Is IB Psychology IA a group assignment?
IB Psychology IA is one of the key areas of investigation, where a group study and group investigation is called for. However, the immediate question which arises is: Is it a complete group project? No, it is an individual assignment, internally marked by IB and externally moderated. The purpose of the group is to collect the group of data required to conduct the experimental study. The group in which you are a participant researcher, can work on one title dealing with a reasonably feasible sample size. It is difficult to comment on the size of a good sample, for what is really relevant for you to understand is the sample you are dealing with should be uniform for the group. In other words, the selected sample is treated as the same convenience sample for your entire group. While the observations on the sample behaviour is dealt with by your group of researchers, the report analysis is uniquely handled by each of the researchers. How much ever involvement is there in the collecting the data or observations on the experimental study, the individual study needs to be done on the analysis of the report.
Let me cite an example. Suppose, you are conducting an experimental study on Stroop effect for 20 students in your class. The 20 student set should be the same for your entire research group. Also, the participants in the sample should be willing to take part in the experimental study. It is quite overwhelming to imagine that larger the representative sample, close the researcher’s results are to accuracy. However, it might be only feasible for you- the team of researchers group- to access the students whom you know to participate in the study. Herein, lies the idea of feasible sample.
How many variables should be there in IB Psychology IA?
IB Psychology IA is an experimental investigation which deals with dependent(DV) and independent variables (IV)-where the impact of IV is seen on the DV. You, as a researcher, would have an authority to manipulate the IV and measure its dependence on the DV. The investigation has to deal with only one IV and only one DV. You can replicate your observations based on the dependence factor between IV and DV, but you cannot bring in new IVs. Moreover, the one IV and one DV which you are dealing with need to be operationalised through measurement. Each IV and DV needs to be looked through the lens of measurable quantifiers.
What’s the weightage for IB Psychology IA?
Remember that IB Psychology IA is a component which is completely in your hand to manage. An early start is important, which will help you to better reflect on the IA title, frame your RQ precisely, and discuss the record of observations with your group. Once the data is collected and recorded, you can start your individual analysis. If you follow the IB assessment criteria, no way it is possible for you to lose marks. IB Psychology IA for HL is for 20% of the overall weightage, while for SL it is 25% of the overall weightage.
How to select your experimental study for IB Psychology IA?
About the IV
There are certain prescribed limitations in considering your topic for the experimental study, based on the nature of IV. Â Make sure that the IV does not belong to the category of culture, socio-economic status, education level, native language, age, gender, and handedness.
What do I mean by this is –you cannot compare the cognitive ability of male and female participants, or you cannot compare the daily expenses for samples above and below poverty line, or you cannot compare the performance grid of grade 7 and grade 12 students.
Ethical stance
You, as a researcher, should be very particular in maintaining the ethical stance involved in your experimental design. According to the IB guidelines, there should not be-
- any use of placebo
- intake or ingestion of any kind of food or drink (soft drink or hard drink)
- deprivation from the basic needs for survival (food, water, sleep)
The best feasible category of experiments
The most evident examples of good Psychology IAs are seen to revolve round the cognitive approach. Cognitive approach involves construction, organization, processing, and interpretation of information through encoding, storage, and retrieval. Experiments involving the flow of information through attention and rehearsal sound good. These kind of experimental studies involve images, patterns, numbers, flash cards which seem to be reasonably strong and simple tools to conduct the experiment. Of course, a good research methodology may involve survey through questionnaires and interviews.
The best experiments have their visibility in the peer reviewed journals. Also, before you select a topic be well equipped with the resources and check the feasibility of replication for the experimental study in a convenient setup-like your classroom or online.
Climb up your mark bands
Introduction (6 marks)
A clear statement of the aim and relevance of the investigation. A real life concrete example can serve as the most relevant example of the investigation you would conduct.
- Do not write the original description of the research in length. Rather. Every research has a theory modelled in it. You are to mention the theory.
- The theory or model connected with the investigation
- Clear statement of the Null (NH) and Research Hypotheses (RH) having the IV and DV mentioned. The NH and RH should be clearly stated with a purpose of direction.
Exploration (4 marks)
Your exploration is pretty clearly prescribed by the IB through the five pointers for which you need to explain and reason out their description.
- Comprehensive explanation of the research design
- Explanation on the sampling technique
- Explanation about your participants
- Explanation for the controlled variables
- Explanation of the choice of materials
Here, I want you to observe the command term ‘explain’. Your task is to enunciate the reason of describing the research design, sampling technique, the reason for choosing the sample, why are certain variables controlled and not manipulative, and the reason for certain materials being used.
Analysis (6 marks)
The analysis and the interpretation of the data are applied through descriptive and inferential statistics, where the graphs play a key role in addressing the hypotheses. Based on your data you interpret the statistical findings and link to the hypothesis. There is a salient pointer to specify in the analysis section. The gist of your numerical observations needs to be mentioned in words. Do not forget to connect the data with the hypothesis, clearly stating whether the data support or do not support the hypothesis.
Evaluation (6 marks)
Evaluation calls for you to:
- connect your observations, not with the original experiment but with the theory
- mention one strength, one limitation, one modification for each of the design, sample, and procedure
- strike a balanced conclusion with the gist of the whole essay.
Secure your IB IA with all the above tips in mind.It is the worst idea to consider IB IAs on a casual note, for they are very well in your control with the right kind of expert support and guidance. Moreover, the year 2020 has been an eye opener for the IB community to realise that in any kind of unprecedented scenario, you have to fall back on your predicted grades and IA.
