What We Are Building
Help students prepare for real competitions such as:
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John Locke Essay Competition
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Cambridge Essay Competitions
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Other subject-specific competitions
Students should be able to:
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Understand what high-quality essays look like
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Learn how to approach unfamiliar and abstract prompts
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Develop strong arguments under time constraints
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Receive feedback before submission
The Problem We Are Solving
In reality, most students:
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Do not know how to approach open-ended essay prompts
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Lack clear guidance on what examiners are looking for
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Struggle to structure arguments effectively
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Have no access to meaningful feedback before submission
As a result, students:
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Write unfocused essays
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Misinterpret the question
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Fail to demonstrate depth of thinking
Our Approach
We treat each competition as a training system, not just a collection of prompts.
Students should go through:
Understand expectations → Analyse prompt → Research → Write → Improve
ibGuru supports each step of this process.
Notes
Layer 1 — Stable (Reusable)
These do NOT change yearly.
1. Subject Essay Guide (e.g. Economics)
This is:
John Locke → Economics → Notes
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It should include:
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How to structure arguments
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How to evaluate assumptions and limitations
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Common themes (markets, incentives, rationality, etc.)
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Writing techniques and essay structure
2. Core Concepts / Research Directions
These are timeless foundations:
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Key theories
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Standard examples
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Foundational thinkers
These remain consistent across years and essay titles Layer 2 — Dynamic (Year-Specific)
These change every year and are tied to specific essay titles.
1. Essay Titles
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New prompts released each year
2. “Understand the Question”
For each title:
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What the question is really asking
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What angle or perspective it is testing
3. Research Direction (Partly Dynamic)
Core concepts remain the same, but emphasis changes depending on the question.
Example:
Same concept:
Rationality
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Different essay titles:
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→ Behavioural economics focus (one year)
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→ Game theory focus (another year)
Essay Titles (Core Practice)
Students should have access to:
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All past essay titles (last 10 years)
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Organised by competition, subject, and year
Each title is treated as a practice task.
Model Answers
We provide model answers for each essay title.
These should:
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Demonstrate strong structure and argumentation
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Show how to interpret the question correctly
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Include evaluation and critical thinking
AI can generate first drafts, but must be reviewed and refined.
Grading Guidelines
Two levels of grading must be provided:
1. Competition-Level Criteria
Applies to all essays within the competition:
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Clarity of argument
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Depth of analysis
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Use of evidence
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Structure and coherence
2. Title-Specific Expectations
For each essay prompt:
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What the question is really asking
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Key angles of approach
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Common mistakes
Research Guidance (Key Differentiator)
Students need help with where to start.
For each essay title, provide:
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Suggested research directions
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Key concepts to explore
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Relevant thinkers / theories
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Optional reading suggestions
Role of Mentors
Mentors play a critical role in ensuring quality and realism.
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Refine AI-generated model answers
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Define what strong responses look like
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Help identify key approaches for each essay title
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Contribute insights on common student mistakes
AI is used for generation and structuring,
but mentor input ensures accuracy and depth.