IB Economics IA Guide

The Internal Assessment (IA) is a crucial part of the IB Economics curriculum, providing students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of economic concepts and apply them to real-world scenarios. Here’s a step-by-step guide, combining the essential elements from both the school’s guide and practical tips to ensure your success.

Cover Page

Your IA should begin with a cover page containing the following information:
– IA Title
– IB Number (format: ABC123)
– Article Source and Title
– Session (e.g., May 2022)
– IA Word Count

Choosing the Correct IA Article

Selecting a relevant and appropriate article is the first critical step. Your article should:
– Be from a credible source such as newspapers or recognised news websites (not from blogs, TV, or radio broadcasts).
– Be current (published within one year of writing the commentary).
– Provide ample economic data and involve multiple stakeholders.

Suitable Article Examples

– “Malaysia’s Proposed Sugar Tax to Combat Obesity”
– “Australia’s Interest Rate Cut in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic”
– “America’s Fiscal Stimulus in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic”
– “UK’s Tariff on Electric Cars from the EU”

Requirements for the Article:

– Maximum of 3 pages of text (excluding pictures/photos).
– Should allow the use of relevant diagrams for better explanation.

Structuring the IA Commentary

Introduction (100 words)
– Highlight key economic concepts.
– Outline the economic theory and the chosen economic lens (e.g., sustainability).
– Get straight to the point.

Body (500 words)
– Explain the Economic Problem and Proposed Solution: Describe the economic issue addressed in the article and the proposed solution.
– Theoretical Analysis: Analyse how the proposed solution works in theory. Link it back to the economic concepts and theories.
– Economic Diagrams: Use and explain relevant diagrams to support your analysis. Ensure they are digitally produced and properly labelled.
– Stakeholder Analysis: Discuss the impacts on different stakeholders (consumers, producers, government, society).

Synthesis (100 words)
– Consider the perspectives of various stakeholders.
– Discuss potential trade-offs or unintended consequences of the proposed solution.

Conclusion (100 words)
– Summarise your findings.
– Use IB command terms like “evaluate,” “analyse,” “explain,” and “compare” to give a balanced view of your analysis.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

– Lack of Detailed Explanations: Ensure detailed explanations of economic theories and link them back to the article.
– Overgeneralising: Avoid vague statements. Always provide specific examples and detailed analysis.
– Ignoring Stakeholders: Always consider and analyse the impact on all relevant stakeholders.
– Inadequate Use of Diagrams: Diagrams must be relevant, accurate, and well-explained.

IA Portfolio Checklist

Selection and Submission:
– Choose your article independently.
– Articles must be from recognised sources and current.
– Ensure digital production of all contents.

Document Preparation:
– Include a cover page with all required details.
– Save each IA as a single PDF document.

Compliance with Criteria:
– Maximum of 800 words per commentary.
– Use different key concepts and units of the syllabus for each commentary.
– Avoid collaboration; the work must be individual.

Assessment Criteria:
– Diagrams: Accurate, relevant, and fully explained.
– Terminology: Appropriate economic terms used throughout.
– Application and Analysis: Effective application and analysis of economic theory.
– Key Concept: Clearly identified and linked to the article.
– Evaluation: Balanced and reasoned judgements.

Important Tips: Q&A Format

Q: What type of stimulus material should be used for the commentaries?
A: Articles may be from a newspaper, journal, or the internet, but must not be from blogs, TV or radio broadcasts, or economic-related websites. Avoid extracts where the analysis is already written, such as “The Economist.”

Q: Which websites are appropriate for article selection?
A: News media websites are the only appropriate sources. Use original material and cite the final publication as the source, not the news agency.

Q: What time period should the article cover?
A: Articles should be current, ideally published within six months to one year of writing the commentary.

Q: How should I cite syndicated news articles?
A: Cite the final publication as the source, not the news agency. Ensure each article in your portfolio comes from a different source.

Q: How long should an article be?
A: Articles should be a maximum of three pages of text (excluding pictures/photos). Use tools like printfriendly.com to create a printer-friendly format.

Q: How do students reference the source of the article?
A: Clearly indicate the title, source, and date of the article in your IA. Ensure no changes are made to the content of the article.

Q: Can the article be in any language?
A: The article should be in the working language of the school. If in another language, provide an exact translation of the entire article or relevant parts.

Q: How many units in the syllabus need to be covered in the portfolio?
A: Each commentary must focus on a different unit of the syllabus (excluding Unit 1). Acceptable units include Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and the Global Economy.

Q: Can the same key concepts be used for all commentaries?
A: No, each commentary must use a different key concept. Using the same concept for multiple commentaries will result in a loss of marks.

Q: Is it appropriate to use the first person in the commentary?
A: While there may be situations where it is acceptable, formal language is generally expected.

Q: Can footnotes, endnotes, and diagram labels be used to save words?
A: No, these should only be used for referencing purposes.

Q: How much feedback can the teacher give?
A: Teachers can give advice on article choice and feedback on the first submission. After the deadline, no further alterations are allowed.

Q: Is it essential that the commentaries are digitally produced?
A: Yes, all content must be digitally produced as IA portfolios are submitted online.

Q: How important is it to meet the word limit requirements?
A: The word limit is exact. Each commentary must be no more than 800 words. Moderators will not read beyond the limit.

Q: How should students refer to references included in the commentary?
A: All references must be clearly attributed within the commentary. The article itself does not need to be referenced.

Q: How is the portfolio assessed?
A: The teacher marks each commentary individually and then applies the final criterion to the complete portfolio. Marks are confidential and subject to moderation by the IBO.

Q: Should every individual commentary criterion be demonstrated in every commentary?
A: Yes, to achieve the highest marks, every criterion must be demonstrated in each commentary.

By following these guidelines and tips, you will be well-prepared to write a successful Economics IA. Remember to proofread your work and ensure it meets all requirements. If you need extra help, consider reaching out for guidance and feedback to enhance your IA. Good luck!