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Introduction:
Introduction:
The "Personal Engagement" section of the IB Physics Internal Assessment (IA) is a criterion that aims to evaluate the student's connection, interest, and proactive involvement with the investigation. In essence, it evaluates how the student has immersed themselves beyond just completing the task as an academic requirement.
Personal Engagement accounts for 2 out of the 24 possible marks for the IA. It's more than just stating an interest; it's about demonstrating genuine engagement with the process and topic.
Key aspects of Personal Engagement:
Key aspects of Personal Engagement:
Choice of Topic: Why did you choose this particular topic? Maybe there's a personal story behind it. For instance, you might be interested in how guitars produce different pitches because you play one.
Personal Input: Did you go beyond the basic requirements? This could be in the form of further reading, extra experiments, or seeking additional resources beyond the classroom.
Initiative: Did you face problems and then take steps to solve them? For instance, if an initial method didn't work, did you research and find another one?
Reflection: Highlight instances where you reflected on your progress. Did you revisit some steps based on initial findings? Were you skeptical about certain outcomes and decided to dig deeper?
Enthusiasm: This can be subtly conveyed through the depth and thoroughness of your work. Your genuine excitement for the topic can be indicated by the questions you ask, the depth of your research, and the effort you put into your investigation.
Guide to Addressing Personal Engagement:
Guide to Addressing Personal Engagement:
Introduction:
Introduction:
Start by introducing why you chose the topic.
Did a personal experience lead to this curiosity?
Many students make the mistake of just stating "I have always been passionate about..." in their introductions.
Explain any preliminary background reading or research you did.
Methodology:
Methodology:
Reflect on the choices you made in your methodologies. Why did you choose a particular method over another?
If you modified or tweaked standard methods to better fit your investigation, explain why and how.
Obstacles and Problem Solving:
Obstacles and Problem Solving:
Discuss any challenges you faced during the investigation.
Explain how you overcame them or how they might have affected your results.
Going Beyond:
Going Beyond:
If you consulted advanced resources, university-level texts, or spoke to experts (maybe a university professor or a professional in a relevant field), mention it.
If you conducted more experiments than initially planned because you were intrigued, talk about that.
Conclusion & Reflection:
Conclusion & Reflection:
Reflect on what you've learned, not just in terms of the topic but about the process of scientific investigation.
Discuss any future directions this investigation could take or further questions you now have.
Tips:
Tips:
Be Genuine: Don't exaggerate or make up stories. Authenticity is key.
Show, Don’t Just Tell: Instead of just stating you're interested, show it through the work you've put in.
Stay Concise: While reflection is essential, remember to stay within the word limits and keep the focus on the physics.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Remember, the main aim is to show your personal touch throughout the investigation. Personal engagement is assessed throughout the IA, and not just the introduction. Personal engagement is not simply why you wanted to research the topic, but also your effort and creativness to the approach in your research. It should come across that you've taken ownership of the research, rather than just completing a mandatory task.
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