Julius West Middle School
and
Richard Montgomery High School
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
Developing Your Personal Project
2013 – 2013
General Information
Congratulations! You are about to embark on a wonderful journey as you complete your Personal Project.
You have lots of work to do and time to do it IF you get started right away!
If you ask any former MYP Student about the Personal Project, they will tell you not to procrastinate. This
project is manageable and quite interesting only if you allow yourself the time to develop it properly.
Former students will also tell you that a successful project depends more on the PROCESS you follow
than the actual PRODUCT.
Enclosed with this document, you will find all of the information you need to complete your project. Read
through the entire packet so that you are familiar with all of the information. The following documents are
included in this booklet:
Personal Project Student Guidelines and Deadlines (pp 4-7): This document is very important. As you
meet with your supervisor, it is your responsibility to have your supervisor sign-off on this document. This
document also gives important information about the aims and objectives of each meeting. You will
submit this document when you turn in your project in January, 2012.
Personal Project Submission Checklist (p. 8): This is the checklist you will turn in with your project.
Personal Project Process Journal Requirements (p. 9): The best way to prepare for your report is by
using the required process journal. The process journal should be updated regularly during the
development of the project and should be used to record progress honestly, containing thoughts, ideas,
sketches (where applicable), decisions, feelings and reflections. The process journal is a particularly useful
tool for students because it helps in the organization of the Personal Project Report.
Personal Project Report Guidelines (pp 10-12): You will use this document as you begin to craft your
final report. You will write your report closer to the end of your project. The Personal Project Report is a
required piece of writing that you must submit with your final product. It is also the document that will be
most used when your project is evaluated.
Research Tips (pp 13-15): This document will help to guide and document your research.
Turnitin.com (p.16): All documents should be submitted to turnitin.com. All receipts must accompany
personal project packet at the time of its submission in January 2012.
Personal Project Areas of Interaction Planning (pp. 17-18): This document will help you to understand
how you can connect your personal project to one primary area of interaction.
MYP Personal Project Rubrics (pp 19-26): This document tells you EXACTLY how your project will
be scored. You will note that your project will be evaluated against seven criteria. Each criterion is
explained in this document and a rubric is provided as well. As you read through the criteria, please pay
special attention to the following:
 Much of your project will be evaluated on the degree to which you achieved your goal, so be sure
your goal is clearly stated and measurable
 Your project will also be evaluated on the degree to which you research and use the information
you learn to guide the development of your project.
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Since you began in the IB Middle Years Programme, you have participated in a variety of classroom,
school-wide and extra-curricular activities designed to help you develop the characteristics of an IB
Learner. The Personal Project is an opportunity for you to show us how well you can demonstrate
these qualities. Please think about this as you begin your Personal Project.
Inquirers – You are expected to select a topic about which you are curious and have questions. If you
think you already know everything you need to know in order to complete your project, then you do
not have a good idea. It may be helpful to list questions you have early on to be sure you are on the
right track
Knowledgeable – You are expected to know where to find information to answer the questions you
may have about your topic and or your product. Remember, this is a research project and needs to
include primary and/or secondary sources
Thinkers - You are expected to use the knowledge you gain from your research to successfully
complete your project
Communicators – You will need to determine the best way to communicate what you have learned
and justify your choice. (e.g., scrap book, video, brochure, power point, piece of art, music, creation,
event etc)
Caring – You may want to think about how your project can benefit other people and/or how it may
benefit the environment
Open-minded – You may want to think about how your project can present an opportunity for you or
for others to learn more about your own or other cultures
Risk-takers – You may want to think about how your project can present an opportunity for you to
stretch yourself and try something new or unfamiliar.
Principled – Remember that your project will provide an opportunity for you to take responsibility for
your own actions as you work to achieve your goal, as well as any consequences for the decisions you
make.
Balanced – Your project will definitely help you to see how well you can mange your time to be sure
you meet deadlines, while also taking care of other academic responsibilities, out of school
commitments and the need for “down time”
Reflective – Throughout your project, you will be expected to reflect on your progress, the need to
make any changes, and your personal strengths and challenges.
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Personal Project Student Guidelines & Deadlines
Note to Students: Once you have been assigned a supervisor, it is very important that you take
responsibility for initiating/setting up meetings with your supervisor according to the timetable given
below. You will be graded on how well you handle this aspect of your Personal Project (see Criterion
A: Use of Process Journal in your assessment packet). You will be assigned a final score on Criterion
A based on your demonstration of organizational skills showing time- and self-management, your
communication and collaboration with the supervisor, and your demonstration of information literacy,
thinking and reflection.. Your Criterion A score will represent 15% of your grade.
Also, please remember that there will be a Personal Project Fair in Feb/March, 2012! You will receive
more information about the fair as we move closer to February, but think about how you will showcase
your project at the fair.
Your Personal Project is due
, Friday, January 11, 2013!
Final reminder: The personal project is a significant body of work produced over an
extended period. Good luck and have fun!
I.
Deadlines for the Personal Project, including Meetings with Supervisors
Meetings and/or contact with supervisors must be initiated by the student. Your
responsibility as a student is to initiate meetings with supervisors via e-mail or by personal
contact, come to meetings prepared (be sure to bring your process journal and any other
material necessary to have a productive meeting), and to contact your supervisor in a timely
manner if you are unable to honor an appointment.
Different projects will require different contact times between the individual student and the
supervisor. The frequency of these meetings may change according to the type of project, the
topic, the characteristics of the individual student, etc.
However, a minimum number of supervisory meetings are required for all Personal
Projects and all MYP students. See attached schedule of supervising deadlines for the 20112012 academic year.
Following each meeting with your supervisor, you must obtain the supervisor’s signature on the
form below. At the conclusion of your Personal Project, this form must be submitted with your
project and will be used as a basis for scoring Criterion A. Each student must also document or
record their meeting with their supervisor in their process journal.
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By June 8, 2012
1st Meeting with supervisor:
Meeting with your supervisor prior to June 10, 2011 is mandatory. Aims of first meeting:
 To focus on/refine the goal of your Personal Project
 To discuss your proposed medium (i.e., the form the Personal Project will take) in
terms of its feasibility
 To clarify the purpose of and begin your Process Journal
 To agree on the tasks that will be completed over the summer and review the
minimum tasks that must be completed over the summer (see below)
 To exchange summer contact information if the supervisor is available/willing to
correspond by e-mail about the project over the summer months
Although you are encouraged to complete as much as feasible over the summer, the minimum
tasks that must be completed by the end of the summer include
 Process Journal – the following five journal entries are mandatory and are due by the end of the
summer. The topics for the entries are as follows:
Journal Entry #1: What is the goal of your project? Clearly define the goal of your
project and discuss how you intend to achieve your goal. Is your goal Assessable,
Believable, Controllable and Desirable?
Questions to think about:
What do you want to do?
Why is this important to you?
How will you measure whether or not your goal has been achieved?
Journal Entry #2: How does your project connect to and help you to better understand
your chosen Area of Interaction? Look at the Areas of Interaction Descriptors Sheet
for further clarification and explanation on your chosen area of interaction.
Journal Entry #3: What research have you conducted, or will conduct, on your topic?
Does this information help you to better understand your chosen Area of Interaction?
What resources have you found to be the most useful? What other research about your
topic will you need to conduct?
Journal Entry #4: What research have you conducted, or will conduct, about your
product (fundraising, community service event, writing a children’s book, power point
presentation, creating a scrapbook, video, etc.) What other research about your topic
will you need to conduct?
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Journal Entry #5: Discuss and create the proposed timeline for completing your
personal project and achieving the goal of your project.
 5 Sources (annotated note cards) relevant to the topic that you are researching and to the
product you are creating. See Research Tips, page 13.
_______________________________________
Supervisor’s Signature
By September 14, 2012
2nd Meeting with supervisor: your supervisor will review your:
 progress over the summer
 process journal (Bring your UPDATED process journal)
 five (05) annotated note cards, and your timeline
 next steps in the project.
_______________________________________
Supervisor’s Signature
By October 12, 2012
3rd Meeting with supervisor: your supervisor will review your:
 progress since September
 process journal (Bring your UPDATED process journal)
 two (02) additional annotated note cards
 plan for the final product
 self assessment of your accomplishment so far
 reflection on what problems you have encountered and how you solved them
_______________________________________
Supervisor’s Signature
By November 16, 2012
4th Meeting with supervisor: Your supervisor will review your:
 process journal (Bring your UPDATED process journal)
 guidelines for completing the Personal Project Report
 timeline
 five (05) additional annotated note cards
_______________________________________
Supervisor’s Signature
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By December 14, 2012
Bring your Personal Project Report DRAFT to English class on this day. Peer editing of
Personal Project Reports will take place in all MYP English 10 classes.
_______________________________________
English Teacher’s or MYP
Coordinator’s Signature
By January 7, 2013
Final meeting with supervisor: Your supervisor will review your:
 final version of the Personal Project Report
 process journal (Bring your UPDATED process journal)
 other components of the Personal Project
Your supervisor will score your Personal Project using the MYP Personal Project criteria.
_______________________________________
Supervisor’s Signature
Due Date - January 11, 2013*
Personal Project Report, Personal Project, Process Journal and Signed Supervisor
Form* due in the MYP Office.
No extensions permitted.
*Remember: this document, along with required supervisor’s, and English teacher’s, signature,
must be submitted with the Personal Project
II.
Guidelines for Submission of Personal Projects

Students will submit their Personal Project, Personal project Report, Process Journal, and
signed supervisor forms to their MYP English 10 instructor(s) on January 11, 2013.
Be sure to organize your entire project in a logical and coherent manner.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that disks, CD-
ROMs, etc. are readable on RMHS computers prior to submitting work.
Work that is unreadable on RMHS computers will not be scored.

No video should be more than 10 minutes long.

Your Personal Project (including all the supporting documents) is due on January 11,
2013. Failure to submit your project on that day will result in a Grade of 0 for the
Personal Project which will affect your eligibility for an MYP Certificate.
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Personal Project Submission Checklist
Name of student: ______________________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________________________
My Personal Project packet contains the following items (please check all that apply):
 Personal Project Description Summary (submitted electronically by 1/11/2013)__________
 Personal Project Report: ___________
 Process Journal: __________
 Final Product: __________ (indicate type) _______________________________________
(If submitting a CD or DVD, please make sure you keep a copy on your USB drive. You will need
your USB at the Personal Project Fair. PLEASE NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility to
ensure that disks, CD-ROMs, etc. are readable on RMHS computers prior to submitting work.
Work that is unreadable on RMHS computers will not be scored. No video should be more than
10 minutes long.)
 Annotated note cards: ________________
 Any other item (indicate what it is): ___________________________________
 Academic honesty agreement
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The Personal Project Process Journal
The Personal Project Process Journal is required and it will provide you the support you need to
successfully complete your project. Think of it as an organized work “diary” in which you will keep
an honest record of your progress and decisions. In fact, your Process Journal will be your best friend
when it comes time to write your Personal Project Report.
It should include the following topics:
 Goals and Planning (see required summer entries)
 Resources and Information Collection (on-going)
 Work in Progress – this topic will cover items such as:
 What progress are you making?
 What changes do you need to make?
 What are your next steps, timelines?
 What challenges are you having and how will you resolve them?
 Sketches, photos, rough drafts, outlines, etc
 Reflection – this topic might include entries such as:
 Things you have learned about your topic or product that have surprised you
 Things you have discovered about yourself in the process of completing your project
 Thoughts on your abilities as a researcher
 Thoughts on what you have learned about your Area of Interaction focus
 Reflections on your initial goals and planning
 Thoughts on what you may have done differently if you were to do this project again
Expectations

Your Process Journal should be neatly presented, preferably in a black and white standard
composition notebook.

You will be expected to have a minimum of 20 journal entries
 At least five (required) to be completed over the summer
 Weekly entries from September to December

You should plan to bring your Process Journal with you each time you meet with your supervisor.
You will use the journal to assess your progress and to record decisions regarding next steps,
additional resources, and/or revisions needed.
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Completing the personal project
2012-2013
Introduction
The student is expected to:
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document his or her process
select a topic of personal interest
focus the personal project through an area of interaction
structure the personal project report according to the information provided in this guide
respect word or time limits for the report
fulfill ethical and academic honesty requirements established by the school.
This section contains guidance for supervisors and students on defining the goal, developing the focus area of
interaction, and completing the project.
Using the process journal
All ATL skills (organization, collaboration, communication, information literacy, reflection, thinking
and transfer), will be required in completing the personal project and documenting process and in this way
students show working behaviors and academic honesty.
The “process journal” is a generic term used to refer to the documentation that students develop. However, the
media for documenting the process can vary depending on student preferences. It can be written, visual, audio or a
combination of these and might include both paper and electronic formats.
Students will be familiar with the practice of documenting process in the arts and technology subject groups, for
example, and can draw on techniques used in these and other subjects. Students may develop their own format and
design, although schools can provide templates or examples in order to support students’ work.
Students must show evidence of regular use of the process journal, though not necessarily weekly. Though legibility
is important, quality of thinking is more important than neatness and presentation.
The process journal is …
The process journal isn’t …
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begun at the very start of the process and used
throughout the process
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used on a daily basis (unless this is useful for
the student)
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a place for planning
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written up after the process has been completed
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a place for recording interactions with sources,
for example, teachers, supervisors, external
contributors
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additional work on top of the project; it is part
of and supports the project
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a place for storing useful information—quotes,
pictures, ideas
a diary with detailed writing about what was
done
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a means of exploring ideas
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a place for reflection on stages of the project
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a place for evaluating work completed a place
for reflecting on learning
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devised by the student in a format that suits his
or her needs

useful for the student when receiving formative
feedback
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used by the student to produce the project
report.
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a static document with only one format.
Documenting the process might include:
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Mind Maps
bullet lists
charts
short paragraphs
notes
timelines
annotated illustrations
pictures.
®
Assessment of the process journal
This documentation of the process is assessed using criterion A.
In assessing the process journal, supervisors will need to consider how students have demonstrated the use of ATL
skills, including responsibility for their own learning in achieving their personal project goal and completing their
personal project.
When assessing the use of the process journal the following questions can be considered.
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Has the student included evidence of personal goal setting and planning, such as a plan of action?
Does the student have the relevant materials during meetings with the supervisor and during work periods?
Does the student follow meeting arrangements with the supervisor? Does the student initiate meeting
arrangements?
Does the student use the meeting time productively to ask questions and seek information?
Is there dialogue between the student and supervisor?
Does the student record sources consulted?
Does the student include extracts of relevant information?
Does the student show evidence of brainstorming ideas and use of organizational tools such as flow charts,
diagrams or lists?
Does the student anticipate and identify problems as they emerge?
Does the student create solutions?
Does the student include reflections at various stages of the process?
Does the student include feedback from the meetings with the supervisor?
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It is important to remember that the process journal is personal to the student, in the sense that he or she is also
exploring ways of recording his or her process. There is no one single model that a student must use and there must
be flexibility with the way students record their process. However, the student does have a responsibility to be able
to produce evidence of use of the process journal in order for a level to be awarded for criterion A.
Defining the goal
Identifying the topic
Students begin by identifying areas or topics of interest to themselves. Having the opportunity to think and
brainstorm ideas is useful for students, as well as discussing ideas with other people; for example, other students,
friends outside the school, relatives and teachers. Students should begin to document their process at this stage,
including ideas discussed and their thinking.
After this brainstorming, the process of refining and developing ideas begins. Through this process, students should
develop an outline of the goal they wish to pursue, which will often form the basis of the first meeting between the
student and the supervisor.
Students should develop a goal which they can accomplish but challenges their knowledge, skills or techniques in an
appropriate way. Some projects may require overly complex procedures or a too lengthy process of learning. Other
projects may be too simplistic and present no challenge to the student. Deciding whether a project is realistic or
unrealistic for a student will be based on discussions between the student and the supervisor. Goals should be
achievable based on the time and resources available.
Determining whether a project is appropriately challenging is a highly individual decision. What is labelled as too
ambitious or limited for one student will be accessible or challenging for another. The student’s individual strengths
and limitations need to be considered alongside his or her specific interests and prior knowledge. While
collaboration with others will form part of the project, the project must be the student’s own; he or she must have the
capacity to complete the project without relying solely on the help of others. The student can involve teachers and
other appropriate adults as resources but the project must be completed by the student.
Documentation of process continues here in the early stages when defining the goal and during the research phase.
Here are some examples of challenging and highly challenging projects.
Challenging project
Highly challenging project
A student wants to raise political awareness among his
or her peers through an information-giving campaign.
A student wants to influence an external political
system and get a bill passed through a national
government.
A student wants to create a durable bag using secondhand materials.
A student wants to create a range of bags using secondhand materials to sell and raise money for charity.
A student decides to create a puppet-show to take to a
primary school to contribute to their end of year
celebrations.
A student decides to create a puppet-show to entertain
children and to tour several schools and hospitals.
A student decides to write an article on a topic of
A student decides to write and publish an original book-
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interest for a journal (school/academic/special interest)
and submit to an audience.
length feature on a topic of interest.
Identifying the focus area of interaction
The area of interaction chosen by the student should provide a context for inquiry and research for the project as
well as informing the goal. It is strongly recommended that students choose one area of interaction in order to define
their goal, as this will give a much more specific focus to the project.
The area of interaction helps the student engage in a cycle of inquiry (understanding/awareness, reflection and
action) and a process that leads them from academic knowledge to thoughtful action.
Here are some questions students might consider as they choose an area of interaction through which to focus their
project.
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What do I want to achieve through my personal project?
What do I want others to understand through my work?
What impact do I want my project to have?
How can a specific area of interaction enrich my project?
Illustrations of the impact of the area of interaction on student projects are included in the section “Addressing the
areas of interaction”.
It must be noted that all students will use ATL skills in the completion of their projects but only some students will
use ATL as a focus for their project, as seen in the illustrations referred to in the section “Addressing the areas of
interaction”. A personal project with a specific ATL focus must address a specific aspect of learning in some way.
Creating specifications to evaluate the outcome or product
As part of the goal students must determine a final outcome or product for their project.
The outcome or product might be an original work of art, a model, a business plan, a campaign, a blueprint or
architectural drawing, an essay, a course of study, a debate, a film or some other work. Students must define realistic
specifications to measure the quality for the project’s final outcome/product. Working with their supervisor, students
must define what constitutes a high-quality outcome or product. Some appropriate tools for setting standards and
assessing quality include checklists or rubrics. Students document the specifications in their process journal and use
them to assess the final outcome/product.
For example, the goal may be to raise awareness of some issue through a poster campaign. The product is the
exhibition of a series of posters created by the student that require a response from the audience. In this case the
product has two parts: the posters themselves and the exhibition.
It is most likely that students will not be able to define the specifications until they have spent some time researching
the goal and this aspect is determined once students have begun their investigations. Once students are clear on what
they want to achieve and the outcome or product of their project, they will be in a position to determine the
specifications. Students will use these specifications to evaluate the quality of the outcome or product as assessed in
criterion E.
Note: Where the student decides to write an essay as their product, this is separate to the project report.
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Following this initial research stage and deciding on the goal and area of interaction focus, students will need to plan
for the project. They will need to decide on the specific tasks or activities they will complete in order to reach
certain milestones or interim stages.
Selecting sources
Students should select relevant and reliable information from a variety of sources to develop the personal project.
The number and type of resources will vary depending upon the nature of the project; however, in order to reach the
highest levels of achievement, students must select a range of sources and a variety of types. Evaluating the
reliability of sources will be developed through ATL, particularly information literacy skills. Students will consider
factors such as credibility of the author, currency, accuracy, relevance, intended audience and objectivity of the
source.
Available sources may include students’ prior knowledge, and primary and secondary sources such as: subject area
content, significant people, survey data, published media, internet resources (which may provide a variety of
resources), video or audio recordings, images. Access to these may be virtual.
Although students may include their prior knowledge as a source, prior knowledge alone does not provide sufficient
depth or breadth of inquiry for the personal project.
Students will have selected sources during the initial stage of their project but research will continue during the
process of completing the project. They should record information collected from these sources in their process
journal.
The focus area of interaction will influence the selection of sources.
Applying information
Application of information takes place throughout the project as students decide what actions to take and when, and
as they keep records in their process journal. Students need to be aware of recording their decision-making which
has been based on information from sources. They will make connections with prior knowledge and new knowledge
in potentially unfamiliar situations and identify solutions.
When they come to report the project their records will be particularly important. As mentioned in “Using the
process journal”, these records do not need to be lengthy but appropriate to the needs of the student and a reminder
of what they have achieved along the way.
Achieving the goal
This is the stage when students complete their goal and produce the outcome or product. They will evaluate the
outcome or product using the specifications created earlier during the process.
Reflecting on learning
Students will reach a stage of the project when they are able to begin preparing their project report. They will need
to reflect on what they have learned through completing the project. This learning relates to the subject-specific
learning of the topic itself and what they have discovered in relation to the project goal and the area of interaction. It
also relates to themselves as learners and their awareness or development of approaches to learning skills.
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Reporting the project
During the whole process, students will have kept a record of their decisions and should use this in order to help
them produce the project report and reflect specifically on their learning and achievement. This is addressed in the
“Reporting the personal project” section.
Your final grade will be determined more by the
quality of your Personal Project Report than by
the quality of your final product.
I.
Structure of the Personal Project Report: The written presentation of all types of
personal projects must follow the same general structure and include the following
elements:
Criterion
Elements of the Personal Project Report
Measured
Title page – include an original title for your project
 Student name
 The title of the project
Criterion G
 Length (word count)
 School name
 Year
Table of Contents
Criterion G
(i.e., a list of the sections and sub-sections of the project)
Introduction, the “first telling”; a narrative which:
 Clearly defines the goal of your project
 Clearly explains how your project connects to or exemplifies the chosen
Area of Interaction (see attached description)
Criterion B
 Provides a simple outline of how you intend to achieve your stated goal
 Includes what kinds of information (research) you will need and how will
you use it once you get it
Selection of Sources, including:
 Select varied, relevant sources to achieve the goal
 Include books, internet sources, interviews, articles, etc.
 Quote from your sources and acknowledge sources in your report and
Criterion C
bibliography
 Evaluate sources
 Explain each source that was helpful and each source that was not
helpful
Application of Information, including:
 Transfer and apply information to:
Criteria D
 make decisions,
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 create solutions,
 and develop understandings in connection with the project’s goal.
 Interpret in information from sources researched and selected
 Think about the information researched and selected in order to:
 develop context for inquiry
 identify questions and issues for the project
 solve problems
Achieve the Goal, including:
 Evaluate the outcome/product against personal specifications for success
 Reflect on the impact of your project on yourself, community, or both
 Discuss any new perspectives that could be considered
Reflection on Learning, including
 Reflect on how completing the project has extended your knowledge and
understanding of the topic and the focus area of interaction
 Reflect on personal development as a learner by completing the project
Criterion E
Criterion F
Report the Project, including:
 Organize the project report according to the required structure (Criteria BF)
 Communicate clearly, coherently and concisely, within required limits
(word count: 1,500-3,500)
Criterion G
 Acknowledge sources according to MLA format
 bibliography
 appendices
 citations, etc.
Use of the Process Journal, including
 Demonstrate organizational skills showing time- and self-management
Criterion A
 Communicate and collaborate with the supervisor
 Demonstrate information literacy, thinking and reflection
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Research Tips
How to find Sources for the Personal Project
You are required to complete research for your project. We expect you to use the library and the
computers at school and the resources available to you at home to complete relevant and
carefully documented research.
1. Find sources for your research
a. Use human resources: conduct interviews with experts in the field. You might
consider using a tape recorder or email interview to quote your source accurately.
b. Use our library’s online databases (ProQuest, Questia, SIRS, etc.) to find articles
from books & newspapers/magazines. A complete list of our databases and login
information is on Edline.
c. Use our library’s Patron’s Catalog to find books or use the public library
d. Judiciously use Google to search the web: beware suspicious sites, and do not
rely solely on websites.
2. Read your sources: select only the resources that will be relevant to your project
3. Take notes on the information in your sources using Noodletools. (see next page)
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How to create a Works Cited List and Notecards using Noodletools
1.
Create a Noodletools account to construct Works Cited and Notecards electronically.
You must create a Personal ID on http://www.noodletools.com/ using our library’s login
information. LOGIN: mcpsrmontgom PASSWORD: mcpsmd
2. Create a “List” in Noodletools and name it “Personal Project” – When you click “create a
new list” it will ask you to choose the list style. You should choose the first one: MLA
Advanced. That is the format you have learned in English class.
3. Next you will create Works Cited entries for your sources. Scroll down the list to find
the specific kind of source you are using. Enter the publication information for your
source, and be sure to observe proper capitalization and punctuation. Your Works Cited
will be incorrect if you enter the information incorrectly.
4. Create Clusters: you should organize your notecards by creating a new “cluster” (look
for the tab on the right) for each topic of your research. For instance, if you were doing a
personal project on global warming it would make sense to make different clusters like
“Green house Gasses” and “How you can prevent Global Warming” to organize your
notecards.
5. Create Notecards: Title each notecard specifically. For instance you could title one card
“Aerosol sprays” and put it in the “Green house Gasses” cluster. Make sure you link
every notecard you make to a specific source and a specific cluster.
a. You may cut and paste the quote if you are using an online source, but wherever
you get your source from, make sure it is very short. Each notecard should be
very short and specific.
b. You must complete all three sections “Quotation” “Paraphrase” and “My Ideas.”
For the “paraphrase” section, make sure you do not imitate the author’s original
words at all. Write your analysis in the “my ideas” section (this is where you
make the connection between this information and the argument you are making
in your project.)
17
How to integrate textual support into your Report
Use in-text citation.
When you write a paper for English class you have to use parenthetical or in-text citations to
note the page number for each quotation. For instance, if you were quoting from Harper Lee’s
To Kill a Mockingbird you might quote and cite like this:
Atticus instructs his children, “You never really understand a person until you consider
things from his point of view” (Lee 30).
This is an in-text citation.
Even if you did not directly quote from the novel but paraphrased the quotation you would have
to cite it parenthetically:
Atticus instructs his children to take other people’s perspectives into account (Lee 30).
Then at the end of the paper you would have a Works Cited entry that would look like this:
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Warner Books: New York, 1960.
Now for English papers you usually don’t put the author’s name in the in-text citation (only the
page number) and you usually don’t make a Works Cited page because you’re usually only
citing one novel. Your Personal Project will require you to cite information from several
sources, though, so you’ll need to use proper in-text citations throughout and a complete Works
Cited list at the end.
Warning: sometimes online sources or database sources will not have page numbers, and that’s
ok. If you are citing a source without the page number you can just put the author’s name in
parenthesis. If there is no author, just a title, you’ll put the title of the source in parenthesis.
Every time you quote or paraphrase information from a text you have to use in-text
citation! If you make a tri-fold board, a PowerPoint, a research paper or any other project
where you quote from a source you have to put the parenthetical citation beside it so your
reader will know that you are not plagiarizing. It’s not your original idea, so give the
writer credit!
If you have any questions about whether your in-text citation and Works Cited are correct, use
the book Writer’s Inc. or ask your English teacher.
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As you plan your project, you will need to decide which Area of Interaction will be your primary focus,
given your particular interest or goal. There may be an additional AOI connection, but it should be
secondary. These descriptors are designed to help you connect your project and your chosen Area of
Interaction in meaningful ways. Once you determine the Area of Interaction lens you will be using, be
prepared to develop this connection in your Personal Project Report and throughout your project.
Community & Service
 How do we live in relation to each other?
 How can I contribute to my community?
 How can I help others?
Does my project connect to any of the following themes:
 An interest in today’s world
 Sensitivity to the needs in my community or the community of others
 Similarities and differences in communities
 Developing a sense of responsibility in yourself or others
 Discovering if one person can make a difference
Human Ingenuity
 Why and how do we create?
 What are the consequences?
Does my project connect to any of the following themes:
 The positive and/or negative consequences of creativity?
 The influence of men and women of genius
 The impact of technology on society
 The impact of art on society
 The impact of literature on society
 The impact of science on society
 The impact of inventions on society
Environments
 Where do we live?
 What resources do we have or need?
 What are my responsibilities
Does my project connect to any of the following issues:
 The interdependence of humans and their environment
 The consequences of human manipulation on or interference with the environment
 Local, regional, national or international environmental concerns
 Pollution, conservation, population growth, water supply etc.
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Health & Social Education
 How do we think and act?
 How am I changing?
 How can I look after myself and others?
Does my project connect to any of the following topics:
 Nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, physical and mental health, leisure, alcohol, drugs,
tobacco
 Emotions, adolescence, family relations, cultural identity, sexual issues, peer relations/peer
pressure, decision making, responsibility, respect for self and others
 Consumer issues, advertising, media
 Health or legal services, safety, poverty, vandalism, delinquency
All projects will have an ATL focus, so it is not likely that it will also be the primary focus of
your project. Speak with your supervisor or Mr. Awono if you are confused.
Approaches to Learning
 How do I learn best?
 How do I know?
 How do I communicate my understanding?
Through completion of the Personal Project, what can I learn about my:
 Responsibility - organizational skills, time management and positive attitudes towards work
 Communication skills – creative writing, reading, speaking and/or listening
 Research skills – accessing information, selecting appropriate information, judging
authenticity of information, general understanding of the research process
 Reasoning Skills – generating new ideas, considering issues from multiple viewpoints
 Reflection Skills – evaluating my performance realistically and using the information to
change my behavior
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Personal project assessment criteria
Please note that the assessment criteria in this guide are for first use in final assessment in
June 2012 for northern hemisphere schools and December 2012 for southern hemisphere
schools.
The following assessment criteria have been established by the IB for the personal project in the
MYP. All assessment of the personal project in year 5 of the MYP must be based on these
assessment criteria even if schools are not registering students for IB-validated grades and
certification. Schools must not add or remove assessment criteria or alter descriptors.
The third column in the table below indicates where the evidence will be found.
Criterion A
Use the process journal
Process journal
Maximum 4
Criterion B
Define the goal
Report
Maximum 4
Criterion C
Select sources
Report
Maximum 4
Criterion D
Apply information
Report
Maximum 4
Criterion E (nonmoderated)
Achieve the goal
Product and
report
Maximum 4
Criterion F
Reflect on learning
Report
Maximum 4
Criterion G
Report the project
Report
Maximum 4
Total 28
For each assessment criterion, a number of level descriptors are defined. These describe a range
of achievement levels with the lowest level represented as 0.
The descriptors concentrate on positive achievement, although failure to achieve may be
included in the description for the lower levels.
21
Criterion A: Use the process journal
Maximum: 4
Students should:



demonstrate organizational skills showing time- and self-management
communicate and collaborate with the supervisor
demonstrate information literacy, thinking and reflection.
The section “Completing the personal project” in this guide has guidance concerning the type of
evidence that students should include in the process journal.
Extracts from the process journal must be submitted in samples of work for external
moderation to support the level awarded for criterion A. The student must take
responsibility for making the appropriate extracts available to the supervisor.
The extracts chosen to support the level awarded for criterion A should reflect each of the strands
in the criterion. It is anticipated that the complete process journal will be more extensive.
However, between 10 and 20 individual entries are sufficient to represent the student’s work. An
individual entry does not need to be extensive and includes any of the examples that students
might use to document the process, referred to in the subsection “Using the process journal”.
Achievement
level
Level descriptor
0
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given
below.
1
The student demonstrates minimal:

organizational skills through
time and self-management
2
The student demonstrates some:

3
The student demonstrates satisfactory:
communication and
collaboration with the
supervisor

information literacy, thinking
and reflection.
4
The student demonstrates welldeveloped:
22
Criterion B: Define the goal
Maximum: 4
Students should:




identify and explain a topic based on personal interest
justify one focus area of interaction as a context for the project
outline a clear, achievable, challenging goal
create specifications that will be used to evaluate the project’s outcome/product.
The specifications for the product/outcome created by the student, in consultation with the project
supervisor, are used to evaluate the success of the project.
These student-created specifications for their product/outcome link to criterion E, in which the student
evaluates his or her outcome/product.
Achievement
level
Level descriptor
0
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1
The student:
2
3

identifies the topic of interest, a focus area of interaction and a limited goal

creates minimal specifications to evaluate the project’s outcome/product or
none at all.
The student:

outlines superficially the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an
achievable goal

creates specifications for evaluating the project’s outcome/product, however
they lack definition.
The student:

describes clearly the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an
achievable and appropriately challenging goal

creates satisfactory specifications for evaluating the project’s outcome/product.
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4
The student:

justifies effectively the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an
achievable and appropriately challenging goal

creates appropriately rigorous specifications for evaluating the project’s
outcome/product.
Criterion C: Select sources
Maximum: 4
Students should:


select varied, relevant sources to achieve the goal
evaluate sources.
Evidence will be seen in the body of the report and the bibliography.
Achievement
level
0
Level descriptor
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given
below.
1
2
3
4
The student:

selects very few relevant sources to achieve the goal

demonstrates minimal evaluation of sources.

selects some relevant sources to achieve the goal

demonstrates some evaluation of sources.

selects a satisfactory variety of relevant sources to
achieve the goal

demonstrates satisfactory evaluation of sources.

selects a wide variety of relevant sources to achieve the
goal

demonstrates well-developed evaluation of sources.
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Criterion D: Apply information
Maximum: 4
Students should:

transfer and apply information to make decisions, create solutions and develop
understandings in connection with the project’s goal.
Students interpret the information from sources they have researched and selected. By thinking
about the information, students develop a broader context for their inquiry; identify questions
and issues for their project and solve problems.
Students may have researched information relating to techniques, which can be discussed in the
context of this objective.
Achievement
level
Level descriptor
0
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given
below.
1
The student demonstrates minimal:
2
The student demonstrates some:
3
The student demonstrates satisfactory:
4
The student demonstrates well-developed:
transfer and application of information to
make decisions, create solutions and
develop understandings in connection
with the project’s goal.
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Criterion E: Achieve the goal
Maximum: 4
Students should:

evaluate the outcome/product against their own specifications for success.
Achievement
level
0
Level descriptor
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1
2
The outcome/product is of very limited quality and
meets few of the specifications.
The student evaluates the quality of the
outcome/product.
The outcome/product is of limited quality and meets
some of the specifications.
3
The outcome/product is of satisfactory quality and
meets many of the specifications.
4
he outcome/product is of high quality and meets most
or all of the specifications.
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Criterion F: Reflect on learning
Maximum: 4
Students should:


reflect on how completing the project has extended their knowledge and understanding of the topic and the
focus area of interaction
reflect on how they have developed as a learner by completing the project.
This criterion addresses the quality of ideas expressed not the quality of language used.
Achievement
level
Level descriptor
0
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1
The student demonstrates minimal:
2
The student demonstrates some:
3
The student demonstrates satisfactory:
4
The student demonstrates well-developed:

reflection on how completing the
project has extended his or her
knowledge and understanding of the
topic and focus area of interaction

reflection on how he or she has
developed as a learner by completing
the project.
27
Criterion G: Report the project
Maximum: 4
Students should:



organize the project report according to the required structure
communicate clearly, coherently and concisely, within required limits
acknowledge sources according to recognized conventions.
This criterion will include judgments about presentation, writing (or speaking) conventions, mechanics, grammar,
word choice, voice, audience, for example.
Achievement
level
0
Level descriptor
The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1
2
The student
demonstrates:
3
4

minimal organization of the project report according to the required
structure

communication, which is rarely clear, coherent and concise and may not
meet required limits

inaccurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources or no
acknowledgement of sources.

some organization of the project report according to the required structure

communication, which is sometimes clear, coherent and concise and is
within required limits

some accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources.

satisfactory organization of the project report according to the required
structure

communication, which is generally clear, coherent and concise and is within
required limits

generally accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources.

consistent organization of the project report according to the required
structure

communication, which is clear, coherent and concise and is within required
limits

accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources, possibly
with minor errors.
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