Achieving the maximum mark

To score the maximum of four marks for Communication your Individual Scientific Investigation needs to:

• Be written and presented clearly so that any errors do not hinder the understanding of the focus, process and outcomes.
• Be well structured so that the necessary information relating to focus, process and outcomes is presented coherently.
• Be concise and relevant so that the focus, process and outcomes can be readily understood.
• Use correct chemical terminology and conventions and attribute all sources in a recognised manner.

The following four areas are particularly important when it comes to assessing 'Communication'.

1. Clear presentation

The IB recognises that many students writing their report will be using English as a second language. The report does not have to be grammatically correct and spelling mistakes of non-scientific words will not be penalised. However it does need to be of a suitable standard so that it does not hinder the understanding of the research question, the methodology and the conclusion.

2. Structure

There is no absolute structure that the report should follow but it should flow logically and coherently. After the title page the report will normally start with an introduction that contains the research question. It should explain why the research question was deemed worthy of investigation and provide the background to set it into a scientific context. This will be followed by the methodology leading to the collection of raw data. Explain why the methodology chosen was followed and the reasons why other possible methods were not chosen. After the raw data has been processed a discussion will follow relating the findings to the research question. The report will conclude with a conclusion and evaluation. The referencing of sources can either be given as footnotes on the pages where they occur or listed in a bibliography at the end of the report. The whole report should be between 6 to 12 sides of A4 paper. Neither an abstract nor an appendix is required and should not be included in the report.

There is some debate about exactly what is meant by 6-12 sides. Amongst the guidance given by the IB it states:

" There are no formal guidelines with regard to font size or style, margins or paper size. Students are expected to use common sense and follow the style that they normally adopt in school. This would usually mean a font size of between 10 and 12 pt. and A4 portrait format and a style that can clearly be read by teachers and moderators. The student does not need to include a cover page because a form exists to provide all the relevant information. In addition, no abstract, nor table of contents is required.

The IA does not have to be double-line spaced and candidates will not be penalised if it is not double-line spaced.

Although it is clearly not mandatory, Arial font and font size 11 should help to put any external moderator into a good frame of mind! The 6 - 12 pages does to refer to single-spaced pages.

3. Concise and relevant

You need to be economical with your words and choose them carefully. Sweeping statements and repetition should be avoided. Everything contained within the report should be directly relevant to the research question, which should remain the focus of the report throughout. Enough detail of the methodology should be given so that the work could be reproduced and the report should demonstrate that you understand the theory behind the methodology and the processing of raw data.

4. Correct terminology

This is a report on a chemistry investigation. You must use correct and consistent chemical terminology throughout. As much as possible use IUPAC nomenclature and SI units but, however you name compounds or units, be consistent. For example, do not refer to ethanol in one paragraph and then ethyl alcohol in another. Similarly you will not be penalised if you use ml instead of cm³, but you may be if you use ml in one paragraph or table and cm³ in another. All graphs, tables and images should be labelled correctly. Use of scientific notation is encouraged to ensure the correct use of significant figures. Appropriate units should be used. You should reference all statements of fact, images, diagrams or quotations etc. attributable to others in a consistent and recognised format.