Discussion & Evaluation (6pts)

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student discusses the conclusion in the context of the environmental issue, and carries out an evaluation of the investigation.

Discussion:

Provide a scientific explanation for your results.
- For example - The reason for the colder temperatures showing a greater amount of carbon dioxide to have dissolved is because cold water molecules are closer together making it harder for the dissolved gas to escape.
Revisit your overarching environmental issue and explain how your results fit into the picture.
Compare your results to literature values, are your results expected? Why or why not?

Evaluation of design:

Identify strengths in your design and comment on how they had an impact on the results and the conclusions you drew.
Identify any weaknesses in the design and describe how they affected the results (quantifiably if at all possible).
- For example - The average cost of wind farms was calculated from wind farms constructed off the shores of the UK and Denmark. Both of these countries are more closely located to a source of turbine manufacturing, and therefore the cost to install a similar farm in Estonia might be higher due to transportation.
- For example - the water poured into the beaker at the cooler temperature treatments was not kept in a regulated water bath, unlike the warm water treatments. Instead, the temperature was monitored with a thermometer and ice was added when necessary. These treatments fluctuated around the desired temperature by approximately one degree and consequently were less reliable than other treatments because of the greater range in temperature.
Describe how the specific weaknesses mentioned could be improved upon in future experiments, identifying modifications that could improve the reliability of the results. Be very specific (never just say use better equipment, identify the type of equipment that should be used).
- For example - to more accurately estimate the costs of the wind farm construction in Estonia, I could contact the project manager of an on-land wind farm to find out the cost of transportation of their turbines and add those figures into the final calculations.
- For example - you could run the cold temperature treatments in an insulated cooler to reduce the rate at which the water warmed, allowing for slower and smaller fluctuations.
Suggest further areas of research that would be needed to improve our understanding of the environmental topic and explain why that information would be helpful.

Discussion & Evaluation (20%)

MAY 2023 SUBJECT REPORT (IB's feedback on what students did well, and did not)

"The discussion aspect of this criterion is often very brief, missing or does not relate the conclusion to the environmental issue (EI). Stronger investigations have students who use literature and research, as well as their own data to refer to the EI.

The evaluation aspects are generally answered in more detail. Most students can identify or describe strengths, weaknesses, and limitations, and many can discuss these. The modifications for the weaknesses and limitations are usually appropriate but often are not detailed enough. Most students are now attempting some further areas of research, but these can be rather superficial."

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