How to find the criteria that apply
There is no universal IB IA grading scale. Internal assessment can be a mathematical exploration, scientific investigation, oral, fieldwork report, performance, project or another subject-specific task. The applicable subject, level, course version and examination session determine the criteria and weighting.
- Confirm the assessment session. Course updates can change the task, criteria, marks and terminology. Use the guide that applies to the student's examination session. Evidence: session and course version confirmed by the teacher.
- Identify the exact subject and level. A Mathematics exploration, Science investigation, language oral and fieldwork report do not share one universal rubric or report structure. Evidence: registered subject, route and SL or HL identified.
- Read every applicable criterion. Map visible evidence in the student's work to the actual descriptors. A strength in one criterion does not automatically compensate for another. Evidence: current criteria and mark ranges supplied by the school.
- Check authorship and submission rules. Confirm the permitted feedback, collaboration, data, citation and AI-use rules. The submitted decisions and work must remain the student's own. Evidence: draft, source and tool-use records reviewed before submission.
Common confusions
Assumptions that cost students marks or planning time.
Frequently asked questions
Do all IB Internal Assessments use the same criteria?
No. The task, criteria, marks and weighting depend on the exact subject, level, course version and assessment session. A rubric from Mathematics or Chemistry must not be reused as a universal IB IA rubric.
How do students find the correct IB IA criteria?
Confirm the examination session, registered subject and level with the teacher, then use the assessment outline and complete criteria supplied from the applicable official subject guide. Check for curriculum updates before relying on an online summary.
How much is an IB Internal Assessment worth?
There is no universal percentage. The weighting varies by subject, level and course version. For example, the current Mathematics exploration contributes 20%, while other subjects can use different weightings.
Does every IB IA have a Personal Engagement criterion?
No. Criterion names are subject- and session-specific. The current Mathematics exploration has a three-mark Personal engagement criterion, but current sciences use Research design, Data analysis, Conclusion and Evaluation instead.
Can one high-scoring section compensate for a weak IA criterion?
Criteria are assessed separately under the applicable rubric. Strong evidence for one criterion does not automatically award marks under another, so students should identify where the submitted work demonstrates each current descriptor.
Sources checked
Every claim on this page is checked against the IB's own publications. Where the two disagree, the IB is right and this page is wrong. Tell us and we will fix it.
Using StudyIB tools?
Open the subject-specific guidance once the task and session are confirmed.