Internal Assessment (IA) in IB Psychology
The Purpose of Internal Assessment
Internal Assessment (IA) is an integral part of the course, contributing 25% to the final assessment. IA enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge, and to pursue their personal interests, without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations. The internal assessment should, as far as possible, be woven into normal classroom teaching and not be a separate activity conducted after a course has been taught. Standard level students are required to plan, undertake and report a replication of a simple experimental study. The work will be internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB.
Teacher Guidance and Authenticity
The report of the simple experiment must be the students own work. However, the teacher should play a vital role during both the planning stage and during the study itself. The teacher must inform the students of;
- The requirements of IA
- The Assessment Criteria
- Psychology course ethical guidelines
- Basic meaning of academic honesty, authenticity and intellectual property.
Teachers can give advice to students on a first draft of the IA on how to improve, but the draft cannot be heavily annotated or edited by the teacher. The next draft handed to the teacher after the first draft must be the final one. Once a student has officially submitted the final version of the work to a teacher (or the coordinator) for internal assessment, together with the signed coversheet, it cannot be retracted.
- The requirements of IA
- The Assessment Criteria
- Psychology course ethical guidelines
- Basic meaning of academic honesty, authenticity and intellectual property.
Teachers can give advice to students on a first draft of the IA on how to improve, but the draft cannot be heavily annotated or edited by the teacher. The next draft handed to the teacher after the first draft must be the final one. Once a student has officially submitted the final version of the work to a teacher (or the coordinator) for internal assessment, together with the signed coversheet, it cannot be retracted.
Time Allocation
It is recommended that a total of approximately 30 hours (SL) or 40 hours (HL) should be allocated to the work. This should include:
- time for the teacher to explain to students the requirements of the internal assessment
- time to consider the psychology course ethical guidelines
- class time for students to work on the internal assessment component
- time for consultation between the teacher and each student
- time to review and monitor progress, and to check authenticity.
- time for the teacher to explain to students the requirements of the internal assessment
- time to consider the psychology course ethical guidelines
- class time for students to work on the internal assessment component
- time for consultation between the teacher and each student
- time to review and monitor progress, and to check authenticity.
Ethical Guidelines to be used in all Experimental Studies
- Any experimental study that creates anxiety, stress, pain or discomfort for participants must not be permitted.
- Any experimental study that involves unjustified deception, involuntary participation or invasion of privacy, including the inappropriate use of information and communication technology (ICT), email and the internet, must be avoided.
- All participants must be informed before commencing the experimental study that they have the right to withdraw at any time. Pressure must not be placed on any individual participant to continue with the investigation beyond this point.
- Each participant must be informed of the aims and objectives of the research and must be shown the results of the research.
- Young children should not be used as participants.
- Participants must be debriefed and given the right to withdraw their own personal data and responses. Anonymity for each participant must be guaranteed.
- Teachers and students must exercise the greatest sensitivity to local and international cultures.
- Students must avoid conducting research with any adult who is not in a fit state of mind and cannot respond freely and independently.
- If any participant shows stress and/or pain at any stage of an experimental study, the investigation must finish immediately, and the participant must be allowed to withdraw.
- Non-human animals must not be used for experimental study.
- All data collected must be kept in a confidential and responsible manner and not divulged to any other person.
- Students must regard it as their duty to monitor the ways in which their peers conduct research, and to encourage public re-evaluation of any research that contravenes these guidelines.
Examples of experiments that are ethically unacceptable for SL or HL internal assessment include, but are not limited to:
Students found to have carried out unethical work will be awarded no marks for the internal assessment component.
- Any experimental study that involves unjustified deception, involuntary participation or invasion of privacy, including the inappropriate use of information and communication technology (ICT), email and the internet, must be avoided.
- All participants must be informed before commencing the experimental study that they have the right to withdraw at any time. Pressure must not be placed on any individual participant to continue with the investigation beyond this point.
- Each participant must be informed of the aims and objectives of the research and must be shown the results of the research.
- Young children should not be used as participants.
- Participants must be debriefed and given the right to withdraw their own personal data and responses. Anonymity for each participant must be guaranteed.
- Teachers and students must exercise the greatest sensitivity to local and international cultures.
- Students must avoid conducting research with any adult who is not in a fit state of mind and cannot respond freely and independently.
- If any participant shows stress and/or pain at any stage of an experimental study, the investigation must finish immediately, and the participant must be allowed to withdraw.
- Non-human animals must not be used for experimental study.
- All data collected must be kept in a confidential and responsible manner and not divulged to any other person.
- Students must regard it as their duty to monitor the ways in which their peers conduct research, and to encourage public re-evaluation of any research that contravenes these guidelines.
Examples of experiments that are ethically unacceptable for SL or HL internal assessment include, but are not limited to:
- conformity studies
- obedience studies
- animal research
- placebo experiments
- experiments involving ingestion (for example, food, drink, smoking, drugs) ␣␣ experiments involving deprivation (for example, sleep, food)
- experiments involving young children (teachers should observe local laws and guidelines in relation to the involvement of children in psychological research).
Students found to have carried out unethical work will be awarded no marks for the internal assessment component.