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You don't know how to start writing your ESS IA? The best way to approach this topic is to get to know the assessment criteria! Keep reading to learn about the grading system and Clastify's recommendations on how to receive the best grade.
ESS IA Criteria and Checklist
The Environmental Systems and Societies internal assessment is graded for 30 points, contributing to 25% (20% at HL) of the final grade.
Criterion A: Research question and inquiry (4 points)
This criterion looks at how well the student defines the research question and sets up the inquiry. The student should clearly explain the environmental issue they are studying and present a focused, relevant research question. The background information should be clear and provide enough context, such as a brief review of existing research or an explanation of related theories, to show that the research question is well thought out.
For a maximum of 4 points, the student’s IA:
Clearly explains the local or global environmental issue so the reader understands it.
Provides enough background information, like a summary of research or theories, that directly connects to the research question.
Poses a clear, focused research question that directly addresses the environmental issue.
See this IA to get a glimpse of the matter.
Criterion B: Strategy (4 points)
This criterion assesses how well the student identifies and describes a strategy aimed at addressing the environmental issue. The strategy should be relevant to the research question, and the student needs to explain the social, economic, political, environmental, or cultural tensions that arise from it. The student should clearly describe these tensions and identify the conflicting goals of the stakeholders involved.
For a maximum of 4 points, the student’s IA:
Identifies and describes a strategy (either existing or developing) that addresses the environmental issue.
Explains how the strategy is relevant to the research question.
Identifies and clearly explains the social, economic, political, environmental, or cultural tensions that arise from the strategy.
Clearly outlines the conflicting goals of stakeholders involved in the strategy.
You can refer to this exemplar.
Criterion C: Method (4 points)
This criterion evaluates how clearly the student describes the method used in the investigation. The method should be detailed and include a clear explanation of the setup and the data collection process. The method should be designed to gather enough data to adequately address the research question.
For a maximum of 4 points, the student’s IA:
Clearly describes the method in enough detail for it to be replicated.
Does not rely solely on a literature-based investigation; the method must be repeatable.
Describes the setup and data collection process (sampling or surveying), making their contribution to the investigation clear.
Ensures that the method allows for the collection of sufficient data to answer the research question.
This is an example of a well-executed Methodology.
Criterion D: Treatment of data (6 points)
This criterion assesses how clearly the student presents and processes the data. The data should be easy to understand and processed accurately. If the data sample is large, only a representative sample should be shown.
For a maximum of 6 points, the student’s work:
Presents raw and processed data clearly and in detail, ensuring the reader can understand it.
Labels all tables and graphs correctly, using appropriate units, decimal places, or significant figures where applicable.
Uses primary or secondary data, whether qualitative or quantitative. Processes the raw data correctly to lead to results that address the research question.
Identifies and addresses any minor errors, ensuring they do not affect the overall conclusion.
If the data sample is large, presents a representative sample in the main body, with the full dataset included in the Appendix.
Criterion E: Analysis and conclusion (6 points)
This criterion assesses how well the student analyzes the data and draws conclusions that are directly related to the research question. The student should spot trends and analyse the reliability of the data. The conclusion must directly answer the research question.
For a maximum of 6 points, the student’s report:
Identifies relevant trends or patterns in the data and clearly describes how they relate to the research question.
Effectively analyzes the trends or patterns, addressing bias, reliability, validity, and uncertainty in the results.
Provides a conclusion that directly answers the research question. Supports the conclusion with a thorough analysis of the data and references measures of bias, reliability, validity, and uncertainty.
Check out the applications here.
Criterion F: Evaluation (6 points)
This criterion evaluates how well the student identifies and discusses the limitations and weaknesses of the methodology used in the investigation. The limitations and weaknesses should be directly related to the investigation and not generic. The student must evaluate how these limitations impacted the results and conclusion. The student should also propose improvements to the method.
For a maximum of 6 points, the student’s IA:
Identifies and describes specific methodological limitations and weaknesses that impacted the results of the investigation.
Effectively evaluates the impact of these limitations or weaknesses on the conclusion.
Proposes and evaluates possible improvements to the methodology to address these issues.
Identifies and addresses any unresolved questions, ensuring their impact on the conclusion is clear.
See this exemplar for inspiration.
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog. Also, make sure to check out our Review service for personalised feedback.
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