IB History IA Topics

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program requires its History students to undertake the
Historical Investigation as their internal assessment requirement.

IB History students often find the toughest part of this extended project to be the process of
selecting a topic for their investigation.

This article provides students with more than 50 topics to consider. These can be adapted,
modified, combined or simply used as the basis for formulating a question or study on another
topic of choice.

The topics listed here have all been used by IB History students from various schools or
presented by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) as examples. Students should
refer to, and follow, the current guidelines for the History Internal Assessment as published by
the IBO.

50 History Internal Assessment Topics:

 To what extent did the successes of the Berlin Blockade and Airlift overshadow the negative
outcomes for the Western Powers?

 An Investigation into Tiananmen Square discussing the heroes popularised in Western Media
and Deng Xiaoping’s "martyrs."

 Was the crossing of the Luding Bridge in May 1935 a great communist victory against
tremendous odds, or a minor skirmish exaggerated by the Chinese Communist Party for
propaganda purposes?

 Kent State: Was it the turning point in the Vietnam War?

 What were the causes of the Boston Massacre 1776?

 An oral history study on the role of women living in post-World War II Britain.
 Why did the Special Operations Executive send aid to Tito’s communist Partisans?

 The German Occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.

 How far were Republican divisions responsible for their loss in the Spanish Civil War?

 Was Hitler's "euthanasia" policy distinctively Nazi?

 Cinema as History: Sir Richard Attenborough's Gandhi

 An examination of the Greenham Common Peace Protesters

 Triumph of the Will: Art, Propaganda or documentary?

 To what extent did David Low's cartoons accurately reflect public opinion in Britain in the
years before World War II?

 To what extent is the 2004 film Finding Neverland historically accurate in its account of the
life of J M Barrie?

 To what extent did Louis XVI’s execution contribute to the "Terror" in France 1793?

 What was the cause of the Rwandan Genocide?

 To what extent does the film I Shot Andy Warhol faithfully portray the events of Andy
Warhol’s shooting on the 3rd of June 1968?

 What were the reasons for the Allies bombing of Dresden in the Second World War and were
they justified in destroying this city?

 How and why did the reports of the American newspaper The New York Times and the
British newspaper The Times differ in their reports of the Soviet and American
administrations during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

 How did an admiration of Italian Baroque architecture and ancient mythology become
reflected in the design and construction of the Palace of Versailles?

 To what extent does the film Amadeus accurately portray the final illness and death of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?

 Did the Bielski Otriad experience the same internal and external conflicts portrayed in the
film Defiance?

 How useful is the art of George Grosz to the historian of Weimar Germany?
 Does oral testimony substantiate the view that life in East Germany got worse following the
fall of Nazism?

 How successfully did Hitler promote the ideal of the family in the Third Reich?

 How did newspaper reports on the death of Kennedy vary, and how reliable were they?

 How and why did the accounts of the storming of the Winter Palace in october 1917 differ in
the film October and in the book A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891-1924?

 How, when and why was the church/mosque/temple of [name] build and what can be learnt
from the town of [name] in a defined period?

 How significant was Fidel Castro’s role in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?

 To what extent do the film The Charge of the Light Brigade and the bookThe Charge: The
Real Reason Why the Light Brigade was Lost agree on the apportioning of blame for the
failure of the charge of the Light Brigade?

 To what extend was the involvement in the United States government and the CIA
responsible for the downfall of Salvador Allende?

 What were the real motives for the different views held by Churchill and Chamberlain during
the years previous to World War II?

 A study of the Women’s Army Corps during World War II

 “Mao’s swim across the Yangtze River inspired the renewed cult of Mao and provided an
image of Mao as a leader for a new revolutionary generation.”

 To what extent can Nixon’s Vietnamization policy be considered a success?

 Did the Soviet Union assemble missiles in Cuba in 1962 solely to protect Cuba from
invasion?

 An investigation into the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989.

 Although the Night of Long Knives was characterised by the Nazis as Hitler taking a
"courageous action which saved the German Volk from civil war,” he was motivated more
by a desire to eliminate threats to his own supremacy within the Party and earning the loyalty
of the Army.

 Was the Berlin Wall built simply to deny freedom to East Germans under Soviet rule or did
it serve a greater purpose?
 An examination of the significance of British politics in the responses to the Jack the Ripper
cases in the 1880s.

 How effective was the Marshall Plan was in reconstructing Europe?

 Why was Margaret Sanger a successful public advocate for birth control in the United
States?

 What were the social, economic and political impacts of the launch of Sputnik on the US and
USSR at that point in time of the Cold War?

 A study of why the United States became involved in Vietnam.

 Victim or aggressor: An examination of German motives in 1914.

 Who emerged on top from the Cuban Missile Crisis?

 How successful were the Soviet Five Year Plans?

How to Write a Historical investigation

Brief overview of the IA

Your IA accounts for 20% (HL) or 25% (SL) of your mark. The History IA is a great project and
it is in your best interest to put a lot of work into it. Some might even say that you should focus
more on your IA than your EE, because the IA gives you more bang for your buck in terms of
effect it has on your final grade.

Your IA is only 2200 words long. The main body of your investigation (Section 2) is only 1300
words long. Section 2 takes the form of a standard academic research essay. Considering the
brevity of Section 2, it is vital that you choose a narrow, well defined and debatable topic. Your
question must be razor sharp. Anything that is too broad or too vague will result in a vague IA.

You will do well if you read the requirements carefully. That is what this website is for....

Here is the briefest summary of what is required:

Section 1: Should include your question, a detailed justification as to why you chose two key
sources. An OPCVL of the two sources.

Section 2: Your research essay, self contained, includes your conclusion. Requires detailed
citations and referencing.

Section 3: A reflection about what this process taught you about the challenges faced by a
Historian.

A correctly formatted bibliography.

Formulating a research question

Picture

A good IA relies more than anything else on a good starting point: a well-defined, narrow
question with some element of a debate.

The question...

Should allow for a point to be made, or a debate to be settled. It should not lead to a simple
narrative.

Must be specific – narrow it down as much as you can.

Should have focus – date, time frame, geography, event (turning points are good)

To what extent . . . or How far . . . style questions best. (See command terms below)

Must be able to be answered within 2200 words

Must be focused on an event with a cut off date of 10 years before the submission date.

Is there a sufficient range of resources for the study of the topic?

A potential template for an IA question is as follows:

To what extent (or another command term) +

A verb (is, was, were, are) +

A person/group/region/ideology/event (something specific) +

An action verb like: cause, stop, influence, affect, significant, cause, consequence something
juicy +

A person/group/region/ideology/event (something specific) +

A time frame or a country.

Do not explore the obvious. A title like, "Was Lenin an important figure in the Russian
Revolution?" is redundant because everyone knows, without exploring or investigating anything,
that he was. Remember, this is an investigation. Your title should enable you to explore and
investigate different views of the historical period you choose. "To what extent was Lenin's
political ambition more important in bringing about the Russian Revolution than the failures of
Nicholas II's reign?" could be a more appropriate title.

Planning your historical investigation

How to start your IA? Below are some tips from the IB:

Start by identifying a general area of interest.

Narrow it down to a specific question or area of investigation.

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

Make sure sufficient resources can be obtained for the planned investigation. (See: The Research
Process)

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

Review the research question and refine it if necessary.

Take notes from resources, gathering evidence and diverse opinions.

Ensure accurate use of referencing.

Sort evidence thematically or chronologically.

Choose two suitable sources to evaluate in section 1.

Review your analysis. Check for differing viewpoints where appropriate.

Write the investigation, according to IB guidelines.

Ideas for finding a topic and formulating a question

Your IA can be about any topic in history, provided it's longer than 10 years ago. However, you
could also consider choosing something that falls within the realm of your IB course. Start with
your course overview and pick an area of interest from there. This will allow you to gain extra
depth and detail in a part of your syllabus which may come in handy on your exam. On the other
hand, if you are truly passionate about a topic which is not on your syllabus, by all means, follow
your interests.

The IB History guide lists a few possible topic ideas for the IA;

a historical topic or theme using written sources or a variety of sources

a historical topic based on fieldwork, for example, a museum, archeological site, battlefields,
places of worship such as mosques or churches, historic buildings

a historical problem using documents (this could include newspapers)

a local history study

a historical study based on oral interviews

a historical investigation based on interpreting a novel, film or work of art

a historical investigation of cultural issues.

Top tips for a good question

Your research question should not be too broad nor too narrow. It should be able to be treated
within the 2200 word limit overall, and particularly within the 1300 suggested word limit for
Section 2, the actual essay part of your IA. 1300 words is not a lot, so a specific, debatable
question is a good idea.

Your RQ (Research question) must not invite a narrative. For instance: "What were the causes of
the XYZ civil war?" will only lead to you telling the story, it does not lead to any analysis,
evaluation, judgement or debate. It would be better to go with "To what extent was XYZ's
foreign policy a significant factor in causing the XYZ civil war?", which would lead to a better
analysis.

The following is from an examiner’s report for a May session: “There were a few research
questions that did not assist the candidate towards meeting the assessment criteria. Questions
could be a little too broad and/or were not specific research questions at all. This led the
candidate to write a rather vague narrative, which was based on inadequate evidence. It is,
therefore, good practice for students to have research questions which are expressed in terms that
do not invite the narrative."

The title of your IA should be phrased as a question.

Speak to your teacher. Your topic should be approved by your teacher prior to doing the
research.

Work backwards

If you only have a broad topic like "Appeasement" or "The Medici Family" or "The Spanish
Civil War", you can narrow it down by first looking at what sources are available to you. Locate
a really good source (primary or secondary) and build up your research question from there.

Again: A good IA relies more than anything else on a good starting point: a well-defined, narrow
question with some element of a debate.

Useful command terms

Analyse: Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure.

Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations, referring
to both (all) of them throughout.

Compare and contrast: Give an account of similarities and differences between two (or more)
items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.

Contrast: Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring
to both (all) of them throughout.

Discuss: Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or
hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate
evidence.

Evaluate: Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.

Examine: Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and
interrelationships of the issue.

To what extent: Consider the merits or otherwise of an argument or concept. Opinions and
conclusions should be presented clearly and supported with appropriate evidence and sound
argument.
Section 1: Identification and evaluation of sources

In Section 1, you will analyse two key sources used in your investigation. The sources can be
either primary or secondary sources. In this section you must:

clearly state the question you have chosen to investigate (this must be stated as a question)

include a brief explanation of the nature of the two sources you have selected for detailed
analysis, including an explanation of their relevance to the investigation

analyse two sources in detail. With reference to the origins, purpose and content, you should
analyse the value and limitations of the two sources in relation to the investigation.

Recommended word allocation: 500 words.

Maximum amount of marks that can be awarded: 6 out of 25 total marks.

A crucial element of this section of the internal assessment task is formulating an appropriate
question to investigate. The six key concepts for the history course (causation, consequence,
continuity, change, significance and perspectives) can be a useful starting point in helping you to
formulate a question. (Source, IB History Guide, p84)

Assessment Criteria for Section 1

0: The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.

1 -2

The question for investigation has been stated.

The student has identified and selected appropriate sources, but there is little or no explanation of
the relevance of the sources to the investigation.

The response describes, but does not analyse or evaluate, two of the sources.

3-4

An appropriate question for investigation has been stated.

The student has identified and selected appropriate sources, and there is some explanation of the
relevance of the sources to the investigation.
 There is some analysis and evaluation of two sources, but reference to their value and
limitations is limited.

5-6

An appropriate question for investigation has been clearly stated.

The student has identified and selected appropriate and relevant sources, and there is a clear
explanation of the relevance of the sources to the investigation.

There is a detailed analysis and evaluation of two sources with explicit discussion of the value
and limitations of two of the sources for the investigation, with reference to the origins, purpose
and content of the two sources.

This is a checklist for a successful Section 1, based on the assessment criteria.

You have selected an appropriate question which can be dealt with within the 2200 word limit.

You have stated your question clearly. (Verbatim is best)

You have identified and selected appropriate and relevant sources to analyse.

You have clearly explained the relevance of these two sources to your investigation.

You have included a detailed analysis and evaluation of two sources with explicit discussion of
the value and limitations of two of the sources for the investigation, with reference to the origins,
purpose and content of the two sources.

Breakdown of the key components of the assessment criteria

"Clear statement of an appropriate question for the investigation"

You must ensure that the question you have generated is clear, concise and is contestable (see the
section on generating a research question).

In the first paragraph of your Section 1, you need to provide the context of your investigation,
and then directly state your research question, in its full form, and make it stand out.

"Identification of sources, and explanation of the relevance of the sources to the investigation."

From the sources you are using for your investigation, you will need to select two to evaluate.
It is advisable that when making this selection, you ensure there is at least one point of difference
between the selected sources. For example, you would not select two photos to evaluate,as their
limitations and uses may be similar. Likewise, choosing to evaluate two Marxist historical
perspectives would not be as effective as one Marxist and one Revisionist viewpoint, or a
contemporary source and a cross - referenced source written some years after the event.
Selection of the appropriate sources is critical to scoring well against this criterion. See the
advice below for further guidance.

You will also need to ensure that you are providing, in 1 or 2 sentences only, an explanation of
the relevance of each chosen source to your investigation. For example, if you select a piece of
propaganda as one of your sources, you MUST explain how that source plays a part in your
investigation. What does it provide that adds to your argument?

"Analysis and evaluation of two sources with discussion of the value and limitations of them,
with reference to the origins, purpose and content."

The expectation is that, for each source, you provide a distinct, clearly identified paragraph, that
identifies the origin, purpose, value and limitations of that particular document, while making
references to the content or message of the source.

Each source will need to be addressed separately, and identifying it specifically as a subheading
or italicising it is recommended.

This element is exactly the same as the requirements for the OPCVL question in Paper 1, so the
skills required are transferable. Click here for a summary of generic OPVLs.

Here is a template with generic OPCVL questions.

You will need to clearly and specifically identify the origin of the documents. State the name of
the author(s), and also it is recommended that you outline the provenance, by exploring the
context within which the source was created and looking at the background and expertise or
involvement of the author. Be specific, and try to use the word ‘origin’ clearly - you may wish to
make it bold print.

Another requirement is that you explore the purpose of the sources.

Why was it created? What is it designed to do? So, for example, a newspaper article is written
for the general public, and its purpose is to provide a perspective regarding an event or set of
events. A table of statistics is designed to present a set of data regarding a certain topic. Be
specific, and try to use the word ‘purpose’ clearly - you may wish to make it bold print.
It is important that you address the content of the source, as this is a new element of the IB
History programme. So, you will need to provide an overview or summary of the message of the
source. Be specific, and try to use the word ‘content’ clearly - you may wish to make it bold
print.

You will also need to discuss the value of your selected sources. In other words, you will need to
clearly and explicitly evaluate the usefulness of the selected document for historians in general.
For example, a newspaper article has the value of providing the perspective of either the reporter,
or the paper they were writing for. This would give some insight into how sections of society
viewed the events being described. A table of statistics provides specific data that may provide
an insight into the aspect the data reflects. Be specific, and ensure you use the word ‘value’
clearly - you may wish to make it bold print.

The final expectation for Section 1 is to evaluate the limitations of your chosen documents. So,
you must clearly and specifically outline the issues about these sources that weaken their ability
to provide credible support for the debate being presented. If you look at the example of a
newspaper again, they are likely to reflect an editorial bias, and, as newspapers are designed to
be sold to readers, there is an economic imperative that may influence its value. Likewise,
statistical data can be politically motivated, which influences it usefulness, and also can be
manipulated - a political poll taken in a working class area is more likely to reflect support for
parties that champion their rights, and may not be representative of the entire population.

Advice on choosing sources

One of the challenges of this section is to choose two sources from your investigation which
target the criterion. The keywords are 'the student has identified and selected appropriate and
relevant sources'.

One way to think about this is to consider which two sources you have used most in your
investigation. However, you may have relied on these two sources just because they helped you
understand the topic best. These two sources may be quite similar in what they offered and thus
you may be wise to consider just one of these and search for a more appropriate contrasting
source.

Another way is to consider which two sources are central to the contention of your question, or
that contribute most to the debate. This begins to target the appropriate part of the criterion.

Some sample responses indicated that a primary and secondary source are chosen in order to
highlight differences in perspective on the topic. This can be helpful when you go to discuss the
value and limitations of the sources for the investigation.
It might be wise to evaluate a few of your sources before you settle on the two that will appear in
this section.

Much of your choice will hinge on the question you have chosen...remember to aim for a
relatively narrow scope to your question.

Examples of Section 1s

Below are two sample Section 1s which achieved good scores. Your teacher will be able to
provide you with the grade and feedback given by the IB (See Teacher Support Material on the
OCC).

Sample A:

To what extent did World War II lead to women in United States becoming permanent
participants of the labor force?

Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of sources

This investigation will explore the question: To what extent did World War II lead to women in
the United States becoming permanent participants of the labollr force? The years 1940 to 1950
will be the focus of this investigation, to allow for an analysis of women’s employment during
the war, as well as its evolution in the post-war period.

The first source which will be evaluated in depth is Julia Kirk Blackwelder’s book “The
Feminization of Work in the United States, 1900-1995”, written in 1997. The origin of this
source is valuable because Blackwelder is a professor of history at Texas University, specializing
in Modern US and American women’s history, and has written extensively on women’s
employment in scholarly journals and books, indicating that she is knowledgeable on this topic.
Furthermore, the date of the publication of this source, 1997, strengthens its value, as it indicates
that Blackwelder, benefitting from hindsight, has been able to analyze a comprehensive range of
sources, including government documents, interviews and statistics. However, the origin of the
source is limited in that Blackwelder is not a professional expert in economics, with which this
topic is closely related and, consequently, might have misinterpreted some of the economic data
presented.

The purpose of Blackwelder’s book is to analyze the trends of American women’s employment
in the 1900-1955 period, and “to let evidence speak for itself” (Blackwelder xiii). This is
valuable, for it indicates that an extended period of time has been examined, permitting for
connections to be made between the trends discovered. However, the fact that the author has
covered nearly a century of economic developments limits its value to a historian studying
economic developments within a short time period.

The second source evaluated in depth is Mary Anderson’s 1944 address American Economic
Association “The Postwar role of American women”, which was delivered in March, 1944. The
origin of this source is valuable because the address was delivered by the head of the Women’s
Bureau of the Department of Labor, and therefore provides an insight into the views of a well-
known figure regarding women’s employment and post-war plans. Additionally, the date of
delivery of the address, 1944, indicates that the source allows for a valuable understanding of
contemporary views on women’s employment. However, this date is also a limitation, for it
suggests that the source, having been written before the completion of the war, is likely to fail to
analyze extensive research on women’s employment. In terms of origin, the source is also
limited in that Anderson was herself a former factory worker and was “ particularly well attuned
to the thinking of female employees” (Weatherford 256), indicating that she might have tended
to shape the address according to her views, and, consequently, may have provided a slightly
subjective insight into government plans.

The purpose of this source is to underscore the importance of the adoption of measures to secure
the position of women in the American post-war workforce. The address therefore provides a
valuable insight into government plans at the time. The source is, however, limited in its purpose
in that the address, having been written to convince others of Anderson’s point of view, perhaps
omits some ‘inconvenient truths’ about the government’s views, merely describing encouraging
plans for female workers.

Sample B:

To what extent was martial law imposed in Poland on 13 December 1981 in order to pre-empt
the military intervention of the USSR?”

Identification and evaluation of sources

The investigation, examining the situation in Poland in 1980 and 1981, that is the economic
conditions, dependence upon the USSR and the interactions between the Polish United Workers’
Party and Solidarity movement, will try to answer the question: To what extent was imposition
of martial law in Poland on 13 December 1981 in order to pre-empt the military intervention of
the USSR?

The two contemporary sources which will be evaluated are a script from the session of Politburo,
they are relevant because they reflect the attitude of the USSR towards the situation in Poland,
and the proclamation of martial law by General Jaruzelski, in which he argued why martial law
had to be imposed in Poland.

Working notes from the Session of the CPSU CC Politburo:2

The origin of source 1 is the working notes from the session of the Politburo, presided by
Leonid Brezhnev, on the question of the situation in Poland from December 10, 1981. It was
kept by the secretary Chernenko, and published 26 years later in a collection of secret
documentation. Its purpose was to record the secret meeting and it was intended only for use
within the Politburo.

It is valuable because it shows the intentions of the USSR towards Poland in a period of a
particular unrest. It reveals many details about the economic situation in Poland and a predicted
Soviet financial aid, which were not, and would not have been, publicized by Polish authorities.
A further value is it states the opinion of the USSR about invading Poland in 1981, expressed by
Andropov: “We do not intend to introduce troops into Poland. […] even if Poland falls under
control of

Solidarity, that’s the way it will be.”3 This strong statement renders Politburo’s treatment and
attitude towards Poland. However, the formal nature of the document limits an insight into a
process of reaching the agreement between the comrades. Only Andropov’s recollection of "a
very thorough exchange of opinions", suggests limitations as the consensus did not emerge truly
spontaneously and that the view regarding military intervention differed among the Politburo.4

Footnotes

2. Brezhnev, Leonid. "On the Question of the Situation in Poland", 10 December 1981. Cold
War International History Project, Virtual Archive, CWIHP, May 14, 2008. Making the History
of 1989. Web. Accessed: 28 November 2013.
3 Brezhnev, Leonid. "On the Question of the Situation in Poland", 10 December 1981. Cold War
International History Project, Virtual Archive, CWIHP, May 14, 2008. Making the History of
1989. Web. Accessed: 28 November

2013, p.9

4 Brezhnev, Leonid. "On the Question of the Situation in Poland", 10 December 1981. Cold War
International History Project, Virtual Archive, CWIHP, May 14, 2008. Making the History of
1989. Web. Accessed: 28 November 2013. Translator’s Note n.21

A proclamation of martial law by Wojciech Jaruzelski 5

The origin of source 2 is a speech was given by General Wojciech Jaruzelski on December 13,
1981 on the TV and radio. Its purpose was to explain the causes of the imposition of martial
law. It described the current situation, the steps which had to be taken by the Party to counteract
it, and the nature of the newly established Military Council for National Salvation.

The value of the speech is that it expresses the opinion of the communist Party about the culprit
of the martial law. The General blamed solidarity for refusal of cooperation with the Party, and
lack of any agreement on the reforms. A further value is that the speech is an example of the
Party’s propaganda which manipulated with facts and language in order to obtain popular
support and present the Party as the only seeker for cooperation.

Moreover, the speech is limited by lack of information on the numerous debts incurred by the
government, and brutal repressions by the militia on Solidarity activists. Furthermore, the
General called martial law ‘legal’, while in reality its introduction was against the Constitution.6
Another limitation is the mentioned list of ‘interned’, which, according to Jaruzelski’s memoirs,
was unknown to him.7

Footnotes

5 Jaruzelski, Wojciech. „Przemówienie radiowe i telewizyjne wygłoszone 13 grudnia 1981 r.”

[„The speech addressed on December 13, 1981 on radio and television”]. Przemówienia 1981-
1982. [Speeches 1981-1982]. Książka i Wiedza: Warszawa, 1983.

6 Gmyz, Cezary. “Nielegalny stan wojenny” [“The illegal martial law”]. Rzeczpospolita, 16
March 2011. Web. 17 December 2013
7 Jaruzelski, Wojciech. Stan wojenny. Dlaczego… [The state of war. Why…] Polska Oficyna
Wydawnicza „BGW”: Warszawa, 1992

Other sites with IB History IA Guides:

http://www.activehistory.co.uk/ib-history/ib-history-internal-assessment.php. Tarr, Russel.

"IBDP History: Internal Assessment - Activehistory". Activehistory.Co.Uk. Last modified 2016.
Accessed September 9, 2016. http://www.activehistory.co.uk/

http://www.jhyer.com/Home/Internal-Assessment/section-1/ ""Hyer" Level History",

Jhyer.Com, last modified 2016, accessed September 9, 2016, http://www.jhyer.com/.

Checklist for a successful Section 1, based on the assessment criteria:

You have selected an appropriate question which can be dealt with within the 2200 word limit.

You have stated your question clearly. (Verbatim is best)

You have identified and selected appropriate and relevant sources to analyse.

You have clearly explained the relevance of these two sources to your investigation.

You have included a detailed analysis and evaluation of two sources with explicit discussion of
the value and limitations of two of the sources for the investigation, with reference to the origins,
purpose and content of the two sources.
Section 2: Investigation

This section of the internal assessment task consists of the actual investigation. The internal
assessment task provides scope for a wide variety of different types of historical investigation,
for example:

An historical topic or theme using a variety of written sources or a variety of written and non-
written sources

An historical topic based on fieldwork, for example, a museum, archeological site, battlefields,
places of worship such as mosques or churches, historic buildings

A local history study.

The investigation must be clearly and effectively organised. While there is no prescribed format
for how this section must be structured, it must contain critical analysis that is focused clearly on
the question being investigated, and must also include the conclusion that the student draws from
their analysis. In this section, you must use a range of evidence to support your argument. Please
note that you can use primary sources, secondary sources, or a mixture of the two.

Assessment Criteria for Section 2

Section 2, the ‘Investigation’, consists of the actual historical inquiry. This section closely
resembles a traditional research essay. Your task is to construct a clear, well-structured, logical
and analytical response to your research question.

Recommended word allocation: 1300 words.

Maximum amount of marks that can be awarded: 15 out of 25 total marks, so this section counts
for the bulk of your mark.

Carefully read the assessment criteria below:

0 The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.

1–3

The investigation lacks clarity and coherence, and is poorly organized. Where there is a
recognizable structure there is minimal focus on the task.
The response contains little or no critical analysis.

It may consist mostly of generalizations and poorly substantiated assertions.

Reference is made to evidence from sources, but there is no analysis of that evidence.

4–6

There is an attempt to organize the investigation but this is only partially successful, and the
investigation lacks clarity and coherence.

The investigation contains some limited critical analysis but the response is primarily
narrative/descriptive in nature, rather than analytical.

Evidence from sources is included, but is not integrated into the analysis/argument.

7–9

The investigation is generally clear and well organized, but there is some repetition or lack of
clarity in places.

The response moves beyond description to include some analysis or critical commentary, but this
is not sustained.

There is an attempt to integrate evidence from sources with the analysis/argument.

There may be awareness of different perspectives, but these perspectives are not evaluated.

10–12

The investigation is generally clear and well organized, although there may be some repetition or
lack of clarity in places.

The investigation contains critical analysis, although this analysis may lack development or
clarity.

Evidence from a range of sources is used to support the argument.

There is awareness and some evaluation of different perspectives. The investigation argues to a
reasoned conclusion.

13–15

The investigation is clear, coherent and effectively organized.

The investigation contains well-developed critical analysis that is focused clearly on the stated
question.

Evidence from a range of sources is used effectively to support the argument.

There is evaluation of different perspectives.

The investigation argues to a reasoned conclusion that is consistent with the evidence and
arguments provided.

A BREAKDOWN OF THE MARKING CRITERION: HOW TO ACHIEVE 13-15

Writing is CLEAR (language must be tight)and COHERENT (well-reasoned)

You have used LOGICAL, TIGHT structure that advances the investigation toward your
conclusion

You have conducted ON-GOING CRITICAL ANALYSIS of the topic (investigation) and your
sources

The investigation (essay) is FOCUSED on the RESEARCH QUESTION (not a wandering

undisciplined discussion)

Evidence from a RANGE of sources has been USED [this requires more than name dropping, or
the insertion of convenient quotes, you need to CRITICALLY ANALYSE all sources,
demonstrating HOW they support the argument you are making.]

You have included varying PERSPECTIVES - ie. different schools of historical thought,
different time periods/contexts.

Your essay has built toward a reasoned and well-argued, well-evidenced CONCLUSION.

Steps in writing the Investigation

Structuring the Essay

Objective:

Critically analyse the research question using evidence and perspectives.

Introduction:

Provide a couple of sentences of context that introduce the reader to the content of the
investigation.

Itemise the main issues that will be addressed in each of the main body paragraphs to follow.
Introduce areas of contestation that the essay will address.

Give a sense of the main argument or the thesis that you will develop throughout the essay.

Main body paragraphs:

Each aspect of the response should be developed in a paragraph. Conventionally there will be
three or four aspects/main body paragraphs

Each aspect should be introduced through a topic sentence.

It should be explained using historical evidence. The more specific the detail the better.

Sophisticated responses will refer to perspectives and show developed understandings of schools
of thought that are relevant to the research question.

Conclusion: (see step 4)

Examples of Critical Analysis in Essays

The following are samples of student work that show how to critically analyse source material
and evidence to show you are “evaluating”, “analysing” and “contesting” in History.

EXAMPLE ONE:

Question: How accurate is Orwell in portraying Stalin’s First Five Year Plan in Animal Farm?
Within Animal Farm Napoleon and Squealer[1] often utilise rhetoric and the creation of state
enemies to explain the shortfalls of the construction of the windmill, similar to the reality in the
USSR. They forced a number of animals to confess ‘crimes’ they committed, and “[the dogs]
promptly tore their throats out”[2] in punishment. This closely resembles the techniques of
Stalin to rationalise the failures of the First Five Year Plan, with the most common justification
being the emergence of “wreckers and opportunists trying to sabotage the Soviet economy”.[3]
In this instance, Orwell is able to accurately show the “darker face”[4] of the USSR and reveal
the brutal methods used to achieve their economic targets. In some instances, Soviet propaganda
was simply directed to state the opposite to reality, and proclaim that targets had been met and
living standards had increased – Extract B demonstrates this to great effect. The First Five year
Plan is depicted as crushing capitalism and highlights the greatness of communism – yet the
economic plan required “substantial involuntary sacrifices of living standards”[5] for very little
actual gain, which Soviet propaganda tried to ignore (as in Extract B). This is similar to the pig
Squealer and his continual efforts to persuade the other animals of their high living standards.
Orwell himself admitted that he was not able to obtain primary sources of information from the
USSR, which impedes his ability to accurately discern between myth and reality in terms of
Soviet industrial output and the true conditions of the workers. It leaves him open to criticism
that he has “stereotyped ideas about [the USSR]”[6]. However this statement may be too harsh,
as Orwell does make generally correct assumptions about the effects of the First Five Year Plan.

Representations of Stalin and the Soviet propaganda machine respectively

Orwell 56.

Schwartz 120.

Bradbury.

Fitzpatrick 4.

Soules, George. "In 1946, The New Republic Panned George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'"
newrepublic.com. New Republic, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Jan. 2014

EXAMPLE TWO:

Question: To what extent was the religious zeal of witch hunters the principle reason why
women were targeted as ‘witches’ in Germany from the 1580’s to the 1630’s?
Anti-social women were seen as suspicious characters when targeting witches, as well. This was
because of the idea that, because witchcraft was seen as an ultimate act of un-Christian or non-
religious behaviour, Satan had bestowed upon them the Devil’s Mark “in contrast to the holy
baptism”[1] which would lead to their loss of faith. Wulpurga Hausmännin, a German ‘witch’ in
the 1580’s, was said to have surrendered herself to the Devil and in return received a Devil’s
Mark just below her left shoulder in order to serve as a reminder of the contract she had created
with Satan[2]. Hausmännin claimed that this mark is what “prevented her from thinking of God
or attending church, actions that might have freed her from his grasp”[3]. Being a witch and
displaying this kind of behaviour became automatically suspicious to villagers and witch hunters
because of how strongly they were affiliated with their religion and witchcraft was seen as a
demonised and un-Christian action.

Ben-Yehuda 6

Barstow 17

Barstow 17

Tips on writing a good conclusion

Approximate word count for a conclusion: There is no clear rule about this, but try to get
between 50-150 words, to ensure a few things:

That your conclusion is not a huge paragraph of new material that should have been in your body
paragraphs.

That you allow yourself enough scope to weigh the arguments you posed and evaluated in your
investigation and reach a reasoned conclusion.

Here you draw the ideas and information together. Many essay topics offer a quote to ask you to
make a judgement, so this is where you do that (as long as it flows from the body of your essay.

The question often uses phrases like: “How far do you agree that...”, “To what extent is it
true/accurate….”, “evaluate the accuracy of…”

This means that you are deliberately re-stating the contention of your investigation (your
‘answer’ to the research question you made), and re-summarising the arguments you made in
each body paragraph to discuss the question. You must do this in your conclusion just like you
did in your introduction.
A good way to ensure that you remain relevant to the ends is to make your final statement a
further reworking of the question:

e.g. “While economic factors definitely influenced the crisis, it was clearly the political
considerations which were at the base of the events which unfolded in.”

You need to ensure that you are using a ‘concluding tone’, which means that you are using words
and phrases like:

E.g: “Therefore there were many factors that contributed to the making of a revolutionary
situation in Russia by February 1917…”

The writing will be in past tense, and talk about the rest of the essay’s content as though it has
already been discussed (which it should be :) )

Checklist for a successful Section 2, based on the assessment criteria:

Writing is CLEAR (language must be tight)and COHERENT (well-reasoned)

You have used LOGICAL, TIGHT structure that advances the investigation toward your
conclusion

You have conducted ON-GOING CRITICAL ANALYSIS of the topic (investigation) and your
sources

The investigation (essay) is FOCUSED on the RESEARCH QUESTION (not a wandering

undisciplined discussion)

Evidence from a RANGE of sources has been USED [this requires more than name dropping, or
the insertion of convenient quotes, you need to CRITICALLY ANALYSE all sources,
demonstrating HOW they support the argument you are making.]

You have included varying PERSPECTIVES - ie. different schools of historical thought,
different time periods/contexts.

Your essay has built toward a reasoned and well-argued, well-evidenced CONCLUSION.
Section 3: Reflection

This History IA requires you to think and work like a historian. In this section, you reflect on the
methods used by, and the challenges faced by, you as the historian. Relate this reflection
specifically to your particular investigation and your experiences as a historian.

Suggested word count: 400.

The following are questions from the IB Guide and are examples of discussion questions that
may help your reflection:

What methods used by historians did you use in your investigation?

What did your investigation highlight to you about the limitations of those methods?

What are the challenges facing the historian? How do they differ from the challenges facing a
scientist or a mathematician?

What challenges in particular does archive-based history present?

How can the reliability of sources be evaluated?

What is the difference between bias and selection?

What constitutes a historical event?

Who decides which events are historically significant?

Is it possible to describe historical events in an unbiased way?

What is the role of the historian?

Should terms such as “atrocity” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments
be avoided?

If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally
acceptable?

Assessment Criteria for Section 3

0 The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
1–2

The reflection contains some discussion of what the investigation highlighted to the student
about the methods used by the historian.

The reflection demonstrates little awareness of the challenges facing the historian and/or the
limitations of the methods used by the historian.

The connection between the reflection and the rest of the investigation is implied, but is not
explicit.

3–4

The reflection is clearly focused on what the investigation highlighted to the student about the
methods used by the historian

The reflection demonstrates clear awareness of challenges facing the historian and/or limitations
of the methods used by the historian.

There is a clear and explicit connection between the reflection and the rest of the investigation.

Useful links and resources:

A presentation: https://www.slideshare.net/plangdale/history-for-theory-of-knowledge

Share: History, the Historian and His Work: Issues, Challenges and Prospects
http://www.soeagra.com/ijert/ijertdec2012/6.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dboXRNXOTyM Mike Licona talks about the problems

historians face

http://bigthink.com/videos/re-what-is-the-biggest-problem-historians-face Re: What is the

biggest problem historians face?

"Idealism Vs Positivism". Raffles History Notes. Accessed February 25, 2017.

http://raffleshistorynotes.weebly.com/idealism-vs-positivism.html

Excellent overview: "Problems Of History". Alpha History. Last modified 2017. Accessed
February 25, 2017. http://alphahistory.com/problems-of-history/

Histories and Fallacies: Problems Faced in the Writing of History.

http://www.westminster.coresense.com/common/pdf_links/9781581349238.pdf
"Difficulties | The Discipline Of History". Umass.Edu. Last modified 2017. Accessed February
25, 2017. https://www.umass.edu/wsp/history/difficulties/discipline.html.

"The Problems Of Writing Academic History", Thoughts On Military History, last modified
2017, accessed February 25, 2017,
https://thoughtsonmilitaryhistory.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/the-problems-of-writing-

engelbrecht, christo. "Limitations In History. Part 1. Problems With Historical Facts.".

Academia.Edu. Last modified 2017. Accessed February 25, 2017.
https://www.academia.edu/3664770/Limitations_in_History._Part_1._Problems_With_Historical
_Facts.