Internal Assessments: B&M and an A-Language

This week we are continuing on the subject of Internal Assessments; we have quite a few under progress now and we are all ready to discuss them all with you! This is all to ensure you will not have any surprises when you walk into the real deal IB Diploma - or if you already are and finding about all this now, well, you have bigger fish to fry. 

Anywhoozles, today we are talking about the Internal Assessment of Business & Management and an A-language which in this case will be about Finnish once again. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

A Literature: Finnish (HL)

In Finnish, we have started working on our Written Assignments (again, these are not called Internal Assessment, but work as the same thing). It is an essay based on a translated book read in class which has to be around 1200-1500 words. 

So far, we have chosen the topics for our essay and had our teacher approve them. Now we will have to start planning and writing the essay since the first draft is due in already a month. After we've given our first drafts to the teacher, she will read them through and sit with each of us individually, giving us feedback. 

Teachers are not allowed to write anything down on them so the feedback has to be done orally. Our teacher said that in the past, some students have written down the feedback and many students have recorded it. This is the only chance that your teacher can revise your work, so make sure that you write a proper first draft and listen carefully to the feedback you're given!

Here are the basics just in case:

1. Students submit a reflective statement and literary essay on one work studied in Part 1
2. The reflective statement must be 300–400 words in length.
3. The essay must be 1,200–1,500 words in length.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Business & Management (HL)

In Business and Management, we have started on our Internal Assessments already about a month ago. We had to start thinking about our research questions - which is extremely difficult and time consuming, believe you me. It is vital for you to have a good and answerable question to get a good grade in this Internal Assessment and just saying, your first questions will probably not be the ones you will be researching by the end of the summer break. This is what we have done this far:

As you all know, IAs are written in every subject and thus, Business & Management is no different. The IA is 25% of the final grade (surprise surprise…) and it consists of a 500 word research proposal and action plan as well as the 2000 word written report (go over, and you will be penalized by minus points!). 

So for the IA you have to choose an organization that is facing some kind of an issue, BUT the organization should have the following characteristics:

1. Must be a real organization
2. Issue or decision under discussion must also be real
3. Must be able to collect primary data (surveys, interviews etc.) HL ONLY!

Here are a few tips for finding a good Research Question - when the time comes. 

• It's relevant to the business going forward (not a question that has already been resolved or likely to be resolved)
• It should take the form 'Should____ in order to____?'
• Facilitates itself to a quantitative and qualitative cost/benefit analysis
• Can also be a decision between two options 'Should___ or ___?'
• Do a lot of research and ensure you have enough data to make something out of your research question! This is where most questions end up being thrown out and replaced with new ones (At least in our cases) 

--------------------------------------------------------------

That is all for this week's post, tune in next week for more tips and information!

Two Written Tasks And An Investigation

Well hello there fellow IBers!

This week our topic will be on current subjects that we are heavily occupied, which indeed are the Internal Assessments. We have been quite busy as have the second year IB students with their MOCKS exams, which we will enlighten you on sooner or later. The featuring IA  speeches today and next week are on English, History, Finnish (a mother tongue language) and Business & Management. 

--------------------------------------------------------------

English HL

If you are well acquainted with the IB system or you have been reading closely to our blog posts when we were discussing subjects, you will already be thinking that hold on, I thought we didn't have any IAs in English? Well, we are here to tell you that it is indeed correct that we do not. However, we do have to make up for this in other means such as the FOA (Further Oral Assessment) and WRITTEN TASKS. We write up four of these pesky little things which will be then sent to the IBO for grading. During the past few weeks we have been working on our second Written Task 1, where we get to invent a story (a diary entry, article, blog etc) where we discuss issues we have been learning about. All in all, it is quite a creative task. 

Written Tasks divide into two categories: Written Task 1 (WT1) and Written task 2 (WT2). You will write up at least two of each; if more you will get to choose the best ones that will be sent to the IBO. There are fundamental differences to Written Task 1 and 2: 

• Written task 1 is an 'imaginative piece' in which you demonstrate your understanding of the course work and a type of text. You can write a journalistic review of a speech, a letter from one character to another or something else that is relevant to your studies. 
•  Because the possibilities are endless, it is easy to write irrelevant work. Therefore it is important that you look at several samples and several tips for guidance on the Written Task 1.

• Written task 2 is for HL students only. It is a critical response to a text or texts, written in light of one of six prescribed questions from the IB Language A: Language and Literature guide. These questions can be answered using texts from all parts of the syllabus.

Now, just to start with the Written Task 1 for it is relevant for the moment being and we can freely speak from experience we are going to lay down the groundwork for you guys. So without further ado, here are the Written Task 1 basics for our IB dummies:

1. Written task must be 800-1000 words long (SL & HL)
2. You must write a rationale of 200-300 words, explaining the decision making process behind the task. (SL & HL)
3. While general feedback may be given, the work must be the student's own. Teachers cannot prescribe the task at hand, only facilitate to good ideas. (SL & HL)
4. SL students must submit one WT1 from their portfolio. 
5. HL students must submit two WT1s from their portfolio

...And here are the basics for Written Task 2s (HL ONLY):

1. Also between 800-1000 words long. 
2. A critical response to a text that answers one of six prescribed questions
3. Can be based on texts taken anywhere in the syllabus. 
4. Each task must be accompanied by an outline, which must be written in class. The outline contains the prescribed question chosen, title of the text(s) for analysis, the part of the course to which the task refers and three or four key points that explain the focus of the task.

And Bob's your uncle! That is all you need to know about Written Tasks, they are not difficult at all when you get into it, we guarantee you. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

History HL/SL

The history IA is actually called ‘Historical investigation’ since one is not writing an essay to explain why something happened and why. The best thing about a historical investigation is that you have the right to choose any topic in history that you want to write about and you don’t have to fixate on a topic you don’t like from the teacher. For the IA, the total word count is 2000 words this may sound scary but from experience, you’ll get used to it in fact, you’ll probably have more words, well maybe.

A historical investigation consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words and it is divided into six sections: plan of the investigation, summary of evidence, evaluation of sources, analysis, conclusion, and bibliography or list of sources.

Each section has different word counts and also different points:

A. Plan of Investigation: up to 150 words (3 marks)

B. Summary of Evidence: 400-500 words (6 marks)

C. Evaluation of Sources: 200-350 words (5 marks)

D. Analysis: 600 - 800 words (6 marks)

E. Conclusion: up to 200 words (2 marks)

F. Bibliography: (3 marks)

Total word count: 2000 words maximum

Here are some points of how you can plan your Historical investigation:

1. Start by identifying a general area of interest.

2. Narrow it down to a specific question/area of investigation.

3. Choose a working title that may be changed/refined at a later stage.

4. Make sure you can obtain sufficient resources for your planned investigation.

5. Read widely around the area of study and note down resources used.

6. Review your thesis question and refine it if necessary.

7. Take notes from your chosen resources, including exact references.

8. Complete section A and show it to your teacher.

9. Re-read your notes and decide where they would fit into the sections of the investigation.

10. Complete your investigation, according to the IBO guidelines.

From experience, choosing the right topic has not been easy but the your teacher will help a lot so no worries, be happy!

------------------------------------------

Next week we will be hearing more about the Finnish and B&M (Business & Management) Internal Assessments. Be sure to check it out just in case you will pick up on some excellent tips!