📌 Overview

The Extended Essay is the most significant piece of independent writing you will do in IB — 4,000 words, a clear research question, and a methodology that actually works. Most students struggle not with the writing, but with choosing a question they can actually investigate.

The EE Physics Supervisor is a conversational AI built on Dr. Rathankar Rao's supervision style. It asks one focused question at a time, probing your physics interest, your access to data or equipment, and the scope of what 4,000 words can realistically cover. It steers you away from unanswerable topics — black holes, string theory, quantum computing — and toward something precise, testable, and genuinely yours.

By the end of a session you will have a focused EE research question and a suitability analysis covering methodology, theory depth, and IB EE criteria alignment.

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Scope awareness

Keeps your question inside what 4,000 words can cover — no runaway topics.

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Methodology check

Guides you toward experimental or data-based approaches, not just theory reviews.

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EE criteria mapped

Final output maps your question to IB EE criteria A–D.

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Dead-end radar

Flags topics that look impressive but can't be investigated at IB level.

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Auto model fallback

Detects the best Gemini model your key supports, falls back automatically.

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Your key, your data

Calls go directly from your browser to Google. Nothing stored on our servers.

⚙️ How it works

The supervisor runs a structured dialogue across up to 20 turns. It opens by asking which area of physics interests you for your EE, then progressively probes: the underlying theory, whether an experiment is feasible, whether the scope fits a 4,000-word paper, and whether there is a clear, testable question at the centre.

It never writes your essay or invents your topic. If you go vague, it redirects. If you pick something unresearchable at school level, it explains why and offers an alternative direction. Every response is under 80 words — the supervisor talks less so you think more.

Your Gemini API key is saved locally in your browser — it is never sent to any IBHighway server.

👣 Step-by-step

1

Enter your Gemini API key

Paste your Google Gemini key. The tool probes available models and shows which one it will use. If you've used any Tier 2 tool before, your key is pre-filled automatically.

2

Start the supervision session

Click "Begin Session". Dr. Rao greets you and asks which area of physics you are considering for your EE. You don't need a topic ready — "I like optics but I'm not sure" is a perfectly fine starting point.

3

Answer honestly — even if you're unsure

Over 20 turns, the supervisor narrows your thinking: area → phenomenon → methodology → scope → research question. The more honest your answers, the more useful the output.

4

Receive your research question and suitability analysis

At the end you get a focused EE research question and 3–4 notes covering methodology potential, theory depth, and EE criterion alignment. Take this to your supervisor as a discussion starting point.

💬 Sample conversation

Dr. Rao Welcome. The EE is a 4,000-word independent investigation — the question you choose will shape everything. Which area of physics draws you most? Mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and optics are all strong starting points, but I'm happy to follow your interest.

Student I'm interested in thermodynamics — maybe something about heat engines.

Dr. Rao Heat engines are a good direction — there's real physics and measurable quantities. The key question is methodology: do you have access to an actual engine or device you can test, or are you thinking more of a data-based analysis of existing performance figures? That choice will define your entire approach.

Student I think I can build a simple Stirling engine model at school.

Dr. Rao That's a strong foundation — a physical model you can manipulate gives you something to measure. The next question is: what variable would you change, and what would you measure as the output? Think about temperature difference, load, or cycle frequency — which feels most controllable in your school setting?

❓ FAQ

Can I use this if I haven't chosen a topic yet? ▾

Yes — that's exactly what it's designed for. You only need a broad area of interest. The supervisor will help you find a topic through the conversation.

My school supervisor already gave me a topic. Is this still useful? ▾

Yes. Use it to stress-test your topic — the supervisor will probe scope, methodology, and feasibility. If there are weaknesses, better to find them now than in your final draft.

Will it tell me my topic is bad? ▾

Honestly, yes — if the topic is unresearchable at school level or too broad for 4,000 words, Dr. Rao will say so and explain why. That's the point. Better to hear it here than from your moderator.

Does it work for Physics SL students? ▾

Yes. The EE is the same format for SL and HL. The supervisor adapts to the level of physics knowledge you demonstrate in your answers.

Do I need a paid API key? ▾

No. Google's free tier (Gemini 2.5 Flash, 3.1 Flash-Lite) is sufficient for a full session. The tool detects what your key can access and uses the best available model.

💡 Tips for best results

✦Tell Dr. Rao what equipment you actually have access to. A beautiful EE topic that requires a particle accelerator is useless. The best question is one you can physically investigate at your school.

✦Don't try to sound impressive with your topic choice. "Something with quantum stuff" sounds clever but leads nowhere. "I want to test how temperature affects resistance in different metals" leads to a real EE.

✦Run the session before your first meeting with your school supervisor. Arrive with a focused question rather than a vague area — supervisors respond better when you've clearly thought it through.

✦If your first question feels too narrow or too broad, run a second session from a different angle and compare both outputs. The best EE topics often come from the second or third attempt.