A Guide to Successful IBDP Chemistry IA

A fact! Internal Assessment in the IBDP Chemistry course is an important part of your ultimate IBDP grade. It accounts for 20% of your overall mark, whether you are an HL or SL student.

Hence, Blen is working tirelessly to ensure that you receive the highest possible results in this crucial component of your IB. Our IB Experts and Examiners collaborated to compile a list of crucial considerations to keep in mind while you compose your Chemistry IA! These factors are determined by the criteria that will be used to assess you.

Aspect #1: Personal Engagement | Weightage: 8%

The IA must be applicable to your everyday life. One way to achieve this is to make sure the study question showcases evidence of personal interest or independent thinking, creativity and implementation.

Be real! Narrate a unique experiment and research question. Sure, you can pick a topic from a list of Chemistry IA, but if you don't personalize it, you'll lose points for personal participation!

Aspect #2: Exploration | Weightage: 25%

A good research question is necessary for a good IB grade. Here are a few pointers: Your research question should:

  • Make it self-explanatory
  • Don't make it too difficult to understand
  • Include a dependent variable
  • Make a variable that isn't affected by the others.

In addition to your research question, you must explicitly identify your variables (independent, dependent, and controlled) and a brief description of how each will be measured.

Create a hypothesis that is supported by scientific reasoning and is based on the projected link between your variables.

Aspect #3: Collecting Data and Analysis | Weightage: 25%

The number 25 has relevance because it represents the minimum number of samples required for your investigation. It indicates that for each of the 5 independent variable values you've picked, you'll need at least 5 trials.

It is required to show your computations (at least one as an example). If graphs or diagrams are required to comprehend the results, don't be afraid to draw them clearly.

Aspect #4: Conclusion and Evaluation | Weightage: 25%

It is critical to refer back to your research question and initial hypothesis while crafting your conclusion. Was your assumption correct? Have you responded to the research question? What would you have done differently if you could go back in time? What could be causing any discrepancies?

Another important aspect of your investigation is evaluation. This offers you a chance to think about the limitations and potential flaws of the methodology you've chosen. We believe you included what you would change if you were to replicate the experiment to get more precise or accurate results.

Aspect #5: Communication and Format | Weightage: 17%

Don't forget about the fundamentals of essay writing, whether it's superscript, subscript, or a well-structured, well-cited article.

To complete your IA, include an in-text citation in MLA format as well as a bibliography.

Finally, make sure your IA reads like a flow rather than a collection of bits and pieces that have been thrown together at random.

On Blen, you can learn more about Internal Assessments.

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