Internal Assessment
History of the Americas
Purpose of the Internal Assessment
• Each student will complete a historical investigation into a
historical topic of their choice
• Demonstrates the application of skills and knowledge, and
allows for the pursuit of personal interests
Guidance and authenticity
• Must be the student’s own work – from beginning (topic selection) to
end (final draft)!
• Students encouraged to initiate discussions with the teacher to obtain
advice and information
• Authenticity checked by discussion/written feedback on the content
of the work, and scrutiny of the following…
– The student’s initial proposal
– The first draft of each section
– The references cited
– The style of writing compared with work known to be that of the student
– The analysis of the work by a web-based plagiarism-detection service
Historical Investigation
Duration: 20 hours
Identification and
evaluation of
sources
Investigation
Reflection
Topic selection
• Students have a free choice of topic for their historical
• However, the topic must be historical, and therefore cannot be
on an event that has happened in the last 10 years
• Topic must be approved and question for investigation before
work is started—it is crucial that there are sufficient sources to
support the investigation
Bibliography and Word Limit
• Bibliography
– A bibliography and clear referencing must be included with every
investigation, but these are not included in the overall word count
• Word limit (total 2,000 words) – below are suggested word
allocations for each section of the historical investigation
– Section 1: Identification and evaluation of sources (500 words) [6 marks]
– Section 2: Investigation (1,300 words) [15 marks]
– Section 3: Reflection (400 words) [4 marks]
– TOTAL (MAXIMUM WORD LIMIT - 2,200 words) [25 marks]
History IA Title
1. Titles should start out with the general topic: “An
investigation….”
2. Titles should end with a more specific question.
Example: An investigation into German social history: How
successfully did Hitler promote the ideal of the family in the
Third Reich?
Choosing an appropriate title
will lead to an appropriate investigation
• Which title is probably easier to investigate and discuss effectively with
the 2200 word limit? Why?
TITLE A:
An investigation into African warfare: Why did the British Army struggle
Southern Africa during the 1870s?
TITLE B:
An investigation into African colonial warfare: To what extent was the
defeat of the British by the Zulu at Isandlwna in 1879 due to the
mistakes made by Lord Chelmsford?
Make sure the title is focused and narrow enough to ensure your
discussion is not superficial.
Sample Titles
• An investigation comparing a film and a written account of a
historical event: How and why did the accounts of the storming
of the Winter Palace in October 1917 differ in the film, October,
and in the book, A People’s Tragedy, The Russian Revolution
1891-1924?
• An Investigation of the Industrial Policies of modern communist
states: To what extent were the first Five Year Plans of Stalin and
Mao successfully implemented?
• An investigation of the Politics of the Russian Revolution: Why did
Trotsky leave the Menshevik party and become a Bolshevik, and
how important was his role in the Bolshevik Revolution of October
1917?
Support materials
• 2017 History Guide
– Internal Assessment
– Syllabus: History of the Americas
• Citation Guides
– A Pocket Style Manual by Diane Hacker (Print or PDF [See me])
– http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
– https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/
Warm-Up: Quick-Write SelfEvaluation
Quick-Writes to be selfevaluated:
1.
2.
Describe the reasons for,
and origins of, slavery in
the New World (9/10 [A];
9/11 [B])
Analyze the
socioeconomic and
political impact of New
World slavery on the
Americas, Africa, or
Europe (9/18 [A]; 9/21 [B])
“Grading” Scale [1 point for each component]
 Essay structure—includes an introduction, body
paragraph(s), and a conclusion
 Introduction—focused address of the question with
both a thesis statement and an overview of the
supporting arguments
 Body paragraph(s)—includes clear and accurate
supporting arguments along with specific
evidence to bolster points
 Conclusion—reasserts major argument as well as
creates a layer of complexity to it
 Development—argument was well-established
with effort to meet the demands of the question
Introduction to Annotated
Bibliography
The idea of the annotated
bibliography is to inform the
reader of the origins,
purpose(s), and content of the
sources cited as well as help
the researcher decide what
sources are meaningful,
credible, and reliable
Remember…
• ORIGINS
– WHO/WHEN/WHERE DID THE
SOURCE COME FROM?
• PURPOSE
– WHAT DOES THE AUTHOR HOPE
TO ACHIEVE WITH THE SOURCE?
• CONTENT
– WHAT IS THE MAIN
IDEA/THESIS/SUPPORTING
ARGUMENT(S) OF THE SOURCE?
Example:
Annotated Bibliography Entry
Abbot, Mary N. Beyond the Architect’s Eye: Photographs and the American Built
Environment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009.
O: At the time of publishing, Mary Abbot is a professor of history at the University of
Pennsylvania. Her topics of interest included the industrial revolution along with the
growth of the new urban cities in America.
P: The author states that this book is meant to inform the audience on the significance
behind architecture on American life, with an emphasis on urban development. Implicitly,
she attempts to persuade the audience that there is more of an aesthetic value to
colonial styled architecture than the modern skyscraper urban environment.
C: The book’s main idea is to show the extent of the impact architecture has on
American life. Her contention is supported with examples from numerous areas in
America with some comparison to other modern developed areas of the world.
Support Materials
• Researching for IA
– Document on my weebly with tips on how to find reputable/credible
resources
• Annotated Bibliography Example/Template
– Document on my weebly with an exemplar/template for producing an
annotated bibliography
• Annotated Bibliography Rubric
– Document on my weebly with necessary components for the annotated
bibliography
• Chicago Style Citation Guides
– Links on my weebly to support the accuracy of Chicago style citations
Historical Investigation
Duration: 20 hours
Section 1: Identification
and evaluation of sources
• (500 words) [6 marks]
Section 2: Investigation
Section 3:
• (1,300 words) [15 marks]
Reflection
• (400 words) [4 marks]
Section 1: Identification and
evaluation of sources
• This section requires students to analyze in detail two of the
sources that they will use in their investigation. The sources can
be either primary or secondary sources. In this section students
must:
– clearly state the question they have chosen to investigate (this must be
stated as a question)
– include a brief explanation of the nature of the two sources they have
selected for detailed analysis, including an explanation of their relevance
to the investigation
– analyze two sources in detail—reference to the origins, purpose and
content, the student should analyze the value and limitations of the two
sources in relation to the investigation.
Section 1: Identification and
evaluation of sources [SCOPE]
• A crucial element of this section of the internal assessment task is
formulating an appropriate question to investigate
– Should not be a simple yes or no
– Should not be list-type answer
– Must be something you can cover completely in 2200 words.
– If someone has written a book on your topic, you must narrow.
– Refers to time and place of your investigation--must include “date range”
Section 1: Identification and evaluation
of sources [METHODOLOGY]
• DO NOT write about where you physically went to find your
sources
• DO explain to the reader why you chose the two sources you did
– Do not use a source simply because the title sounds relevant to your topic
– Explain how you used your sources to help answer your research question.
– If there is a source that does not contribute to a more complete answer to
your research question, ditch it
• DO analyze two sources in detail—OPC-VL
• DO explain nature of the two sources
Section One: Identification and
Evaluation of Sources
MARKS
0 [F]
1-2 [D]
3-4 [B/C]
5-6 [A]
LEVEL DESCRIPTOR
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
The question for investigation has been stated.
The student has identified and selected appropriate sources, but there is little or no
explanation of the relevance of the sources to the investigation.
An appropriate question for investigation has been stated. The student has identified and
selected appropriate sources, and there is some explanation of the relevance of the
sources to the investigation.
There is some analysis and evaluation of two sources, but reference to their value and
limitations is limited.
An appropriate question for investigation has been clearly stated. The student has
identified and selected appropriate and relevant sources, and there is a clear explanation
of the relevance of the sources to the investigation.
There is a detailed analysis and evaluation of two sources with explicit discussion of the
value and limitations of two of the sources for the investigation, with reference to the
origins, purpose and content of the two sources.
General Feedback on IA – Section
One
• See document on Internal Assessment tab of weebly
Historical Investigation
Duration: 20 hours
Section 1: Identification
and evaluation of sources
• (500 words) [6 marks]
Section 2: Investigation
Section 3:
• (1,300 words) [15 marks]
Reflection
• (400 words) [4 marks]
Section 2: Investigation
• This section of the internal assessment task consists of the actual
investigation
– Needs to be focused on the historical topic or theme chosen using a
variety of written sources or a variety of written and non-written sources
• The investigation must be clearly and effectively organized
– While there is no prescribed format for how this section must be
structured…
– it must contain critical analysis that is focused clearly on the question being
investigated
– it must also include the conclusion that the student draws from their analysis.
• In this section, students must use a range of evidence to support
their argument
Section 2: Investigation
Source Analysis Outline
for Section 2: Investigation
• Claim—states your position on the issue you have chosen to
write about
• Evidence—supports your claim; you must support your claim with
facts; an unsupported claim is merely an assertion.
• Commentary (Warrant/Analysis)—interprets the data and shows
how it supports your claim; explains why and how the data
proves the claim
Source Analysis Outline for
Section 2: Investigation
Evidence
Commentary
(Warrant/Analysis)
Claim
OR
Claim
Evidence
Commentary
(Warrant/Analysis)
OR
Evidence
Claim
Commentary
(Warrant/Analysis)
Source Analysis in Final Investigation
Source Analysis Outline for
Section 2: Investigation
• On the next slide is a “model” source analysis outline entry; take
note of the following:
– Organization of order of information can be altered to fit your
personalized method of presentation of analysis (i.e. Claim, Evidence,
Commentary (Warrant/Analysis))
– Create broad categories of presenting your analysis to set-up a clear
method for organizing the investigation [i.e. PERSIA, Chronological, etc.]
– Put the evidence in your own words [avoids plagiarism!] unless you find the
direct quote to be so powerful that it requires inclusion
– Make sure you source your evidence w/ endnotes or footnotes so you
know where to locate it in the future [make sure you include a pg. #]
Source Analysis Outline for
Section 2: Investigation
Broad Category
ECONOMIC EFFECTS
Evidence
Commentary
(Warrant/Analysis)
Claim
66% of the Nigerian
population lives
below the poverty
line on less than US$1
a day; only
40% of households
have access to
portable water¹
Lack of proper diet
and clean
environment affect
the health status of
Nigerians
and expose them to
risk of infection by
HIV
The country’s poor
economic
conditions are
directly connected
to the region’s rising
HIV rate
Support Materials
• Researching for IA
– Document on my weebly with tips on how to find reputable/credible
resources
• IA – Section Two: Investigation Example/Template
– Document on my weebly with an exemplar/template for producing a
source analysis outline
• Annotated Bibliography Rubric
– Document on my weebly with necessary components for the source
analysis outline
• Chicago Style Citation Guides
– Links on my weebly to support the accuracy of Chicago style citations
Historical Investigation
Duration: 20 hours
Section 1: Identification
and evaluation of sources
• (500 words) [6 marks]
Section 2: Investigation
Section 3:
• (1,300 words) [15 marks]
Reflection
• (400 words) [4 marks]
Section 3: Reflection
• Reflect on what undertaking their investigation highlighted to
them about the methods used by, and the challenges facing,
the historian
• Should read like a “regular” reflection piece with a brief intro to
section and clear transitions between main ideas
• Two to three critically thought-out questions can form the base
of the reflection (either self-created or from the IB provided list of
example questions)
Section 3: Reflection
•
Examples of discussion questions that may help to encourage reflection include the
following:
–
What methods used by historians did you use in your investigation?
–
What did your investigation highlight to you about the limitations of those methods?
–
What are the challenges facing the historian? How do they differ from the challenges facing a scientist or
a mathematician?
–
What challenges in particular does archive-based history present?
–
How can the reliability of sources be evaluated?
–
What is the difference between bias and selection?
–
What constitutes a historical event?
–
Who decides which events are historically significant?
–
Is it possible to describe historical events in an unbiased way?
–
What is the role of the historian?
–
Should terms such as “atrocity” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments be
avoided?
–
If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable?
Section 3: Reflection
Title Page
• “Title” should read…
– An investigation into/of [broad
topic]: [Your research question]?
• Date = 2015 – 2016 School
Year
• ADD A WORD COUNT!!!!
Bibliography
• A bibliography and clear referencing of all sources must be
included with every investigation, but these are not included in
the overall word count.
Bibliography
NOT THE SAME
FORMAT!
(Foot)notes