History IA Research Question Evaluator
Use the tabs below to generate a new History IA idea or evaluate your current research question.
IA
Compare High-Scoring vs. Flawed History RQs
Below are examples of evaluated RQs from recent History IAs. Review the strengths and weaknesses to understand the scoring criteria, and feel free to evaluate your own RQ using the form above.
How significant was British Prime Minister Anthony Eden's decision to authorize military intervention during the Suez Crisis (October–November 1956) in precipitating his resignation in January 1957?
Strengths:
Clear investigative focus on a specific historical decision and its consequences.
Weaknesses:
To what extent did the events of the 1905 Russian Revolution (January–October 1905) compel Tsar Nicholas II to issue the October Manifesto in October 1905?
Strengths:
Clear, researchable focus on a single outcome (the October Manifesto) within a defined historical period.
Weaknesses:
What are the effects of History on society?
Strengths:
It is clearly an interrogative form and focuses on effects, indicating an evaluative aim.
Weaknesses:
Specify a time frame to bound the study (e.g., “1800–1900”). Example: add “between 1800 and 1900.”
What are the effects of History on society?
Strengths:
Framing as a question shows intent to investigate rather than merely state a topic.
Weaknesses:
Specify a bounded time frame by inserting explicit dates or a bounded period (e.g., "between 1760 and 1840"). Example: change to "What were the effects of the Industrial Revolution on British society between 1760 and 1840?"
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.
How do History EE research questions differ from IA questions?
EEs need deeper historiography and sustained argument; IA section prompts often need broadening into a researchable problem.
What keywords produce better History ideas?
Try combining an event or key actors, a command term (like 'to what extent', 'why', or 'how far'), and an optional historiographical angle.
What makes a strong History IA research question?
A focused question on causation, consequence, perspective, or significance within a clear time and place.
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