Is It Okay to Use Another Student’s IA as Inspiration?
Yes—but only as a starting point. You can look at others’ Internal Assessments (IAs) to understand successful structure, methodology, and research design. However, copying their exact research question, data, or approach crosses the line into academic misconduct.
🔍 What Counts as Acceptable vs. Unacceptable?
Acceptable:
- Studying someone else’s IA to learn how they structured their research, framed their questions, or presented data
- Watching exemplar projects to understand lab setup, IA formatting, or how to discuss uncertainties
Unacceptable:
- Using the same or very similar research question (e.g., changing just one variable)
- Replicating their methodology, data sets, results, or interpretations
- Passing off someone else’s ideas, words, or designs as your own work
🛠️ How to Use Others’ Work Properly
- Extract structure—not substance
- Notice how their IA is organized and learn from their use of clear headings, diagrams, and data tables.
- Transform ideas with your own twist
- If someone investigated enzyme activity at different pH levels, consider exploring a different enzyme, temperature, or substrate instead.
- Develop your own research question
- Ask fresh questions like “How does temperature affect catalase activity in potato extract?” rather than copying.
- Cite inspiration
- If you adopted a certain experimental design element, mention: “Inspired by [Student’s] approach, I modified the method to…” This shows originality and acknowledgment.
⚠️ Why You Must Avoid Close Copying
- IB rules prohibit collaboration on IA content; each IA must be independently created
- Schools may detect overlaps via plagiarism-check tools
- Too much similarity can force you to redo the IA, lose marks, or even face disciplinary action
🎯 How to Ensure Your IA Stands Out
- Select a topic you genuinely care about—it's easier to stay original and motivated
- Apply personal creativity: design unique variables, methods, or measurement techniques
- Consult your teacher early to validate your research question and ensure it's original
🚀 Want Expert Guidance on Crafting Your Own IA?
Inspiring examples are great, but making your IA uniquely yours is what matters most. Use RevisionDojo to:
- Access personal guidance and original IA ideas
- Learn how to create fully independent experiments
- Secure tips to help you score a 7 merit with no risk of copying
👉 Check out RevisionDojo today and start your IA journey with confidence!
✍️ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same topic but change details?
Yes—topics can inspire you, but tweak variables, methods, and scope so your work is distinctly yours.
What if two students pick the same phenomenon?
That’s fine. Just ensure your approach, analysis, and IA focus are original and independently designed.
Should I reference the IA I learned from?
If it influenced your design, it’s wise to mention it in your reflection: “I adopted the idea of measuring pH every two minutes after seeing it in another student’s report.”
✔️ Final Takeaway
Using IA examples as inspiration is smart—and entirely acceptable when done ethically. But reusing ideas, questions, or designs can lead to penalties from the IB. Be inspired, but create an IA that reflects your curiosity, creativity, and hard work.
Let RevisionDojo help you get started with original ideas and safe success.
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