The Internal Assessment (IA) is a crucial component of the IB Psychology SL course, accounting for 20% of your final grade. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of the procedures rubric, helping you understand the assessment criteria and achieve a high score on your IA. We'll explore each aspect, offering practical advice and examples.
Understanding the IA's Structure and Requirements
Before diving into the rubric, let's clarify the IA's core elements. Your IA involves designing and conducting an experiment investigating a psychological concept within the syllabus. This necessitates a rigorous approach, encompassing planning, execution, analysis, and evaluation. The IA should demonstrate your understanding of research methodology and critical thinking skills.
The Psychology SL IB IA Procedures Rubric: A Detailed Breakdown
The rubric assesses your IA based on several key areas. While the exact wording might vary slightly depending on your specific IB program, these are the general categories you should expect:
1. Research Question
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Clarity and Focus: Your research question should be clearly stated, concise, and focused on a specific psychological concept. It must be empirically testable. A vague or overly broad question will significantly hinder your score.
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Example of a Strong Research Question: "Does exposure to violent video games increase aggressive behavior in adolescents?"
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Example of a Weak Research Question: "What is the effect of video games on people?" (Too broad, lacks specificity)
2. Hypothesis
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Testable and Specific: Your hypothesis must be a clear, testable prediction based on your research question. It should state the expected relationship between your independent and dependent variables.
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Directional vs. Non-Directional: Decide whether your hypothesis will be directional (predicting the direction of the effect) or non-directional (simply predicting a difference). The choice depends on your research and existing literature.
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Example of a Strong Hypothesis: "Participants exposed to violent video games will exhibit significantly higher levels of aggression than participants exposed to non-violent video games."
3. Method
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Participants: Clearly describe your sample, including the sampling method (e.g., opportunity sampling, random sampling), sample size, and relevant demographic information. Justify your sampling method.
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Materials: List all materials used in your experiment, including any questionnaires, stimuli, or equipment. Provide enough detail for replication.
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Procedure: Provide a step-by-step account of your experimental procedure. This should be detailed enough for someone to replicate your study. Consider using numbered steps for clarity. Ethical considerations (informed consent, debriefing, confidentiality) must be explicitly addressed.
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Design: Specify your experimental design (e.g., independent measures, repeated measures, matched pairs). Justify your chosen design based on its suitability for your research question. Clearly identify your independent and dependent variables and any control variables.
4. Data Collection and Analysis
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Data Recording: Describe how you collected your data. Include examples of your raw data tables.
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Data Analysis: Appropriately analyze your data using statistical methods relevant to your design and data type. Explain the rationale behind your chosen statistical test. Clearly present your results in tables and/or graphs.
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Appropriate Statistical Tests: Your choice of statistical test should be justified based on your data (e.g., t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-squared test). Understanding the assumptions and limitations of your chosen test is crucial.
5. Evaluation
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Strengths and Limitations: Critically evaluate your study, identifying its strengths and limitations. Consider factors such as sampling bias, experimental design flaws, and potential confounding variables.
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Suggestions for Improvement: Suggest ways to improve your study design and methodology based on your evaluation. This demonstrates your understanding of research methods and your capacity for critical reflection.
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Validity and Reliability: Discuss the validity (internal and external) and reliability of your findings. Consider the extent to which your findings accurately measure what they intended to measure and can be generalized to a larger population.
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Ethical Considerations: Reflect on any ethical considerations involved in your study and whether they were adequately addressed.
6. Presentation
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Clarity and Organization: Your IA should be clearly written, well-organized, and easy to follow. Use appropriate headings, subheadings, and formatting to enhance readability.
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Professionalism: Maintain a professional tone and style throughout your report. Ensure proper citation of any sources using a consistent citation style (e.g., APA).
Maximizing Your Score: Practical Tips
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Start Early: Begin planning and conducting your IA well in advance of the deadline. This allows ample time for revisions and refinements.
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Consult Your Teacher: Regularly seek feedback from your teacher to ensure you're on track and addressing all the necessary criteria.
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Practice Your Statistical Analysis: Ensure you're comfortable with the statistical techniques required for your chosen design.
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Focus on Critical Evaluation: The evaluation section is vital for a high score. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the strengths and limitations of your study.
By carefully following this rubric and incorporating these practical tips, you can significantly enhance your chances of achieving a high score on your IB Psychology SL IA. Remember, the IA is an opportunity to showcase your research skills and understanding of psychological concepts. Good luck!
