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Choosing a good topic for your Internal Assessment (IA) is important for creating a strong investigation. A good topic will allow you to meet the subject requirements and keep you interested as you work on it. In this post, we’ll provide you with guidance regarding choosing a topic that sets you up for success.
How to choose an IA topic
Identify your interests
Begin by exploring topics which you enjoy. Select an area that genuinely resonates with you, as the IA requires significant research, investigation, and analysis. Choosing a topic you're passionate about not only makes the process more enjoyable but also makes it easier for you to demonstrate genuine engagement, which is a requirement your the IA.
For example, for Biology, if you're interested in food security, you may want to conduct an investigation on the effect of a chemical on the growth of a particular crop.
For History, choosing a topic of personal significance can be particularly engaging. You might consider exploring an area tied to your family’s history. For instance, if your grandparents lived during communist Yugoslavia and shared their experiences with you, it could be fascinating to pursue a related topic.
Conduct preliminary research
Once you've identified a broad topic for your IA, the next step is to conduct preliminary research to assess the available resources. Begin by exploring credible sources such as academic articles, books, and reputable databases to get an understanding of the existing research in your chosen area. This initial research will help you identify what information is readily available, what specific aspects you could focus your investigation on, and whether there is enough material to support a thorough analysis. As you explore, you'll also want to evaluate if the topic is feasible – ensuring it's neither too simplistic nor too complex for a well-developed investigation. Based on your findings, you can begin narrowing down your topic to ensure it's manageable, focused, and allows for a detailed, comprehensive exploration.
For Biology, if you start with a broad topic like the effect of chemicals on crop growth, your preliminary research might reveal that a practical way to assess plant growth is by measuring germination rates. Based on the available resources, you could narrow your focus to studying the impact of fertilizers on germination, as fertilizers are commonly used in food production. This focus would allow you to explore the potential implications of both proper and improper fertilizer usage.
For History, your initial research might lead you to explore the question of how the political party managed to maintain unity in the country despite the deep ethnic conflicts that have historically plagued the region.
Formulate a research question
After narrowing down your topic for the IA, the next step is to formulate a specific research question. This question should be clear, focused, and allow for in-depth analysis. When developing your question, ensure it’s neither too broad, which could lead to an overwhelming amount of information, nor too narrow, which might limit the depth of your investigation. As you refine your question, keep in mind how you will approach the research, as this will shape the way you investigate the topic. Aim for a question that is manageable within the word limit, while still allowing for a comprehensive and focused investigation. If you're looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out our wide array of IA exemplars.
For Biology, if you narrowed your topic to the effect of fertilizers on the germination rate of crops, you might choose to focus on potassium chloride (KCl), a commonly used fertiliser, and its impact on wheat germination – one of the world's most essential crops. To refine your research further, you may decide to test specific concentrations of KCl to ensure a well-balanced analysis. Your research question might then become: ''What is the effect of different concentrations of KCl (0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%) on the germination rate of Triticum aestivum?''.
For History, if you narrowed down your topic to the party's ability to maintain unity, in order to ensure a more focused approach that allows you for a in-depth critical analysis, you may decide to focus on factors which contributed to this. You may choose to focus on the following research question ''To what extent was propaganda responsible for the maintenance of unity in Yugoslavia in the years 1945-1990''.
Good and bad examples of IA research questions
''What is the effect of the temperature (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 °C) on the buffering capacity (mol/dm3) of phosphate buffer, as measured using titration with 0.1 mol/dm3 HCl?''
- Why it's good: This research question is effective because it is clear and specific, with well-defined variables: temperature as the independent variable and buffering capacity as the dependent variable, measured through a precise method (titration with 0.1 mol/dm³ HCl). It is therefore well-focused focused and manageable, ensuring the investigation remains feasible within the IA’s constraints while allowing for in-depth analysis.
''An investigation into the effect of the font on the number of correct responses in a multiple-choice quiz. (Dual-Processing Model theory)''
- Why it's good: This IB Psychology IA topic is strong because it is well-focused and provides opportunities for in-depth analysis.
''Does Warsaw have urban stress?''
- Why it's bad: This research question is overly broad and lacks a clear focus for analysis. Additionally, it limits the answer to a simple "yes" or "no," which does not encourage in-depth exploration. A more effective research question would be: "To what extent does urban stress decrease with distance from the CBD along the M1 transect in Warsaw?" This revised question is more specific, promotes critical analysis by assessing the degree of change, and provides a clear framework for investigation.
''Does power-to-weight ratio affect sprint performance?"
- Why it's bad: This research question is overly broad and lacks a clear focus for analysis. It does not specify which aspects of sprint performance are being investigated and can lead to a vague, yes/no answer. The lack of focus on specific phases of the sprint or measurable outcomes limits the depth of analysis. A more effective research question would be: "Does an adolescent male’s power-to-weight ratio more closely correlate with maximum velocity in the acceleration phase or constant speed phase during a 100m sprint?" This revised question is more specific, encourages detailed analysis of different sprint phases, and provides a clear direction for the investigation.
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.
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