IB ESS IA Checklist

CRITERIA YOUR TASKS STATUS

Identifying the ● A focused research question

Context
(6 marks) ● The research question is written as a question

Roughly 500 words ● Your research question has an independent variable,

a dependent variable, and a brief outline of your
method
● (Example: What is the effect of acidic water (pH
2,3,4,5 and 6) on the mean plant height of Vigna
radiata in cm measured after two weeks?

● An environmental issue at a global level is

discussed (give a detailed account)
● Intext referencing should be done here to show
research has been conducted

● The same environmental issue at a local level is

discussed (give a detailed account) by giving clear
reference to a case study
● Intext referencing should be done here to show
research has been conducted
● Insert a picture or a graph if available

● The science behind the environmental issue should

be discussed

● Give a brief hypothesis, what will be the effect of

your independent variable on your dependent
variable (how is your research question and the
environmental issue is connected?)
● Give a predicted graph if possible

Planning ● State your independent variable

(6 marks) ● Give unit if applicable

Roughly 500 words ● State your dependent variable

● Give unit if applicable

● Give a table for controlled variables

● Be very specific and scientific in your explanation
● Do intext referencing to show evidence of research

Control Variable Why is it How is it

controlled controlled
 ● Give material and equipment list
● The list should be specific and should indicate
volume/ mass etc
● If I take only the materials and equipment you have
given and the amounts you have specified, will I be
able to do the experiment?)

● Give your method in bullet points

● Your method should be repeatable

Write a paragraph giving a justification for your method

Answers to the following questions would be helpful:
Experiment:
-Why are you doing 5 trials?
-Why did you choose certain pH ranges? (This is an
example; however, you are expected to research and show
why you chose specific variations of the independent
variable?)
Database:
-Why did you choose a specific database? (Comment on
reliability, you might like to compare it with another
database)
-Why you are choosing every fifth country on the database?
(This is an example)
-Why you chose a particular year on that database for
investigation?
-Why you are choosing two different databases? (this is an
example)
Survey:
-Justify each question that you chose by annotating it
I have shared examples with you
-Why are you sending your survey online/ why are you
giving the survey to people in person
These are just some examples; however, “justification of
the method” is open-ended and can be done in many
ways

Risk Assessment and Ethical Consideration

● Describe risk assessment and/ or ethical
consideration involved with your investigation. For
example, look at your method and see if you are
working with acids or using sharp objects, etc.
● When working outside the lab (urban settings/
parks/ lakes etc) you should not be sampling by
yourself, a responsible adult-Only parent or
guardian should be with you.
● If you are using a database mention the ergonomic
issues while working at a desk for long hours
 ● If you are giving surveys, how will you protect the
identity of the respondent?
● One would expect some mention of how anonymity
is being preserved, and how are you ensuring
compliance with digital citizenship mores (in terms
of safety, how are you preventing access to your
email address by strangers?
● What precautions would you take for the above-
mentioned safety and ethical issues?

Results, Analysis and Results:

Conclusion ● Raw data should be included in the main body of
(6 marks) the report
Roughly 300 words
● If there is no raw data, the maximum possible for
RAC should be a 4
Surveys:
● If only pie charts are given, in the absence of raw
data, for example in surveys or data for footprint
calculations, it is impossible to determine if the data
have been analyzed correctly. e.g Online surveys
from platforms like Google sheets or
SurveyMonkey produce these sorts of charts
● The students would need to have the raw numbers
and not just the graph
Analysis
● Clarity of the data processing by giving a formula
and showing working
● Accuracy in calculations and graphing

Survey:
● If you have performed a survey and the only
evidence of analysis is the generation of Google
Doc pie charts or such, this does not constitute a
complete analysis the maximum score is a 4 for
RAC
Conclusion:
● The investigation set out to answer the research
question: “Restate the research question here…”
● Summarise the data to clearly answer the research
question.
● “In conclusion…” describe the main pattern or
findings from the data, and a connection to the
science.
● Mention about the validity (Standard Deviation)

Note: if the conclusion is scientifically wrong this should

be discussed in the DEV criterion.
DEV Discussion
6 marks ● The discussion should evaluate the conclusion, and
Roughly 700 words if the conclusion is theoretically/scientifically
incorrect this must be mentioned here
● The discussion should refer to the RQ and the
environmental issue
● Should include secondary data (graphs from other
similar investigations) to support/refute the
conclusion.
● If there are no references to the original RQ,
environmental issue, or context in a "discussion"
section, the max mark is a 4

Evaluation

● Further Research: Further research should be

qualitatively different, i.e. collecting more samples
is not enough whereas undertaking research in
different seasons would be
● The further research suggested should follow on
from the research in a meaningful way and go
beyond the original method of investigation show
how it will enhance understanding of the topic or
RQ

App ( 250 words) ● Justify one solution of this conclusion to the

environmental issue
● The solution must be directly linked to the
environmental issue
● When a solution is suggested that does not match
the data and the environmental issue zero is awarded
● Give the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of
this solution.

Communication ● Please insert the page numbers

 ● Give headings and subheadings
● Give works cited
● Do in-text referencing
● Don’t leave any extra space
● Use clear images
● Refer to all the figures
● Proofread your work
● Don’t exceed the word count of 2,250 words

Name:_____________________________
I have checked my work against the checklist.

Sign:__________________________________