Tuesday Top Tips - Criterion B (HL & SL IA)
Wednesday 3 November 2021
By Vivien Jack
Here are my favourite tips for Criterion B. A summary of these tips can be found in the attached images at the end.
HL IA Criterion B - Sources and data (written report) (Top mark band 3 marks)
Usually I find most students can manage to get 2 out of 3 marks as their sources and data are largely appropriate. Top tips to reach 3 out of 3 marks are:
- Provide varied sources of data - too often I see primary research conducted (usually by interview) with just the CEO (or similar position). Students should be encouraged to ask who the key decision makers are related to the research question at the very start of their primary research in order to interview the key people. Key decision makers can be in and outside of the firm. Even if a business is a small sole trader, there can be key decision makers such as the firm's lenders and suppliers that will influence the outcome of the decision. Interviewing a selection of key decision makers is great but the IA should show off the student's research skills so they should be encouraged to use surveys, focus groups, and/or observation methods as well.
- Gather sufficient research - as mentioned previously, by conducting research from varied key decision makers, this should provide well-informed insight into the real and contemporary business problem. Follow-up interviews (and other primary research methods) should be encouraged throughout the IA process to ensure the data gathered is sufficient to allow for effective analysis. For May and November 2022 sessions, supporting secondary research will also be considered in assessing Criterion B. Therefore, students should be encouraged to avoid using generic secondary sources such as textbooks but to seek (if appropriate) secondary sources that are related to the RQ, the firm, and/or the industry in which the firm operates.
- Placement of sources and data - transcripts of any interviews (with job title of the person interviewed, as well as details of the date, time, and venue) and questions from surveys/focus groups/observations must be presented in the appendices. This is in addition to a summary of the data that should be presented in the Main Findings of the report.
SL IA Criterion B - Choice and application of tools, techniques, and theories (Top mark band 5 marks)
Most students should be able to select an appropriate selection of tools, techniques, and theories (TTTs) and get 3 out of 5 marks. The key differentiators that help students achieve the highest mark bands are:
- Select TTTs that offer varied insights into the business - the IA should show off the student's business management acumen, so ideally the TTTs selected should offer quantitative and qualitative opportunities for analysis. Three TTTs are ideal for writing an effective commentary - but this will depend on the actual research question itself.
- Find the hidden implications from application of the TTTs - critical thinking skills are essential to find hidden implications from the TTTs. This will lend itself to showing skillful application to reach the top markband. My favourite way to encourage critical thinking is to use the prompts from this critical thinking cheat sheet from Future Focused Learning.
- Avoid using SWOT and STEEPLE analyses in the commentary - these two tools take up way to much of the word limit, so typically result in very superficial application. They have some merit in helping the student to prepare for the commentary by gaining insight into the firm and the industry as background information. But otherwise, it's usually best to avoid these tools. (Plus based on repeated comments from subject reports, I imagine that an IA examiner would see SWOTs and STEEPLEs as a total snoozefest to mark, particularly as a lot of them are done so poorly). There are so many more interesting TTTs to choose from. From the start of DP1 (Grade 11 or Year 12), I ask students to highlight tools and techniques in the contents pages of their textbook as we go through the course. The idea is by the time we start the IA at the end of DP1, they already have a ready made list of useful tools and techniques.
Would love to hear your top tips on Criterion B. Feel free to pop them in the comments below.
All the best!
