IB History of the Americas
IA Part B Paper
100 Point Test Grade
1. The title of your paper is your Research Question
2. The introductory paragraph will include the QPT (Question, Position, Themes) thesis statement (your answer to your research question), scope (time and place) and context (how your research question fits into the larger topic).
3. Each theme identified in your Summary of Evidence will be addressed in at least one body paragraph.
a. The Point of each paragraph is a sentence statement about the theme that supports your thesis.
b. Use the evidence from your Summary
1) You MUST CITE your evidence properly (Chicago) in foot/endnotes.
A PAPER WITHOUT CITATIONS CONSTITUTES PLAGIARISM AND WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF 0 AND ANY APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL CONSEQUENCES.
c. Explain how your Evidence supports your Point.
4. The Conclusion will be a Point Evidence Explanation paragraph.
a. Your Point is your Thesis restated.
b. Your Evidence consists of the Points proven in the body paragraphs.
c. Explain how that Evidence proves that your Thesis is correct.
5. Section B should be about 1,300 words (approximately 5 full pages in 12 point).
OVERVIEW AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
TOPIC:_____________________________________________________________________
RESEARCH QUESTION:____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Written Account
This document is to give further clarification on what each section of the investigation should contain. Every student must produce a written account consisting of the following three sections.
Remember that this is part of your IB Exam!!!
1. Identification and Evaluation of Sources– 400-500 Words (6 marks)
2. Investigation—1,200 to 1,300 Words (15 marks)
3. Reflection—300-400 words (4 marks)
4. Bibliography: MUST BE INCLUDED but is not a part of the overall word count
Total: 1,900–2,200 words
25 marks
A: Identification and Evaluation of Sources
This section requires students to analyze in detail two of the sources that they will use in their investigation.
The sources can be either primary or secondary sources. In this section students must:
• Clearly state the question they have chosen to investigate (this must be stated as a question)
• Include a brief explanation of the nature of the two sources they have selected for detailed analysis, including an explanation of their relevance to the investigation
• Analyze two sources in detail. With reference to the origins, purpose and content, the student should analyze the value and limitations of the two sources in relation to the investigation.
For students who want to create their own research question for the IA ON THE COLD WAR:
A crucial element of this section of the internal assessment task is formulating an appropriate question to investigate. The six key concepts for the history course (causation, consequence, continuity, change, significance and perspectives) can be a very useful starting point in helping students to formulate a question.
B Investigation
This section of the internal assessment task consists of the actual investigation. The internal assessment task provides scope for a wide variety of different types of historical investigation, for example:
• A historical topic or theme using a variety of written sources or a variety of written and non-written sources
The investigation must be clearly and effectively organized. It must contain critical analysis that is focused clearly on the question being investigated, and must also include the conclusion that the student draws from their analysis.
In this section, students must use a range of evidence to support their argument. Please note that students must use a mixture of primary and secondary sources.
A) Analysis
This part of the investigation should consist of:
• an analysis that breaks down complex issues in order to bring out the essential elements, any underlying assumptions and any interrelationships involved
• an understanding of the issue in its historical context (What is the larger or big picture?)
• a critical examination of the factual material presented in section A
• an awareness of the significance of the sources used, especially those evaluated in section C
• (particularly where sources differ)
• a consideration of different interpretations of evidence, where appropriate.
Information should be correctly and consistently referenced (cited).
B) Conclusion
This part of the investigation requires an answer or conclusion to the research question, based on the evidence presented.
The conclusion must be clearly stated, consistent with the evidence presented and relevant to the research question.
C. Reflection
This section of the internal assessment task requires students to reflect on what undertaking their investigation highlighted to them about the methods used by, and the challenges facing, the historian.
Examples of discussion questions that may help to encourage reflection include the following.
• What methods used by historians did you use in your investigation?
• What did your investigation highlight to you about the limitations of those methods?
• What are the challenges facing the historian? How do they differ from the challenges facing a scientist or a mathematician?
• What challenges in particular does archive-based history present?
• How can the reliability of sources be evaluated?
• What is the difference between bias and selection?
• What constitutes a historical event?
• Who decides which events are historically significant?
• Is it possible to describe historical events in an unbiased way?
• What is the role of the historian?
• Should terms such as “atrocity” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments be avoided?
• If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable?
Not all of these questions have to be answered in your reflection! Focus on 2-3 to answer in your reflection.
D. Sources and word limit
There should be accurate and consistent referencing throughout the investigation. All sources, whether written or otherwise (including interviews), should be listed.
A bibliography or list of sources and all citations, using one standard method (Chicago style), must be included.
Any illustrations, documents, or other supporting evidence should be included in an appendix. None of these will form part of the word count. The word count for the investigation must be clearly and accurately stated on the title page.
THE DIRECTIONS
SOURCES
• The only sources allowed are: books, journals, primary sources, e-books and e-journals. (appropriate primary sources, e-books and e-journals have authors)
• No encyclopedias. The only exception is the Encyclopedia of the Cold War.
• Approved websites. Severe reduction in grade will result from the use of encyclopedias or non-approved websites.
1. You may use websites to access the following:
a. E-books—that have authors.
b. E-journals—that have authors.
You will use JSTOR: http://www.jstor.org/logon/ .
Username: mountvernonhs
Password: maniduna
NOTE: No password is needed for searching from MVHS and there is a
link to JSTOR from the library web page.
2. Primary sources—you will be given several websites to access.
3. You will receive severe reduction in grade (2 full letter grades) if you are found to have included in your Internal Assessment information from
a. Wikipedia
b. Websites such as ABC-Clio (except for signed articles OR primary documents OR newspaper articles)
4. Websites not approved by the instructor.
Required Sources:
a. For topics that are events (Hungarian Revolution, Berlin Airlift, etc.) you must use newspaper articles (New York Times) for the reaction in the United States to the event.
b. A minimum of 2 primary sources.
c. A minimum of 2 journal articles.
d. A minimum of 7 secondary sources.
e. Additional journal articles reduces the number of secondary sources—1 for 1.
CITATIONS
• First and foremost, this is a guard against plagarism. When in doubt, CITE IT!!!
• You will use Chicago Manual of Style for endnotes and the bibliography. No MLA!!
• Students can use either footnotes or endnotes. An in-class tutorial on inserting footnotes/endnotes will be given in class
**Special note: Google Docs does NOT support endnotes at this time period. If you’re writing your paper in Google Docs, you will have to use footnotes.
TAKING NOTES
• Notes will be handwritten and on the appropriate template. This is found on Blackboard (see directions above).
• Notes will always include the complete bibliographical entry and the URL if it is an approved website.
• Notes will always include the page number of the material.
THE PAPER
• You are to create one Word document for the entire paper. Each time a section is due, you are to submit the entire work. You will be checked as to whether or not you have made corrections to previously submitted work.
• Have a backup system, i.e. disk, email it to yourself, save to the desktop, send to a friend. Your computer crashing will not be an excuse.
• Your paper will look like the sample paper—NO EXCEPTIONS. (You will receive the sample paper at a later date.)
• Typing:
1. 1 inch margins: top, bottom, left side and right side.
2. 12 point, Arial or Times New Roman
3. Single space within paragraphs. LOOK AT SAMPLE PAPER.
4. Double space between paragraphs and sections—LOOK AT SAMPLE PAPER.
GRADING
• Notes—Homework/Classwork Grade.
• Rough Draft of Sections—Quiz Grade
• Final Draft of Sections—Test Grade
• Final Paper—2 Test Grades
NOTE: The policy for late work is found in the Syllabus. NO EXCEPTIONS.
The failure to appropriately use class time does NOT constitute a basis for late work.
If you are not in school, it is your responsibility to have any section that is due (hard copy) delivered by some means. Being absent is not an excuse for not having the due portion of the paper turned in on time. This does not mean email.
• Basis of grading:
1. Timeliness.
2. Conformity to specifications.
3. Well written.
4. Accurate.
5. Applicable citations in the Chicago Manual of Style format.
