Can you retake IB math IA?
Mostly, students are not permitted to retake an IB math IA after submission. Yet, they may be granted a retake when there are:
•
Technical difficulties beyond the student’s control
•
Extenuating circumstances (i.e. serious illness and personal emergencies)
•
Appeals process
You must first discuss this with your DP coordinator before making a request. Since the process would be complicated and the chance of approval of a retake would be low, the students are encouraged to successfully submit their IA on their first time.
Can you ask for a regrade of your IA?
According to the IB policy, a candidate is allowed to request enquiry upon results (EUR) via their school’s DP coordinator to re-mark their work. The IBO does not accept EUR requests from candidates or their legal guardians directly. You should note that the EUR process is not free of charge, and the re-evaluated grade may be lowered and the candidate is not allowed to retain the original grade– thus, written consent is required. Since the EUR process is lengthy and risky, we do not recommend the request of EUR.
Can I get away with using ChatGPT?
You must not copy from ChatGPT as it is against the academic honesty policy of IBO and you will be at risk of failing to attain the IB diploma. If you copy and paste from ChatGPT, it is obvious to the readers and there are many techniques that can detect plagiarism, therefore, you must not think you can get away with it. Yet, you can use ChatGPT to research, organize your notes, and check math problems or simple codes for data analysis. You should remember to paraphrase yourself; you do not need convoluted vocabularies in math IA. In addition, since ChatGPT is not always correct, you should revise with your teacher or tutor, or investigate more using other sources, before using the information.
Isn’t it plagiarism if I just follow the exact same methods from sample IAs?
Sample IAs are for reference. While the big idea and the mathematical methods may overlap, you must alter the details to make your IA unique. For instance, you can come up with a personal and distinctive research question while using similar methods that had been in other exemplar IAs– apply the methods in your own scenario.
What should I include in the conclusion?
The examiners do not expect a restatement of your math IA in the conclusion. They want to see an insight into your IA, which would generally include:
1. A summary of your investigation
To keep the reader concentrated, you should write a summary of your entire investigation that contains your aim, methodology, and results.
2. Mathematical interpretation
You should include insightful interpretations of your results– ask yourself “So what?” For example, you can connect the results to a real-life situation and write about what the values represent. You can also do further evaluations– for instance, in the case of modeling, you can analyze the turning points using calculus. It is also beneficial to include some personal reflections for Criterion C: Personal Engagement and Criterion D: Reflection.
Lastly, you should remember to link your interpretations and analysis back to your research question and exhibit the greater picture– further than your research question.
How important is referencing?
According to Criterion A: Presentation, the exploration should be coherent and concise, meaning you should only include information related to your research question. Only reference what you need and make it brief. For example, a history of mathematics may sound knowledgeable, but it is not important in a mathematical exploration. Each sentence in your IA should be relevant to your aim; stay focused on your research question.