Design technology IA Research Question Evaluator
Use the tabs below to generate a new Design technology IA idea or evaluate your current research question.
IA
Compare High-Scoring vs. Flawed Design technology RQs
Below are examples of evaluated RQs from recent Design technology IAs. Review the strengths and weaknesses to understand the scoring criteria, and feel free to evaluate your own RQ using the form above.
How can a weatherproof bicycle pannier be developed for daily urban commuter students to securely carry at least 5 kg of textbooks and electronic devices while maintaining quick-access organization and not obstructing pedaling motion?
Strengths:
Clear user group identified (daily urban commuter students).
Weaknesses:
How can a collapsible, height-adjustable laptop stand be designed for high school students to reduce neck flexion and improve typing comfort while remaining lightweight enough (under 500 g) to be carried in a school bag?
Strengths:
Clear user group and need addressed (high school students and neck/typing comfort).
Weaknesses:
How does can a collapsible, work?
Strengths:
Hints at a design artifact (collapsible) and a focus on how it works.
Weaknesses:
Specify the user group and their design need in the statement. Example revision: "How does a collapsible device for hikers (user group) address the need for compact packing?"
How does can a weatherproof work?
Strengths:
The question is a single line of inquiry, showing focus on a design-related topic (weatherproofing).
Weaknesses:
Specify the user group and their design need by adding a target user and situation (e.g., "for urban cyclists needing protection from rain during commuting").
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
Can I use the ideas from Clastify's Research Question Generator?
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.
How does the Research Question Generator work?
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.
Do I need to enter keywords to generate research questions?
No. You can leave the keyword field blank for instant inspiration, or add a few words about your interests to get more targeted ideas.
Are AI-generated research questions original enough for IB coursework?
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.
How does the Research Question Evaluator 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.
How many free generations do I get?
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.
Which keywords improve Design technology research question generation?
Try combining a specific user group, a problem (such as ergonomics, accessibility, or sustainability), and performance targets or materials constraints.
Can generated Design technology ideas work for an EE?
Design Technology EEs need research depth beyond a single prototype brief—select EE for broader design-research questions.
What makes a strong Design technology IA research question?
A user-centred design need with constraints and success criteria that a prototype can be tested against.
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