Introduction

Your Internal Assessments (IAs) make up a significant portion of your IB grade. They're also some of the most challenging tasks because they combine research, analysis, and clear communication.

Here's how to approach your IAs and set yourself up for the best possible marks.

Understand the Criteria

Each subject has specific IA criteria. Before writing, review the rubric and highlight what examiners are looking for — clarity, analysis, evaluation.

Tip:

Print out your subject's IA criteria and keep it next to you while writing. Check each section against the rubric as you go — it's much easier than trying to fix everything at the end.

Focus on what gets you the highest marks: usually original analysis, clear methodology, and thoughtful evaluation of your findings.

Choose a Strong Topic

Your IA should be narrow, specific, and researchable. Avoid topics that are too broad or too simple.

Strong IA topics are:

Specific and focused (not "all of climate change")
Researchable with available data and sources
Connected to the syllabus but not obvious
Interesting enough to sustain months of work

Test your topic by trying to write your research question in one sentence. If you can't, it's probably too broad.

Plan Before You Write

Outline your structure before you start writing. This keeps your IA focused and helps you stay within word limits.

Research Question

Clear, focused, and directly related to your chosen topic.

Methodology

How you'll approach your investigation — methods, sources, limitations.

Analysis and Results

What you found and how it answers your research question.

Evaluation and Conclusion

Strengths, limitations, and implications of your investigation.

Write With Clarity

Examiners value clear, concise writing. Avoid filler and stick to analysis.

Use subject-specific terminology correctly
Support claims with evidence from credible sources
Connect your analysis back to your research question
Acknowledge limitations and alternative interpretations

Remember: examiners can spot padding from miles away. Every paragraph should contribute meaningfully to your investigation.

Refine Through Feedback

Top-scoring IAs go through multiple drafts. Don't expect to nail it on the first try.

Get feedback on structure, argument strength, and whether you're actually answering your research question. Small improvements can move you from a 5 to a 7.

Perfect Your IA Draft

Study Marker can give you instant feedback on structure, clarity, and argument strength, so you know what to fix before submission.

Get detailed feedback on IA criteria, structure, and academic writing quality.

Final Thought

Strong IAs come from careful planning, specific topics, and refined drafts. Work step by step and get feedback along the way — it makes the difference between average and top marks.

Remember: IAs are about demonstrating your thinking, not just your research. Show how you analysed information, not just what you found. Examiners want to see your intellectual process.

IB Internal Assessments: Tips for Getting Top Marks