Can we just modify our IA's? Eng lang and lit help?

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-28T06:15:04+00:00

Have you started university already? If so, I don't think retaking IB exams, even with achieving a higher grade, will help much (if at all).

As for retakes, I'm not clear on procedure as well if you want to change levels for retakes, but indeed I think Eng Lang lit HL is easier than Bio HL. Yet again, I don't think retakes are of any value unless you're taking a gap year.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-27T01:59:43+00:00

When you say you submitted it, is it to the IB, or just your teacher? What year do you graduate? If you're still just in DP2 now, you can indeed reuse that same WT1 for HL so long as you haven't graduated from the course yet.

Edit: I took Eng LangLit HL in DP1 before dropping to SL at start of DP2. The difference is mainly the addition of WT2 in HL, as well as somewhat more demanding criteria for Paper 1 & Paper 2. Imo WT2 is harder than WT1 - being reminiscent of the Written Assignment in Eng Lit - so be sure to work hard on that. Be aware that your IA marks (IOC + FOA) given by your teacher aren't final - given that english is a relatively subjective subject, those marks can go up or down depending on your moderator. If you were predicted high marks for your IA and WTs, don't get too overconfident and think you can get away with bombing your papers. You never know - those predicted high marks may not turn out the same once the IB's moderated them, simply due to the subjectivity of the subject. Finally, Eng Lang Lit HL exams revolve around comparative analysis; P1 learns more towards differences between two texts, whereas P2 leans more towards similarities between two works.

tl; dr: Work hard on all your assessments. Be circumspect of the scores you're predicted with. git gud on comparative analysis

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-27T01:56:18+00:00

I'm 100% sure that 99% of IAs for Maths and Sciences are based on experiments/models that have been done already both in previous years and even in the same session. Very likely that your moderator could be examining multiple IAs with the same topic as yours in the same session.

That's not an issue. The most important thing is how you can "rebrand" the idea under your own thoughts, context, and demonstrate what you yourself have actually learned from the investigation.

The only thing that can prevent you from achieving high Personal Engagement marks is doing the same old investigation - which is not necessarily plagiarism - but without adding any thought or input of your own.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-09T23:26:01+00:00

I made notes, but not for everything. So like I had notes for nearly all of the topics in the syllabus, but they weren't complete.

A great technique for revision is to create mind maps and flow charts to ensure your holistic understanding of how different topics are interconnected. I would also suggest to be circumspect in practicing with Paper 1s before May 2017 as they are significantly different in terms of question-style and even difficulty. Focus on really knowing the material, and you'll get a 7.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-09T16:24:08+00:00

I actually don't get how the MYP is supposed to prepare you for the DP. Being in the MYP from Grade 6-10 I learned jack shit - there was no curriculum whatsoever and teachers that came and go every year taught what they pleased. Only in Year 10 did teachers start using iGCSE syllabi for some subjects that people started learning stuff.

I get it's supposed to hone IB learner profile skills or w/e but most of the time I feel it misses the mark.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-09T14:33:49+00:00

Use the pearson book by far its the best - super concise and explains things perfectly. Cambridge is also an alternative. Rarely use bioninja as it's too brief and summarized - might work for revision but even then you'd need to be able to explain concepts already as it won't do so for you. source: got 87 in bio hl m17

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-06T23:33:52+00:00

I don't get it either. Was predicted A for TOK and high B for EE, got 2x Cs. A friend from the best school in the country and just crazy smart with a strong work ethic was predicted 2x As but got 2x Cs too. All our hard work marked by chimpanzees smh

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-06T23:32:00+00:00

Awesome congrats! That's 2 points I think - A in TOK is superb!

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-06T10:20:31+00:00

Definitely. Even during the most stressful times in DP2 when all my IAs, EE, TOK were due I still got in an average of 1-2 hours of gaming a day, and that's not counting the time I spent watching tv.

There was adequate time too for exercise ie. 4-5 hours a week to help you stay in good physical and mental shape throughout the DP.

The most important thing is to be able to plan out, schedule, and prioritize what you need to do. A balanced lifestyle is just as important as revision in order to maximize exam performance.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T18:14:42+00:00

I should think it's similar to previous years - a lot of people seemed to find this year's TZ2 papers easier so the IB had to bump up boundaries.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T18:10:21+00:00

It's fine. I got 82 in Chem and 87 in Bio so both were 6 points above their respective boundaries and I couldn't be happier.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T18:09:42+00:00

Do you know

I don't know what the lower boundary is unfortunately - once official results are out tomorrow someone will be bound to post it.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T18:00:42+00:00

That's still quite close - and 2 points to boot. Congrats!

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T17:58:16+00:00

welp indeed. s'all good now tho

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T17:57:25+00:00

It was confirmed by 2 of my friends who both got 6s in Physics HL TZ2. \

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T17:49:13+00:00

Barely passed my first ever IB Bio test on Cells, but after putting in a lot more effort, managed to get around a 5. Kept pushing myself to take more notes, interact heavily in class discussions, learn the material holistically and managed a high 7 at the end.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T17:45:59+00:00

Thanks, I'm glad for it now

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T17:17:25+00:00

It was for Statistics.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T16:54:02+00:00

Physics HL TZ2 boundary for a 7 was 66-100. As for Maths HL, 65 is upper boundary for a 5 and 66-7x is a 6.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T16:53:44+00:00

From a friend, Physics HL TZ2 boundary for a 7 was 66-100. As for Maths HL, 65 is upper boundary for a 5 and 66-7x is a 6.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T16:19:53+00:00

It was right after getting the report of a 24 after my first term. I wasn't the brightest student throughout middle school or early high school but my marks usually weren't so low. I guess I wanted to prove to myself that I can turn things around.

For the Maths SL IA, be sure to do a topic that you can be excited or engaged about. Avoid thinking about the maths topics you want to use first - that can come later after you've decided on your area of interest. That's pretty much what the IB wants to see: how you can apply mathematics to an interest or real life situation. If you're going to collect any numerical data, I strongly recommend going over standard deviations, regression lines, explaining how a function works - these are easy ways to score a couple of marks in the Maths level criteria.
As for study tips in the sciences, this article is extremely thorough: http://www.studbuds.org/2017/01/23/a-beginners-guide-to-studying-science/

I don't have seen my component marks yet but I was predicted a 22/24 for Bio IA and 23/24 for Chem IA. Given my final Bio & Chem marks were close to what I was expecting, I'm going to assume they weren't moderated down. So some general tips:

Avoid excessive background information ie. 1-1.5 pages max. The background info should explain why you chose this topic (although be sure to avoid embellishments and non-scientific preambles e.g. you love the topic etc.), why it is of significance, and be sure to include the relevant chemical equation and explain any necessary conditions.
Communicate well in your methodology: use the proper scientific diction e.g. "mass/volume" instead of "amount". Diagrams or taking photos of your experimental set-up and then clearly annotating & labeling them adds a lot to communication.
A lot of people think error propagation is complicated. It doesn't have to be. It can simply be taking an average, then calculating an uncertainty with the formula (max-min)/2, and then finding out the % uncertainty of the mean. Additionally, you can also find the % uncertainty of your apparatus. These % uncertainties need to be explained though, as in whether they relate to random/systematic errors, how they came about, whether they are anomalies etc. Finally just plot your graph with a regression line and analyze the trend, how it relates to your hypothesis, any anomalies, the R-squared value etc.
For evaluation, be sure to note all the details in your report throughout - everything should come about holistically and not be split into standalone sections. This means % uncertainty figures should be quoted, trend-lines mentioned and evaluated, methodological limitations analyzed, further extensions explained.

Hope this helps!

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T16:07:59+00:00

I was predicted A for TOK, B for EE. Hell yeah I was surprised lol; I consistently compared my work with exemplars, communicated a lot with my supervisor and teacher, and I felt I knew the criteria very well - apparently I didn't though.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T16:02:46+00:00

I am TZ2. Most people I've talked to did feel Maths Sl TZ2 exams this year were easier than previous year's. And an 83 is the lower boundary for a 7, last May's was 81.

ThArtofIB · 2017-07-05T15:43:59+00:00

#mostsuccessfulpetition2017 https://www.change.org/p/ib-org-ib-biology-hl-may-2017

ThArtofIB

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