The Ultimate IB Biology Internal Assessment Checklist

Whether you are starting to plan your IB Biology Internal Assessment (IA) or are about to start your write-up, our ultimate IB Biology Internal Assessment Checklist can ensure you don’t miss out on any of those valuable IA points. Written by experienced IB Biology teacher, Ashby Merson-Davies, and extracted from his Peak IB study guide, Biology Internal Assessment SL & HL, the following IB Biology IA checklist offers a comprehensive review of the things you will need to cover at both Standard and Higher Levels. Pay particular attention to the practical headings above the key questions as these also serve as a template for how to successfully structure your report.

When starting to plan your IB Biology Internal Assessment, review these questions to make sure you start off on the right track, and definitely ask yourself these questions before submitting your final work to make sure you haven’t missed anything essential.

Personal Engagement

This section provides the background to your choice of research question for your IB Biology Internal Assessment.

Key questions:

• What sparked your interest in your chosen topic?
• How did you arrive at your research question?
• Did you use existing practical skills?
• Creativity?

Exploration

How have you explored various parts of your IA including the research question, background information, variables, your hypothesis, the apparatus, the risk assessment, and the method you used.

Research question key questions:

• Is it a question?
• Does it use biological terminology?
• Is it clear and precise?

Background Information key questions:

• Does it relate directly to my research question?
• Does it enhance the biological understanding?
• Why is it worth investigating?

Variables key questions:

• Have I tabulated my variables?
• Have I done all four categories?
• Have I stated the range of my independent variable?
• Have I explained the choice of this range?
• Have I described how the controlled variables will be controlled?
• Have I explained why the controlled variables need to be controlled?
• Have I specified precisely the dependent variable?
• Do I need controls?
• Are there any uncontrolled variables?
• Have I minimised their effect?
• Do I need to monitor anything?

Hypothesis key questions:

• Is the null hypothesis stated clearly?
• Does it relate directly to my research question?
• Do I need an alternative hypothesis as well?

Apparatus key questions:

• Is the list complete?
• Have I used SI units?
• Have I included uncertainties?
• Have I selected the most appropriate apparatus to allow precision?
• Do I need to include a labelled drawing or photo?

Risk Assessment – safety, ethical and environmental issues key questions:

• Have I stated any safety issues?
• Have I stated any ethical issues?
• Have I stated any environmental issues?

Method key questions:

Don’t give away easy points, see our article How to present your IB Biology IA Method, for specific guidance on how to successfully write this section of your IB Biology IA write-up.

• Is it set out clearly in paragraphs or a bullet point list?
• Is the sequence correct?
• Have I explained precisely each step in the procedure?
• Have I explained how I will be accurate?
• Have I explained how I will be precise?
• Have I explained how I will get sufficient data for analysis?

Analysis

Check to make sure you have presented your results and analysis clearly and in line with requirements.

Key questions:

• Have I tabulated my data?
• Are my table(s) correctly designed?
• Do the columns have the correct headings?
• Have I included any uncertainties related to data in my table(s)?
• Are my graph(s) large and clear?
• Have I included any uncertainties related to data in my graph(s)?
• Appropriate line of best fit?
• Have I provided precise and informative titles for my table(s) and graph(s)?
• Have I stated the reason for selecting a specific statistical analysis?
• Are the result(s) of the statistical analysis stated in the correct format?

Evaluation

Ensure you present a thorough evaluation of your work and explain the conclusions you have made.

Conclusion key questions:

• Is the conclusion(s) stated clearly and precisely?
• Are the results of the statistical analysis included?
• Have I related my conclusion to my research question?
• Have I stated whether my hypothesis is supported or not?

Justification of the Conclusion key questions:

• Have I described how my data supports my conclusion?
• Have I described how my graph supports my conclusion?
• Have I described how any uncertainties might have affected my conclusion?
• Have I described how any background information supports my conclusion?
• Have I described how any published information supports my conclusion?
• Have I included any relevant qualitative data and explained its relevance?

Evaluation of the Method key questions:

• Have I identified at least three clear weaknesses (e.g. in the design or collection of data)?
• Have I explained how each weakness could have affected the reliability of the conclusion?
• Have I suggested a strong improvement for each of them to reduce or remove the effect?
• Have I discussed any anomalous data?

Extending the Investigation key questions:

• Have I suggested one or more strong extensions to the investigation?
• Have I explained why this would be a good extension?

Next Steps

We hope our IB Biology IA checklist has been useful! If you’re looking for more in-depth guidance on how to write a successful IB Biology Internal Assessment write-up, check out our Biology Internal Assessment SL & HL Student Guide. The guide covers everything you need to know from the best IB Biology IA structure to how to successfully collect and analyse data, to how to present your findings clearly and accurately. For more helpful resources about how to succeed in IB Biology bookmark our IB Biology Resource page. Good luck!