When should I start my IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA to finish before winter break?

An HL student should start during the first week of September and settle the research question, field site, and methods by mid-September. Proposal work and ethical planning should be substantially complete by the end of that month. The main fieldwork should take place in October and finish no later than October 31. This leaves November for analysis, writing, feedback, citations, and authentication. Starting later than mid-September is possible only if access is simple and your teacher's proposal process can be completed promptly.

Can an SL Anthropology student complete the whole IA from September to November?

Normally, not if the initial observation also takes place in September. The SL sequence places the methodological and conceptual extension 4-6 months after the initial one-hour observation. A September observation would therefore usually lead to the next stage between January and March. Completion before winter break may be possible if the initial observation was already completed during the previous spring or early summer. Confirm the applicable sequence and internal deadlines with your teacher before constructing your schedule.

How many hours per week should I spend on the HL Anthropology IA?

The guide allocates 60 hours to the HL internal assessment process, including planning, literature work, proposal activities, fieldwork, analysis, reflection, and writing. Completing that process across 12 weeks represents approximately 5 hours per week, although some of those hours may occur during class. Fieldwork weeks may require more time, while proofreading weeks may require less. Divide the workload into specific deliverables rather than recording a vague goal such as “work on IA.” A focused weekly plan is more reliable than attempting to recover several lost weeks during November.

What is the latest date I should finish Anthropology fieldwork?

For a pre-winter-break HL submission, aim to finish primary fieldwork by October 31. This provides approximately four weeks for organizing data, identifying patterns, developing interpretations, and writing the report. Extending fieldwork into November often reduces the time available for the analysis that makes the evidence meaningful. You may discover that a small clarification is needed later, but your central body of data should already be complete. Your teacher may set an earlier cutoff depending on the school's draft and authentication procedures.

Should I write the IA while collecting fieldwork data?

You should write field notes, methodological reflections, and analytical memos throughout data collection, but you should not force a final conclusion too early. After each session, record what happened, what surprised you, how your position may have influenced the encounter, and what should change next time. These notes preserve details that are easily forgotten by November. A formal report draft is usually more efficient once the main fieldwork has ended and the full pattern of evidence is visible. Writing continuously does not mean treating an early assumption as a conclusion that later evidence must confirm.

What should I do if I fall two weeks behind the fall IA schedule?

First, identify whether the delay affects access, ethics, data collection, or only writing. Do not compensate for lost time by collecting data without consent, skipping required proposal stages, or compressing the SL waiting period. For HL, narrow the question or reduce unnecessary logistical complexity after discussing the change with your teacher. Protect the minimum evidence needed to answer a focused question, then remove background reading or descriptive material that does not contribute directly. Reset the calendar with dated deliverables and seek teacher guidance before making any major methodological change.

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IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timeline

IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timing IB IA

• 27 Sept 2026•10

IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timeline

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IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timeline | RevisionDojo

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IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timeline

IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA Timing IB IA

• 27 Sept 2026•10

If you want your Social and Cultural Anthropology IA finished before winter break, HL students should begin in the first week of September and complete fieldwork by October 31. November should be reserved for analysis, writing, feedback, and final checks.

For SL students, the second fieldwork stage occurs 4-6 months after the initial observation. An SL student can finish by November only if the initial observation was completed during the previous spring or early summer. Always confirm the applicable sequence and internal deadlines with your teacher.

Check your level and school requirements

The official IB Social and Cultural Anthropology subject brief identifies different internal assessment tasks for SL and HL. Their processes and schedules are not interchangeable.

Requirement	SL	HL
Task	Limited fieldwork and critical reflection	Fieldwork investigation, proposal, report, and reflection
Recommended course time	30 hours	60 hours
Assessment weighting	20%	25%
Overall word limit	2,000 words	2,400 words
Timing issue	Second fieldwork stage follows the observation by 4-6 months	No equivalent compulsory interval

The SL allowance includes a 450-word observation report, 300-word methodological and conceptual justification, 400-word second fieldwork report, and 850-word critical reflection. HL assessed writing includes an 800-word critical reflection and a 1,600-word research report and reflection.

These are IB requirements. Your teacher may set earlier deadlines for approval, fieldwork, draft feedback, or authentication, so build your schedule around the school calendar rather than the final IB submission date.

Can you finish between September and November?

HL students

Yes, provided you begin early and work consistently. The recommended 60 hours across approximately 12 weeks equals around 5 hours per week, including class time, reading, meetings, fieldwork, organization, and writing.

Choose an accessible field site and settle a focused question by mid-September. Projects requiring difficult travel, several external approvals, or access to vulnerable participants are unlikely to fit this schedule safely.

SL students

If the initial observation was completed in May or June, the required interval may have elapsed by autumn. You can then complete the methodological extension, second fieldwork, and final reflection from September to November.

If the observation takes place in September, the later stage would normally begin between January and March. Your pre-winter goal should be to complete the observation report correctly and prepare for the remaining stages, not bypass the required interval.

September-to-November HL timeline

This schedule assumes a final school deadline near the end of November. Move each stage earlier if your teacher requires an earlier draft.

Week	Main task	Deliverable
September 1-7	Read the task, criteria, ethics guidance, and school calendar	Deadline plan and possible settings
September 8-14	Narrow the inquiry, site, concept, and question	One feasible question and a backup
September 15-21	Select at least two methods and begin relevant reading	Method, access, and source plan
September 22-30	Deliver the proposal and consider panel feedback	Revised proposal and change record
October 1-7	Complete the critical reflection and ethical preparations	Reflection draft and consent materials
October 8-21	Conduct the main fieldwork	Organized field notes and approved records
October 22-31	Close data collection and identify themes	Anonymized evidence and 3-5 findings
November 1-9	Draft context, concepts, methods, and evidence	Approximately half of the report
November 10-16	Write analysis, conclusions, and reflection	Complete first draft
November 17-23	Revise using criteria and permitted feedback	Focused second draft
November 24-30	Check citations, anonymity, word limits, and formatting	Final authenticated version

Treat October 31 as the fieldwork cutoff. Continuing deep into November usually weakens analysis because you are still collecting information while trying to interpret it.

September-to-November SL timeline

If the initial observation was completed before summer, use September to design the extension, October for the second fieldwork, and November for analysis and reflection.

Period	Priority
September 1-15	Revisit the retained observation report and choose an explicit concept
September 16-30	Write the method and concept justification and obtain approval
October 1-15	Conduct the second fieldwork using the approved method
October 16-31	Select and analyze evidence connected to the concept
November 1-15	Draft the second fieldwork report and critical reflection
November 16-30	Compare methods, discuss positionality, and complete final checks

If the initial observation begins in September, complete the one-hour observation and descriptive 450-word report according to your teacher's instructions. The report is retained and should not later be rewritten using concepts learned after the observation.

Use the remaining autumn weeks to study methods, ethics, concepts, and researcher positionality. Arrange the January-to-March continuation with your teacher. In this situation, being finished before winter break means being fully on schedule, not completing the entire IA.

Build a feasible and ethical investigation

A workable HL question examines a specific social or cultural process in an accessible setting. For example, you might investigate how status is negotiated during meetings of a school club through observation and semi-structured interviews.

Test the question against five conditions:

Access: Can you enter the setting repeatedly during October?
Scope: Can limited fieldwork address the question?
Anthropological focus: Does it connect social practice to a concept or theory?
Evidence: Will the methods produce interpretable information?
Ethics: Can you maintain consent, confidentiality, and protection from harm?

Consent must be secured before participation, and collected information must be stored securely. Keep a dated research log recording access, consent, fieldwork sessions, methodological changes, positionality, and limitations. These details provide evidence for meaningful reflection later.

The IB's guidance on artificial intelligence in assessment explains that AI-generated work is not regarded as the student's own and must be acknowledged when included. Jojo AI may help you interpret criteria or test whether a plan is manageable, but it should not produce your fieldwork analysis or submission-ready reflection.

Common scheduling mistakes

Waiting for the perfect question: Choose a narrow, accessible question by mid-September.
Starting before approval: Editing cannot repair fieldwork conducted without appropriate consent.
Confusing data with analysis: Organize evidence into patterns, contrasts, exceptions, and relevant themes.
Leaving reflection until November: Record positionality and methodological decisions after each session.
Extending fieldwork unnecessarily: Protect November as a writing and revision month.
Ignoring the SL sequence: Never compress the compulsory 4-6 month interval to meet a personal target.

Keep the weekly workload manageable

During September and October, schedule two longer sessions for planning or fieldwork and one shorter session for organization. Digitize notes, anonymize participant details, and record a methodological reflection within 24 hours of every visit.

The RevisionDojo Study Planner can place these tasks alongside other deadlines. You can also examine Social and Cultural Anthropology coursework exemplars for principles of organization and analytical depth, without copying their questions or wording.

Conclusion

An effective IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA timeline starts in early September. HL students should finish planning during September, close fieldwork by October 31, and protect November for interpretation, reflection, and revision.

SL students must respect the required interval after their initial observation. RevisionDojo's subject hub, IA planning guidance, and Coursework Grader can support planning and criterion-based review while the research and final writing remain your own.

Sources and referenced URLs

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