Internal Assessment (IA)

Internal assessment

The purpose of the internal assessment task is for you to engage in a study of an environmental issue that can be focused within the scope of the ESS internal assessment but that is, at the same time, linked to a broader environmental context and that will ultimately inform the wider issue through the suggestion of solutions or applications. The process of engaging with this study might therefore involve:

  • identifying a broad environmental issue (the context) that interests you
  • developing and carrying out a small-scale study that relates to one or more aspects of this issue
  • using the conclusion and evaluation of this study to suggest applications or solutions to the broader issue that was the stimulus for the study.

The study could be carried out at a local, regional or global level. It is possible for the student to identify a global context, to carry out a related study on a local scale and then consider how their findings relate to providing solutions to the bigger issue. It is also possible to identify a global context and then to carry out a small-scale study of one aspect of that global problem using secondary data that is available through databases or other secondary sources. A third possibility is that the student uses a local context as the basis of their focused study, since not all authentic environmental problems are global in nature.

The individual investigation not only allows you to demonstrate your skills in research but also provides a positive opportunity for you to meaningfully develop and use:

  • research skills
  • communication skills
  • thinking skills
  • social skills
  • self-management skills.

Guiding the planning

The initial planning is crucial to the successful outcome of the individual investigation. I will guide you as to the appropriateness of your proposed research question, in terms of its level of complexity, in order to ensure that it is commensurate with the level of the course and compatible with the assessment criteria. As its title indicates, the individual investigation is personal research and, as such, it is anticipated that you will undertake your own unique investigation of a research question that is of interest to you. It is important to remember that the formulation of the research question is your responsibility and is assessed within the context criterion. I can suggest possible broad contexts, and approaches to formulating questions, but cannot allocate specific research questions to study.

The starting point for the individual investigation might be local, national, regional or global. While the research question should focus on one particular issue that can be addressed through your own primary or secondary research, the notion that this research can be applied to a wider context and that its conclusion might offer potential solutions to broader problems is vital.

You need to be interested in your topic and should decide whether to do an individual investigation that involves the use of surveys, case studies, ecological fieldwork, hands-on practical laboratory work, the use of secondary sources such as databases and simulations, or possibly a hybrid of all these sources.

Facilitating the investigation

The facilitation of individual investigations for each student in a teaching group requires forethought and planning. Once again, the optimal strategy depends on school-based considerations. Some of the key factors dictating the final strategy to be implemented include:

  • the number of students in the teaching group
  • the availability of technical support staff
  • access to fieldwork opportunities
  • the availability of apparatus and materials
  • the access to ICT.

Your IA research question and method of data collection must be approaved before you begin to data collect so that I am able to ensure its authenticity and appropriateness.

Writing of the report

Things to remember:

  • Revisit the assessment criteria regularly (textbook or Subject Guide)
  • The final report must be 1500–2250 words in length
  • The report should include sufficient detail for the investigation to be replicated independently.
  • Once the full draft is submitted, I am permitted to make general comments and annotations regarding its strengths and weaknesses but these should not be corrections. The work will then be handed back so that you may produce the final version.
  • An authenticity check using Turnitin will be carried out on the final written report so demonstrate academic integrity right from the beginning.

Assessing the report

Once your report has been finalized, I will assess it using the assessment criteria.

The individual investigation is internally assessed and externally moderated.