Name: _________________________
IB 20TH Century World History
Internal Assessment Guide
From Question Creation to Final Submission
SL = 25%, HL = 20%
1
Table of Contents
IA at a Glance………………………………………………………………………………………...……………………..p. 3
The History IA, Types of Investigation, & Examples …….…………………………………………..………………pp. 4-5
Topic Selection & Title Creation….…...………………………………………………………………...…...…………….p. 6
The Cold War (& The Cold War in great detail)………………..………………………………………………..…..pp. 7-8
Topic 3: Authoritarian States & Prescribed Subject 1: Communism in Crisis………………….……………….…….p. 9
Question Creation…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……...p. 10
Question Tips and Examples…………………………………………………………………………………………...…p. 11
IA Research…………………………………………………………………………………..……………………..…...…p. 12
Types of Sources………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..p. 13
Subject Specific Resources…………………………………………………………………………………………….p. 14-15
Data Sheet…………………..……………………………………………………………………………..……..…………p. 16
Constructing a Balanced Argument…………………………………………………………...…………………………p. 17
Cover / Title Page……………………………………………………………………...…………………………....……..p. 18
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………..………p. 18
A. Plan of the Investigation………………………………………………………………………………….……………p. 19
B. Summary of Evidence……………………………………………………………………………………………..…p. 20
Summary of Evidence Planning Table………………………………………………………………………….p. 21
Summary of Evidence Examples………………………………………………………………...…………pp. 22-23
C. Evaluation of Sources……………………………………………………………………….…………………….pp. 24-26
Evaluation of Sources Examples & Non-Examples……………………………………………………………pp. 26-29
D. Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....pp. 30-31
Example & Non-Example……………………………………………………...………………………...…pp. 31-32
E. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………p.33
F. Sources and Word Limit………………………………………………………………...………………..……………p. 34
Appendices….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…p. 35
Editing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….p. 36
MAK’s Super Gigantic IA Checklist…………………...……………………………………....………….….…….pp. 37-38
Sample IA………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…...pp. 39-41
IA Format………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……...…p. 42
Cautionary Tales from 2013……………………………………………………………………………………………....p. 43
Internal Assessment Rubric……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...p. 44
Skills which need to be understood and conveyed in your investigation:
•
How to make strong arguments
•
The tools of historiography
•
The difference between narrative data and analysis of data
•
Should provide the reader with an understanding of your appreciation for the limits of historical “knowledge”
**Is your topic interesting?**
**Are you teaching the reader anything new as a result of this investigation?**
2
IA at a Glance
Requirements of the historical investigation
The historical investigation is a problem-solving activity that enables you to demonstrate the application of your skills and knowledge
of a historical topic that interests you. For the purposes of this course, the emphasis must be specific to Topic 5: Cold War and/or
Topic 3: Authoritarian & Single Party States and/or Prescribed Subject Area 1: Communism in Crisis. It should be a topic
which enables you to develop and apply the skills of a historian by selecting and analyzing a range of source material and manage
diverse interpretations. The activity demands that you search for, select, evaluate and use evidence to reach a relevant conclusion. The
investigation should be written in the specific format outlined.
Format: *Total of 1500-2000 words*
A. Plan of Investigation: 100-150 words
B. Summary of Evidence: 500-600 words
C. Source Evaluations: 250-400 words
D. Analysis: 500-650 words
E. Conclusion: 150-200 words
F. Bibliography: not part of word count, 6-12 reputable sources
A. Plan of the Investigation should include: [3 marks]
Subject of the investigation which may be formulated as a question
Reasons you chose this topic and what you hope to find out
Methods (focus questions) used to research as well as appropriate
sources
This is a relatively brief but important section that serves to focus
and structure your research
Formatting:
White, unlined 8 ½” x 11” paper
1 inch margins
Times New Roman, size 12
Double spaced (Do not double space the footnotes or the
works cited. However, leave a one space in between entries)
B. Summary of Evidence should indicate: [6 marks]
Description of evidence (including historical or political context,
key people, places, and/or events)
Timelines, charts, maps, and additional data may be added as
appendices
Cover/
Title Page
(Q, name,
#)
1
C. Evaluation of Sources: [5 marks]
Critical evaluation of TWO of the sources (similar to annotated
bibliography) appropriate to research and should reference their
origins, purpose or POV, value and limitations. You should clearly
have more than 2 sources, but are only analyzing 2
B.
Summary
of
Evidence,
p. 2
5
C.
Evaluation
of Source, p.
1
6
Topic,
Question &
A. Plan of
Investigation
3
C.
Evaluation
of Source,
p.2
7
D.
Analysis,
p.2
10
E.
Conclusion
11
F.
Bibliography
12
D. Analysis: [6 marks]
Will comprise the majority of your original writing
Clearly explains WHY this is important
Analysis of the evidence
Alternate interpretations or POV
Using Summary from B – break down into key issues, points
Historical context will add weight & perspective so don’t ignore it
E. Conclusion: [2 marks]
No more than a complex and analytical paragraph that provides an
answer to your question based on the evidence presented
F. Bibliography: [3 marks]
University of Chicago Style Citations
6-12 reputable sources (No encyclopedias)
Meet the word count
* Full marks will ONLY be awarded if the word count is completely within
the prescribed limits AND if the sources used are cited and listed correctly.
If the citation of sources or word limit expectation is abused, additional
marks can be deducted from other areas of your paper. (1500-2000 Words)
Table of
Contents
2
B.
Summary
of
Evidence,
p. 1
4
D.
Analysis,
p. 1
8
Appendix
(optional)
13
The end of each section should contain the word count
All pages should be numbered
 IAs should include both footnotes and a bibliography
or works cited page (in University of Chicago style)
An appendix may be used to organize any visual
information (charts, graphs, photographs, posters,
propaganda, works of art…). The material in the appendix
does not impact the total word count.
You must submit BOTH an e-copy and a hard copy of the
IA for grading
3
The History IA
Examples of Types of Investigations:
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A historical topic or theme using written sources or a variety of sources
A historical topic based on fieldwork; for example a museum, archeological site, battlefields, churches
A historical problem using documents (this could include newspapers)
A local history project
A history project based on oral interviews
A historical investigation based on interpreting a novel, film, piece of art
Expanded Examples:
An investigation into social history
**Emphasizes social structures and the interaction of
different groups in society rather than affairs of state
Demography
Sociology
Ethnography
Labor History
Women’s History / Gender History
Family History
Urban/Rural History
History of Education
An investigation into social history
How successfully did Hitler promote the ideal of the family in
the Third Reich?
A Plan of the investigation

To establish what Hitler’s ideal for the family was

To measure how far his vision accorded with reality
B Summary of evidence

Background: position of family/women prior to 1933.

Duties of women defined as: children, church, kitchen (kinder, kirche,
küche).

Hitler’s ideals: Mein Kampf and other contemporary sources, for
example, speeches.

Evaluation of evidence: historians of social history of Third Reich.
C Evaluation of sources

Comparison of two historical studies, for example, Crew, D F. 1994.
Nazism and German Society

1933–1945. Routledge; Noakes, J and Pridham, G. 1984. Nazism
1919–1945, Vol 2. State, Economy & Society 1933–39. University of
Exeter.
D Analysis

The place of family in Nazi ideology

Role of men: penalties on bachelors

Ideal of women as mothers/wives/employees as promoted by Hitler
and Goebbels

Reality of women’s position: Lebensborn (homes for unmarried
mothers); employment patterns—demands of war and rearmament
An investigation of an event represented in newspaper
reports
Compare/Contrast differing accounts in regional newspapers
Compare/Contrast newspaper account with declassified
evidence or a revisionist or post-revisionist POV
Change Over Time interpretations of an event
Library of Congress: Newspapers and Current Periodicals
Reading Room: Archive: http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/oltitles.html
New York Times Archive:
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.html
An investigation of an event represented in newspaper
reports
How did newspaper reports on the death of Kennedy vary,
and how reliable were they?
A Plan of the investigation

To show how the reports of Kennedy’s assassination reflected the
impact of the event on America.

To demonstrate how reporting changed with the passage of time
B Summary of evidence

Sections on Kennedy and on assassination

Immediate reactions of the press

Subsequent press reports
C Evaluation of sources

Evaluation of major newspaper reports, such as in the Washington Post
and The Times (London)

Either compare contemporary accounts or show how treatment of
Kennedy’s assassination changed over time in one newspaper
D Analysis

Importance of context

Tone of early reportage and analysis of reasons for it.

How newspaper reporting changed with emerging evidence and
changing mood of country
E Conclusion

Accuracy and effectiveness of reporting

Discussion of newspapers as sources of historical evidence
E Conclusion

Evaluation of myth of German family as measured against evidence of
family life from social history studies

Discussion of pressures/outside influences that undermined family
policy
4
Examples of Types of Investigations:
An investigation comparing a film and a written
account of a historical event
George Orwell – “Animal Farm” (Russia 1917-1945)
George Orwell – “1984” (Totalitarian regimes)
Michael Herr – “Dispatches” (Vietnam War)
Jung Chang – “Wild Swans” (20th Century China)
Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days
Korea: MASH, Manchurian Candidate
Vietnam: Apocalypse Now, Platoon, The Deer Hunter, Were
Soldiers, Hamburger Hill, The Hanoi Hilton
China: The Last Emperor
Japan: Emperor
An investigation into local history
-Westchester County Historical Society:
http://www.westchesterhistory.com/
-New York Historical Society: http://www.nyhistory.org/
-Rockefeller Archive Center: http://www.rockarch.org/
-Museum of the City of New York: http://www.mcny.org/
-West Point Museum:
http://www.usma.edu/museum/SitePages/Home.aspx
-Brooklyn Historical Society:
http://www.brooklynhistory.org/default/index.html
-Lower east Side Tenement Museum:
http://www.tenement.org/research.html
-Hudson River Museum: http://www.hrm.org/
-Historic Hudson Valley: http://www.hudsonvalley.org/
-Historic Hyde Park: http://www.historichydepark.org/
-National Parks Service: http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
--National Register of Historic Places: http://www.nps.gov/nr/
--Collections: http://www.nps.gov/history/collections.htm
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?
How, when and why was the church/mosque/temple of [name]
built and what can be learnt from it about the village of
[name] in a defined period?
A Plan of the investigation

To study the film October and compare it with a historical study of the
storming of the Winter Palace
A Plan of the investigation

To establish how, when and why the church/mosque/temple was built,
its contribution to village/town life and what can be learnt from it
about the life of the people of [name]
B Summary of evidence

Film footage: October, 1927, directed by Eisenstein (account of
storming of Winter Palace)— emphasis on symbols

Written account: Figes, O. 1996. A People’s Tragedy, The Russian
Revolution 1891–1924. Pimlico

Details of evidence: discussion of significance
B Summary of evidence

How: building methods, style, architecture
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When: chronology, origin and changes
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Why: religious motives, social status, demographic context

History of and from it: demographic changes, religious changes, social
implications, war damage, plague (graveyards)
C Evaluation of sources

Eisenstein’s October: functions—propaganda, creation of a myth.

Historical focus of A People’s Tragedy, The Russian Revolution 1891–
1924.
C Evaluation of sources

Buildings and artifacts: the church/mosque/temple and its religious
“furniture”

Written sources: parish/local records
D Analysis

Myth of revolutionary uprising—spontaneous or not?

Function of film—giving confidence and pride to an emerging Russian
state
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Focus of historian—overall evaluation
D Analysis

Religious practices, changes, beliefs

Impact of political change/revolutions

Rise and fall in the economic status of the area

War and plague that hit the area

Art and architecture
E Conclusion

Contrast between the two sources

Analysis of revolutionary myth

Evaluation of sources and evidence as presented, for example,
propaganda, western historian’s view
An investigation into local history
E Conclusion

The church/mosque/temple as a historic monument or a living record
(Buildings such as castles, forts, industrial buildings, bridges, poor houses
(unions), could be treated
in the same way.)
5
Topic Selection
& Title Creation
In order to “double-dip” in IB history subjects (prepare for Papers 1-3), the emphasis of your IA must be specific to Topic 5: Cold
War and/or Topic 3: Authoritarian States and/or Prescribed Subject Area 1: Communism in Crisis
Steps
Example
Development and Impact of the Cold War  Brinksmanship
1. Start by identifying a general area of interest
2. Narrow it down to a specific area of investigation
3. Read about your specific area of investigation. Search
for key words, dates, people, events, quotes, statistics,
historians…
4. Choose a working title that may be changed or refined at
a later stage
5. Create a specific Question that reflects your chosen
topic
Development and Impact of the Cold War  Brinksmanship 
Cuban Missile Crisis
Fidel (and Raul) Castro, JFK, RFK, Nikita Khrushchev
ICBM, MAD, U2 spy plane
1962, October
United Nations
Historian: John Lewis Gaddis
Brothers in Arms: An investigation into the roles Raul Castro
and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Cuban Missile Crisis
 When Khrushchev blinked (or Did Khrushchev blink?)An
investigation into the close of the Cuban Missile Crisis
To what extent were Fidel Castro and JFK influenced by their
brothers during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
What was the role of Nikita Khrushchev in preventing nuclear
war during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
*The title should relate to the question that you are going to create
**No, it doesn’t have to rhyme or be catchy and clever, but you should
capture the reader’s attention/interest
**It should include the phrase “An Investigation…”
*You can change your title
**In doing so, you may also have to change your question
*The topic, title, and question should represent a narrowing of focus
or scope
**The investigation should be specific
**You have to PROVE something
*It should be something that you are interested in researching
Previous IA examples & ideas:
Pop Culture
-Modern Art
-Silver Age of Marvel
Comics
-Cold War Fashion
-Rock Music in Berlin
-Olympics boycotts
Dissent
-Protest movements
-Prague Spring
-Radio Free Europe
-Solidarity
-Velvet Revolution
Persecution
-Hollywood Ten
-KGB
Propaganda / Indoctrination
-Komsomol Youth
Organization
-Soviet Film Industry &
Political Education
-Socialist Realism (art)
Other
-Space race
-Tito in Yugoslavia
6
THE COLD WAR
Topic 5: The Cold War
This topic addresses East–West relations from 1945. It aims to promote an international perspective and understanding of the origins,
course and effects of the Cold War—a conflict that dominated global affairs from the end of the Second World War to the early 1990s.
It includes superpower rivalry and events in all areas affected by Cold War politics such as spheres of interest, wars (proxy), alliances
and interference in developing countries.
Major themes:
 Ideological differences
 Mutual suspicion and fear
 From wartime allies to post-war enemies
Nature of the Cold War
 Ideological opposition
 Superpowers and spheres of influence
 Alliances and diplomacy in the Cold War
Development and impact of the Cold War
 Global spread of the Cold War from its European origins
 Cold War policies of containment, brinkmanship, peaceful coexistence, détente
 Role of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement
 Role and significance of leaders
 Arms race, proliferation and limitation
 Social, cultural and economic impact
End of the Cold War
 Break-up of Soviet Union: internal problems and external pressures
 Breakdown of Soviet control over Central and Eastern Europe
**These themes are designed to be broad – your question needs to be VERY SPECIFIC**
Origins of the Cold War
Material for detailed study:
 Europe: Eastern Countries & Germany (especially Berlin (1945-61)
 Middle East: Egypt with some Israel (1948+), Iran (1979) and Afghanistan (1979-1989)
 Asia: China, Vietnam & Korea
 Latin America: Cuba (Revolutionary Socialism, Bay of Pigs & Cuban Missile Crisis), Argentina (Peron/Peronism)
 Wartime conferences: Yalta and Potsdam (1945)
 US policies and developments in Europe: Presidential Doctrines, Marshall Plan, NATO
 Soviet policies & Sovietization of Eastern and Central Europe and/or Central Asia: COMECON, Warsaw Pact, Propaganda (Pravda),
Youth organizations (ex. Young Pioneers), Virgin Lands Program, De-Stalinization
 Sino–Soviet relations
 US–Chinese relations
 Non-Aligned Movement: Nasser/Egypt, Tito/Yugoslavia
 Key People:
o USA: Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan
 Key individuals: Marshall, Kennan, McArthur, Acheson, Rusk, Kissinger
o Europe: Churchill, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev, Marshall Tito
o Middle East: Gamal Abdel Nasser, David Ben-Gurian, Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, Yasser Arafat, Shah Reza Pahlavi, Ayatollah
Khomeini, Anwar Sadat
o Asia: Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Madame Mao/Gang of Four, Deng Xiaoping, Ho Chi Minh, Ngo dinh Diem
o Latin America: Fidel Castro, Juan (and Eva) Peron, Salvador Allende
 Uprisings: Prague Spring, Qingming Festival, Singing Revolutions, Tiananmen Square, Democratization in Eastern Europe
1940s
-WWII Conferences/Big 3
-Truman Doctrine
-Marshall Plan
-George Keenan/
Long Telegram
-Berlin Blockade/Airlift
-NATO
-Mao & PRC
-Tito & Yugoslavia
1950s
-NSC-68
-Korean war
-Fall of Dien Bien Phu
-SEATO
-Warsaw Pact
-Secret Speech
-Nasser, Egypt, Aswan, Suez
-Hungarian uprising
-Eisenhower Doctrine
1960s
-Berlin Wall
-Non-Aligned Movement
-U2 Crisis
-Cuban Revolution (Castro)
-Bay of Pigs Invasion
-Cuban Missile Crisis
-Kennedy Doctrine
-Six Day War
-Brezhnev Doctrine
-Prague Spring
-Nixon Doctrine /
Vietnamization
1970s
-Detente
-Yom Kippur War
-Camp David Accords
-Fall of Saigon
-Deng Xiaoping, Four
Modernizations
-Iranian Revolution
-Soviet Invasion of
Afghanistan
1980s
-Solidarity in Poland
-Carter Doctrine
-Gorbachev: Perestroika,
Glasnost, Democratization,
Sinatra Doctrine
-Independence Movements in
Eastern Europe
-Fall of the Berlin Wall
-Tiananmen Square
-Yeltsin & Fall of USSR
**What are your interests? How will you conduct your investigation using a Cold War lens?**
7
The Cold War (in great detail)
1929: Great Depression
1930s: Rise of Totalitarian Dictators (Single-Party States) & Appeasement
World War II: 1939-1945
Big 3 @ Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam Conferences
Truman Doctrine
George Keenan,
Long Telegram &
Article X in Foreign
1947
Marshall Plan
1948
Affairs
1947
NATO
1949
NSC-68
1950
Warsaw Pact
1955
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Policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology
State Department official
Called for a policy of containment toward the Soviet Union & est. the foundation for much of America's early Cold War
foreign policy
Popularized the term "containment"
U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall (Speech at Harvard, June 1947)
Economic Assistance Act
Help the nations of Europe recover and rebuild after the devastation wrought by World War II (and counter forces of
communism)
$13 billion in aid over four years (1948-51)
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
USA, Canada, and Western Europe
Collective security against the Soviet aggression
National Security Council Paper NSC-68
"United States Objectives and Programs for National Security"
Rejected isolationism
Called for a build-up of the U.S. military and its weaponry (conventional & nuclear)
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Berlin Blockade and Berlin Airlift: 1948-1949
US Occupation of Japan: 1945-1952
Establishment of the People’s Republic of China: 1949 (Mao, CCP, PLA)
Korean War: 1950-1953
Fall of Dien Bien Phu (French Indochina): 1954
Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO): 1954
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Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance
Soviet-led political-military alliance in Eastern Europe
Counterweight to NATO
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Speech during closed session of Communist Party
Denunciation of Stalin’s policies  De-Stalinization campaign
Idealized Leninist Model
Any country could request American economic assistance and/or aid from U.S. military forces if it was being threatened
by armed aggression from another state
Motivated in part by an increase in Arab hostility toward the West, and growing Soviet influence in Egypt and Syria
Vietnam War: 1955-1975
Bandung Conference: 1955 (precursor to Non-Aligned Movement)
Nasser: Aswan Dam, Nationalization of Suez Canal, Suez Crisis: 1956 (Sèvres Protocol, UK/France/Israel)
Hungarian Revolution: 1956 (crushed by Soviet troops)


Khrushchev’s
Secret Speech
1956
Eisenhower
Doctrine
1957

(Suez Crisis)
Berlin Crisis 1958-1961 / Construction
of the Berlin Wall
U2 Crisis: 1960- Francis Gary Powers
Kennedy Doctrine
1962

Cuban Revolution: 1959
Bay of Pigs Invasion (fail): 1961

Cuban Missile Crisis: 1962
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Formation of the Non-Aligned
Movement: 1961
(Egypt/Nasser, Ghana/Nkrumah,
India/Nehru, Indonesia/ Sukarno,
Yugoslavia/Tito,)
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Cold War containment
Focus on Latin America
"Pay any price, bear any burden"
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USSR’s policy of combating "anti-socialist forces"
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U.S. would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region
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Glasnost  Openness in politics and government (eliminate corruption & gerontocracy)
Perestroika  Restructuring of the economy
Democratization  See Sinatra Doctrine
Policy of allowing neighboring Warsaw Pact nations to determine their own internal affairs
Détente: 1960s & 1970s (Limited Test Ban Treaty, SALT I, ABM Treaty, Helsinki Accords)
Six Day War: 1967, UNSC Resolution 242
Prague Spring (Czechoslovakia):1968
Brezhnev Doctrine
1968
Nixon Doctrine
1969
“The sovereignty of each socialist country cannot be opposed to the interests of the world of socialism”
US expects its Asian allies to tend to their own military defense
“Vietnamization”
Yom Kippur War: 1973, UNSC Resolution 338, Geneva Conference 1973, Camp David Accords 1978
Fall of Saigon: 1975
Deng Xiaoping begins Four Modernizations: 1978
Iranian Revolution: 1979, Soviet Afghan War: 1979-1989 (1980 & 1984 Olympic Boycotts)
Solidarity Movement in Poland: 1980s (Lech Walesa, Pope John Paul II)
Carter Doctrine,
NSC-63
Policies of Mikhail
Gorbachev
Sinatra
Doctrine/My Way
1980
1980s
1989
Independence Movements in Eastern Europe: 1989-1991
Fall of the Berlin Wall: 1989
Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre: 1989
Collapse of the Soviet Union 1991 (Commonwealth of Independent States: CIS, Boris Yeltsin)
8
Topic 3: Authoritarian States
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Assess the aims of the totalitarian government and degree to which they were achieved.
Compare the methods by which totalitarian governments were established.
Compare authoritarian states – left vs. right wing ideologies
-
Europe: USSR (Lenin & Stalin), Yugoslavia (Tito)
Middle East: Egypt (Nasser)
Asia: China (Mao), North Korea (Kim Il-Sung)
Latin America: Cuba (Castro), Peron (Argentina)
Theme 1: Origins and nature of
authoritarian and single-party states
Conditions that produced authoritarian and
single-party states
Totalitarianism: the aim and the extent to
which it was achieved
Emergence of leaders: aims, ideology, support
Theme 2: Establishment of
authoritarian and single party
states
Methods: force, legal
Form of government, (left-and rightwing) ideology
Nature, extent and treatment of
opposition
Theme 3: Domestic policies and impact
Structure and organization of government and
administration
Political, economic, social and religious policies
Role of education, the arts, the media, propaganda
Statues of women, treatment of religious groups and
minorities
Prescribed Subject Area 1: Communism in Crisis
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China
Great proletarian Cultural Revolution
&"Ten Lost Years"
Liu Shaoqi = Chairman of PRC, 1959-68
1960s: Sino-Soviet Split
Lin Biao Incident: Lin Biao & son plan
assassination of Mao (Lin dies in plane
crash 1971)
1971: UN recognition, 1973: Nixon
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1976: Death of Zhou Enlai & Qingming
Festival
1976: Death of Mao Zedong
Hua Guofeng: 2 Whatevers Policy,
tasked w/ rehabilitating Deng
Power struggle: Gang of Four & Madame
Mao (vs. Hua Guofeng)
Deng Xiaoping “The Pragmatist”
o Four Modernizations, 1978:
Agriculture, Industry, Sci-Tech,
Defense
o Open Door policy, Town and
Village Enterprises (TVEs),
Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
1979: One Child Policy
1989: Tiananmen Square (Uprising &
Massacre, Tank Man)
Human Rights issues: Censorship, Tibet,




USSR
Khurschev: De-Stalinization/Secret
Speech, 1959: Visits USA (no
Disneyland), 1960: U-2 Crisis, 1961:
Berlin Crisis, 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis,
Sino-Soviet Split, Virgin Lands Program,
removal from power
Gerentocracy
Brezhnev Era: Leonid Brezhnev
o Dissent: Saminzdat, Taminzdat
o Prague Spring: Alexander
Dubcek, “socialism w/ a human
face,” Brezhnev Doctrine,
Warsaw Pact tanks
o Brezhnev Doctrine
o 1970s: Détente, SALT Talks
o Afghanistan: 1979-1989,
Mujahedeen, PDPA
Adropov and Chernenko
Mikhail Gorbachev: Young & Vital
o Glasnost: Openness,
Perestroika: Restructuring,
Democratization, Sinatra
Doctrine (my way)
o 1986: Chernobyl
August Putsch or August Coup
Boris Yeltsin:
o 1990: President of Russian SSR,
1991: Bans communist party,
seizes assets
o Russian Federation
o Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS)

Eastern Europe
Yugoslavia: Death of Tito, 1980

Poland: Solidarity, Lech Walesa, Pope
John Paul II, Gdansk shipyards, moral
revolution

Czechoslovakia: Prague Spring 1968:
Alexander Dubček, Brezhnev Doctrine,
Velvet Revolution: Václav Havel, Charter
77, Imre Nagy (hanged)

Hungary: “Democracy package”

Romania: Brutal repression, Fall (trial &
execution) of Nicolae Ceaușescu (& wife)

Singing Revolution: 1987-1991, Baltic
States

Berlin: GDR/DDR (Eric Honecker) vs.
FRG (Helmut Kohl), Hungary &
Czechoslovakia open borders, Fall of the
Wall: 1989, die Wende/The Turning Point,
German Reunification, 1990
9
Question Creation:
Step 1: Create a question:
 Using your Topic & Title  Create a question will lead to an appropriate investigation
 Use a command term (To what extent, compare/contrast, analyze, assess)
 Create an overarching question (Consider Compare/Contrast or Changes and Continuities Over Time)
 Narrow the scope of the question
o Be specific, consider a question that requires Evaluation and/or Justification
1. It must be resolvable with
measurable (empirical) evidence
2. It must be open-ended
3. It must be flexible and open to
endless refinement
4. It must be explicit and precise
5. It must be tested
Confused? Question tips & examples on next page
Step 2: Is your question researchable?
 Begin with preliminary research (only for background reference – Not part B)
o HHS Databases: Gale Powersearch
 5W+H focus
 Are your going to be limited by availability (or lack of translations for) sources?
 Do you need to modify your question? Broaden it? Narrow the focus?
Step 3: From Preliminary to Subject Specific research
 HHS Databases:
o Gale: Global Issues in Context, Facts on File: Modern World History, EBSCOhost: AP Source
 NO ENCYCLOPEDIAS in your IA!  only for background reference
o Jstor is your new best friend! (make an account in school in order to have access at home)
 Subject specific resources listed later
Step 4: Modify Your Question (if necessary)
Do not explore the obvious!
 A title such as, "Was Lenin an important figure in the Russian Revolution?" is redundant
 Remember, this is an investigation
 Your title should enable you to explore and investigate different views of the historical period you choose.
o "Lenin's political ambition was more important in bringing about the Russian Revolution than the failures of
Nicholas II's reign. To what extent is this assertion true?" would be a more appropriate title.
10
Question Tips and Examples:
Choose a Question of Controversy
 Try to find a topic/title/question that has at least two sides (ex. to what extent…) to allow you to include differing
interpretations
o It is only controversial if historians disagree as to the answer
 Focus on the issues that historians debate, such as:
o Which is more important
o The main causes
o To what extent someone’s reasons for doing something were justifiable
o Whether one person is more blameworthy or praiseworthy for something than another person, etc.
 Avoid questions that lend themselves to a descriptive answer (upon which historians would agree) such as:
o The causes of the Cold War, Stalin’s reasons for punishing the Kulaks, etc.
Examples:
 To what extent were the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980 affected by Cold War tensions?
 With what justification can it be claimed that it was the leadership of Trotsky that promoted Red victory in the
Russian Civil War?
 With what justification can it be claimed that the Chinese Great Famine 1959-1962 was a man-made famine
resulting from Mao’s policies?
 How significant was the role of industrial workers in creating the environment for the Bolshevik seizure of power
in 1917?
 To what extent were the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980 affected by Cold War tensions?
Which is probably easier to investigate and discuss effectively with the 2000 word limit? Why?
A:
An investigation into African warfare:
Why did the British Army struggle Southern Africa during the
1870s?
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 that there is a connection between your TITLE and your QUESTION**
Title/Question Examples:
 An investigation of an event represented in newspaper reports:
o How did newspaper reports on the death of Kennedy vary, and how reliable were they?
 An investigation comparing a film and a written account of a historical event:
o 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:
o To what extent were the first Five Year Plans of Stalin and Mao successfully implemented?
 An Investigation into the Cold War:
o How can our understanding of the origins of the Cold War be aided by a study of different schools of
thought on its origins?
 An investigation of the Politics of the Russian Revolution:
o Why did Trotsky leave the Menshevik party and become a Bolshevik, and how important was his role in
the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917?
11
IA Research:
There are five general characteristics that a strong historical question should have and can be addressed with research:
1. It must be resolvable with measurable (empirical) evidence
2. It must be open-ended
3. It must be flexible and open to endless refinement
4. It must be explicit and precise
5. It must be tested
Preliminary Reading: general reference material, like an
encyclopedia, dictionary, or other reference book
HHS databases
Remember the IB research process:
(Diploma candidates: you should also be doing this for your
Extended Essays)
**You might encounter difficulties researching:
Cold War many articles use catchy headings like “second
cold war” try adding specific dates “1945-1953”
NATO  still exists, try also searching “Warsaw Pact”
Atomic Bomb  yields article on Japan  try searching
“nuclear arms race cold war” or “nuclear proliferation”
Cold War Fear  try search terms such as: “espionage,”
“propaganda,” or “red scare”
Subject Specific Reading: look up material on your subject by
using the library catalogue and consulting sources listed in the
general reference material
 Continue to refine search
 Use more specific search terms (see suggestions above)
 Begin to incorporate historiography (Jstor articles)
Keep track of your notes/research using a Data Sheet:
*Use a word document
Source
1.
2.
3.
Facts &
Quotes
1.
2.
3.
Key Words &
Search Terms
1.
2.
3.
Keep track of your sources:
-Use your easy bib accounts
-Or you can create a University of Chicago bibliography using
http://www.easybib.com or http://www.bibme.org/ (for free)
As your research:
 You may have to refine your question
 O-P-V-L your sources
 Keep track of your sources in University of Chicago
style
 Incorporate historiography
 Think ahead to potential outline
12
Types of Sources:
In order to present a well researched and analytical IA you will need to reference multiple
sources. Ideally, there should be a balance between digital and non-digital sources. Below is
a guide to the types of sources you should include in your IA. Please remember that there is a
difference between a works cited page and a bibliography (bibliographies contain all the
citations for all of the works that you consulted – even if they are not referenced in your IA). The
types of materials used and the importance placed upon them in sections B-D will vary based on
topic/title/question. Only material used in Part B can be used in Parts C & D. The sources analyzed in
Part C should factor heavily into Part D analysis.

Non-Digital Sources – aka BOOKS (2+)
o Use the HHS Library
o Go to the Harrison Public Library: http://www.harrisonpl.org/
 Get a library card!
o Westchester County Library System: http://www.westchesterlibraries.org/
 Create an account, download the Bookmyne app
 Use search bar in upper right corner

Jstor articles (3+)
o An article from the time period that you are researching and a modern article (last 5+ years)
o An article from a western author and/or an article from a non-western author
o Articles from varied disciplines: Politics, economics, sociology, science…
o Articles that make varied arguments regarding your topic
o Articles that compare/contrast your topic (or elements of your topic) with other global issues

Primary sources
o This will vary based on your topic
 Use subject/topic specific archives
 See subject specific resources section for greater detail

Other:
o News articles
 NY Times, Washington Post, BBC, The Economist, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy
 Library of Congress: Newspapers and Current Periodicals Reading Room: Archive:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/oltitles.html
 New York Times Archive: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/nytarchive.html
o
Historiography
 Find the names of the top researchers/historians/professors invested in your topic  then
research their names specifically  What are they writing regarding your topic?
 Balance Orthodox – Revisionist – Post-Revisionist arguments
o Watch out for your Western Liberal tendencies…
 We all have bias – recognize it
13
Online Resources

Presidential Libraries/Archives
o National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/ & http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/

Truman: http://www.trumanlibrary.org/, Eisenhower: http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/, Kennedy:
http://www.jfklibrary.org/
o National Archives (UK): http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/

Libraries
o Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/index.html

European Reading Room: Communist International (COMINTERN) Archives Project:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/european/comintern/comintern-home.html

Exhibitions: Revelations from the Russian Archives: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/intro.html
o Internet Public Library: www.ipl.org
o Westchester County Library System: http://www.westchesterlibraries.org/

Museums
o Smithsonian: http://www.si.edu/
o Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/
o Museum of National History: http://www.amnh.org/
o British Museum: http://www.britishmuseum.org/

Marxism/Communism:
o Marxist.org: http://www.Marxists.org, History Archive: http://www.marxists.org/history/index.htm

Cold War Era:
o National Security Archive, George Washington University: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/
o Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University: http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/mod/modsbook.asp
o Cold War Case Studies, National Archive (UK): http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/coldwar/G3/default.htm
o Radio Free Europe: http://www.rferl.org/, Radio Habana: http://www.radiohc.org/
o European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS): http://www.iss.europa.eu/home/
o NATO: http://www.nato.int
o United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/
o Non-Aligned Movement: http://www.nam.gov.za/
o Berlin Wall Museum: http://www.berlin.de/mauer/museen/mauermuseum/index.en.html
o Atomic Archive: http://www.atomicarchive.com/index.shtml
o US Department of Energy: http://energy.gov/
o Records of the Office of Strategic Services: http://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified-records/rg-226-oss/

USSR:
o
o
o
o
School of Russian & Asian Studies: (Russian Archives and Primary source documents)
http://www.sras.org/library_russian_archives
Russian Museums List: http://www.russianmuseums.info/
State Museum of Political History of Russia: http://en.polithistory.ru/, http://en.polithistory.ru/
Russian State Historical and Cultural Museum Preserve “the Moscow Kremlin”: http://www.kreml.ru/en/

Eastern Europe:
o Making the History of 1989, Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/
o KGB in the Baltic States Archive: http://www.kgbdocuments.eu/
o Ukrainian Museum: http://www.ukrainianmuseum.org/exhibit.html
o Polish-American Cultural Center: http://www.polishcenterofcleveland.org/
o East German Propaganda: http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/gdrmain.htm

Western Europe:
o European Union: http://europa.eu/about-eu/eu-history/
o NATO: http://www.nato.int
o German History Museum: http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/
o Secret Intelligence Service: MI6: https://www.sis.gov.uk/
14

Western Europe continued:
o Goethe Institut Deutschland: http://www.goethe.de/ins/de/enindex.htm

Goethe dc: http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/was/enindex.htm

Goethe NY: http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/ney/enindex.htm?wt_sc=newyork

Asia and PRC:
o Marxists.org: Chinese Communism Subject Archive: http://www.marxists.org/subject/china/documents/cpc/history/01.htm
o US State Department: Relations with China: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/18902.htm
o Tiananmen Square, National Security Archive, GW: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB16/#ps
o China Institute: http://www.chinainstitute.org/
o Japan Society: http://www.japansociety.org/
o Korea Society: http://www.koreasociety.org/
o Repository of Primary Sources: Asia and the Pacific: http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/special-collections/asia.html

Middle East:
o Israel: State Archives: http://www.archives.gov.il/ArchiveGov_eng
o OPEC: http://www.opec.org
o Saudi Aramco World: http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com

Latin America:
o The Long Struggle for Freedom in Latin America Sources List: Vanderbilt University:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/esss/resources/PrimarySourcesonLatinAmerica.pdf
o Chile and the United States; http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB8/nsaebb8i.htm
o Cuban Heritage Collection: http://merrick.library.miami.edu/digitalprojects/chc.php
o Death of Che: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB5/index.html
o The Conference on Latin America History: http://clah.h-net.org/
o Emory Libraries: Primary Source Research in Latin American History:
http://guides.main.library.emory.edu/content.php?pid=20775&sid=159935
o Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: 19th Century Latin America:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook32.asp
o Hispanic Society of America: http://www.hispanicsociety.org/
o BUBL Information Service: Cuba: http://bubl.ac.uk/link/c/cuba.htm

USA:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Gilder-Lehrman Foundation: https://www.gilderlehrman.org/
Wilson Center: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/

Digital Archive: http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/
Rockefeller Archive Center: http://www.rockarch.org/ (MAK used to intern here)
Library of Congress: America memory: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
US Department of State: http://www.state.gov/
American History Museum: http://americanhistory.si.edu/
US Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions: http://www.usembassy.gov/
Index of US Government Departments and Agencies: http://www.usa.gov/directory/federal/index.shtml

Crisis in Communism:
o The End of the USSR: 20 Years Later, National Security Archive, GW:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB364/index.htm
o Radio Netherlands Worldwide: 1989 Fall of Communism Dossier:
http://www.rnw.nl/english/dossier/Fall%20of%20Communism

Other:
o
o
o
Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com/
US Department of State: http://www.state.gov/
Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: 20th Century Primary Sources:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook55.asp
15
Data Sheet:
Name: _____________________________________
Topic 5 Cold War, Topic 3: Single Party States, or Prescribed Subject 1: Crisis in Communism? ___________
Theme:
Question:
Potential Search Terms:
Source
Key Facts & Quotes
16
Beyond a Data Sheet:
Constructing a Balanced Argument
Preparation for the Summary of Evidence
It is essential that your IA has at least two sides (to allow you to include differing interpretations. Focus on the issues that historians
debate (It is only controversial if historians disagree as to the answer)
Ex. "Lenin's political ambition was more important in bringing about the Russian Revolution than the failures of Nicholas II's reign. To what extent
is this assertion true?"

Side 1: Lenin’s political ambition caused the Russian Revolution, Nicholas II = long line of inept Czars

Side 2: Nicholas II’s failures caused the Russian Revolution, Lenin = right place, right time
Balanced Research = Evidence for either side of your argument
Side 1:
Side 2:
Evidence:
Evidence:
Citation:
Citation:
Evidence:
Evidence:
Citation:
Citation:
Evidence:
Evidence:
Citation:
Citation:
Evidence:
Evidence:
Citation:
Citation:
17
Cover / Title Page:
What you need to include
How it needs to be presented
Titles should start out with the general topic: “An
investigation….”
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?
An investigation into German social history: How successfully
did Hitler promote the ideal of the family in the Third Reich?
Title May be in BOLD and between 14-16 pt. Font (Times
New Roman)
Title page must include (bottom left-hand corner, 12pt font):
 Your Name
 Your Candidate Number
 Course Title (IB 20TH Century World History)
 SL or HL designation
 Your Teacher’s Name
 Total Word Count
My Name
My Candidate #
IB 20TH Century World History HL/SL
Ms. Makarczuk/Milne
Total Word Count: 1,775
Table of Contents:
Directions for creating a Table of Contents using Microsoft Word can be found at:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/create-a-table-of-contents-or-update-a-table-of-contents-HP001225372.aspx
Examples:
18
A: Plan of the Investigation (100-150 words) [3 marks]
0
1
2
3
There is no plan of investigation, OR it is inappropriate.
The research question, method, and scope are not clearly stated.
The research question is clearly stated. The method and scope of the investigation are outlined and related to the research
question
The research question is clearly stated. The method and scope are fully developed and closely related to the research
question
This is a relatively brief but important section that serves to focus and structure your research
The Plan of the Investigation MUST include:
1. Brief Background/contextual information is provided about the importance of topic or situation
o Why is your topic interesting?
2. Subject of the Investigation which may be formulated as a question
o RESEARCH TOPIC & QUESTION MUST BE CLEARLY STATED
3. Reasons you chose this topic and what you hope to find out (FUTURE TENSE)
4. Scope of the investigation
o What will you research & evaluate? Why is it worthy? What will you leave out? Why?
5. Methods (focus questions) used to research as well as appropriate sources
o Nature of sources selected, why & how? Proposed structure, How will the task be addressed?
o Higher level examples also include what is NOT investigated and why (why is the scope limited?)
Example 1: With what justification can it be claimed that it was the leadership of Trotsky which promoted Red victory in the
Russian Civil War?
Moderator comments: In this tightly focused plan of investigation the student has shown evidence of context and a clearly articulated research
question that permits the student to work towards providing a balanced judgment after a consideration of factors. The way in which the task is then
broken down and areas of investigation noted to allow for a judgment to be reached reveals a succinct and focused coverage of scope and method.
While it only uses 105 words, the student has set the scene for what follows in terms of organization in the following section. Marks: 3 of 3
Example 2: The Women’s Army Corps during World War II
19
B: Summary of Evidence (500-600 words) [6 marks]
0
1-2
3-4
5-6
There is no relevant factual material.
There is some relevant factual material, but it has not been referenced.
There is relevant factual material that shows evidence of research, organization, and referencing.
The factual material is all relevant to the investigation and it has been well researched, organized, and correctly
referenced.
Description of evidence (including historical or political context, key people, places, and/or events)
Stick to salient pieces of information (Relevant to your topic/question)
Timelines, charts, maps, and additional data may be added as appendices
 You must link your overview of evidence to your research question
Includes everything that you are going to address in Parts C & D
Summary of Evidence Components
Example
You must link your overview of evidence to your research question
If your question was:
Strong Summary of Evidence Sections are devoid of YOUR analysis (but
should be specific when referencing the analyses/interpretations of reputable
historians)
"To what extent was the United States
firebombing of Dresden in 1945 an act of
terrorism?" you may want to approach it like this:
Evidence should NOT be organized by source (as it is in your notes / on
your data sheet)

Widely accepted definitions of terrorism
 Make sure you define terrorism so you can
evaluate whether the bombing fits the
description.
o You may include different
definitions from different views,
which can be evaluated later in
section D.

Historical context: Events during WWII that
may help the reader judge whether it was an act
of war or terrorism.
o Present evidence that puts the event into
historical context, like the fact that
Germany had bombed London, or was
currently implementing the Final
Solution.

Multiple viewpoints: Evidence that supports the
idea that the bombing was indeed a terrorist act
VS. Evidence that suggests the bombing was
simply an act of war
o Research 2-3 views that argue that it
was terrorism.
o Try to get primary sources of people
involved in the actual decision and/or
were affected by the bombings
o Research 2-3 views that argue is was
NOT terrorism, but an act of war.
o Alternatively, part of the historical
context could be the US knew the war
was won by this time; but bombed them
anyway!

Go BEYOND these suggestions!
The goal is NOT to include every piece of information, but only salient
pieces of information. Present ONLY information that will help you
answer your research question; do not waste words providing lengthy
background information.
Limited or poor sources negatively affect score
A quote is not a fact – it needs context
You must include your Part C sources in Part B
Footnote EVERYTHING!
You should include:

Multiple sources:
o Primary sources: Archives, presidential libraries, declassified
information…
o Secondary sources: Newspaper and journal articles from the
time period
o Historical interpretations: Journal articles and historiography

Define all key terms

Historical Context: Background information, Key events, US vs. USSR,
Democracy vs. Communism…

Multiple viewpoints/historical perspectives
o If you have evidence that supports only one possible answer,
then you will have nothing to evaluate and analyze in Part D

Go BEYOND these suggestions!
20
Summary of Evidence Planning Table
How are you going to organize section B? You are DESCRIBING facts & information. These are the key pieces of evidence that you
will use in sections C & D. There is NO ANALYSIS in the summary of evidence. Do not get lazy  CITE EVERYTHING that is
not your own words!
Section 1:
Section 2:
Section 3:
Section 4:
Section 5:
Section 6:
Example:
To what extent was Hitler solely responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War?
Section 1:
Hitler’s Actions 1933-1941
Section 2:
Hitler’s Personality and Political Beliefs
Section 4:
The role of other countries (Italy, USSR,
USA…)
Section 5:
The role of the International System (R.
Overy’s Historical argument)
Section 3:
The role of Britain and France (AJP
Taylor’s historical argument)
Section 6:
Other reasons (Tim Mason’s argument that
German domestic pressures drove Hitler to
push for war)
Considerations for Organization:




Use the groupings from the summary of evidence planning table to create topics/sub-topics for your evidence
OR Consider chronological structures (Motivations  Developments  Impacts)
Be sure to include PRIMARY, SECONDARY, and HISTORIOGRAPHY sources in each topic/sub-topic/grouping
Cite everything using University of Chicago style FOOTNOTES
21
Summary of Evidence Examples:
How did the Red Guards carry out their role in the development of the Chinese 1966 Cultural Revolution?
Marks: 3 out of 6: Referencing is not always complete; some material needs to be cited and is not. The first citations for sources are
not complete and therefore not correct. The section includes some relevant material which is organized and referenced (not always in
correct form).
22
Summary of Evidence Examples:
Iranian Revolution (1977-1979)
A Case Study of Power Struggle Spawned from an Inept Leadership
To What Extent was the Iranian Revolution Stolen by the Islamic Fundamentalists?
Moderators Comments: Criterion B



There is much information provided but it is not always accurate. While referencing is present, it is not always complete
(note the lack of page numbers, for example). Terms of importance that need explanation could have been included in a
glossary and indicated in section B. The frequent references to “excerpts” do not always help clarify matters unfortunately.
While relevant factual material showing evidence of research, organization and referencing is therefore present, the award
falls into the level 3–4 markband.
Received: 4 of 6 marks
23
C: Evaluation of Sources (250-400 words) [5 marks]
0
1
2-3
There is no description or evaluation of sources.
The sources are described but there is no reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation.
There is some evaluation of sources but reference to their origin, purpose, value, and limitation may be limited.
4-5
There is evaluation of the sources and explicit reference to origin, purpose, value, and limitation.
Critical evaluation of TWO of the sources (similar to annotated bibliography) appropriate to research and should reference their
origins, purpose or POV, value and limitations
You should clearly have more than 2 sources, but are only analyzing 2
Which 2 should you pick?
Ex. most appropriate/most controversial/valuable and/or most diametrically opposed
Origin
You must link your overview of evidence to your research question
Elements of Who-What-When-Where?







Who created it?
Who is the author?
When was it created?
When was it published?
Where was it published?
Who is publishing it?
Is there anything we know about
the author that is pertinent to
our evaluation?
If it is a primary source & has been
reprinted in another source, look at the
original source information
If it is a secondary source: how does it
c/c to a primary source
Historiography: It is not enough to
give name or school of historian 
must address why such POVs matter re:
topic or
Factors to consider:
 Author: SPS leader, support or
opposition to topic, historian,
country of origin, philosophy…

Date: Before, during or after a
significant event

Translation: Originally in a
different language? (can be a
limitation)

Purpose
Elements of Why & How?





Why does this
document exist?
Why did the author
create this piece of
work? What is the
intent?
Why did the author
choose this particular
format?
Who is the intended
audience? Who was the
author thinking would
receive this?
Can it tell you more
than is on the surface?
Give the purpose of the
source (intent of author) &
address importance of the
excerpt
A source may have more
than one purpose
(Try to identify 2 purposes
per source)
Without understanding the
purpose of a source it is
impossible to judge
accurately its values and
limitations
Factors to consider:
 Why was this document
created?
 What is the format?
 Who was the intended
audience? Why?
 Historical context: How
does this piece reflect the
time period or
circumstances?
 What is the POV (or
historiography) of the
author?
Format:
 Persuade vs.
Dissuade
 Debate or Rhetoric
 Entice or Rally
 Inform, Describe,
Detail
 Reexamine
 If it is propaganda
 why? For what
purpose?
24
Value
Why is this a valuable piece of
evidence?  Based on Origin &
Purpose







What can we tell about the
author from the piece?
What can we tell about the time
period from the piece?
Under what circumstances was
the piece created and how does
the piece reflect those
circumstances?
What can we tell about any
controversies from the piece?
Does the author represent a
particular ‘side’ of a controversy
or event?
What can we tell about the
author’s perspectives from the
piece?
What was going on in history at
the time the piece was created
and how does this piece
accurately reflect it?
A source may also have more than one
value
(Try to identify 2values per source)
*Not all valuable information is
historically accurate
*Bias is inherent in almost all writing
EVALUATE the value
 Put it in context
Based on who wrote it, when/where it
came from and why it was
created…what value does this
document have as a piece of evidence?
Factors to consider:
 Significance of format: Public
(decree/edict) vs. Private
(diary/journal)
 Historical context: How does this
piece reflect the time period or
circumstances?
 Evidence regarding the author’s
POV
 Controversial or disputed
information
 Reevaluated or revised based on
previously unknown/unreleased
information?
Limitations
You are not pointing out the
weaknesses of the document  you are
determining at what point does this
source cease to be of value to us as
historians?





What part of the story can we
NOT tell from this document?
How could we verify the content
of the piece?
Does this piece inaccurately
reflect anything about the time
period?
What does the author leave out
and why does he/she leave it out
(if you know)?
What is purposely not
addressed?
EVALUATE the Limitations


How does the origin of this source
limit its value as evidence?
How does the purpose for which it
was composed limit its value?
Bias is not a limitation!
 Details, background
 For/against
 Purpose/intent
Limitations must be ACCURATE &
RELEVANT
Factors to consider:
 Pitfalls in origin (translation,
damage…)
 What is missing?
 What is not addressed?
 Are the omissions on purpose or
due to time period or geographic
factors?
 What additional information is
needed? & Why?
 How do we verify the information
in the piece? (accurate vs.
inaccurate…misinform  think
SPS)
Common Limitations:
•Subjective
(Emotionally Laden)
•Evidence: Language,
Tone, Style
•Public vs. Private
•Proximity to Event
•Selective use of
information
•Political Bias
•Historian National/Social
Influence/Bias
•Language Issues
(access to foreign
documents/translation)
•Soviet Secrecy &
Manipulation of
Statistics
•Lack of access to
Communist Archives
(pre-1991 USSR)
•Face Saving
•Propaganda
•General texts lack
depth/detail
•Exaggeration
(Motivation for?)
25
Evaluation of Sources Should Include:
 University of Chicago Citation
 Origin
 Context: Genre, Culture, Discipline…
 Main Ideas
 Supporting Ideas
 Purpose
 POV: Which side of the issue?
 Validity of Source: Authority, Relevance to Topic, Date
o Verifiable Facts, Evidence, Counter-Arguments, Opinions, Generalizations, Assumptions, Purpose
 Value: To your research
 Limitations: Gaps in Information, Omissions, Accuracy, Validity…
Evaluation of Sources Example 1:
The following excerpt comes from an Internal Assessment that used the following research question:
“How significant was Fidel Castro in the Missile Crisis of 1962?”
Cuba on the Brink: Castro, the Missile Crisis and the Soviet Collapse compiled by James G.
Blight, Allyn J. Bruce and David A. Welsh is an in-depth “report” on the Havana conference in 1992 hosted
by Castro to discuss Cuba’s specific role during the Crisis. Cuba on the Brink was written with the purpose to
“greatly enlarge the number of participants in the Havana conference by supplying context sufficient for our
readers to ‘be there’ vicariously.” The book’s values lies [sic] in the fact that it provides a new Cuban
perspective on the Crisis that has often been disregarded. As well, since Castro hosted the conference, the
reader is exposed to Castro’s own interpretation and evaluation of Cuba’s significance. Its limitations is [sic]
that the Havana conference is dependent on “critical oral history;” considering that the conference occurred
thirty years after the Crisis, it is doubtful that the recollections of the veteran participants have not been
altered either subconsciously or for the purpose of conforming to political pressures.
Whereas Cuba on the Brink is based on discussion thirty years after the Crisis, “The MikoyanCastro Talks, 4-5 November 1962: the Cuban Version” is a record of conversations between Castro and
Soviet envoy Mikoyan in the immediate aftermath of Khrushchev’s acceptance of Kennedy’s demand that
Soviet nuclear missiles be withdrawn from Cuba. These conversations, which occurred on 4-5 November
1962, were obtained from [sic] Philip Brenner, Cuba specialist, who provided them to the Cold War
International History Project and were translated form [sic] Spanish by Carlos Osorio. Cuba’s release of
these documents provide a valuable source since the records are primary documents recorded immediately
after the event and expose the hurt and betrayal felt by Castro over Khrushchev’s decision to withdraw. As
 The choice of sources is excellent
because both provide the “smoking
gun.” The answer to the research
question will clearly hinge on these
two documents.
 The student clearly identifies the
origins & purpose of each document
by explaining, in-depth, how these
sources came to be.
 Excellent evaluation of the
limitations of the first source by
pointing out issues of historical
memory. It could have also
highlighted more explicitly, that
Castro might have deliberately
misrepresented his recollection in
order to improve his reputation.
 Good evaluation of values of
source #2. Points out that Cuban and
Soviet versions could be used to
corroborate each other.
well, since this is a conversation between a Soviet and a Cuban, the historian can notice the different
interpretations of each country. These Cuba documents can be compared against the Russian version of the
Mikoyan-Castro Talks released prior to the Cuban version. Thus, assuming that both versions are
independent from one another, the historian can compare the versions to one another for accuracy and biases.
Original Examiner Comments: “Good choice of sources: one contemporary and one secondary. Very clear comments on value and
limitations of both. Could be slightly more focused on purpose of Mikoyan-Castro talks, but still thorough enough for full marks
[credit].”
26
Evaluation of Sources Example 2: With what justification can it be claimed that it was the leadership of Trotsky which
promoted Red victory in the Russian Civil War?
Moderator Comments: Criterion C
 The source types selected—one textual and one visual—are appropriate and relevant.
 There is explicit coverage of the necessary OPVL areas for each source and the student has gone beyond generalizations
about bias and dealt quite specifically with the problematic nature of the selected sources. There are elements of description
of content but these are followed by relevant critical evaluation and comment associated with this brief description.
 The student has shown sufficient understanding of the process of evaluation to meet the demands expressed in level 4–5 of
section C.
 Marks: 5 out of 5
27
Evaluation of Sources Non-Examples:
Question: How did the strengthening of Nazism in Germany impact the migration of Jewish people to other countries in the world?
Marks: 2 out of 5
Moderator Comments: The first source is the website of the Holocaust Museum. The site itself is an appropriate source to utilize in
research but it is not as appropriate for this evaluation. A specific article or section of the site would be more appropriate to evaluate
due to the nature and breadth of the full site. OPVL are mentioned but limited. The value and limitations are based more on utility than
tied to the origin and purpose of the sources.
28
Evaluation of Sources Non-Examples:
Women in the French Revolution
Marks: 0 out of 5
Moderator Comments
This section has been wrongly lettered by the student as section D. It should have followed the summary of evidence section (section
B). Only one source has been selected for evaluation. The evaluation attempt has resulted in a long quotation of dubious relevance.
The “origin” is not complete in that publisher and date are omitted. Reference to purpose, values and limitations of the source is
lacking. The little that is present is brief and is an extremely general description of the author’s publishing history.
Why two sources have not been attempted is curious. Of the one done there is so little written that this is a borderline call. The level
descriptor for level 1 states “[t]he sources are described but there is no reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation”. In this
case sources (plural) have not been dealt with and the level of evaluation is so weak that an award of 0 is the best fit.
29
D: Analysis (500-650 words) [6 marks]
0
There is no analysis.
1-2
There is some attempt at analyzing the evidence presented in section B.
3-4
There is analysis of the evidence presented in section B and references are included.
There may be some awareness of the significance to the investigation of the sources evaluated in section C. Where
appropriate, different interpretations are considered.
5-6
There is critical analysis of the evidence presented in section B, accurate referencing, and an awareness of the
significance to the investigation of the sources evaluated in section C. Where appropriate, different interpretations are
analyzed.
Will comprise the majority of your original writing
Using Summary from B  critically break down key issues, points
As well as awareness of the significance of the sources used, especially those evaluated in section C
DO NOT add new evidence unless you also add it to your Part B
Clearly explains WHY this topic/question is important
 YOU MUST CONNECT THE ANAYLYSIS SECTION WITH THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH QUESTION OR TOPIC. This is true
for the entire paper. There should be a thread running through the entire paper connecting all sections back to the research question.
Analysis of the evidence & alternate interpretations or POV
Breaks down complex issues in order to bring out the essential elements, any underlying assumptions and any
interrelationships involved
Historical context will add weight & perspective so don’t ignore it
Suggested Format for Analysis:
Section 1 - Historical Context 
 Demonstrates understanding of the issue in historical
context.
 What events were going on in that may have led to
underlying assumptions or points of view on this issue that
you will break down and analyze in this section?
Section 2 - Significance of Sources from C 
 Demonstrate awareness of the significance of the sources
evaluated in Part C.
 Make critical comments on evidence from those sources
Section 3 - Critical examination of one possible answer 
 Examine evidence from part B that could lead to one
possible answer / interpretation of research question.
 Here it is essential to make critical comments based on
evidence.
 Discuss cause-and-effect relationships, underlying
assumptions and any interrelationships that are related to
the evidence you presented.
Section 4 - Critical examination of DIFFERENT possible answer

 Examine evidence from part B that could lead to a
DIFFERENT possible answer / interpretation of research
question.
 Here it is essential to make critical comments based on
your evidence.
 Discuss cause-and-effect relationships, underlying
assumptions and any interrelationships that are related to
the evidence you presented.
Examples:
To make it clear that you are placing your topic within its
historical context, literally spell it out by writing, "This
investigation is important in its historical context because
___________"
An example from: To what extent did Stalin's Five-Year Plans
improve Russia’s military?
(Stalin established collectivization and the five-year plans because of
the very real threat of foreign invasion during the 1920s and 30s.)
This investigation is important in its historical context because
Stalin's motivation to correct the problems with Russia's military
came simply from the fact that he feared other countries, due to
Russia’s previous failures from World War I. Russia had lost many
soldiers due to Russia’s unequipped military, such as the 200,000
casualties in the Battle of Masuria. As Stalin wrote about
industrializing for military purposes in the Pravda, “We must make
good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or we shall be
crushed.”
Examiner Comment: A clear attempt at establishing historical
context.
Section 5 – Foundation for Conclusion 
 Write a paragraph that considers the above interpretations
and starts to transition toward a conclusion [see Section E]
30
ANALYSIS: Critical thinking & Problem solving
-This is the part you do from your own knowledge & experience
-What are your conclusions based on the evidence?
*The elements of the investigation identified in your summary of evidence will be broken down into key issues or points*
-Don’t add any new facts. Only use facts already introduced
-You posed the question
-You did the research
-Now you show how the two fit together
Examples:
With what justification can it be claimed that it was the leadership of Trotsky which promoted Red victory in the Russian
Civil War?
Moderators Comments: Criterion D
 The section is effectively referenced. It refers to a
variety of historians’ views in an integrated fashion in
the analysis.
 The critical commentary is largely consistent with what
has been stated in section B, though there could have
been “some evidence of awareness of the significance to
the investigation of the sources evaluated in section C”.
 There is a well-written and balanced coverage of factors
in this 714-word section.
 Received 5 of 6 marks
Tips:
-Clear, Analytical, and Comprehensive Thesis
-Address all parts of the question
-Substantiate the thesis with ample historical evidence
-Address P.O.V.
-Strong topic sentences
-Uses material from Parts B & C Only!
(Ideally… anchors argument around Sources from Part C)
31
Non-Example:
Iranian Revolution (1977-1979)
A Case Study of Power Struggle Spawned from an Inept Leadership
To What Extent was the Iranian Revolution Stolen by the Islamic Fundamentalists?
Marks: 2 out of 6
Moderator Comments: Better proofreading of this section could have reduced the problems of expression and weak sentence
structure that hindered the analysis. There is heavy emphasis on describing what particular authors think, though the student’s own
leanings or argument in this analysis is difficult to discern. There is no referencing provided despite the copious references to the
viewpoints of different writers. To reach level 3–4 references need to be provided. Analysis is more than narrating the views of others.
32
E: Conclusion (150-200 words) [2 marks]
0
1
2
There is no conclusion OR the conclusion is not relevant.
The conclusion is stated, but is not entirely consistent with the evidence presented.
The conclusion is clearly stated, and is consistent with the evidence presented.
This section is a follow-up to section D. It requires an answer or conclusion, based on the evidence presented, which either partially
or fully addresses the question stated or implied in the investigation.
Answer the question!!!! With a THESIS statement!!!
No more than a complex and analytical paragraph that provides an answer to your question based on the evidence presented
Must be clearly stated and consistent with the evidence presented
No new evidence
Tips:
-This section should be a strong finish to your investigation
-Summarize what you have found out
-Do not introduce any new facts or arguments here
Example: With what justification can it be claimed that it was the leadership of Trotsky which promoted Red victory in the
Russian Civil War?
Moderators Comments: Criterion E
 The conclusion could be better written (see the claim that Trotsky was “the major benefactor”, perhaps better as “a major
benefactor”) but it is clear enough and consistent with the evidence provided.
 In this case a best-fit approach would result in a mark at the top of the level for section E.
 Received 2 of 2 marks
Example 2: How did the Red Guards carry out their role in the development of the Chinese 1966 Cultural Revolution?
Moderators Comments: Criterion E
 The conclusion is not really consistent with the original question
 Received 1 of 2 marks
33
F: Sources and Word Limit [3 marks]
0
1
2
3
A list of sources is not included OR the investigation is not within the word limit.
A list of sources is included, but these are limited OR on standard method is not used consistently OR the word count is
not clearly and accurately stated on the title page.
A list of sources using one standard method is included AND the investigation is within the word limit.
An appropriate list of sources using one standard method is included. The investigation is within the word limit
University of Chicago Style Citations
6-12 reputable sources
 No encyclopedias!
No references to Wikipedia, Encarta, WorldBook, Groliers, Facts on File, or other non-scholarly encyclopedias
Footnotes/Citations:






Keep track of all sources (in University of Chicago style) on your data sheets and in
your easybib accounts
o http://www.easybib.com/
Using Microsoft Office:
o References  Insert Footnote
o http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/insert-delete-or-edit-footnotes-and-endnotes-HP001226522.aspx
Citations must include ALL pertinent information
o Be sure you are using the correct citation (see: All 59 Options tab in easybib)
 Ex. If it is a primary source document (such as from a Presidential library)
Make sure that ANY Internet sources contain stable URLs and Dates of Access
IBID: Latin for ibidem, meaning "the same place"
o If you reference the same source on the same page (consecutively), you may use IBID in lieu of rewriting the same
citation again
 Books may be referenced using IBID, but different pages must be specified. Ex. IBID, 54
o Never use IBID as the 1st footnote of a new page in your IA
Format of Footnotes must be the same (No space between citations or 1 space between citations – but not a mix of the 2)
Sources: The difference between a bibliography and a works cited page
A Bibliography: A comprehensive list of all of the materials that you
have consulted, even if they are not directly cited in your IA
A Works Cited Page: Contains only the sources that you have cited
in your IA
Rules for BOTH a Bibliography and a Works Cited page:
 Must be Alphabetical
 No numbering or bullets
 Do not break up thematically
 Must include all pertinent source information
 ANY Internet sources must contain stable URLs and Dates of
Access information
34
Appendices:




Any illustrations, documents, or other relevant evidence should be included in an appendix and will not be included in the
word count
o Include an appendix only if you reference that specific material in the IA
o All appendix material must be labeled, footnoted, and cited
If there is more than one appendix, each must be identified with a number or letter in addition to the title
o Appendices should be labeled according to the order they are mentioned in the paper
For each appendix, the title, page number, and appendix number or letter must appear in the table of contents
Material from an Appendix should be referenced in Parts C: Evaluation of Sources and D: Analysis
o Reference Appendix (parenthetically)
 Make reference to the material within the appendix within a sentence and follow it with (see Appendix A)
Examples:
35
Editing:
•
Use the “MAK’s Super Gigantic IA Checklist”
o What have you completed?
o What needs to be edited?
o Go through each section and make corrections
 Re-read after each round of editing
•
Control F
o Use the Control F function to search for words that should NEVER be included in scholarly writing
o Examples:
 Says, tells, shows
 Huge, big, giant
 Very, many, a lot, any
 Always, never
 At first, For example, Meanwhile, On the other hand, Soon, Such as, in the end
 Best, Better/worse, Good/bad, More/less
 Completely, Greatly, Highly, Mostly, Some, Truly, Usually, Thankfully, Finally, Quickly, Pretty,
Deeply, Extremely
•
Spice up your writing with Palabras Picantes
o Be sure that the historical terms and vocabulary you use can answer: WHO? WHAT? WHERE?
WHY? HOW?
Comparison
Similar to…
Both…
Compared to…
In the same way…
One connection between...
Contrast
One difference between...
Unlike…
Whereas…
Though…
In contrast to…
Causation
One reason that explains…
One cause of …was…
One effect of…
Because of…
Consequently…
As a result of…
•
Check your Sources
o Do you have a balance of digital and hard copy sources?
o Do you have historiography? Diverse interpretations of events? Evidence of changes in scholarship or
interpretations over time or by region?
o Have you cited everything correctly?
 Footnotes?
 Works cited and/or bibliography?
•
Read & Re-read your IA
o You MUST re-read your full IA at least 3x
 In addition to re-reads (which you should do after editing each section)
o You MUST have 2 outside readers
 Suggestions: Parents, siblings, teachers (not your IB history teacher), friends…
o Your final read through MUST be aloud
36
MAK’s Super Gigantic IA Checklist
Name: _______________________________________
SL or HL
Topic: An investigation….____________________________________________________________________________________
Question: _________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Total Word Count: __________
Sections
Components
Completed?
Edited?
-Topic: begins with “An Investigation…”
Cover Sheet / Title
Page:
-Question: specific & grammatically correct
-Bottom left-hand corner: Name, candidate #, course title,
SL/HL designation, Teacher name, word count
Page numbers (lower right-hand corner)
Formatting:
Font: 12 pt. Times New Roman, double-spaced
Each section on a new page with word counts
Table of Contents
Footnotes: U of Chicago style, correct use of IBID, stable
URLs, uniform font, size, and spacing
100-150 words
A. Plan of the
Investigation
Research question is clearly stated in question form
Method and scope are fully developed and closely related to
the research question (& what was not addressed & why)
500-600 words
B. Summary of
Evidence
Factual material is all relevant to the investigation/question
Well researched, organized, and correctly referenced
Any material that appears in Parts C, D, E or Appendix must
be included in section B: Summary of Evidence
CONTAINS NO ANALYSIS WHATSOEVER!
37
Sections
Components
Completed?
Edited?
250-400 words (Ideally 150-200 per source)
C. Evaluation of
Sources
Explicit reference to origin, purpose, value, and limitation
University of Chicago citation
Includes: Context, main ideas, supporting ideas, POV, validity
Sources should be different (contrasting?) NO
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
500-650 words
Clearly explains WHY this topic/question is important
D. Analysis
Critical analysis of the evidence presented in section B
& accurate referencing
Awareness of the significance to the investigation of the
sources evaluated in section C
**Where appropriate, different interpretations are analyzed
Clearly stated in 150-200 words
E. Conclusion
Consistent with the evidence presented
Addresses the question stated or implied in the investigation
F. List of Sources
University of Chicago Style Citations either a bibliography
or a works cited page
6-12 reputable sources
No encyclopedias!
Alphabetical (not numbered, bulleted, or thematic)
Appendices
All material: labeled, footnoted, and cited
Referenced parenthetically in Section D
Word count
Between 1,500 and 2,000 words
What do you want MAK to look for (specifically) when she edits your IA? (Where do you need the most help?)
38
Sample IA: Afghanistan and the United States Constitution: To what extent did the anti-communist policies of the United
States contribute to the rise of the Taliban?
Word Count: 1,997
39
Summary of evidence contined:
40
Analysis Continued:
Grade for Afghanistan Sample IA
Moderator comments
Criterion
A
Marks
3
available
Marks
2
awarded
B
6
C
5
D
6
E
2
F
3
Total
25
6
4
6
2
3
23
Moderator comments

Criterion A: The research question is clearly stated on the front cover
but is implicit in this section. The method and scope of the
investigation are fully developed and focused on the research question.

Criterion B: The factual material is all relevant to the investigation
and it has been well researched, organized and correctly referenced.

Criterion C: There is evaluation of the sources and explicit reference
to origin, purpose, value and limitation.

Criterion D: There is critical analysis of the material presented in
section B, accurate referencing, and an awareness of the significance of
the sources. Different interpretations are considered.

Criterion E: The conclusion is clearly stated and consistent with the
evidence presented.

Criterion F: An appropriate list of sources, which are well used, is
included. The investigation is within the word limit.

General comments: An excellent piece of work in every respect.
41
IA Format:
Title Page/Cover Page:
Table of Contents:
Candidate # in Header
A. Plan of the Investigation
Candidate # in Header
Candidate # in Header
Table of Contents
An Investigation Into ______: Your
Research Question
(Centered, Bolded, 14-16 pt. Font, Times New
Roman, Double-Spaced)
(Can be Bolded, 14-16 pt. Font, Times New Roman, DoubleSpaced)
Part A: Plan of the Investigation
A. Plan of the Investigation………….p1
B. Summary of Evidence………...….p2-4
C. Evaluation of Sources…….……...p5-6
D. Analysis………………….……….p7-8
E. Conclusion……………….......…..p9
F. Works Cited………………………p10-11
Appendix 1…………….……………p12
100-150 Words
Research Question is clearly stated
Method and scope are fully developed and closely
related to the research question
(Heading can be left justified or centered, can be bolded)
Word Count: ____
*Can be centered or left-justified
(Highlight & press Ctrl+J to justify the text)
My Name
My Candidate #
IB 20TH Century World History
HL/SL
Ms. Makarczuk/Milne
Total Word Count: 1,500-2000
(Left Justified @ bottom )
**ALL sections must be included in the table of contents
Page #
Page #
(Optional on Title Page)
(Optional on Table of Contents Page)
B. Summary of Evidence
______
Footnotes
Page #
C. Evaluation of Sources
Candidate # in Header
D. Analysis
Candidate # in Header
Candidate # in Header
Part B. Summary of Evidence
Part C. Evaluation of Sources
Part D. Analysis
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Thematic Groupings & Bulleted Points
500-600 words
Factual material is all relevant to the
investigation/question
Well researched, organized, and correctly referenced
Any material that appears in Parts C, D, E or Appendix
must be included in section B: Summary of Evidence
CONTAINS NO ANALYSIS WHATSOEVER!
250-400 words (Ideally 150-200 per source)
Can refer to Each section as: Extract A & Extract B
 Explicit reference to origin, purpose, value, and limitation
 University of Chicago citations either in Footnotes or as
part of heading
Includes: Context, main ideas, supporting ideas, POV,
validity
Sources should be different (contrasting?) NO
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Your own writing, historical analysis and
interpretation based on the evidence
500-650 words
Clearly explains WHY this topic/question is important
Critical analysis of the evidence presented in section B &
accurate referencing
Awareness of the significance to the investigation of the
sources evaluated in section C
Where appropriate, different interpretations are analyzed
Word Count: ____
Word Count: ____
______
Footnotes
______
Footnotes
Word Count: ____
______
Footnotes
E. Conclusion
Page #
Page #
Page #
F. Works Cited
Candidate # in Header
Appendix
Candidate # in Header
Candidate # in Header
Part: E. Conclusion
Part F. Works Cited
Appendices
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 Clearly stated in 150-200 words
Consistent with the evidence presented
Addresses the question stated or implied in the
investigation
University of Chicago Style Citations Either a
bibliography or a works cited page
6-12 reputable sources
No encyclopedias!
Alphabetical (not numbered, bulleted, or thematic)
Can be lettered or numbered
Each appendix should have its own page
All material: labeled, footnoted, and cited
Referenced parenthetically in Section D
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right click on the mouse and select “paste,” double click on
the image (format tab under picture tools), use crop tool
and text wrapping to format image )
Word Count: ____
Word Count: ____
______
Footnotes
______
Footnotes
Page #
Page #
Word Count: ____
______
Footnotes
Page #
42
Cautionary Tales from 2013
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
-George Santayana (1863-1952)
Questions
Formatting
A. Plan of the
Investigation
B. Summary of
Evidence
C. Evaluation of
Sources
D. Analysis
E. Conclusion
F. Sources
Appendices
Other
Boring
Too Broad
Never fully addressed in the IA
Lack of Table of Contents
Lack of page numbers
Too informal (Language, punctuation, grammar)
Evidence of lack of editing
No Question
No Scope
No Methods
No Global Impact
Did not effectively deal with sources
Too broad
Bullets were inadequate
Evidence lacked relevance (in regards to the question/investigation)
Did not meet the requirements set forth in the question
Too long / too short
No citations
Inaccurate citations
Not in University of Chicago format
Legitimacy / reputability issues
Misidentified historians / schools of history / main idea of historian(s)
Misunderstood historiography
Too short / long
O-P-V-L was not explicit
Weak limitations
Legitimacy / reputability issues
No citations
Inaccurate citations
Not in University of Chicago format
New evidence (not from B or C)
Did not address question
Too short / long
No alternative POV
New evidence (not in B,C or D)
Did not address question
Answered a different question
Used bullets or numbering in works cited
Works cited not alphabetized
Not in University of Chicago format
Digital sources missing URLs
Misidentified or failed to include source origin information
Information not pertinent to investigation
Sources not cited properly
No labels
Lied about word count
Did not follow title page format
Pictures on title page
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Internal Assessment Rubric
The historical investigation (SL and HL) is assessed against six criteria related to DP objectives for the history course.
A - Plan of Investigation
3 Marks
B - Summary of Evidence
6 Marks
C - Evaluation of Sources
5 Marks
D - Analysis
6 Marks
E - Conclusion
2 Marks
F - Sources and Word Limit
3 Marks
25 Marks
A: Plan of the Investigation
0
There is no plan of investigation, OR it is inappropriate.
1
The research question, method, and scope are not clearly stated.
2
The research question is clearly stated. The method and scope of the investigation are outlined and related to the research question
3
The research question is clearly stated. The method and scope are fully developed and closely related to the research question
B: Summary of Evidence (500-600 words)
0
There is no relevant factual material.
1-2
There is some relevant factual material, but it has not been referenced.
3-4
There is relevant factual material that shows evidence of research, organization, and referencing.
5-6
The factual material is all relevant to the investigation and it has been well researched, organized, and correctly referenced.
C: Evaluation of Sources (400 words – 200 per source)
0
There is no description or evaluation of sources.
1
The sources are described but there is no reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation.
2-3
There is some evaluation of sources but reference to their origin, purpose, value, and limitation may be limited.
4-5
There is evaluation of the sources and explicit reference to origin, purpose, value, and limitation.
D: Analysis (500 - 650 words)
0
There is no analysis.
1-2
There is some attempt at analyzing the evidence presented in section B.
3-4
There is analysis of the evidence presented in section B and references are included.
There may be some awareness of the significance to the investigation of the sources
evaluated in section C. Where appropriate, different interpretations are considered.
5-6
There is critical analysis of the evidence presented in section B, accurate referencing, and
an awareness of the significance to the investigation of the sources evaluated in section
C. Where appropriate, different interpretations are analyzed.
E: Conclusion (150-200 words)
0
There is no conclusion OR the conclusion is not relevant.
1
The conclusion is stated, but is not entirely consistent with the evidence presented.
2
The conclusion is clearly stated, and is consistent with the evidence presented.
F: Sources and Word Limit
0
A list of sources is not included OR the investigation is not within the word limit.
1
A list of sources is included, but these are limited OR on standard method is not used
consistently OR the word count is not clearly and accurately stated on the title page.
2
A list of sources using one standard method is included AND the investigation is within
the word limit.
3
An appropriate list of sources, using one standard method, is included. The investigation is within the word limit.
19 - 25 = 7
16 - 18 = 6
13 - 15 = 5
10 - 12 = 4
8-9=3
4-7=2
1-3=1
44