IA – Internal Assessment

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

Internal assessment is an integral part of the course and is compulsory for both SL and HL students. It enables students to demonstrate the application of skills and knowledge, and to pursue their personal interests without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations. The internal assessment requirements at SL and at HL for history are the same. All students complete a historical investigation into a historical topic of their choice. The internal assessment allows flexibility for students to select a topic of personal interest. The topic need not be related to the syllabus and students should be encouraged to use their own initiative when deciding on a topic. The free choice of topic means that the historical investigation provides a particularly good opportunity for students to engage with topics that are of personal interest, or topics related to their own local or national history.

The Exam in May 2020 and 2021 showed the importance of a well-written Internal Assessment (limited exams due to Covid-19). It’s possible we will experience some years of increasing importance of this internally marked piece of work.

IB Syllabus IA: Internal Assessment

TUTOR COMMENT: Tutoring IA (Internal Assessment) is very special since it includes all the skills you learn when you work on your different papers (Paper One – Source Criticism / Paper 2 and 3 – Essay skills) and another skill – reflection. My tutoring will include the choice of a suitable topic and research question, the choice of sources, the work on your essay skills with the adaption to this specific format (source evaluation/essay/reflection), and various feedback on your different drafts. This is the only paper that your teacher grades so you will also have to include your teacher in this work (but you are allowed to have external tutors outside your school). The demands for the IA are identical for SL and HL students. It gives you 25% of your final grade if you are an SL student and 20% if you are an HL student.