The Internal Assessment (IA) is an important part of the IB experience. Approximately 25% of the total teaching hours should be given to the practical side of the Science subjects students will undertake. The practical aspect of the IB involves experiments in a school laboratory. This can be supplemented with a well-planned visit to a university laboratory or industrial site, or secondary data/simulation experiments. Although there are no “prescribed” experiments students need to undertake as part of the curriculum, there are some fundamental techniques which students need to learn. These techniques will help students address the IB assessment criteria during their Internal Assessments. Therefore, students will need to use what they have done and learned during laboratory sessions as a springboard for their Internal Assessments.
The aim of the IA is to show that students can apply the theory they have learned while pursuing their personal interests, without the typical time constraints written examinations have. The IA features 1 scientific investigation which should take approximately 10 hours. The final deliverable will be a 3000-word (maximum word count) report. Although SL and HL students are marked according to the same criteria, the student’s IA should correspond with their level - either SL or HL. Students will need to have a purposeful research question with an underlying scientific basis for the research question. Students do not necessarily need to obtain primary data - it is possible for all the data used in the IA to be taken from secondary sources.
All IAs need to involve the collection and analysis of quantitative data that, where appropriate, should be supported by qualitative observations.
The IA is marked out of 24 marks according to 4 different criteria:
(1) Research Design,
(2) Data Analysis,
(3) Conclusion,
and (4) Evaluation.
The maximum mark for each criterion is 6. Once the total mark out of 24 is obtained, it is scaled by the IB to a mark out of 20 which makes up the IA component mark. The samples of student work from each school are moderated.
Usually, students will carry out the IA in their second year of the IB.
Possible tasks for IB Chemistry Internal Assessment:
Laboratory investigation using hands-on approach
Fieldwork
Analysis and/or modelling with a spreadsheet
Using a database to extract information leading to analysis
Using a simulation
Timing and Organisation
The IA counts 20% towards the final Chemistry grade. Both teachers and students will want to obtain as high a proportion of the marks as they possibly can, as the IA is the key to a Grade 7. Students who want to take a competitive course, such as Medicine, need to score well in their IA to get a spot at their chosen university. Students will usually undertake their IA after they have learnt some subject material in the course, so that they are well-prepared for it. Students will need to do the experiments or the necessary research and draft their written report.
Initial Planning of the investigation
Students need to plan their investigation and familiarise themselves with the assessment criteria. Each student needs to come up with their own research question and get it approved by their teacher. They also need to plan how and when they will undertake their individual investigation. If students are very lost as to how to proceed, they should seek further guidance.
Gathering Data
Students need to gather primary data from their own experiments or secondary data obtained from other sources. Furthermore, students need to research background information to put the topic into context. Students should ensure that the data gathered is their own work - academic dishonesty is taken very seriously in the IB.
Writing the Report
Students should then analyse and process the data and produce a draft version of their findings. When the draft is done, students will discuss it with their teacher and receive feedback. However, teachers at school will not correct errors or tell students how to do their work. The draft version is then revised and the final version will be handed in to be marked by the teachers. The IA will be standardised internally so the same standard of marking applies. Students will need to complete their cover sheet and write a reflective statement of 50 words.
Choosing the Research Question
Many students get stuck choosing a Research Question for their IA. Without a good research question, students will not be able to address the IA assessment criteria well. A good research question should be interesting to the student, but it does not need to include topics beyond what the student is studying. Students should prepare for their IA at the start of their 2-year course.
A good research question should:
Answer the assessment criteria well
Be able to be clearly described
Produce enough relevant quantitative and qualitative raw data to support a detailed and valid conclusion
The investigation can take the following forms:
A practical “hands on” lab investigation
Using a spreadsheet to analyse and model
Extracting data from a database and analysing it graphically
Combine spreadsheet and database work with a practical lab investigation
Using an interactive and open-ended simulation
Topics for a “hands on” lab experiment
Titration (acid-base and redox)
Extension or refinement of a standard practical
Chromatography
Calorimetry
Use of a pH metre
Electrolysis
Voltaic cells
Microwave oven
Polarimeter
Data logging probes
Visible spectrometer/colorimeter
Gravimetric analysis
Microscale
If students opt to have a “hands off” methodology, this may be more difficult as they need to show how they have devised and controlled the methodology. Students will need to use a variety of sources to gather secondary data (as opposed to a single source) and process it in a way which has not been done before. For example, in a “hands on” experiment, students need to compare the values they get in their experiment to values they found in scientific literature. In “hands off” experiments, students should avoid blindly coming to the same/similar conclusions as the researchers did in the database they used as a source for secondary data.
The best investigations are those which combine primary data generated by the student with secondary data the student has obtained elsewhere. Students could formulate their own research question and undertake experimentation for it in the lab, but then research the literature and compare it with their own findings.
Ultimately, the final wording of a research question for the Chemistry IA will be obtained usually after much refinement. Students formulating their research question should ensure that their experiment is feasible and they can access the data they need. Furthermore, the experiment chosen should not take up an inordinate amount of time and must be safe and ethical.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to study for IB Chemistry?
Firstly, knowing the syllabus for IB Chemistry (either HL or SL) will help the student revise. Next, try practicing with past year IB papers to get used to the exam format. If there are questions students do not know how to answer, they can revise the concepts regarding the question to help them answer them or clarify with a tutor or teacher.
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