When should I start my IB Digital Society IA to finish before winter break?

Start during the first week of September if you want the project completed by the end of November. Use September to select and refine the inquiry, confirm access to evidence, and begin research. October should contain the main research, source analysis and inquiry process document drafting. November can then be reserved for revision, presentation production, recording and technical checks. This schedule also leaves December available as a contingency period rather than making winter break your working deadline.

Can I complete the Digital Society IA if I start in October?

Yes, an October start can be realistic if your question is narrow and your evidence is readily available. You should finalize the inquiry focus during the first week, complete research by the middle of the month, and produce a full written draft by the end of October. Avoid topics that depend on difficult interviews, organizational access or large surveys. You will also need regular weekly sessions because there is less room for missed deadlines. If your school requires an earlier checkpoint, follow that date rather than the generic schedule.

How many hours per week should I spend on the Digital Society IA?

The IB allocates approximately 30 hours to the inquiry project, although this is not a promise that every student will need exactly that amount. Spread across 12 weeks, this equals roughly 2.5 hours per week. Two focused weekday sessions and one short administrative session at the weekend are usually more effective than a single long session. Increase the time temporarily when conducting first-hand research or recording the presentation. Track completed outputs rather than relying only on the number of hours worked.

Should I finish the inquiry process document before making the presentation?

You should have a complete draft of the inquiry process document before building the final presentation. The document helps establish your focus, sources, claims and perspectives, which provide the foundation for later analysis. However, do not wait until the document is perfectly polished before outlining presentation ideas. Keeping a running record of analytical insights during research will make presentation planning faster. The final presentation should extend the inquiry through analysis, evaluation and conclusions rather than repeat the written document.

What should I do if an interview or survey delays my IA schedule?

Set an early response deadline and prepare a backup research method before contacting participants. If an interviewee does not respond, approach another suitable person or use an alternative form of first-hand evidence approved by your teacher. Do not leave the rest of the project untouched while waiting, since secondary research and source organization can continue. If the missing evidence would make the question impossible to answer, narrow or adjust the focus promptly. Any change should remain consistent with your school's ethical research procedures and your teacher's instructions.

Is 30 November an official IB Digital Society IA deadline?

No, 30 November is a recommended personal completion target for students who want to finish before winter break. The IB does not publish one universal student deadline that applies to every school. Schools create internal deadlines so teachers have time for authentication, assessment, moderation procedures and submission administration. Your teacher may therefore require the project considerably earlier or later than this suggested date. Confirm the proposal, draft, presentation and final submission deadlines before creating your personal calendar.

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IB Digital Society IA Timeline: Finish Before Winter Break

IB Digital Society IA Timing IB IA

• 4 Oct 2026•10

IB Digital Society IA Timeline: Finish Before Winter Break

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IB Digital Society IA Timeline: Finish Before Winter Break

IB Digital Society IA Timing IB IA

• 4 Oct 2026•10

If you want your Digital Society inquiry project finished before winter break, start during the first week of September and target a complete final version by 30 November. This gives you approximately 12-13 weeks to refine the question, research, write the inquiry process document, produce the multimedia presentation, use permitted feedback and complete technical checks.

This IB Digital Society IA timeline is a recommended working plan, not an official IB calendar. Your school's internal deadline always takes priority, so confirm every required checkpoint with your teacher.

What the Digital Society IA requires

The official IB term for the Digital Society IA is the inquiry project. It is an individual investigation into the impacts and implications of a chosen digital system for people and communities.

The requirements are common to SL and HL. According to the official IB Digital Society subject brief, the project represents 30% of the SL grade and 20% of the HL grade, with approximately 30 hours allocated to it.

Required element	Main purpose
Inquiry process document	Establishes the inquiry focus and examines claims and perspectives from relevant sources
Recorded multimedia presentation	Communicates analysis, evaluation, conclusions, emerging trends and future developments
List of references	Identifies the sources, evidence and media used

The inquiry process document must not exceed 1,500 words, and the presentation must not exceed 10 minutes. Although connected, they perform different functions. The presentation should develop the analysis and conclusion rather than read the written document aloud.

The assessment addresses inquiry focus, claims and perspectives, analysis and evaluation, conclusion, and communication. The RevisionDojo Digital Society IA guide explains how these areas relate to the assessed components.

September-to-November IB Digital Society IA timeline

This schedule assumes an early September start and completion by the end of November. It keeps December available for emergencies rather than treating winter break as the working deadline.

Dates	Main task	Concrete output
September 1-7	Read requirements and generate topics	Three possible systems, affected groups and contexts
September 8-14	Test feasibility	One provisional question and an access plan for first-hand research
September 15-21	Conduct exploratory research	Credible sources representing contrasting perspectives
September 22-30	Finalize the inquiry focus	Teacher-reviewed question, context and research plan
October 1-7	Conduct first-hand and secondary research	Research evidence and organized source records
October 8-14	Select claims and perspectives	Evidence table covering claims, perspectives, value and limitations
October 15-21	Draft the inquiry process document	Complete draft within the word limit
October 22-31	Revise and plan the presentation	Revised document, argument and storyboard
November 1-9	Build the multimedia presentation	Visuals, narration plan and citations
November 10-16	Record a trial version	Timed recording and improvement list
November 17-23	Apply feedback and record	Final presentation and polished document
November 24-30	Check and submit	Verified files, references, playback test and backup

The critical milestone is 30 September. By then, your question should identify a particular digital system, defined group or community, and researchable context. A broad question entering October makes every later stage more difficult.

A useful frame is: To what extent does [specific digital system] affect [defined group] in [specific context], and what are the wider implications? Adapt the wording to your evidence rather than following it mechanically. The guide to writing a focused Digital Society IA research question provides further scope checks.

How to distribute the recommended 30 hours

Do not turn the approximate 30-hour allocation into one prolonged writing session. Spread it across purposeful sessions that each produce a visible outcome.

Stage	Suggested time
Understanding requirements and selecting a focus	4 hours
Exploratory and first-hand research	8 hours
Organizing claims and perspectives	4 hours
Drafting and revising the document	5 hours
Planning analysis and conclusions	3 hours
Creating and recording the presentation	4 hours
References and final checks	2 hours

Across 12 weeks, this is approximately 2.5 hours per week. Two 60-minute weekday sessions and a shorter weekend session for references or organization can be manageable. The Digital Society IA student planning sheets can turn each session into a specific output.

What to accomplish each month

September: make the inquiry feasible

September is for decisions, not polished prose. Name a specific digital system, such as a recommendation feature, biometric attendance system or automated decision-making tool, rather than selecting a broad theme such as artificial intelligence or privacy.

Identify the people or communities affected. “Facial recognition and society” is too broad, while investigating how a named facial recognition system affects privacy or accountability for a defined community creates a workable focus.

Confirm that varied evidence is accessible before committing. Contact potential interviewees early, and follow school rules concerning consent, privacy and ethical research. Avoid collecting sensitive personal information simply because it appears relevant.

October: convert research into an argument

Stop accumulating sources without a clear purpose. For each source, record its central claim, perspective, supporting evidence, value and limitations.

Compare stakeholders and evaluate trade-offs. A company statement may explain intended operation, while academic research, investigative reporting, policy documents and first-hand evidence may reveal different impacts or assumptions.

Complete the first document draft by mid-October. It does not require perfect wording, but it must demonstrate a focused inquiry and meaningful engagement with claims and perspectives. Use Digital Society coursework exemplars to study organization and depth, never to copy language or topic choices.

November: communicate analysis and finish

Build the presentation around analytical claims, evidence, counterclaims, implications and a justified conclusion. A chronological account of your research will not make the reasoning sufficiently visible.

Record a full trial by mid-November because silently timing a script is unreliable. Check whether visuals clarify the argument, citations are understandable and the conclusion directly answers the inquiry question.

Complete the academic content by 23 November. Reserve the final week for references, file names, export settings, audio quality, playback and submission. This buffer protects against corrupted files and competing deadlines.

Common timeline mistakes

Starting in November: This leaves insufficient time for first-hand research, comparison, revision and recording.
Choosing before testing access: A sophisticated question is unworkable when credible evidence or relevant participants cannot be reached.
Duplicating the written document: Plan the presentation separately so analysis, evaluation and conclusions receive sufficient attention.
Ignoring the school deadline: There is no single public student deadline applying to every school. The guide to how IB IA deadlines work explains why schools require earlier internal submission.
Leaving citations until the end: Save bibliographic and media details immediately to prevent omissions and wasted time.

What if you start later?

An October start can work if you reduce the scope instead of compressing every task. Select one defined system and context, use first-hand research that can be completed quickly, and finish a written draft by the end of October.

If you begin after mid-October, discuss feasibility with your teacher immediately. Do not omit required elements or exceed limits to compensate for lost time. The IA time-management guide can help organize short sessions, but planning cannot replace appropriate evidence and teacher oversight.

Conclusion

The safest IB Digital Society IA timeline starts in early September, fixes the inquiry focus by the end of that month, completes research and drafting during October, and reserves November for analysis, presentation production and checks. Finishing by 30 November creates a valuable buffer before winter break.

Keep your school's deadlines and teacher instructions above any generic plan. RevisionDojo's IB Digital Society resources, planning sheets, exemplars and Jojo AI can support organization and clarity while the final work remains entirely your own.

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