Every subject, no matter how different you think they are, is still being marked and examined the same way, using the same rubric. Fundamentally, for the IB, graders are taught to look at each part of the essay in a "best-fit" way.  You are not being graded on what is missing or wrong inside the essay - but at the same time, you are not really getting credit for those sections either. Each grader takes a look at the rubric and judges where you have appropriately "hit" that part of the rubric. It takes some time to get use to it (for graders and for students understanding it) so we are going to try and learn how the rubric works, and dig into actual example essays from the IB to see if you can understand how to grade an essay as well. Remember, the most important thing that you need to remember about this essay is how it is being graded. If you understand how these parts got those points, then you should then be able to point at your own writing and understand where you are gaining points from. 

One final note from the IB Guide: "The mark awarded should be one that most fairly reflects the balance of achievement against the markband. It is not necessary for every indicator within a markband to be met for a mark to be awarded in that markband. Awarding the top mark does not imply faultless performance."

It is important to remember that the IB understands you are...you know, kids. This is not a PhD. There is an expectation to create a work that is of the level of an 18-year old student. The IB does not have the expectation that the only way to do well on the EE is to make a perfect essay. You write the essay you are capable of writing.

What does that mean? 

•  The quality of your topic and research question itself - is it going to be effective? Does the topic and question itself lead towards a more thorough essay (more of this topic will be discussed in class in the next month.) 

• Is the research question appropriate - For example, is the topic sufficiently focused to be adequately addressed within the requirements of the task (is this a question that is too much for 4000 words, or too little)? 

• Is research is planned and appropriate methods of data collection (methodology) chosen and identified? Explaining your methodology is important in every subject- how are you going to explain and analyze this topic and research?

• Is your research and sources appropriate? What kind of primary/secondary sources are you using? 

• Are you doing everything you need to have to make it a proper essay (title page, table of contents, proper citations?)

• Is it in a respectable font? No COMIC SANS please.

What does that mean?

• Is the research question being investigated is put into the context of the subject? Are you explaining and showing enough evidence to show how this topic relates to your chosen subject? 

• Are you using the knowledge and understanding of the topic you got from the class itself? This is why we highly, highly recommend doing a topic and subject you are taking. If you are not using the kind of concepts and knowledge from the class itself, it will show.

• Are you resources/methods assessed here in terms of their appropriateness to the research question? Are you explaining how and why your evidence is useful to answer your question?

What does this mean?

• Is your selection and application of the research presented relevant and appropriate to the research question (or is too much, again, going off topic?) 

• Are you using your sources/methods appropriately to help explain and advance your argument? (again, this is how A, B, and C are connected. If you are choosing poorly with A, it then makes it harder to get points from C!)

• Is your analysis of the research is effective and focused on the research question (is too much of your analysis just relying on "I say its this way, so it is true?")

• Is your discussion of the research developing a clear and coherent reasoned argument? Does your answer make sense?

What does it mean?

• Remember OPVL? Well, it is back, and its main ideas are going to be used here. 

• If Criterion C is about what your answer is, then Criterion D is about explaining how you know this is the best answer possible.  Again, making sure you have found the best information to use in Criterion A and B make it easier to get points from D. If you did not pick a debateable question in A, how could you show the alternative ideas in D?

• Do you have a critical evaluation of the arguments presented in the essay (you aren't cherry-picking data to make your argument seem stronger in the essay, but instead actively exploring the counterclaim and refuting it.)

• If your final outcome was unexpected , can you explain why it differs from your original assumption/hypothesis?

• At the same time, this is not a reflection of your own work and process. You must keep your writing and explanations situated in an academic context. You can't explain why your final argument may be poor because you had too many summatives a week before submission. 

Hey, this isn't part of the essay at all! Instead, this is the reflection work. It also has a word limit - 500 words (we will go into more detail about this when we begin writing these.)

Similar to the CAS reflections you have completed, but more focused on one specific thing: self-evaluation of your work and what you hoped to accomplish with your final essay.

Part of this reflection include are connected to your meeting with your supervisor The last thing you will write for this entire process is the reflection, after your viva voce with your supervisor.

So what does it mean?

• Have you highlighted challenges you faced and how you overcame them?  

• Will the examiner get a sense of your intellectual and skills development?  

• Will the examiner get a sense of your creativity and intellectual initiative?  

• Will the examiner get a sense of how you responded to actions and ideas in the research process?