MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessments are on-screen examinations marked externally by trained IB examiners. Your teacher does not award the official examination mark, and the result is not based on moderation of your class. Examiners mark individual responses using IB markschemes, total the marks, and convert that total into a subject grade from 1 to 7.
This article explains the marking structure, criteria, grade conversion, and essential MYP eAssessment logistics.
Who marks the examination?
The official examination is individually, externally marked by examiners appointed by the IB. They follow approved markschemes and marking instructions rather than making a general judgment about the candidate's complete performance.
This differs from an ePortfolio, where teachers initially mark coursework and the IB moderates a sample. Classroom Individuals and Societies tasks also remain teacher-assessed, but those results do not replace the official examination grade. The IB outlines this distinction in its overview of MYP assessment and examinations.
How the 80 marks are distributed
The two-hour examination contains three broad tasks worth 80 marks. The published Individuals and Societies subject brief gives this structure:
| Task | Criteria assessed | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Investigating | A and B | 26 |
| Communicating | A and C | 18 |
| Thinking critically | A, C, and D | 36 |
| Total | All four criteria | 80 |
Across the complete examination, each criterion contributes 20 marks:
- Criterion A: Knowing and understanding -- used across all three tasks
- Criterion B: Investigating -- assessed in the investigating task
- Criterion C: Communicating -- assessed across two tasks
- Criterion D: Thinking critically -- assessed in the final task
The criteria are equally weighted overall, even though the tasks have different totals and are not divided into four separate criterion sections.
How examiners award marks
Examiners mark response by response. A short source question may use a points-based markscheme awarding marks for specific accurate ideas. An extended response may use level-based instructions describing the analysis, evidence, evaluation, and judgment needed within each mark range.
For example, identifying information from a source requires accurate selection. Evaluating that source requires discussion of its value and limitations in relation to the stated purpose. A judgment question needs relevant evidence, consideration of perspectives, and a conclusion that directly answers the command term.
Students do not normally receive four classroom-style levels out of 8. Instead, criterion demands are embedded in individual questions and produce a total out of 80.
What the three tasks reward
| Task | What a strong response demonstrates |
|---|---|
| Investigating | A suitable research question, justified methods, practical planning, and evaluation of the investigative process |
| Communicating | Accurate content presented effectively for the specified audience, purpose, and format |
| Thinking critically | Careful source analysis, comparison of perspectives, recognition of limitations, and a supported judgment |
At 36 marks, thinking critically is the largest task. Description alone is therefore insufficient for a high overall result. Students need to explain relationships, weigh evidence, and show why their conclusion is justified.
Timed practice through the MYP Individuals and Societies Questionbank can help students recognize these differences.
How marks become a grade from 1 to 7
After marking, the total is converted into an official 1–7 subject grade. There is no permanent percentage that always guarantees a 7 because grade boundaries are established through the IB's grade-award process for the relevant examination session.
Students should not treat unofficial fixed boundaries as guaranteed. The authoritative outcome is the grade issued by the IB, as explained in its MYP grading and awards guidance.
For the full MYP certificate, students must earn at least grade 3 in every required eAssessment component, achieve at least 28 points out of 56, and meet the other certificate conditions. Grade 3 is a certificate requirement, not a fixed raw-mark boundary.
Exam-day logistics and result concerns
Schools manage secure administration, invigilation, candidate identification, approved equipment, access arrangements, and submission of response files. Students should follow their coordinator's instructions concerning arrival times, stationery, computer checks, and technical problems. The standard duration is two hours, as summarized in RevisionDojo's guide to MYP examination lengths.
If a result appears incorrect, the student must contact the school's MYP coordinator. Under the MYP general regulations, an enquiry upon results can cause an examination grade to increase or decrease. Current deadlines, fees, consent requirements, and available services must be checked through the school.
How to prepare for the marking model
Make assessable evidence visible. Answer the command term directly, use accurate terminology, support claims with sources or subject knowledge, and leave time for a developed conclusion.
A useful routine is to complete one timed response, compare it with the relevant criterion demands, identify where analysis becomes description, and rewrite the weakest paragraph. RevisionDojo's MYP eAssessment preparation guide, Individuals and Societies resources, and Jojo AI can support this process.
Conclusion
MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessments are externally marked out of 80, with each criterion contributing 20 marks overall. The total becomes a grade from 1 to 7, while schools manage examination-day procedures. RevisionDojo Study Notes, Questionbank practice, and Jojo AI can help students produce the investigation, communication, and evaluation that examiners reward.
Sources and referenced URLs
- IB MYP assessment and examinations
- IB Individuals and Societies subject brief
- IB MYP grading and awards
- IB MYP 2026 general regulations
- RevisionDojo guide to MYP eAssessment
- RevisionDojo guide to examination lengths
- RevisionDojo eAssessment preparation guide
- RevisionDojo Individuals and Societies resources
- RevisionDojo Individuals and Societies Questionbank
