IB Diploma students will need to complete Internal Assessments (IAs) for all their subjects. These IAs are set and marked by teachers, but they are moderated by the IBO. IAs are designed to evaluate students’ practical abilities, research skills, and understanding of the subject.
As IAs make up at least 20% of a student’s grade, students should not leave them to the last minute and take them seriously, as this can make a difference between a good grade and a mediocre one. Higher Level subjects will have more demanding IAs than Standard Level subjects, so students should adjust their content applied accordingly.
Here are some key facts to know about the IA:
Type of Assessment
Depending on the subject, IAs can include projects, experiments, presentations, or written reports. For example, the Math IA includes a Math Exploration where students need to apply mathematical concepts learnt in class to a real life topic that they are interested in.
Involvement of Teachers
Teachers will not hold your hand through the IA. If you are doing an IA in a Science subject, you are expected to be independent. Teachers can give you guidance on the suitability of your topic and methodology, but the heavy lifting and experimentation should be done on your own. Teachers are responsible for setting the tasks, marking the work, and giving feedback.
IB Moderation
The IB will review a sample of the assessments to ensure consistency and fairness in the marking across different schools.
When approaching an IA, students will need to read the instructions in detail. Different subjects will have different guidelines and standards of what is expected. Students should also familiarise themselves with the format and any academic integrity requirements such as citations – plagiarism is a serious offence and could cause the student to lose their IB diploma. Students should double check that they have cited all their work properly.
When students choose a topic, they should choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to the subject. The topic needs to be at the appropriate level – students cannot choose a topic that is self-explanatory or too easy. However, students also need to bear in mind that a topic that is too wide may be unsuitable for investigation in the short period of time. Students will need to write a good research question based on the topic and refine it further.
The last thing students should bear in mind is the timeline – students tend to leave the heavy lifting the IA requires to the last minute. This will cause their work to snowball and become untenable. Doing small bits of the work is far superior as compared to rushing it close to the deadline. For IAs in Science subjects, replicated experiments require access to a lab, time, and patience, and will need to be done way ahead of time instead of at the last minute.
Get a 7 for IB Chemistry (HL/SL) with the IB Chemistry Clinic today!
As the name suggests, the IB Chemistry Clinic does not only fix a student’s grades - it helps students with critical components of the IB Programme, namely the Internal Assessment (IA) which is worth at least 20% of a student’s grade and their Extended Essay (EE) in Chemistry. The IA and EE are a non-negotiable part of the Chemistry curriculum - without them, students will not be able to graduate with an IB Diploma.
However, there are many difficulties associated with conducting experiments for the IA and EE - many replications are required and the standard for the final deliverable - the research report - is high. Students need to undertake statistical testing and present their final results coherently and concisely.
Although the IB school provides mentors for the EE and teachers at school can guide students through their IA, attention to each student is often limited in a classroom setting and many students are left to figure things out by themselves. This results in difficulty completing internal deadlines on time, especially when a student needs to juggle all their 6 subjects and the additional components of the IB, along with their CCAs and other commitments.
The IB Chemistry Clinic is here to answer all your questions - whether it is about content knowledge or fixing errors in your experimental setup as you undertake your IA journey, our skilled tutors with a strong background in Chemistry research and 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry are here to help!
Contact us at +65 9616 1651 to book your slot today!
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to get a 7 in IB?
With time and effort, students who know the syllabus well and are well-prepared and have well-written assignments will easily get a 7 in the IB.
Is IB harder than A Levels Singapore?
The A Level exam is more difficult than the IB exam, but IB involves the Internal Assessment (IA) which features independent research which could be harder than the A Level exam.
Is 43 in IB a good score?
An IB score of 43 is an excellent score.
What is the hardest IB subject combination?
One of the hardest IB subject combinations is PCME, which involves HL Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, along with SL Economics.
What IB score is needed for Harvard/Oxford?
The minimum IB score for Harvard and Oxford is 40 points out of 45 points.
Is 28 a bad IB score?
The average IB score throughout the years has ranged between 28 to 30 points. All students need to score a minimum of 24 points across 6 subjects to be awarded an IB diploma.
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