Word Count Rules for the EE (DP IB Extended Essay): Revision Note

What counts toward the EE word limit?

• The Extended Essay (EE) has a maximum limit of 4,000 words

• Included in the word count:

  • The introduction

  • The body

  • The conclusion

  • All quotations—the direct use of another person’s words within the text

  • Any footnotes or endnotes that are not purely bibliographic references, such as those used for additional commentary or definitions

• Excluded from the word count:

  • The bibliography—the complete list of every source consulted during the research

  • Citations—short references within the text that acknowledge a specific source (whether parenthetical, numbered, footnotes, or endnotes)

  • Tables, diagrams, maps, charts and annotated illustrations

  • Equations, formulas and calculations, which often result in Mathematics essays having a lower word count

  • The contents page, headers and title page

  • The Reflection and Progress Form (RPF)—the mandatory 500-word reflective statement

  • Footnotes used specifically to provide an original language quotation when the main text provides a translation

Word count "loopholes"

• Examiners are instructed not to read or assess any material in excess of the word limit

Do’s and Don’ts of Word Count:

• Don't put analysis—the process of exploring "why" and "how"—inside tables or image captions

• Don't use footnotes to provide definitions or additional arguments, as these will be counted toward the limit and may compromise the essay's performance

• Don't place essential research findings in the appendices—supplementary sections for raw data or transcripts—because examiners are not required to read them

• Do ensure all content required for a reasoned argument is contained within the main body of the essay

• Do use the bibliography only for source details and not for descriptive notes

• Misplacing analysis in tables or appendices creates a high risk for Criterion C (analysis and line of argument) and Criterion D (discussion and evaluation) if the examiner ignores that content

• If an essay exceeds the 4,000—word limit, examiners are instructed to stop reading exactly at the 4,000th word

  • For example, this means the conclusion may be ignored entirely if the word count is reached before the conclusion begins