Click here to explore thousands of examiner marked IA, EE and TOK exemplars!
If you're wondering about what assessments make up your final IB Biology grade, you've come to the right place. In this post we will break down each component of the IB Biology course.
IB Biology Exam + Assessment
Paper 1
- Accounts for 36% of the student's subject grade.
- SL students have 1 hour 30 minutes, while HL students are given 1 hour 45 minutes to complete Paper 1.
- SL students can score up to 55 marks on Paper while HL up to 75 marks.
- A calculator is essential for this paper.
- Paper 1 is made up of two separate booklets – Paper 1A and Paper 1B. Both papers are however completed in one sitting.
- Paper 1A
- Paper 1A is solely made up of multiple-choice questions – students must select one answer from the four provided.
- Each question is worth 1 mark.
- The SL Paper 1A consists of 30 multiple choice-questions (30 marks total), while the HL Paper 1A consists of 40 multiple-choice questions (40 marks).
- Paper 1B
- Paper 1B is solely made up of open questions.
- Both SL and HL students answer 4 data-based questions related to experimental work and the syllabus.
- The SL Paper 1B consists of 25 marks while the HL paper is marked out of 35.
- Click here for more information and sample Paper 1 questions.
Paper 2
- Accounts for 44% of the student's subject grade (SL & HL).
- SL students have 1 hour 30 minutes, while HL students are given 2 hours 30 minutes to complete Paper 2.
- Paper 2 is made up of short-answer and extended-response questions.
- Paper 2 may cover all topics of the syllabus.
- A calculator is required for this exam.
- Students will have access to an IB-issued formula booklet.
- Click here for more information and sample Paper 2 questions.
Internal Assessment (IA)
- For both SL and HL, the Internal Assessment (IA) contributes 20% to the overall subject grade.
- The IA is an individual investigation that allows you to explore a topic of personal interest within the field of biology.
- It is assessed internally by your teacher and externally moderated by the IB, meaning that a sample of your class’s work will be reviewed by IB examiners for standardization.
- For the Internal Assessment, students design and carry out a scientific investigation on a topic of personal interest. They develop a focused research question, plan and conduct experiments, collect and analyse data, and draw evidence-based conclusions to answer their question.
- Your investigation must demonstrate a clear understanding of biological concepts, personal engagement with the topic, and effective scientific communication.
- The IA is marked out of 24 using four assessment criteria: Research Design, Data Analysis, Conclusion, Evaluation. Click here for examiner-reviewed exemplars to get a better idea of what is expected and what a strong IA looks like.
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.
The Fast Track To Your
Best IB Coursework & College Essays
All content on this website has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate and IB are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.