IB Environmental Systems & Societies

Internal Assessment Write-up Guide

This is a guide to assist you in writing your practical write-ups. Please use
this guide in conjunction with the marking criteria. Keep in mind that three
parties will review your work: you, your teacher and the IB moderators. You
may not change your work after it has been marked by your teacher,
therefore check it carefully before you hand it in, otherwise you may be
throwing away marks.

Layout
Clearly mark the following sections and subsections of your write-up in
order to make it easy to mark. Before you do anything else, please now look
at the marking criteria. Remember there are 3 aspects for each criterion,
with 0, 1 or 2 marks available for each aspect.

Planning
o Research question (given to you by your teacher)
o Hypothesis
o Variables (independent, dependent, controls)
o Methodology (include apparatus list, scientific diagrams, maps
and photos if these are helpful)

Data Collection and Processing

o Results

Discussion, Conclusion and Evaluation

o Discussion
o Conclusion
o Evaluation

Please use 12 point font and double-spaced lines in order to allow the
markers to add comments. Leave a margin on the left hand side of the
page. Always print on both sides of the page (to save trees)

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Planning
Aspect 1: Defining the Problem and Selecting Variables
Research Question
The first part of planning an experiment is writing a good research question
that you will investigate. The basis of the question will be given to you by
your teacher, but you may alter it to make it stronger.
A Good research question will:
1. Include both your dependent and independent variables
2. Allow you to collect quantitative and qualitative data

Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a statement that addresses the research question and
makes a prediction about what will happen. It should:
1. Be written in an If, then format. If the [independent variable] [does
something], then the [dependent variable] will [do something as a result].
This should be followed by a detailed explanation.
2. Be explained. This is your background research section! Make sure you
completely research and explain your focused question before making your
prediction. (Note: it is helpful to use scientific concepts/models) to explain
your prediction.)
3. Include both dependent and independent variables
4. Be quantitative if appropriate
5. Be testable (Falsifiable)
6. Relate to the research question

Variables
This section MUST include:
1. The independent variable the variable that you will change
2. The dependent variable the variable that you will measure
3. Controlled variables (all the variables that will be kept constant to try to
ensure any effect on the dependent variable is due to the independent
variable alone)

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Aspect 2: Controlling Variables

Control of Variables:
Part of the methods section of a lab is to include how you will control the
variables you have already stated. This should:
1. Specify how the measurements will be collected.
2. Specify how the other variables will be controlled.
3. Make sure the each variable in the list is mentioned.

Aspect 3: Developing a Method for Collecting Data

Apparatus and Materials:
This section includes the necessary equipment and materials to control and
measure the variables you have already listed. Keep this section separate
from you methodology. This section should:
1. Indicate the correct materials for each variable
2. Indicate the precision of measurements:
500 ml beaker, instead of just beaker
Thermometer (0-100C) instead of just Thermometer
Metre ruler or 100 cm ruler not just ruler
3. You may include an annotate diagram here, but not it is not necessary
(especially if it is unhelpful). The purpose would be to allow another student
to replicate the set-up of your equipment.

Methodology
Write this section as a series of steps (bullet-pointed) to allow the collection
of sufficient and relevant data. It is important when planning an experiment
to think about the RANGE and SIZE of measurements as well as how many
REPETITIONS of the experiment you will do. This section should:
1. Include all steps necessary to complete the experiment
2. Include how and when to take measurement or record observations
3. Address an appropriate RANGE and SIZE of intervals or measurements
(use appropriate SI units).
4. Indicate how many times the experiment will be REPEATED. (At least 3
trials, and preferably more)

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Data Collection & Processing

Aspect 1: Recording Raw Data
Results
Data collection involves all your quantitative or qualitative raw data.
Quantitative data is defined as things being observed with more or less
unaided senses (colour, change of state, etc.) or rather crude estimates
(hotter, colder, brighter, etc.) quantitative data involves some kind of
measurement. Organize this section into tables and figures. Figures are
diagrams, sketches, photos, maps or graphs (not tables).

Uncertainties of Measurement
Whenever we make measurements we do so with some error or uncertainty.
We cannot make exact measurements; therefore it is important to indicate
what level of uncertainty there may be. Uncertainties are calculated as:
(plus or minus) of the smallest unit measurable by the
instrument. For example, a thermometer that is graded to 1C has an
uncertainty of 0.5 C

Aspect 2: Processing Raw Data

Data Processing:
Data processing means that you are actually converting the data into
another form. Putting numbers into a table is not data processing. This
section includes calculations. You will usually present your data in tables
and graphs. Give a title to explain the nature of any calculations and fully
explain them. This section should include:
1. Any formulae you used, even if simple
2. Processes such as
o
o
o
o

Means
Standard deviation
% differences
Statistical tests (such as Students T-test)

3. Uncertainties of measurement

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Aspect 3: Presenting Processed Data

Tables
Label your tables (ABOVE) as table 1, table 2 etc. Include any means and
standard deviations you have calculated for your data sets. Make sure your
label is descriptive (it may be a few sentences). Include units and
uncertainties of measurement in the column headings of your table (not in
the body of the table). Do not state any measurements or calculations to a
level of precision greater than your uncertainty of measurement.

Figures
Label your figures (BELOW) as figure 1, figure 2 etc. Again, make sure your
label is descriptive of what the figure shows. You may need a few sentences
to achieve this. Remove the labels that automatically appear at the top of
excel graphs. Explain in your label what any error bars you add to your
graph actually represent.
Your results section may include a written description of your results,
together with any calculations. Remember that anywhere you state a
specific measurement, you must include the unit and the uncertainty of
measurement.
Remember to include labels on each axis of all of your graphs, together with
units and uncertainties of measurement.
If your data is discontinuous (your independent variable gives you different
data sets which belong in separate groups) then you should present your
data as bar graphs.
If your data is continuous (your independent variable is time or distance, for
example and therefore exists on a continuous scale) then you should
present your data as line graphs.

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Discussion, Evaluation and Conclusion

Aspect 1: Discussion
A discussion is the consideration and examination of your original research
question and hypothesis in the light of the results of your experiment. This
section should:
1. Be clear and well reasoned
2. Show understanding of context and implications of the results
Context means describing the outcome of your experiment in the light of
what you have learned, both in the process of carrying out your experiment
and reading up about the subject you are studying. For this reason it should
be necessary to also include a references section at the end (to make it
obvious you have researched the subject matter).

Aspect 2: Evaluation
You are not being judged as a person, so dont take the defensive and try
and justify your mistakes (or simply state that it went well or badly). Be
honest, and think hard about what you could have done better. This section
should:
1. Identify sources of error in method and measurement
2. Identify limitations in your method and data collection
3. Suggest improvements if the experiment were repeated
After you identify possible sources of error in the investigation, cite methods
that could be used to fix them. Simple/general sources of error such as
Human Error or Faulty Equipment are NOT acceptable.

Aspect 3: Conclusion
A conclusion is not simply a restatement of the problem. It requires
thorough analysis of the relevant data collected and processed. This section
should:
1. Refer back to the research question/hypothesis. Remember, you CANNOT
prove your hypothesis right. You can support it, or disprove it, but you
cannot prove anything!
2. Be explained with reference to data analysis and literature values
[translation: dont say something that is not present in your data!]
3. Give quantitative relationships between variables where appropriate
linear, directly proportional, exponential, inverse, positive, negative, NOT it
changed.
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References
Please cite any external references properly, using the Harvard System
This document was compiled partly from shefferlyscience.yolasite.com

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