The most reliable IB Economics IA timeline begins in early September and targets final submission by the end of November. This provides time to select a workable article, plan accurate diagrams, draft the commentary, receive permitted teacher feedback, and revise before the December coursework rush.
This schedule is primarily for one Economics commentary, which is often what schools mean by an autumn IA deadline. The complete Economics IA portfolio contains three commentaries, normally written at different stages of the course.
First clarify what finishing the Economics IA means
Under the current IB Economics course, SL and HL students produce three commentaries based on published news-media extracts. They cover Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and The global economy, excluding the introductory unit, and use different key concepts.
Each commentary has a maximum of 800 words. The portfolio contributes 30% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL, as shown in the official IB Economics SL subject brief and IB Economics HL subject brief.
| Goal | Sensible September-November target |
|---|---|
| Complete one scheduled commentary | Start in early September and submit by late November |
| Complete two unfinished commentaries | Possible if both units have been taught and your teacher approves |
| Complete the entire portfolio from scratch | Usually unrealistic if the required units have not been taught |
Your teacher’s internal deadlines take priority. Schools control article approval, feedback, authentication, and final submission procedures.
Recommended September-November IB Economics IA timeline
A strong schedule separates article selection, planning, drafting, feedback, and editing. Completing every stage during one weekend usually produces descriptive writing, weak diagrams, and rushed evaluation.
| Period | Main task | Required output |
|---|---|---|
| September 1-7 | Confirm requirements and investigate topics | Deadline, assigned unit, unused key concept, and possible issues |
| September 8-14 | Search for and test articles | One preferred article and one backup |
| September 15-21 | Secure approval and annotate | Approved article with policies, data, stakeholders, and quotations highlighted |
| September 22-30 | Plan theory, diagrams, and evaluation | Detailed outline and accurate draft diagrams |
| October 1-12 | Write the first complete draft | Full commentary close to the word limit |
| October 13-19 | Self-assess | Revised draft checked against Criteria A-E |
| October 20-November 2 | Submit for permitted feedback | Complete draft submitted under school instructions |
| November 3-16 | Act on feedback | Improved analysis, evaluation, diagrams, and judgement |
| November 17-23 | Conduct compliance checks | Final word count, cover information, article, and sources |
| November 24-30 | Submit and retain a backup | Authenticated final version submitted before December |
The final week of November acts as contingency time if feedback is delayed, another deadline intervenes, or the original article proves unsuitable.
September: choose an article that supports analysis
A focused article makes the commentary manageable, while a vague or complicated one creates problems that editing cannot fully solve. The article should describe a specific economic issue, event, or policy connected clearly to the unit studied.
Before seeking approval, ask:
- Which economic model explains the event?
- What would the main diagram show?
- Which article details can be applied to the model?
- Who gains or loses, and over what period?
- Which assumptions, trade-offs, or limitations can be evaluated?
- Which unused key concept provides a meaningful analytical lens?
Across the portfolio, articles must come from different sources and relate to different required units. Each article must have been published no earlier than one year before the commentary is written. The RevisionDojo Economics IA essentials guide explains these portfolio checks.
Set an article decision deadline around September 15 and retain one backup. If you cannot identify a clear model, diagram, causal chain, and evaluation opportunities, reject the article before drafting.
Late September: build the argument first
Your outline should show how economic theory explains the article rather than merely list headings. Use this sequence:
- Identify the central economic problem or policy.
- Select the relevant theory and essential terminology.
- Sketch the diagram, including shifts, equilibria, and welfare areas.
- Extract precise evidence from the article.
- Build a causal chain connecting the event to its outcomes.
- Plan evaluation using stakeholders, time periods, assumptions, trade-offs, and alternatives.
- Form a qualified overall judgement.
The IB does not prescribe a compulsory commentary structure or fixed allocation of words. However, the practical structure in RevisionDojo’s Economics IA tips helps limit article summary and preserve space for analysis and evaluation.
October: produce a complete first draft
Aim to finish a full draft by mid-October. It should include diagrams, article evidence, the key concept, evaluation, and a provisional judgement, not just an introduction and notes.
Apply theory continuously to the article. Rather than stating only that an indirect tax shifts supply left, explain why the named policy raises firms’ costs, how price and quantity change, and how stakeholders are affected. Diagrams must also be explained in the prose because correct labels alone do not demonstrate analysis.
Use the assessment criteria during self-review:
- Criterion A: relevant, accurate, labelled, and explained diagrams
- Criterion B: accurate and consistent economic terminology
- Criterion C: effective application and analysis linked to the article
- Criterion D: a developed relationship with the selected key concept
- Criterion E: balanced reasoning and supported judgements
The official limit is 800 words per commentary, not 750. The RevisionDojo Economics IA checklist provides a useful audit, although school instructions remain authoritative.
November: revise for marks
Submit the most complete draft possible for permitted teacher feedback. Feedback becomes more useful when the teacher can examine the whole analytical chain, diagrams, evaluation, and judgement.
Translate each comment into a criterion-based action. For example, “apply this more specifically” could become “insert the article’s tax rate and explain how demand elasticity affects consumers’ share of the tax burden.”
Prioritize corrections in this order:
- Incorrect theory or diagrams
- Missing application to the article
- Incomplete causal reasoning
- Unsupported evaluation
- Superficial use of the key concept
- Repetition and presentation
If the draft exceeds 800 words, remove summary, repeated definitions, duplicated effects, and broad introductory claims before cutting valuable evaluation. By November 23, use your school checklist and the suggested Economics IA process to confirm the article date, source, unit, key concept, word count, cover information, diagram legibility, and file format.
Common timeline mistakes
Starting to write before testing the article can leave you without a suitable diagram or meaningful evaluation. A partial first draft also restricts the usefulness of teacher feedback, so the October version should be a serious attempt at the complete commentary.
Do not confuse reaching 800 words with submission readiness. A finished commentary also requires compliant source material, accurate diagrams, developed analysis, evaluation, authentication, and correct documentation. Waiting until December to address these areas creates unnecessary conflict with TOK, Extended Essay, university, and other IA deadlines.
Conclusion
For a commentary due before winter break, begin your IB Economics IA timeline in early September, choose the article by mid-September, finish the first draft by mid-October, and reserve November for feedback and precise revision. Starting after early October removes valuable recovery time.
RevisionDojo can support the process without replacing your teacher’s guidance or your own authorship. Use the IB Economics IA guide, review Economics IA exemplars critically, and use the Economics Questionbank or Jojo AI to strengthen the economic theory behind your article.
Sources and referenced URLs
- Official IB Economics SL subject brief
- Official IB Economics HL subject brief
- RevisionDojo Economics IA guide
- RevisionDojo Economics IA essentials
- RevisionDojo Economics IA tips
- RevisionDojo Economics IA checklist
- RevisionDojo suggested Economics IA timeline
- RevisionDojo Economics IA exemplars
- RevisionDojo Economics Questionbank