H6Internal assessment

It is essential that teachers refer to this section and to the relevant subject sections of this handbook by accessing it on the online curriculum centre (OCC). This will enable teachers to familiarize themselves with requirements for internal assessment and predicted grades.

The purpose of section H6 and section H7 is to explain the administrative procedures for internal assessment (IA) and predicted grades (PG). Section H8 concerns the administration of audio recordings. These procedures, which are designed to ensure the validity and reliability of the marks, involve subject teachers and must be fully discussed with them. The involvement of teachers in the assessment and grading of their candidates is an important part of the Diploma Programme assessment process. This involvement occurs in two ways:

Teachers are encouraged to write comments on all candidates’ work submitted for internal assessment to indicate how marks have been allocated. These comments are very helpful to the moderators who read this work.

In addition to submitting marks and predicted grades, coordinators are required to submit a sample of the work that has been internally assessed by teachers, for the purpose of moderation.

The process of moderation involves two stages. Firstly, a check is made that teachers in each school are applying the given assessment criteria for internal assessment in the standard way expected in all IB World Schools offering the Diploma Programme. This is done by a moderator (external examiner) who reviews the marking of a sample of candidates' work from each school. Secondly, in cases where a difference in interpretation or use of the criteria is identified, an adjustment is made to the teacher’s marks for the relevant subject and level. This adjustment is carried out by IB Cardiff and is based on the differences between the marks awarded by the teacher(s) and the marks awarded by the moderator for the same pieces of work. As a result of moderation a teacher’s marks may be lowered, raised or remain the same.

H6.1Requirements for internal assessment

The teacher(s) for each subject and level with an internal assessment component must ensure that the candidates’ work conforms to the requirements for the subject and level. Details of these requirements are available in the relevant subject guide.

The teacher(s) must assess candidates’ work using the IB assessment criteria for the respective subject and level. Marks must be awarded within the range of minimum and maximum marks available without using fractions, decimal places or estimates.

A candidate must complete all work for internal assessment in the language of registration for the respective subject and level.

According to the type of internal assessment work required for the subject and level, assessment must be based on work done. Marks must be awarded even if the work, or participation, is incomplete. If a candidate submits no work, an “F” must be entered on IBIS for the mark, resulting in no grade for the subject and level.

The IB reserves the right to request additional sample work or the work of all candidates for internal assessment in any subject, for the purpose of moderating marks, at any time before the issue of results. Therefore, coordinators must ensure that all candidates’ work and associated materials are retained until the issue of results.

H6.2Submitting marks for internal assessment and predicted grades

All marks for internal assessment (IA) and predicted grades (PG) must be submitted on IBIS no later than 10 April/10 October, approximately three weeks before the written examinations. (This is often referred to by the abbreviation IA/PG.) If this deadline is not met IB Cardiff will normally inform the coordinator that this information has not been received. Failure to provide marks for internal assessment will normally result in no grades being awarded for the subject(s) and level(s) concerned. Failure to provide predicted grades may place candidates at a disadvantage.

If subject teachers have access to the World Wide Web they can use a restricted area of IBIS to enter internal assessment marks and predicted grades for the subjects they teach. IB Cardiff enables coordinators to create teacher access to predicted grade and internal assessment mark entry screens on IBIS from 1 February/1 July, two months before the written examinations. Access to this website is protected by usernames and temporary passwords created by the coordinator and issued to each teacher. It is possible to print a report that provides each subject teacher with instructions for entering their data. If teachers enter their marks and grades directly on to IBIS, rather than the data being entered by the coordinator, it is necessary to check and verify the data before it is submitted to IB Cardiff. The system provides a facility by which marks and grades can be verified by the coordinator.

This system will automatically determine which candidates’ work must be selected for the sample that is sent to an examiner for the purpose of moderation.

H6.3Moderation samples

A list of forms that must accompany sample work for internal assessment is provided in section B11. The subject-specific information in this handbook also provides information on which forms must accompany sample work.

One teacher and response language

Where only one teacher is responsible for the internal assessment of a school’s total candidate entry in a subject and level, submit to the moderator:

This applies whether there is one or more teaching groups.

More than one teacher and one response language

Where there is more than one teacher responsible for the internal assessment of the school's total candidate entry in a subject and level, but there is only one response language, all marks must be awarded according to a single agreed standard. This will necessitate discussion between the teachers and a joint review of the candidates' work within the school before the final assessment is made.

Similarly, there are some subjects where a single moderation sample is submitted to cover both higher level and standard level (see section H7.1). Where different teachers are involved at the two levels, they must coordinate their marking to ensure that a single agreed standard is applied for both levels.

Submit to the moderator:

More than one response language

Where the school's total candidate entry for a subject and level is registered in more than one IB response language:

Where the school's total candidate entry for a subject and level is registered in more than one IB response language and the candidates are taught by different teachers in different groups, with a mixture of response languages in each group:

IBIS will display the candidates in groups according to their response language for the subject and level.

Submit to the moderators:

H6.4The selection of sample work for moderators

Candidates’ marks for internal assessment are entered on IBIS by going to Subject, then selecting IAPG from the left-hand menu. After candidates’ marks have been entered and verified, select Complete. The screen will enable the user to select View sample to display the candidates for each subject and level whose work must comprise the sample. The screen that displays the list of sample candidates for a subject and level must be printed and sent with the sample to the moderator.

In addition to selecting the candidates, IBIS also provides for each subject and level the name and address of the moderator to whom the sample work must be sent. In some cases, coordinators may be asked to send the samples to IB Cardiff.

The size of the sample will vary according to the number of candidates entered by the school for that subject and level:

H6.5Atypical work

It is important that the sample work received by a moderator is typical of the marking standards applied to the whole group of candidates. If IBIS selects a candidate’s work that is atypical for a moderation sample, include the work of another candidate with the same or a similar mark in addition to that candidate’s work.

If it is necessary to include atypical work in a sample:

Do not provide the moderator with any information about special circumstances (for example, illness, disability, family bereavement). Report this information to the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff on Form D2.

Categories of atypical work

Here are examples of work that might be considered “atypical”.

Additional assistance given by a teacher

If a teacher has given a candidate additional assistance during the completion of his/her work for internal assessment, reduce the mark(s) awarded. Make a note on the work to the effect that it has been marked down. This is necessary because the quality of the work may not reflect the standard normally produced by the candidate, nor the final mark awarded to it.

Incomplete work

A substantial part of a candidate's work is incomplete. The reason why the work is incomplete is not relevant.

Transfer candidates

The work is that of a transfer candidate (unless all of the candidate's work has been assessed by a teacher in the school to which the candidate has transferred).

Unreliable mark

The mark may not be reliable because the teacher is uncertain what mark to award for the candidate’s work. The moderation process is not designed to assist the teacher in such cases, but to adjust the teacher’s general standard of marking to that of the IB. In cases of serious doubt about how to award marks, contact IB Cardiff.

Inappropriate work

The candidate’s work is not appropriate for the subject and level.

H6.6Candidates retaking one or more subjects

At the time of registering a retake or certificate candidate who wishes to carry over a mark for internal assessment or other non-examination component from a previous session, the coordinator must indicate this requirement on IBIS. This will result in an “H” automatically appearing on the screen where the teacher or coordinator enters the candidate’s internal assessment mark for the subject concerned. A letter “H” indicates that the mark will be carried over. However, the predicted grade will not have an “H” entered because the teacher or coordinator may wish to change the previous session’s predicted grade to a higher or lower grade. Therefore, it is necessary to enter a grade, remembering that the grade is a prediction of the candidate’s overall performance for the subject and level, and not just for internal assessment.

If a carry over of the internal assessment mark is required, but no “H” already appears (perhaps because this requirement was not indicated at the time of registration), contact the coordinator help desk at IB Cardiff. However, before doing so the teacher or coordinator must be certain that there is a mark available that can be carried over.

H6.7Forms submitted with sample work

With each set of sample work it is necessary to include a printout of the IBIS screen that lists those candidates whose work must comprise the sample. This screen is accessed by going to Subject>IAPG>IA mark entry, then selecting View sample for the appropriate subjects. In addition to this printout it is necessary to include one or more subject-specific forms, as detailed here.

For each sample the relevant form(s) must be completed and submitted to the moderator with the sample work, to arrive no later than 20 April/20 October.

Subject/level	Type of work	Form(s)
Language A1 HL/SL	Individual oral commentary	Form 1/IARF 1 per candidate
Language A2 HL/SL	Individual oral	Form 2/IA 1 per candidate
Language B HL/SL	Individual oral	Form 2/IA 1 per candidate
Language ab initio SL	Individual oral	Form 2/IA 1 per candidate
Classical languages HL (Latin and Classical Greek)	In-depth study	Form 2/IACL 1 per sample set Form 2/CLCS 1 per candidate
History HL/SL	Written assignment	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Islamic history HL	Historical study	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Islamic history SL	Historical study	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Geography HL	Fieldwork	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Geography SL	Coursework	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Economics HL/SL	Portfolio	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Philosophy HL/SL	Coursework	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Psychology HL	Experimental study	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Psychology SL	Simple experiment	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Social and cultural anthropology HL	Field research	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Social and cultural anthropology SL	Observation and criticism exercise	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Business and management HL	Research project	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Business and management SL	Written assignment	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
ITGS HL	Portfolio and portfolio extension	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
ITGS SL	Project	Form 3/IA 1 per sample set Form 3/CS 1 per candidate
Biology HL/SL	Experimental investigations	Form 4/IA 1 per sample set Form 4/PSOW 1 per candidate
Chemistry HL/SL	Experimental investigations	Form 4/IA 1 per sample set Form 4/PSOW 1 per candidate
Physics HL/SL	Experimental investigations	Form 4/IA 1 per sample set Form 4/PSOW 1 per candidate
Environmental systems SL	Experimental investigations	Form 4/IAES 1 per sample set Form 4/PSOWES 1 per candidate
Design technology HL/SL	Experimental investigations Design project	Form 4/IADT 1 per sample set Form 4/PSOWDT 1 per candidate
Mathematics HL	Portfolio	Form 5/IA 1 per sample set Form 5/PFCS 1 per candidate
Mathematics SL	Portfolio	Form 5/IA 1 per sample set Form 5/PFCS 1 per candidate
Mathematical studies SL	Project	Form 5/IA 1 per sample set Form 5/PJCS 1 per candidate
Computer science HL	Dossier	Form 5/IACS 1 per sample set Form 5/PDCS (HL) 1 per candidate
Computer science SL	Dossier	Form 5/IACS 1 per sample set Form 5/PDCS (SL) 1 per candidate
Music HL	Solo performance Composition	Form 6/MRSS 1 per candidate Form 6/MCCS 1 per candidate
Music SL	Solo performance	Form 6/MRSS 1 per candidate
Music SL	Group performance	Form 6/MRGS 1 per group
Music SL	Composition	Form 6/MCCS 1 per candidate
Theatre HL	Theatre performance and production presentation	6/IATpresentation 1 per sample set 6/Tpresentation(HL) 1 per candidate
	Independent project portfolio	6/IATportfolio 1 per sample set 6/Tportfolio(HL) 1 per candidate
Theatre SL	Theatre performance and production presentation	6/IATpresentation 1 per sample set 6/Tpresentation(SL) 1 per candidate
	Independent project portfolio	6/IAT portfolio 1 per sample set 6/Tportfolio(SL) 1 per candidate
Visual arts HL option A	Investigation workbook	Form 6/VACS 1 per candidate
Visual arts HL option B	Studio work	Form 6/VACS 1 per candidate
Visual arts SL option A	Investigation workbook	Form 6/VACS 1 per candidate
Visual arts SL option B	Studio work	Form 6/VACS 1 per candidate
Film (for use in 2010)	Presentation selection Production portfolio (HL) Production portfolio (SL) Independent study Presentation	6/FPS 1 per group 6/FPPHCS 1 per sample set 6/FPPSCS 1 per sample set 6/FISCS 1 per candidate 6/FPCS 1 per candidate
Environmental systems and societies (TSL) (for use in 2010)	Experimental investigations	ES&S/PSOW 1 per candidate ES&S/IA 1 per sample set

H6.8Sending sample work to moderators

Coordinators are strongly advised to send clear photocopies of the sample work, with the exception of geography HL/SL, mathematical studies SL projects, mathematics SL portfolios and mathematics HL portfolios for which the original work must be submitted. Photocopies are advisable because this work cannot be returned to schools, and if the work is mislaid in the post it will then be possible to send another copy to the moderator. If original work is sent, the coordinator must retain a copy of the sample work.

Do not include videotapes or CDs with the sample work sent to a moderator, unless this is a specific requirement for the subject. If video or information technology applications have been produced, send only the written report and still photographs of the activity.