effects in major cities?
118. To what extent have renewable energy policies reduced carbon emissions in Scandinavian countries?
119. How does deforestation impact local climate patterns in tropical regions?
Conservation and Biodiversity
120. How effective are marine protected areas in preserving coral reef ecosystems?
121. To what extent do wildlife corridors facilitate species migration in fragmented habitats?
122. How has rewilding affected ecosystem recovery in abandoned agricultural lands?
Sustainability
123. How effective are circular economy initiatives in reducing waste in urban communities?
124. To what extent does sustainable agriculture improve soil health compared to conventional farming?
125. How do different recycling programs influence waste reduction rates in communities?
Environmental Policy
126. How effective are plastic bag bans in reducing plastic pollution in coastal areas?
127. To what extent do green building certifications influence energy consumption in commercial buildings?
128. How have environmental education programs affected conservation behaviors among students?
Tips for Choosing Your Extended Essay Topic
Selecting the right topic is crucial for your Extended Essay success. Consider these essential factors:
Follow Your Passion: Choose a topic that genuinely interests you. You’ll spend months researching and writing, so enthusiasm matters.
Assess Resource Availability: Ensure you have access to sufficient primary and secondary sources. Topics requiring specialized equipment or restricted information may prove challenging.
Consider Scope: Your research question should be specific enough for in-depth analysis but not so narrow that you struggle to find information.
Seek Guidance: Discuss your ideas with your supervisor early. They can help refine your research question and identify potential challenges.
Think Practically: Consider practical constraints like time, budget, and access to materials or locations.
Ensure Originality: While you’re not expected to make groundbreaking discoveries, your approach or analysis should offer fresh perspective.
Getting Started with Your Extended Essay
Once you’ve chosen your topic, follow these steps to launch your research effectively:
- Formulate a clear, focused research question
- Create a detailed research plan and timeline
- Conduct preliminary research to confirm resource availability
- Develop a working thesis or argument
- Begin systematic note-taking and source documentation
- Schedule regular meetings with your supervisor
- Create an outline before beginning your first draft
Remember that the Extended Essay is as much about developing research skills as it is about the final product. Embrace the learning process and don’t hesitate to refine your approach as you progress.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many students encounter similar challenges during their Extended Essay journey:
- Choosing overly broad topics that lack focus
- Starting research too late in the process
- Failing to develop a clear argument or thesis
- Poor time management and planning
- Inadequate citation and referencing
- Not seeking feedback from supervisors regularly
- Attempting to cover too many aspects of a topic
- Ignoring assessment criteria requirements
Being aware of these pitfalls can help you navigate your Extended Essay more successfully.
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