In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
Beyond Facts: Becoming an Expert for Your EE
Criterion B assesses how well you demonstrate knowledge of your chosen subject. It's not just about finding information, but about showing you understand the academic conversation surrounding your topic by using appropriate sources, terminology, and concepts like an expert in the field.
Think of writing your EE as being a specialist chef. Your sources are your ingredients. Criterion B isn't just about having high-quality ingredients; it's about demonstrating your culinary expertise. Anyone can follow a recipe (list facts), but a true chef (a top-scoring student) understands the science of cooking—how to properly 'sauté' (analyse), 'deglaze' (synthesise), and 'season' (apply theory) to create a sophisticated and coherent dish (a convincing academic argument).
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Establish Your Foundation: Begin by consulting university-level textbooks and academic review articles to learn the foundational vocabulary, key theories, and established knowledge in your specific topic area.
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Curate Your Sources: Prioritise scholarly sources like peer-reviewed journal articles, academic monographs, and primary sources relevant to your discipline. Your bibliography should reflect the sources an undergraduate researcher would use.
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Integrate, Don't Isolate: Weave subject-specific terminology and concepts into your sentences naturally. Explain why a particular theory or concept is the correct tool to analyse your evidence.
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Demonstrate Through Application: Show your understanding by applying concepts to your data or evidence. Instead of stating a definition, use the term to unlock a deeper insight into your research question.
Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
Deconstructing Criterion B: What Examiners Reward
This criterion has two interconnected pillars that examiners assess:
- Selection and Use of Sources: This is about the quality and relevance of your bibliography. Are your sources academic? Are they appropriate for the specific research question? Do you use a range of sources, including primary and secondary where applicable? An EE in History relying solely on websites will score poorly, just as a Physics EE relying only on a single textbook would.
- Demonstration of Knowledge and Understanding: This is about how you use your subject knowledge within the body of your essay. It is demonstrated through the correct and effective use of subject-specific terminology, the application of relevant theories and concepts, and an overall awareness of the academic field. You must 'talk the talk' of a historian, a biologist, or a literary critic.
Top-scoring essays select sources that are academic, varied, and directly relevant to the specific focus of the question.
Effective use means integrating source material to support your analysis, not just dropping in quotes or paraphrasing without purpose.
Excellent knowledge is shown by applying concepts with nuance and precision, demonstrating you understand not just what a term means, but how it functions in your analysis.
Context is key: Your essay must be clearly identifiable as belonging to the subject in which it is registered. A History EE should read like history, not sociology.
Choosing Your Tools: Selecting Appropriate Academic Sources
The foundation of a strong EE is its research base. Your choice of sources sends an immediate signal to the examiner about the academic rigour of your work. You should aim to build a bibliography that reflects undergraduate-level research. This means prioritising scholarly sources over popular or generalist ones.
Hierarchy of Sources:
- Tier 1 (Excellent): Peer-reviewed journal articles, academic monographs (specialist books), university press publications, primary source documents/data.
- Tier 2 (Good, use with purpose): Reputable textbooks (for foundational knowledge), edited academic collections, publications from major research institutions (e.g., WHO, World Bank), credible news archives (for contemporary topics).
- Tier 3 (Use with caution/avoid): General encyclopaedias (like Wikipedia), non-academic websites, blogs, personal opinion pieces. While a source like Wikipedia can be a starting point to find keywords, it should never be cited as an authoritative source in your final essay.
Speaking the Language: Demonstrating Subject-Specific Understanding
Every academic discipline has its own precise language. Using this language correctly and effectively is the most direct way to demonstrate your knowledge. Simply defining a term is not enough; you must apply it as an analytical tool to interpret your evidence and build your argument. For example, in a Visual Arts EE, instead of saying a painting is 'realistic', you might analyse its use of 'chiaroscuro', 'trompe-l'œil', or its adherence to the principles of 'academic naturalism'. This precision demonstrates a deeper level of engagement and understanding.
Review the subject-specific section of the EE guide for terminology and expectations.
Read scholarly articles in your field and pay attention to the vocabulary and conceptual frameworks the authors use.
Create a glossary of key terms for your topic as you research. Define them and write a sentence about how they apply to your specific research question.
When you introduce a concept or theory, briefly explain its relevance to your argument. This shows you are using it with purpose.
After writing a draft, use the 'Find' function (Ctrl+F) to search for key terms and concepts from your subject. If you find very few, it's a red flag that your essay may be too descriptive and lacking in subject-specific knowledge. Ask yourself: 'Could this paragraph be in a general interest magazine, or is it clearly a piece of academic analysis in my chosen subject?'
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Students often lose marks on Criterion B for avoidable reasons. Be mindful of these common traps:
- Over-reliance on a single source: Basing your entire essay on one or two textbooks shows a lack of genuine research.
- Citing non-academic sources: Citing Wikipedia, About.com, or personal blogs undermines the academic credibility of your work.
- 'Name-dropping' concepts: Mentioning a theorist or a complex term without explaining its relevance or applying it correctly is worse than not mentioning it at all. It shows superficial understanding.
- Descriptive writing: An essay that simply retells a story, describes an event, or lists facts without applying subject-specific analytical frameworks will score poorly. Criterion B requires you to use knowledge to explain and interpret, not just to describe.
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
An excerpt from a Business Management EE on leadership styles reads: 'The manager at Company X is very democratic. He asks for everyone's opinion and is friendly. This is a good way to lead because it makes employees happy.' This demonstrates weak knowledge and understanding. How can it be improved to reach the top markband for Criterion B?
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To elevate this analysis, the student must integrate established business management theory and terminology.
An excerpt from a Literature EE analysing a poem reads: 'The author uses a lot of words about nature, like 'tree' and 'river', which makes the poem feel calm.' This is a very basic observation. How could it be rewritten to demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding (Criterion B)?
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A high-scoring analysis requires the application of specific literary terminology and a connection to broader literary conventions.
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Key terms for this topic — skim now; the Check step will test them.
- Tier 1 (Excellent)
Peer-reviewed journal articles, academic monographs (specialist books), university press publications, primary source documents/data.
- Tier 2 (Good, use with purpose)
Reputable textbooks (for foundational knowledge), edited academic collections, publications from major research institutions (e.g., WHO, World Bank), credible news archives (for contemporary topics).
- Tier 3 (Use with caution/avoid)
General encyclopaedias (like Wikipedia), non-academic websites, blogs, personal opinion pieces.
- Over-reliance on a single source
Basing your entire essay on one or two textbooks shows a lack of genuine research.
- Citing non-academic sources
Citing Wikipedia, About.com, or personal blogs undermines the academic credibility of your work.
- 'Name-dropping' concepts
Mentioning a theorist or a complex term without explaining its relevance or applying it correctly is worse than not mentioning it at all.
- Descriptive writing
An essay that simply retells a story, describes an event, or lists facts without applying subject-specific analytical frameworks will score poorly.
- Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding
Assesses the extent to which the research relates to the subject area of registration and how effectively the student demonstrates knowledge through source selection and application of subject-specific concepts and terminology.
- Academic Context
The existing body of knowledge, theories, and scholarly debates within a specific subject area. A top-scoring EE must situate its research question within this context.
- Subject-Specific Terminology
The specialised vocabulary used within a particular academic discipline (e.g., 'hegemony' in Global Politics, 'dissonance' in Music, 'enthalpy' in Chemistry). Correct usage is crucial for Criterion B.
- Relevant Sources
Sources that are directly pertinent to the research question and are of an academic standard appropriate for the subject. This implies a move beyond general encyclopaedias or basic textbooks.
- Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journal
A publication containing articles written by experts and reviewed by other experts in the same field before publication. These are considered highly reliable sources for an EE.
- Monograph
A specialist book written on a single, specific academic subject by an expert. These are excellent sources for in-depth understanding.
- Primary Source
An original, first-hand account or raw data. Examples: a historical document, a novel, a lab report, a survey's results, a work of art. Its nature varies by subject.
- Secondary Source
A source that discusses, interprets, or analyses information from primary sources. Examples: a history textbook, a literary criticism article, a review of scientific literature.
- Theoretical Framework
The structure of concepts or theories that underpins your research. For example, using a Marxist framework to analyse a novel or applying the theory of planned behaviour in a business EE.
- Top Markband (5-6) Descriptor for Criterion B
Knowledge and understanding are excellent. The selection of sources is highly appropriate and their use is effective. The essay demonstrates a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of the subject in the context of the research question.
- Mid Markband (3-4) Descriptor for Criterion B
Knowledge and understanding are good. The selection and use of sources are mostly appropriate. The essay demonstrates clear understanding of the subject, though it may lack nuance.
- Low Markband (1-2) Descriptor for Criterion B
Knowledge and understanding are limited. The selection of sources is sometimes appropriate, but their use is not always effective. The essay shows some awareness of the subject but is largely descriptive.
Name it
Read the meaning, then pick which of this lesson’s terms it describes. Miss one and you see what your choice really means.
A publication containing articles written by experts and reviewed by other experts in the same field before publication. These are considered highly reliable sources for an EE.
Quick check
Write your answer first, then compare it with the model one — the gap is what you would have lost.
Teach it back
If you can explain it simply, you own it — gaps here are marks you’d lose.
Teach it back
Explain this topic as if teaching a friend. We name the gaps an examiner would still dock.
Revision flashcards
Guess first, then flip — retrieval beats re-reading.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
Top-scoring essays select sources that are academic, varied, and directly relevant to the specific focus of the question.
Effective use means integrating source material to support your analysis, not just dropping in quotes or paraphrasing without purpose.
Excellent knowledge is shown by applying concepts with nuance and precision, demonstrating you understand not just what a term means, but how it functions in your analysis.
Context is key: Your essay must be clearly identifiable as belonging to the subject in which it is registered. A History EE should read like history, not sociology.
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test Your Knowledge
Test Your Knowledge
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test Your Knowledge on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.
Discuss Criterion B — Knowledge and understanding
Ask, share and discuss with other Extended Essay SL students