You need to log-in or subscribe in order to use Student access.

Internal assessment

Internal assessment instructions

The Internal assessment is an important component of the IB economics course and is compulsory for SL and HL students.  The requirements for SL and HL students are the same.  In completing the IA students will apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired on the course.  Unlike the written examinations there are no time limitations and other constraints.  As far as possible the IA should be embedded into the normal teaching syllabus.  As a teacher you should avoid conducting the IA as a separate activity conducted after a course has been taught.  I always have my students complete 4 IAs, because learnerss will not necessarily complete a perfect portfolio of commentaries first time.  Each can be graded with the best counting towards the IB assessment grade. 

What completing the IA involves

Under the new syllabus each student taking IB economics will complete a portfolio of three commentaries which form their internal assessment.  Each commentary is 800 words (maximum) in length and takes the form of an analysis or commentary of a real life event, taken from a newspaper or magazine.  Articles are selected from the print media or the Internet.  The other difference from the existing criteria is that each commentary must include specific reference to one of the key concepts.  The relevant concept should be added to the cover page.

As with the existing syllabus, the internal assessment must be the candidate’s own work. Candidates are expected to complete their own work but as the teacher you are allowed to provide an appropriate level of guidance to support candidates in their work. Teachers should support students when selecting and planning their work and ensure that students are familiar with the following:

Criterion A: Diagrams 3 marks                     

Criterion B: Terminology 2 marks

Criterion C: Application and analysis 3 marks

Criterion D: Key concept 3 marks

Criterion E: Evaluation 3 marks

Students should be encouraged to obtain advice and information from their teacher(s). However in situations where the student has relied too heavily on support provided by their teacher this should be recorded on the appropriate form from the handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

Teachers may provide feedback on the first draft of any commentary.  The feedback provided should be in terms of the way the work could be improved but teachers must not heavily annotate or edit the student's work. Students are only permitted to submit one draft for feedback before the final version. This version must be authenticated by a teacher, before it is submitted.

Direct links to the pages in this section can be accessed at the following links:

How to write your IA? (student handout)

The following page contains the handout that I provide to my students to help them with the IA process. It contains instructions and structure which I would advise your students to follow carefully.

How to interpret the assessment criteria?

The following is designed to help your students write their IA and should be given to your classes, along with the page entitled: How to write your IA? (student handout) The assessment criteria for the...

Grading practise 

This section of the site contains practise portfolios that you can grade before checking your score with the one awarded by the IB examining team. Each portfolio contains the required three samples as...

PDF IA booklet you can give to your classes:  IA booklet  

All materials on this website are for the exclusive use of teachers and students at subscribing schools for the period of their subscription. Any unauthorised copying or posting of materials on other websites is an infringement of our copyright and could result in your account being blocked and legal action being taken against you.