Comprehensive Instructions for Crafting your IB History HL Individual Investigation
In the realm of the International Baccalaureate (IB) History HL, the Internal Assessment (IA) is a significant component that accounts for 20% of the overall grade. To create a standout IA, it's essential to follow a structured approach, starting with a well-defined research question.
First and foremost, choose a historical event or period that piques your interest. It's crucial to delve into a specific time period and event to avoid overly broad questions. For instance, you might find yourself drawn to topics such as The Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, or Authoritarian States.
Once you've identified your subject, aim for an analytical question rather than a descriptive one. Start with a broad interest area, then narrow it down by focusing on specific aspects like political decisions, social impacts, or economic changes.
For example, if you're intrigued by the fall of the Qing Dynasty, a potential research question could be "To what extent did economic factors contribute to the fall of the Qing Dynasty?"
Remember, your research question should be specific, analytical, and manageable, identifying a precise issue or cause-and-effect relationship within the historical context. This will ensure your IA remains focused and supports sustained analysis.
To help you brainstorm and visualise your topic, consider using tools like spider or mind maps. These can help you explore connections, narrowing broad ideas into manageable, focused questions.
Moreover, it's essential to confirm there are enough credible primary and secondary sources to support your research and evidence. Websites like JSTOR and Google Scholar can provide academic sources, both primary and secondary, for your research. However, be mindful that while Google Scholar may offer a broader range of sources, there is a chance of less credible sources.
Once you've developed your research question and gathered your sources, create a detailed and structured outline for your IA. This should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
The introduction should introduce your research question, provide background information, analyse the values and limitations of your sources, and state your thesis statement. The body paragraphs should expand on the thesis, with each paragraph addressing a specific aspect of the question. The conclusion should summarise the investigation, define and explain the significance of the investigation, and directly answer the research question.
Lastly, ensure you check your citations and formatting to avoid plagiarism. The IA is a historical report, and it's crucial to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity.
By following these steps, you will develop a research question that is both clear and focused, aligned with IB expectations, and manageable within the scope of an HL History IA. This, in turn, will lead to a structured and compelling history IA that meets IB's criteria.
In the process of developing a standout Internal Assessment (IA) for the International Baccalaureate (IB) History HL, engage in education-and-self-development by carefully selecting a specific historical event or period, such as The Cold War or Authoritarian States, and formulate a research question that is analytical and manageable, like "To what extent did economic factors contribute to the Cold War?"
Your personal growth is reflected in the depth of your learning as you research your selected topic, aiming to understand political decisions, social impacts, or economic changes, and connecting ideas through tools like spider maps to arrive at a precise, clear, and focused research question, eventually creating a well-structured history IA that adheres to IB's expectations and criteria.
