SCH4U

Chemistry IA - Writing Guide

Personal Engagement Exploration Analysis Evaluation Communication Total

2 (8%) 6 (25%) 6 (25%) 6 (25%) 4 (17%) 24 (100%)

General Guidelines

● The report should be approximately 6–12 pages.

● Use an easily readable font such as Arial, minimum font size 11
● Single (or greater) line spacing
● Numbered pages
● Portrait orientation (rather than landscape), except where it is necessary or appropriate. The
use of landscape orientation may be to accommodate a specific item, such as a graph or
illustration
● From November 2022 examiners will be instructed not to read beyond the 12-page limit
○ The 12 pages only include the substantive report and do not include
bibliography/appendices/cover pages

Personal Engagement (2)

● The evidence of personal engagement with the exploration is clear with significant independent
thinking, initiative or creativity.
● The justification given for choosing the research question and/or the topic under investigation
demonstrates personal significance, interest or curiosity.
● There is evidence of personal input and initiative in the designing, implementation or
presentation of the investigation.

AVOID: Method choice and development:

● Stories ( ‘my great great grandmother...’)
● Going off topic
Introduce the investigation:
● Why this?
● Statement related to the significance of
the research, why is it relevant personally
to you and/or within a global context?
● Your thought process
● DP chemistry topic links
● A novel approach has been taken in (at least)
one of the following to improve the accuracy
of the collected data:
● Control variable(s)
● Method/equipment used to measure the
DV
● Method/equipment used to alter the IV
● Preliminary trials (if applicable)
● Summarised
● Changes made referred to and justified

Watch: How to get a 7 in the IA: Part 1 - Personal Engagement

Modified from Kathleen Quinn SISQ Oct 21

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Exploration (6)

● The topic of the investigation is identified and a relevant and fully focused research question
is clearly described.
● The background information provided for the investigation is entirely appropriate and
relevant and enhances the understanding of the context of the investigation.
● The methodology of the investigation is highly appropriate to address the research question
because it takes into consideration all, or nearly all, of the significant factors that may
influence the relevance, reliability and sufficiency of the collected data.
● The report shows evidence of full awareness of the significant safety, ethical or
environmental issues that are relevant to the methodology of the investigation.

The aim of the investigation is clear: ● Control variables, column headers

● RQ stated as a question with IV and
DV clearly defined
Investigation context (background):
● Comprehensive but concise
● Explain why this topic is important
● State what is already known
● State what is unknown
● State the classes of compounds
investigated and explain why chosen
● Include reaction equations
● State what method will be used and how
it works
● Compare with alternatives to justify
your method choice (why this
method?)
● Explain why this experiment is
appropriate (give evidence!)
● Include any necessary formulas define
all terms
● Explain what information they provide
Hypothesis:
● State expected relationship and explain
why it is expected
● Is the relationship quantitative?
● Give evidence to support claim
Variables (table format):
● The independent variable is stated
● Range investigated stated and justified
● The dependent variable is stated
include:
● Variable being controlled,
● how it will be controlled /
monitored, and
● reason needed for control/
possible effect on results
Pre-lab calculations/ preliminary trials:
● Calculations required for solution prep
can be included here
● Modifications made to the initial
procedure during the lab can be included
here
Chemicals and Materials:
● Concentration (if solution)
● Total volume (if liquid / solution)
● Total mass (if solid)
● For all equipment needed
● Quantity and specifications
● Uncertainties
● Model (if applicable)
● Manufacturer (if applicable)
Risk assessment (table format):
● Reference the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
● Safety procedures listed
● Disposal of chemicals
● Ethical or environmental considerations?
Method:
● Include reference of method used or
modified
● Include schematic of experiment set-up
● Give a clear, step-by-step breakdown

Watch: How to get a 7 in the IA: Part 2 - Exploration

Modified from Kathleen Quinn SISQ Oct 21

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Analysis (6)

● The report includes sufficient relevant quantitative and qualitative raw data that could support a
detailed and valid conclusion to the research question.
● Appropriate and sufficient data processing is carried out with the accuracy required to enable
a conclusion to the research question to be drawn that is fully consistent with the
experimental data.
● The report shows evidence of full and appropriate consideration of the impact of measurement
uncertainty on the analysis.
● The processed data is correctly interpreted so that a completely valid and detailed conclusion
to the research question can be deduced.

Analysis: ● Sample calculations shown

● Raw data ● One per each calculation type completed
● Quantitative ● Explain any assumptions in calculations
● Qualitative observations ● Includes uncertainty calculation
● Explained assumptions in treatment
● Graphs: of uncertainty
● Axis labels ● All numbers to appropriate sig figs
● Axis units ● Appropriate data processing
● No duplicate title in graph and text ● Calculated % uncertainty (if applicable)
● Appropriate scaling ● Calculated % error (if applicable)
● Equation displayed ● Propagated error (if applicable)
● R2 shown ● Expressed final result (based on above)
● Processed data interpreted (not just stating,
● Tables: but giving meaning to numbers)
● Created in excel/sheets ● Comparing with benchmark/literature
● Units values
● Uncertainties ● Commented on % error comparison
● Sig figs
● Decimal points match uncertainties
● NO screenshots

Resources:
-How to get a 7 in the IA: Part 3 - Analysis
- How to Use Google Sheets for Success in the IB Chemistry IA
- Uncertainties: MrM4Chem Doc & Video

Modified from Kathleen Quinn SISQ Oct 21

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Evaluation (6)

● A detailed conclusion is described and justified which is entirely relevant to the research
question and fully supported by the data presented.
● A conclusion is correctly described and justified through relevant comparison to the accepted
scientific context.
● Strengths and weaknesses of the investigation, such as limitations of the data and sources of
error, are discussed and provide evidence of a clear understanding of the methodological
issues involved in establishing the conclusion.
● The student has discussed realistic and relevant suggestions for the improvement and
extension of the investigation.

AVOID: Errors to consider:

● Using the words ‘accurate’, ‘precise’,
‘reliable’ unless used correctly and then
qualified using specific details/data
Conclusion:
● Results stated explicitly
● Quantitatively
● Relates to and answers the RQ
● Compared against known scientific
context
● % error against known context (cite
source)
Evaluation
● Limitations of data (what was needed
but left unknown?)
● Range of independent variable:
● Did you do enough different variations of
your independent variable? Was the
range appropriate and sufficient to answer
the RQ?
● Equipment/methodology used -
Appropriate? Was there a better way to
test this? - do research
● Intended control variables - were you
able to control? What could make it
better?
● Impacts of assumptions - there are
always assumptions made
● Particular strengths of this work
Improvements:
● Address the specific issues/assumptions
in eval above (see structure of eval in the
IA template)
● Specific (NOT “do more experiments” or
“use different method/equipment”)
● Proposed extensions (research
directions)
● Based on findings here (what remains
unknown/unexplained? What else might
be worthy of exploration in relation to this)

Sources of errors - comprehensive and relevant

● Specific (NOT “human errors” or “maybe
not reproducible”)
● Approx 2/3 each of systematic and
random, quantified with impacts and
improvements directly connected to the
issue.

Resources:
-How to get a 7 in the IA: Part 4 - Conclusion and Evaluation

Modified from Kathleen Quinn SISQ Oct 21

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Communication (4)

● The presentation of the investigation is clear. Any errors do not hamper understanding of the
focus, process and outcomes.
● The report is well structured and clear: the necessary information on focus, process and
outcomes is present and presented in a coherent way.
● The report is relevant and concise thereby facilitating a ready understanding of the focus,
process and outcomes of the investigation.
● The use of subject-specific terminology and conventions is appropriate and correct. Any errors
do not hamper understanding.

● Title ● Past tense

● Figures (images, graphs) are labeled as
Fig X. [...]
● Tables are labeled as Table 1. [...]
● Table titles are not duplicated in graph
and caption
● Citations are used and consistent
throughout
● All ideas / content by others are sourced
● Pasted images explicitly sourced in
caption
● Consistent formatting in text
● Chemical names are NOT capitalized
● Writing 3rd person (i.e., not “I did the
experiment”)
● Passive voice
● Paragraphs flow coherently, not
fragmented ideas (PEEL paragraph
structure, point, evidence, explain, link!)
● Precise usage of nouns (e.g., atom vs
molecule vs element vs particle...)
● Precise usage of adjectives (e.g., not
“longest mass”, “bigger energy”...)
● Numbers use . as decimal separator
● Values less than 1 are “0.123” (instead of
“.123”)
● Use proper superscript e.g., 104 notations
(not 10e4)

Resources:
-How to get a 7 in the IA Part 5: Communication

Exemplar IAs with Examiner Comments

● Sample 1: Effect of cooking time on chlorophyll degradation (14/24)

● Sample 2: Boiling points of binary mixtures (20/24)
● Sample 3: Reaction kinetics of hydrolysis of sucrose using polarimetry (22/24)
● Sample 4: Effect of red wine tannin concentration on methylene blue oxidation (23/24)
● Sample 5: Oxidation of luminol (23/24)
● Sample 6: Hydrolysis of Acetylsalicylic Acid (24/24) *no comments*

Modified from Kathleen Quinn SISQ Oct 21

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