There is no stipulated format for the IA from the IB, however it must be a structured piece of well-organized work.
Therefore you must have an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
Title page (cover sheet) - to include the research question
Table of contents page
Introduction
Main Body
Conclusion
Bibliography and references (works cited)
Appendices: include the 3 to 5 supporting documents (to be electronically uploaded)
Good presentation also requires the appropriate use of headings and sub-headings, consistent referencing, and numbered pages.
Recommended structure for the title (cover) page:
Subject name, i.e., Business Management (SL or HL)
Session, e.g. May 2024
Research question
Key concept
Word count declaration
Personal code
Declaration of authenticity*
As the IA must be anonymised, do not include your candidate name, candidate number, or the name of the centre (school).
Brief background information about the chosen business organization.
Outline of the contemporary, real-world issue or problem under investigation (to provide context).
Rationale for the study, including choice of key concept.
Relevance of the research question to the chosen key concept.
Description of the methodology used to investigate the chosen issue or problem.
Main findings (from the 3 - 5 supporting documents).
Analysis of the findings (in relation to the research question).
Application of relevant Business Management tools, theories, techniques, and terminology.
Integration of the chosen key concept.
Evidence of evaluation (critical thinking) in relation to:
Why and how the information in the 3 - 5 supporting documents are helpful (or unhelpful) in addressing the research question
Strengths and limitations of the data/information in the 3 - 5 supporting documents with respect to answering the research question.
An evaluative approach to the discussions, e.g., the short-term and long-term implications of the findings on the chosen business organization, including the impact on employees, customers, or other key stakeholder groups, as well as its finances.
Provide a clear and explicit answer to the research question, backed by the evidence presented in the main body of the research project.
Do not introduce any new materials, facts, or arguments that have not been discussed in body of the research project.
Acknowledge any aspect of the research question that has not been fully addressed from the findings and analysis of the research project, outlining any further investigation needed to answer the research question more effectively.
The IB recommends all IAs are produced using the following style of presentation:
Arial font or Times New Roman font
Font size 11 or 12
1.5 or double-spaced
Numbered pages
This makes it significantly easier for the moderator or examiner to check the work of the candidate.
I would also recommend that all internal assessments are converted into a PDF document and checked before uploading to IBIS. This is because the Portable Document Format (PDF) document will keep the original work intact. Word documents (in .doc or .docx format) do not always convert nicely once uploaded, and the original work can become truncated with page numbers getting out of sync, especially when text columns, images, photos, tables, diagrams, charts etc. are used.
It can be useful to include the mission statement or vision statement, if appropriate, to the Introduction.
Note that there is no formal requirement to include the mission or vision statement of the chosen organization - after all, the IB does not prescribe a specific format or structure for the IA. However, and where appropriate, including the mission or vision statement of the chosen business can add purpose and context to the business research project. Also, providing the mission/vision statement can go some way to address the following aims of the IA:
Select a real business issue or problem for the research project
Refer to a single business organization (but this can be related to industry-wide issues or problems that impact on the chosen organization).
Use primary and/or secondary research to address the research question.
Having a clear and purposeful focus can also help students to formulate their IA research question and provides the parameters for selecting the 3 - 5 supporting documents.