Extended Essay Response practice questions.

In an IB History extended essay-style response, what is the primary function of the thesis statement?

• To list every source used in the essay
• To present a clear argument answering the question
• To describe events in chronological order
• To summarise the marking criteria

Answer: To present a clear argument answering the question

A strong thesis presents a defensible, focused argument directly answering the question, which the body paragraphs then substantiate.

An examiner notes that an essay is 'narrative rather than analytical'. What does this criticism mean?

• It uses too many quotations from sources
• It describes events without analysis
• It reaches a conclusion too early
• It cites too many historians

Answer: It describes events without analysis

Narrative writing recounts events; the top bands require analysis that explains, evaluates and argues in response to the question.

Which approach BEST demonstrates the historiographical skill valued in higher-band History essays?

• Repeating the textbook interpretation without comment
• Weighing historians' views to reach a judgement
• Listing dates and names accurately
• Avoiding any reference to other historians

Answer: Weighing historians' views to reach a judgement

Engaging critically with different historians' perspectives and forming a supported judgement is a hallmark of top-band historical writing.

When a question asks students to 'evaluate' the causes of an event, what must the response do?

• Describe the causes in the order they occurred
• Judge the relative importance of the causes
• List as many causes as possible without comment
• Focus only on the single most obvious cause

Answer: Judge the relative importance of the causes

'Evaluate' demands a reasoned judgement weighing strengths and significance, here assessing which causes mattered most and why.

Distinguish the command term 'To what extent' from 'Describe' in an essay prompt.

• Both require only factual recall
• 'To what extent' needs a judgement; 'Describe' needs an account
• 'Describe' requires evaluation; 'To what extent' requires narration
• They are interchangeable in IB History

Answer: 'To what extent' needs a judgement; 'Describe' needs an account

'To what extent' invites a judgement about how far a claim holds, while 'Describe' asks only for a detailed account, a lower-order skill.

What is the main role of a well-constructed conclusion in a History essay?

• To introduce a new argument not seen before
• To draw the analysis into a clear judgement
• To list all the sources consulted
• To repeat the introduction word for word

Answer: To draw the analysis into a clear judgement

A strong conclusion synthesises the argument and delivers a judgement consistent with the evidence presented, without adding new material.