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Art History IA Research Question Evaluator

Use the tabs below to generate a new Art History IA idea or evaluate your current research question.

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Compare High-Scoring vs. Flawed Art History RQs

Below are examples of evaluated RQs from recent Art History IAs. Review the strengths and weaknesses to understand the scoring criteria, and feel free to evaluate your own RQ using the form above.

10/10 Score
To what extent does Caravaggio’s use of chiaroscuro in The Calling of Saint Matthew (c.1599, Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome) function to construct narrative and viewer identification within Counter-Reformation Rome?
Strengths:
3

Clear focus on a specific artwork and artist with precise contextual details.

Weaknesses:
0
10/10 Score
To what extent did the Papunya Tula painting movement (Papunya, Central Australia, 1970s–1980s) adapt traditional Indigenous iconography into acrylic-on-board works to communicate cultural law to urban and non-Indigenous audiences?
Strengths:
3

Clear focus on a specific movement and place (Papunya Tula, Central Australia) within a defined time frame (1970s–1980s).

Weaknesses:
0
3/10 Score
How does does Caravaggio’s use work?
Strengths:
2

Includes an art-historical focus by mentioning an artist (Caravaggio) and a visual practice (use of).

Weaknesses:
2

Specify the visual object and context to bound the inquiry (e.g., name a specific Caravaggio work or works and the period/time/place). Example: "How does Caravaggio’s use of light and shadow in his paintings during the late 1590s-1600s function to shape perception and meaning in Roman Baroque painting?"

6/10 Score
How does Art History affect things?
Strengths:
3

Mentions Art History and invites analysis of influence or meaning.

Weaknesses:
5

Specify a concrete art object or architectural work and its time/place to bound the topic (e.g., replace with: How does Art History’s study of Monet's Water Lilies (France, 1870s) influence interpretations of modern landscape painting?).

How to Evaluate Your Research Question

Simply choose your subject and enter your research question. Our evaluator will then analyze your question against the IB requirements and return a report with any issues or improvements you can make. Trained on thousands of IB RQs marked by official IB examiners, our evaluator is able to provide accurate and helpful feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Our Research Question Generator was trained on thousands of high-scoring IB exemplars, and the ideas it generates are designed to align with IB criteria so you can develop research questions that meet the standards.

Select your subject and category (IA or EE), optionally enter a few keywords or interests, then click Generate. The AI returns research question ideas tailored to your subject, which you can refine further with the tweak tools.

No. You can leave the keyword field blank for instant inspiration, or add a few words about your interests to get more targeted ideas.

Generated questions are starting points aligned with IB expectations. Similar research questions appear across cohorts—what matters is that your investigation or essay content is your own work.

The Research Question Evaluator was trained on thousands of research questions marked by IB-certified examiners. It evaluates your research question using the same IB criteria, helping you understand its strengths and areas for improvement.

Free users get a limited number of generations per week. Your limit resets weekly. Upgrade to Pro for higher limits and full access to Clastify AI tools.

A focused question about how specific works/movements/visual strategies construct meaning in a defined historical context.

Historical focus, visual analysis feasibility, and argument rather than biography.

Try combining an artist or movement, a medium, an aspect of patronage or iconography, and a specific place or time.