Guide to Writing Your Personal Statement 

Definition of personal statement: 

A reflection on the evaluation of the links you established to the areas of interactions, the process you 
followed to prepare your final product and the overall success of your project in terms of your initial 
goals. 

Your personal statement will be the main focus of the marking and moderation processes.  If you have 
maintained a thorough process journal, most of the ideas of your statement come from the process 
journal. 

Importantly, the focus of your personal statement is your evaluation of the process you followed 
and the significant links you have made to the areas of interaction. 

Use the criteria provided in your personal project booklet as a guide when writing your statement. 

The areas of interaction: 

Your personal statement is both a reflective and personal piece of writing that represents the 
culmination of your project and your work in the areas of interaction.  It is important that the links to 
the areas of interaction are seen as the focus of your personal statement.  This means that you do NOT 
deal with the areas of interaction superficially in one paragraph.  Instead, you need to make the links to 
the areas of interaction explicit throughout your statement. 

Use the links to the areas of interaction as the organizing device for the piece.  For example, when 
outlining your goals frame them in terms of the areas of interaction (see example below under “How 
do I write my personal statement?”). 

You need to use the right terminology for the areas of interaction. 

How do I write my personal statement? 

Your personal statement can be written in the first person.  However, you must follow the structure 
outlined below which is designed to help you address the criteria.  You need to organize your personal 
statement under the sub­headings provided.  These sub­headings are numbered.  Do not use the bullet 
points as headings!  You must use complete sentences and paragraphs. 

Remember: this is a personal statement.  It is ok if you ‘speak from the heart’ and explore the 
personal reasons why you chose the personal challenges you encountered and the personal 
growth that resulted from the experience.  The teacher, who will be marking your project, and 
the moderators at the IBO, want to see evidence of your personal engagement.
·
 Framework for the written part of a Personal Project 

Title of the Personal Project ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

Goal _____________________________________________________ AOI Focus________________________________________ 

INTRODUCTION (about 3 paragraphs) 
Presentation of the subject: 
How will you present your project?  Define your goal within a historical, social, artistic, etc. context and make a link with the Area of 
interaction that is the major inspiration for your project. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Subject: 
Describe precisely the process you will follow­ techniques, media, values, messages, etc.  What will your final project look like? 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Work plan: 
Present the overall plan of how you will reach your goal that clearly indicates each stage of the development of your project. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 1.  PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT: 
Reminder: this is one type of example; the chronology can be different. 

1.  Process
·  Reasons for this project, inspiration, interests, motivations, expertise, influences, etc.
·  Your preparation.
·  Your timetable: activities, consultations, interviews, visits, etc.
·  Characteristics, aspects or components of the work.
·  Your discoveries, difficulties, decisions taken, etc. 

How will you introduce this aspect of the development of your project? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.1 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How will you conclude this aspect focusing through your Area(s) of interaction? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2.  RESEARCH: Collection of Information and Resources
·  The final product must be based on some research.
·  What will be the object of your research?
·  What kind of resources did you use?  Which libraries and databases were the most helpful?
·  How did you identify critical resources?
·  How did you go about acknowledging sources appropriately? 

How will you introduce this aspect of the development of your project? 
________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.1 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.2 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.3 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How will you conclude this aspect focusing through your Area(s) of interaction? 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.  CHOICE OF APPLICATION AND TECHNIQUE:
·  How were your chosen techniques relevant to your goal?
·  Justify your selection of technique.
·  Explain how you applied the chosen techniques consistently and effectively. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4.  ANALYSIS OF YOUR PRODUCT (Analysis of Information)
·  Inspiration, research, and influences guiding the work, findings and decisions made
·  What evidence did you use to support your arguments?
·  What are your personal thoughts as you evaluate your product?
·  The resulting product and the process in terms of the goal and the focus on the Area(s) of Interaction chosen. 

How will you introduce this aspect of the development of your project? 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1.1 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
1.2 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
1.3 __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How will you conclude this aspect focusing through your Area(s) of interaction? 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 5.  ANALYSIS OF PROCESS AND OUTCOME: 

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project at different stages of development.  Suggest ways the project could have been 
improved, and comment on the attainment of your project goal.

·  Strengths and weaknesses of the project.
·  How could the project have been better?
·  Was your project goal attained?  How? Why not? 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

6.  REFLECTION/Conclusion 

You must reflect on the impact of your project, and on any new perspective that could be considered. 

Summary:
·  Brief summary of the whole project (goal, initial objectives focused through the chosen Area(s) of interaction).
·  Personal benefit of the experience.
·  Impact of the project
·  Personal review of the project with reference to your original objectives. 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

IMPACT: will my project have some repercussions in my social environment? 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
Can I consider new perspectives now that my project is completed?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
Can I make pertinent connections between my theme and the real world? Can I see my project through a more international 
perspective and ask my self new questions? 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

APPENDIX (any pertinent material to which you will refer specifically in the written piece of work: photos, text, soundings, 
sketches, plans, etc.) 

BIBLIOGRAPHY: complete and pertinent. * Credit must be given to all sources used in the paper using MLA format.