Every year, many IB History students lose marks on their Internal Assessment (IA) for reasons that are entirely avoidable. Under the new IB DP History course (first assessment 2028), these mistakes are even more damaging because assessment expectations are clearer and more skills-focused.
Most weak IAs are not the result of poor effort. They are the result of misunderstanding what the IA is designed to assess. This article outlines the most common IB History IA mistakes under the new specification — and how students can avoid them.
Quick Start Checklist
The most common IB History IA mistakes
Why these mistakes lose marks
How the new course increases their impact
What examiners expect instead
How to fix problems early
Mistake 1: Choosing an Overly Broad Question
One of the most common IA mistakes is selecting a question that is far too broad.
Broad questions:
Encourage narrative writing
Prevent deep analysis
Make evaluation superficial
Exceed practical scope limits
Under FA 2028, examiners expect focused investigations, not historical surveys.
Mistake 2: Writing a Narrative Instead of an Investigation
Many students treat the IA like a long essay explaining events.
Learn what IB History examiners really look for under the new course and how marks are awarded (first assessment 2028).
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Mistake 3: Poor Use of Sources
Another major issue is treating sources as background reading.
Common problems include:
Quoting sources without analysis
Using sources only to describe events
Failing to evaluate reliability or limitations
Sources must be analysed, evaluated, and used as evidence, not just cited.
Mistake 4: Weak or Superficial Evaluation
Evaluation is essential under the new course.
Weak evaluation includes:
Declaring sources “biased” without explanation
Stating conclusions without justification
Ignoring alternative interpretations
Evaluation must be reasoned and supported, not asserted.
Mistake 5: Losing Focus on the Question
Many IAs start well but drift away from the investigation question.
This often happens when students:
Include interesting but irrelevant detail
Follow source content rather than the question
Change focus mid-investigation
Every section of the IA should serve the question directly.
Mistake 6: Overloading the IA With Detail
More detail does not mean higher marks.
Under FA 2028:
Excess detail often obscures analysis
Long quotations rarely help
Repetition weakens clarity
Examiners reward selective, purposeful evidence.
Mistake 7: Ignoring the Assessment Criteria
Some students write IAs without referencing the criteria at all.
This leads to:
Imbalanced investigations
Weak sections
Missed opportunities for marks
The criteria are a roadmap — ignoring them is a serious mistake.
Mistake 8: Leaving the IA Too Late
Time pressure magnifies every other problem.
Late IAs often show:
Poor structure
Limited evaluation
Weak editing
Minimal refinement of the question
The IA rewards process, not last-minute writing.
How These Mistakes Are Penalised Under FA 2028
Under the new course, assessment is:
More explicit
More skills-focused
Less forgiving of descriptive work
Mistakes that might once have been overlooked now lead directly to lower markbands.
How to Avoid These IA Mistakes
Strong IA students:
Choose focused, analytical questions
Plan before writing
Refer to criteria regularly
Revise drafts critically
Seek feedback early
Avoidance is far easier than correction.
How RevisionDojo Helps Students Avoid IA Pitfalls
RevisionDojo is designed to prevent common IA mistakes before they happen.
RevisionDojo helps students:
Understand IA expectations clearly
Identify weak questions early
Strengthen analysis and evaluation
Improve structure and focus
Align work with criteria
This dramatically improves IA outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a strong conclusion fix earlier IA problems?
No. Weak analysis earlier in the investigation limits the final mark, regardless of conclusion quality.
Is source evaluation more important than content?
Both matter, but evaluation is essential. Content without analysis scores poorly.
Can editing improve my IA significantly?
Yes. Editing for focus, clarity, and relevance often leads to meaningful mark improvement.
Final Thoughts
Under the new IB DP History course (first assessment 2028), the Internal Assessment rewards clarity, inquiry, and evaluation. The most common IA mistakes stem from misunderstanding these priorities.
Students who avoid these pitfalls and approach the IA strategically consistently achieve stronger results. With clear guidance and structured support, the IA becomes a manageable and rewarding part of IB History.
That is exactly the understanding RevisionDojo is built to provide.
