A complete guide to get a level 7 in IB Economics IA

IB Economics HL/SL

Internal Assessment: A Guide to Score High Marks!

Criterion A: Diagrams

For scoring a 3/3:

• Relevant, accurate and correctly labelled diagram(s) must be included, with a full explanation.

This criterion assesses your ability to choose correct diagram/s to represent the problem and its subsequent solution, shown in the article

Tips:

1. For scoring 3/3, one must ensure that the diagrams are fully accurate including correct labelling of the axes, the title, the curve being used and the presence of arrows if the diagram is dynamic.

2. In this criterion, examiners prefer the use of data from the article, for example if the article mentions “increase in prices of apples from $5 to $7” this must be represented instead of simply showing increase in price from P1 to P2

3. The diagrams must be fully labelled, the title must be relevant to the article and must have the country name.

4. One must include the currency symbol for price and price level.

5. One must also label zero in the graph.

6. These diagrams should not be simply copy pasted from the Textbook, they need to be applied to the article.

7. The diagram must be fully explained and analysed in the commentary, similar to the explanation of a diagram in a regular 15 marker.

Criterion B: Terminology

For scoring a 2/2:

• Relevant economic terminology must be used appropriately throughout the commentary.

Tips:

1. For scoring a 2/2, one must ensure the accuracy of the economic terminology being used.

2. One must be careful to ensure that terminology is not being interchanged between Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, such as price instead of price level or vice versa.

3. One must ensure the correct terminology is being used for the correct situation, for example price impacts quantity demanded, not demand.

4. A simple error in the terminology, may result in the candidate losing the opportunity from scoring 2/2 in this criterion.

Criterion C: Application and analysis

For scoring a 3/3:

• Relevant economic theory is applied to the article throughout the commentary with effective economic analysis.

Tips:

1. The analysis of the graph and the theory needs to be nuanced, must be relevant and delivered in a crisp and concise manner.

2. One must avoid convoluted and complex sentences as it dilutes economic theory.

3. One must fully use their article to support the analysis and use statistics, data from the article across the commentary.

4. One must quote the article using quotation marks, or mention as stated in the article to apply the article to the commentary. (Note: The quotations do count towards the word count.)

Criterion D: Key concept

For scoring a 3/3:

• A key concept must be identified and the link to the article is fully explained.

Tips:

• One must read about the Key Concepts in IB Economics from the Official Syllabus Guide or the IB Economics Textbooks.

• The chosen key concept must be relevant to the article.

• The key concept must be highlighted throughout the commentary.

• The key concept must be in bold.

Criterion E: Evaluation

For scoring a 3/3:

• Judgments are made that are supported by effective and balanced reasoning.

Tips:

• One must evaluate the policies which are being commented on across the article and the commentary.

• The evaluation must be balanced ie. it must offer a range of both advantages and disadvantages.

• One must ensure to evaluate all the policies being stated in the commentary.

Criterion F: Rubric requirements

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student meets the three rubric requirements for the complete portfolio.

For scoring a 3/3:

• Each article is based on a different unit of the syllabus.

• Each article is taken from a different and appropriate source.

• Each article was published no earlier than one year before the writing of the commentary.