IB BIOLOGY INTERNAL ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS #2 Miss Werba December 2014

What should be included IN YOUR INTERNAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS? Everything as before, with a little more and a slightly different focus. TITLE PAGE ANALYSIS Data Collection (raw data) EXPLORATION Introduction (with evidence of personal engagement with topic) Data processing (with calculations, uncertainties, tables & graphs) Research question (with variables clearly identified) Discussion Hypothesis EVALUATION Evaluation of methodology (with strengths, weaknesses and limitations) Apparatus/materials Method (with the process itself, the control of variables and the safety concerns all addressed) Suggested improvements & extension Conclusion

You need to utilise subject-specific terminology and conventions. What ELSE DO yOU NEED TO AWARE OF FOR YOUR INTERNAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS? COMMUNICATION You get marks for the structure & clarity of your report, so present your work in a coherent way! You get marks for having a concise report. There is a 12 page maximum on your investigation (6 page minimum). This will be difficult. I have marked an 82 page report in the past! You need to utilise subject-specific terminology and conventions.

What should be included? Detailed discussion of results Explanation of significance of data Explanation of anomalous results Overall conclusion Evaluation of experimental design Suggested improvements for experimental design

ANALySIS OF RESULTS Be thorough – data is meaningless until it is discussed Identify anomalous data – try to provide an explanation for why it is likely to have occurred and how it impacted on the remaining data Go through each step in your processing

Conclusion Your conclusion should be directly related to the hypothesis. Does the data support the hypothesis? Were you predictions correct? Make sure you mention them again. Talk about whether the results support or refute the hypothesis, not prove the hypothesis. At the end of this discussion, you need to reach an overall conclusion. “It was determined that…”

Evaluation of weaknesses & limitations Discuss any strengths briefly Discuss weaknesses and limitations at length: Think of all the possible reasons you could think of as to why your % error is too big (if that applies) Or why you results didn't perfectly support the hypothesis Or why you results weren't accurate...etc. Talk the weaknesses in your design and the effects these weaknesses had on the results. Do not discuss any weaknesses in your manipulative skills at length. Full sentence dot points are ideal here.

Suggested improvements & EXTENSION This simply means, “If you could redo the experiment, what would you do differently?” Solve the problems highlighted in the procedural evaluation: Repeat the experiments more than x times. Control temperature and pressure more carefully. Try to reduce human errors. Use more accurate apparatus for volume measurements Use different species of organisms. Use different chemicals? Change the length of your observations. Once again, poor laboratory skills should not be mentioned!

EVALUATION Mark Descriptor 5-6 A detailed conclusion is described and justified which is entirely relevant to the research question and fully supported by the data presented. A conclusion is correctly described and justified through relevant comparison to the accepted scientific context. Strengths and weaknesses of the investigation, such as limitations of the data and sources of error, are discussed and provide evidence of a clear understanding of the methodological issues involved in establishing the conclusion. The student has discussed realistic and relevant suggestions for the improvement and extension of the investigation

Other handy dandy hints... Always ask for help if you are unsure! The more thought and care that you put into your evaluation, the better your report will be.

AND NOW FOR YOUR EXPERIMENT  Spend some time working through your data. Remember that your data doesn’t need to always support your hypothesis. If it doesn’t, it just means you will have more to talk about! Your full report for this task is your HOLIDAY HOMEWORK. SO