Are the four MYP Individuals and Societies criteria equally weighted?

Yes, Criteria A, B, C, and D are equally weighted when calculating the school-based criterion total. Each receives a final achievement level from 0 to 8, so each can contribute up to eight of the available 32 points. A high level in Criterion A therefore cannot be given an additional multiplier simply because it assesses knowledge and understanding. Strength in one criterion can compensate mathematically for a lower level in another when the four levels are added. However, balanced achievement is usually the most reliable way to reach the higher final grades.

Does a teacher average every Individuals and Societies criterion score?

Not necessarily, because MYP reporting is based on a best-fit judgment rather than an automatic arithmetic average. Teachers examine a body of evidence and select the descriptor that most accurately represents the student's demonstrated achievement in each criterion. They may consider consistency, recency, task demands, and whether all relevant strands have been demonstrated. A sequence of 4, 5, and 6 could therefore result in a final level of 6 if the strongest recent evidence is sufficiently consistent. The school's assessment policy should explain how these professional judgments are standardized and reported.

What total is needed for a grade 7 in MYP Individuals and Societies?

Under the standard school-assessment boundary guidelines, a total of 28 to 32 produces a final grade of 7. Because four criteria contribute equally, this generally requires performance averaging around level 7 across the criteria. It does not require four perfect level 8 results. For example, levels of 7, 7, 7, and 7 total 28 and reach the grade 7 boundary. These classroom boundaries should not be used to predict an official eAssessment grade from raw examination marks.

Can a low level in one criterion prevent a high final grade?

For the ordinary total calculation, there is no separate rule requiring the same minimum level in every Individuals and Societies criterion. The four final levels are added, so stronger achievement in other criteria can compensate numerically for one weaker result. For example, levels of 8, 5, 8, and 7 total 28, which reaches the standard grade 7 boundary. Nevertheless, a weak criterion reduces the margin for error and may indicate an important skill gap. Schools may also impose local reporting or progression requirements, which should not be confused with the IB's standard total calculation.

Is 24 out of 32 the same as 75 percent in MYP grading?

Mathematically, 24 divided by 32 is 75%, but MYP criterion levels are not designed as conventional percentage marks. A level represents performance against a qualitative descriptor rather than the proportion of questions answered correctly. Under the standard boundary table, 24 out of 32 converts to a final MYP grade of 6. It would be misleading to assume that every score of 75% on a classroom test must also represent grade 6 performance. Teachers should first interpret evidence through the relevant criteria and only then combine the final levels.

Are classroom grade boundaries the same as MYP eAssessment boundaries?

No, the fixed classroom conversion from a criterion total out of 32 is different from the official eAssessment awarding process. In an on-screen eAssessment, IB examiners award raw marks using examination markschemes and markbands. The IB then establishes subject- and session-specific boundaries for final grades from 1 to 7. Those raw-mark boundaries can change between examination sessions to account for differences in paper difficulty while maintaining standards. Students should therefore use boundaries published for the correct Individuals and Societies discipline and session rather than applying the classroom 32-point table.

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MYP Individuals and Societies Criteria to Final Grade

MYP Individuals and Societies Assessment MYP IB Grading

• 16 Sept 2026•10

MYP Individuals and Societies Criteria to Final Grade

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MYP Individuals and Societies Criteria to Final Grade

MYP Individuals and Societies Assessment MYP IB Grading

• 16 Sept 2026•10

MYP Individuals and Societies criteria levels become a final grade in two stages. First, the teacher determines one final achievement level from 0 to 8 for each of the four criteria. Those levels are added to produce a total out of 32, which is converted into a final MYP grade from 1 to 7 using the MYP grade boundary guidelines.

The arithmetic is simple, but selecting criterion levels requires professional judgment. Teachers do not normally average every score earned during the reporting period. This school-based process must also be distinguished from the awarding process used for the optional MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment.

The four Individuals and Societies criteria

The official IB Individuals and Societies overview identifies four equally weighted criteria.

Criterion	Maximum	What it assesses
A: Knowing and understanding	8	Terminology, factual and conceptual knowledge, explanations, and examples
B: Investigating	8	Research questions, action plans, methods, information collection, and evaluation
C: Communicating	8	Organization, appropriate format, communication for an audience, and source documentation
D: Thinking critically	8	Analysis, source evaluation, perspectives, arguments, and supported conclusions

Descriptors are arranged into achievement bands such as 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8. A level of 0 means that the work has not reached a standard described by the first band. Strand wording varies by MYP year, so teachers must use the criteria appropriate to the student's stage of the programme. See RevisionDojo's guide to MYP Individuals and Societies criteria for a closer explanation.

How final criterion levels are determined

A score from one assignment is evidence for a criterion, not automatically its final reported level. Teachers collect evidence from source analyses, investigations, presentations, essays, fieldwork, and examinations. Students should receive sufficient opportunities to demonstrate every criterion and its relevant strands.

At the reporting point, the teacher makes a best-fit judgment for Criteria A, B, C, and D. This means choosing the descriptor that most accurately represents the student's demonstrated achievement across the available evidence.

Suppose a student earns Criterion D levels of 4, 5, and 6. The final level is not automatically the arithmetic mean of 5. A level 6 may be justified if recent, relevant evidence consistently demonstrates the 5-6 descriptor. Conversely, one isolated level 6 may not justify a final 6 if the wider evidence remains at level 4 or 5.

Schools should explain through their assessment policies how teachers consider recency, consistency, task demands, and sufficiency of evidence. This is why a gradebook average may differ from the eventual criterion level. RevisionDojo's guide to MYP criteria A, B, C, and D clarifies this distinction.

Combining the four criterion levels

Once one final level has been established for each criterion, the teacher adds them:

Total = A + B + C + D

Each criterion has a maximum of 8, so the total ranges from 0 to 32. The criteria are equally weighted. Criterion A does not count more because it concerns subject knowledge, and Criterion D does not receive an additional multiplier for critical thinking.

Worked example

Criterion	Final level
A: Knowing and understanding	7
B: Investigating	5
C: Communicating	6
D: Thinking critically	6
Total	24 out of 32

The calculation is 7 + 5 + 6 + 6 = 24. Under the standard boundary guidelines, 24 out of 32 converts to a final grade of 6. Although 24 divided by 32 equals 75%, MYP criterion totals should not be treated as conventional percentage scores.

MYP Individuals and Societies grade boundaries

For school-based assessment, the standard MYP boundary guidelines are:

Criterion-level total	Final MYP grade
1-5	1
6-9	2
10-14	3
15-18	4
19-23	5
24-27	6
28-32	7

A total of 0 indicates that no assessed criterion reached the first described achievement band. Schools should handle this according to their authorized reporting procedures rather than automatically treating it as an ordinary grade 1.

Boundaries make individual improvements significant. Moving from 23 to 24 points changes the final grade from 5 to 6, while moving from 24 to 25 remains within grade 6. Even without an immediate grade change, a higher criterion level represents progress and moves the total closer to the next boundary.

Students can review RevisionDojo's explanations of the MYP grade boundary system and internal MYP assessment boundaries.

Why averaging assignments is a mistake

A simple points system treats every task as interchangeable. MYP tasks may assess different criteria, strands, or levels of complexity, so scores do not necessarily represent equivalent evidence.

Common errors include:

averaging every task score and converting it into a percentage
treating a criterion level of 6 as 60% or 75%
adding several scores for one criterion instead of selecting a final level
weighting Criterion A more heavily than the other criteria
using one assignment grade as the final subject grade
assuming every task must assess all four criteria

The correct sequence is evidence to final criterion levels, criterion levels to a total out of 32, and total to a grade from 1 to 7. RevisionDojo's general explanation of MYP grading helps distinguish these numbers.

The MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment exception

The optional MYP Individuals and Societies eAssessment should not be recalculated using the classroom table. It is a formal on-screen examination externally marked by IB examiners. Although it assesses evidence connected to all four subject criteria, examiners award marks through authorized markschemes before the IB applies its examination awarding process.

External boundaries are subject-specific and session-specific. They may change to maintain comparable standards when examination difficulty varies. A practice-paper mark should therefore not be converted using the fixed 32-point classroom table unless a school has specifically adapted that paper for internal criterion-based assessment.

External assessment is optional for schools, but relevant components are required for students pursuing official MYP course results or the full MYP certificate. The IB MYP assessment page explains on-screen examinations and moderated ePortfolios. RevisionDojo also offers a student guide to MYP eAssessment.

Using the grading system strategically

Check the total required for the next grade, then identify which criterion offers the strongest realistic opportunity for improvement. Raising Criterion C from 5 to 6 may be more achievable than moving Criterion A from 7 to 8, depending on teacher feedback and remaining assessment opportunities.

For each criterion, ask:

A: Are my terminology, examples, and explanations accurate and relevant?
B: Is my research question focused, and can I justify and evaluate my method?
C: Is my response organized for its purpose and audience, with sources documented correctly?
D: Do I analyse evidence, evaluate perspectives, and reach a supported judgment?

Compare your work with every applicable strand in the full descriptor rather than targeting a number alone. Review the concept, answer a criterion-aligned question, apply feedback, and rewrite the weakest section. The Individuals and Societies resource hub and Individuals and Societies Questionbank support this approach.

Conclusion

Teachers select one best-fit level from 0 to 8 for each of Criteria A, B, C, and D. The equally weighted levels are added out of 32, then converted into a final grade from 1 to 7. This criterion-related process is not a percentage average of assignments, while official eAssessment uses separate external marking and boundaries.

Students should use feedback to target the criterion most likely to improve their total. RevisionDojo's Study Notes, Questionbank, Flashcards, and Jojo AI can connect content review with criterion-focused practice.

Sources and referenced URLs

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The four Individuals and Societies criteria

The official IB Individuals and Societies overview identifies four equally weighted criteria.

Criterion	Maximum	What it assesses
A: Knowing and understanding	8	Terminology, factual and conceptual knowledge, explanations, and examples
B: Investigating	8	Research questions, action plans, methods, information collection, and evaluation
C: Communicating	8	Organization, appropriate format, communication for an audience, and source documentation
D: Thinking critically	8	Analysis, source evaluation, perspectives, arguments, and supported conclusions