IA ASSESSMENT COMPONENT:

IA Criteria
The new assessment model contains five criteria: Personal Engagement (PE), Exploration (EX),
Analysis (AN), Evaluation (EV), and Communication (CM).
Personal Exploration Analysis Evaluation Communicati Total
Engagement on
Maximum 2 6 6 6 4 24
Marks
Percentage 8% 25% 25% 25% 17% 100%

Personal Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3

Engagement
Personal Engagement Justification for Research Personal Input & Initiative
Question

2 marks Clear evidence with Justification Evidence of personal

significant demonstrates personal input and initiative in
independent significance, interest or design, implementation
thinking, initiative or curiosity or presentation
creativity

1 mark Limited evidence Justification does not Little evidence of

with little demonstrate personal personal input and
independent significance, interest or initiative in design,
thinking, initiative or curiosity implementation or
creativity presentation

0 marks Does not reach the standard of the descriptors above

Exploration Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3 Aspect 4

Topic and Research Background Information Methodology Safety, Ethical &

Question Environmental Issues

5-6 marks Topic is identified. Background Methodology is The report shows

information is highly appropriate evidence of full
entirely to address the awareness of the
Relevant and fully appropriate and research question significant safety,
focused research relevant and because it takes ethical or
question is clearly enhances the into consideration environmental
described. understanding of all, or nearly all, of issues that are
the context of the the significant relevant to the
investigation. factors that may methodology of
influence the the investigation.*
relevance,
reliability and
sufficiency of the
collected data.

3-4 marks Topic is identified. Background Methodology is The report shows

information is mainly appropriate evidence of some
mainly appropriate to address the awareness of the
Relevant but not and relevant and research question significant safety,
fully-focused aids the but has limitations ethical or
research question understanding of since it takes into environmental
is described. the context of the consideration only issues that are
investigation. some of the relevant to the
significant factors methodology of
that may influence the investigation.*
the relevance,
reliability and
sufficiency of the
collected data.

1-2 marks Topic is identified. The background The methodology The report shows
information is of the investigation evidence of limited
superficial or of is only appropriate awareness of the
Research question limited relevance to address the significant safety,
of some relevance and does not aid research question ethical or
is stated but it is the understanding to a very limited environmental
not focused. of the context of extent since it issues that are
the investigation. takes into relevant to the
consideration few methodology of
of the significant the investigation*.
factors that may
influence the
relevance,
reliability and
sufficiency of the
collected data.

0 marks The student’s report does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
Analysis Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3 Aspect 4

Raw Data Data Processing Measurement Interpretation of Data

Uncertainty

5-6 marks Sufficient relevant Appropriate and Evidence of full and Processed data is
quantitative and sufficient data appropriate correctly
qualitative raw processing is consideration of interpreted so that
data that could carried out with the impact of a completely valid
support a detailed the accuracy measurement and detailed
and valid required to enable uncertainty on the conclusion to the
conclusion to the a conclusion to the analysis. research question
research question. research question can be deduced.
to be drawn that is
fully consistent
with the
experimental data.

3-4 marks Relevant but Appropriate and Evidence of some Processed data is
incomplete sufficient data consideration of interpreted so that
quantitative and processing is the impact of a broadly valid but
qualitative raw carried out that measurement incomplete or
data that could could lead to a uncertainty on the limited conclusion
support a simple broadly valid analysis. to the research
or partially valid conclusion but question can be
conclusion to the there are deduced.
research question. significant
inaccuracies and
inconsistencies in
the processing.

1-2 marks Insufficient Some basic data Evidence of little Processed data is
relevant raw data processing is consideration of incorrectly or
to support a valid carried out but is the impact of insufficiently
conclusion to the either too measurement interpreted so that
research question. inaccurate or too uncertainty on the the conclusion is
insufficient to lead analysis. invalid or very
to a valid incomplete.
conclusion.

0 marks The student’s report does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
Evaluation Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3 Aspect 4

Conclusion and Conclusion and Strengths and Improvement and

Research Question Scientific Context Weaknesses Extension

5-6 marks Detailed Background Strengths and Discussed realistic

conclusion is information is weaknesses of the and relevant
described and entirely investigation, such suggestions for the
justified which is appropriate and as limitations of improvement and
entirely relevant relevant and the data and extension of the
to the research enhances the sources of error, investigation.
question and fully understanding of are discussed and
supported by the the context of the provide evidence
data presented. investigation. of a clear
understanding of
the methodological
issues* involved in
establishing the
conclusion.

3-4 marks Conclusion is Conclusion is Strengths and Described some

described which is described which weaknesses of the realistic and
relevant to the makes some investigation, such relevant
research question relevant as limitations of suggestions for the
and supported by comparison to the the data and improvement and
the data accepted scientific sources of error, extension of the
presented. context. are described and investigation.
provide evidence
of some awareness
of the
methodological
issues* involved in
establishing the
conclusion.

1-2 marks Conclusion is Conclusion makes Strengths and Outlined very few
outlined which is superficial weaknesses of the realistic and
not relevant to the comparison to the investigation, such relevant
research question accepted scientific as limitations of suggestions for the
or is not context. the data and improvement and
supported by the sources of error, extension of the
data presented. are outlined but investigation.
are restricted to
an account of the
practical or
procedural issues
faced.

0 marks The student’s report does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
 Comm- Aspect 1 Aspect 2 Aspect 3 Aspect 4
unication
Presentation (Holistic) Structure Relevance and Terminology
Concision

3-4 marks Presentation of Well structured Relevant and Use of subject

the and clear: the concise thereby specific
investigation is necessary facilitating a ready terminology and
clear. Any information on understanding of conventions is
errors do not focus, process and the focus, process appropriate and
hamper outcomes is and outcomes of correct. Any
understanding present and the investigation. errors do not
of the focus, presented in a hamper
process and coherent way. understanding.
outcomes.

1-2 marks Presentation of Not well Understanding of Many errors in the

the structured and is the focus, process use of subject
investigation is unclear: the and outcomes of specific
unclear, making necessary the investigation is terminology and
it difficult to information on obscured by the conventions*.
understand the focus, process and presence of
focus, process outcomes is inappropriate or
and outcomes. missing or is irrelevant
presented in an information.
incoherent or
disorganized way.

0 marks The student’s report does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.