EXPERT GUIDANCE for your IB LITERATURE extended essay
We guide you through every step of this 4,000-word journey, helping you transform your passion for English literature into a sophisticated academic argument.
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We Challenge our Literature Extended Essays IB Students
While many students enjoy reading, the ib extended essay presents unique academic hurdles and requirements that distinguish it from standard coursework. Here are the specific pain points we help you challenge and overcome:
«Retelling the story instead of analyzing it.» A common trap is filling pages with plot summaries rather than analyzing the literature behind the construction of said plot. To avoid this, we help you shift focus to how the author structures the meaning of each paragraph using specific literary devices.
«A research question that is too broad.» Students often choose massive topics, like «Sexism in classic literature,» that are impossible to cover properly in 4,000 words; which leads to a superficial analysis, insuficient for a good IB score. We help you narrow your scope—for example, focusing on a specific theme in Victorian novels rather than an entire era.
«Not finding ‘scholarly’ sources that agree with the research.» Finding and integrating secondary sources is difficult. Students often struggle to locate credible literary criticism to support their ideas; which can lead to a lack of engagement with academic context that hurts your Knowledge and Understanding score. We teach you how to debate and agree with critics rather than just citing them.
What Makes an Excellent Literature Extended Essay?
A successful ib extended essay in literature is a formal research paper, not a book report you present as your homework at school. It requires you to formulate a focused argument about a literary text and defend it using textual evidence and secondary research with proper investigation methods and sources. You must demonstrate the ability to engage with world literature or English literature at a depth that balances original insight with already established scholarship.

Focus and Method (6 points)
Your essay must be lead by a sharp Research Question. Whether you are studying contemporary or ancient literature, your method must include a clear selection of texts and a justified analytical approach.

Knowledge and Understanding (6 points)
You must demonstrate command of the text and relevant literary terms, knowing the conventios of the chosen genre. This criteria also assesses how well you use sources for literary criticism to contextualize your argument.

Critical Thinking (12 points)
How successfully do you construct an argument? Do you analyze the effects of literary features? Do you evaluate the validity of literary essays and critiques regarding your text?

Presentation (4 points)
Your essay must look professional. This includes a table of contents, correct page numbering, and impeccable citation formatting.

Engagement (6 points)
The RPPF (Reflections on Planning and Progress Form) is vital. You must document your intellectual journey, showing how you refined your ideas and literature research.
Literature Extended Essay Topics That Work
The best topic is one that genuinely interests you, but it must also be specific to avoid a shallow analysis. Here are examples of how we can frame popular interests and general themes into rigorous research topics and how specifically they need to be written. If you only have a general idea until now, don’t worry, your designated tutor will help you choose absolute killer themes such as:
Dystopian & Science Fiction
We can frame the idea of the processes and techniques used in contruction of a dystopia:
«The role of invented language in enforcing control: A comparison of Newspeak in 1984 and Nadsat in A Clockwork Orange in the context of dystopian literature.»
«Examining science literature elements in Frankenstein to critique Enlightenment scientific ambition.».
Social & Cultural Analysis
Literature is often a expression of the realities and events in our society. How does the narrator shape our perpective?:
«The representation of trauma in African American literature: A study of imagery in Toni Morrison’s Beloved.»
«Conflict between tradition and modernity in postcolonial literature works by Chinua Achebe.
Gender & Identity
Exploring your identity through a story is a way to stablish your views and share them with like minded individuals. How does an author establish these defining ideas about a character or the population this character belongs to?:
«Subverting the ‘Angel in the House’: Feminist literature and the critique of domesticity in 19th-century texts.»
«The construction of masculinity in American lit short stories.»
Our Literature Extended Essay Support Process
With our IB tutors
We have developed a systematic approach so every one of our mentors can guide you from your initial extended essay ideas to a polished quality submission worthy of the top scores.
Text Selection & Question Development (Weeks 1-2)
Methodology & Literature Review (Weeks 3-4)
Close Reading & Analysis (Weeks 5-8)
Writing & Academic Voice (Weeks 9-12)
Reflection & Final Polish (Weeks 13-14)
Get Expert Literature Extended Essay Guidance
The difference between a mediocre score and an ‘A’ on your Literature Extended Essay often comes down to the quality of guidance you receive, since we don’t expect you to know how to do everything alone. Don’t let the pressure of finding the perfect literary criticism or formulating a complex thesis overwhelm you.
At Get IB Tutor, we provide the mentorship you need to navigate the world of Literature research with confidence. Whether you are just starting to brainstorm ideas or need expert eyes on a nearly finished draft, our tutors are ready to help you refine your arguments and polish your prose. Start your journey toward a top-scoring essay today