What are the four MYP Physics criteria?

The four MYP Physics criteria are A: Knowing and understanding, B: Inquiring and designing, C: Processing and evaluating, and D: Reflecting on the impacts of science. Each criterion assesses a different part of scientific performance rather than a separate Physics topic. Criterion A focuses on explaining and applying knowledge, while B focuses on planning valid investigations. Criterion C assesses data handling and evaluation, and D examines applications and implications of science. Each criterion has a maximum achievement level of 8 and is equally weighted.

How do you achieve a 7-8 in an MYP Physics criterion?

A 7-8 requires evidence matching the highest descriptor band for the criterion and programme year. In Criterion A, this means explaining knowledge, applying it successfully in familiar and unfamiliar situations, and making scientifically supported judgments. In Criteria B and C, students must justify investigation choices, handle data accurately, and evaluate validity with specific evidence. Criterion D requires a balanced evaluation of implications rather than a simple list of advantages and disadvantages. Students should read the task-specific clarification because the exact evidence needed depends on the assignment.

What is the difference between Criterion B and Criterion C in MYP Physics?

Criterion B assesses how an investigation is formulated and designed before data are analysed. It covers the research question, hypothesis, scientific reasoning, variables, data-collection strategy, equipment, method, and relevant safety considerations. Criterion C assesses the evidence produced by an investigation and what the student concludes from it. It covers data presentation, calculations, graphs, interpretation, hypothesis evaluation, method evaluation, and improvements or extensions. A useful distinction is that B asks whether the planned investigation can generate valid evidence, while C asks what the evidence shows and how trustworthy it is.

How is the MYP Physics eAssessment structured?

The public IB Sciences subject brief presents the Physics eAssessment as a two-hour on-screen examination organized into three broad tasks. The knowing-and-understanding task mainly assesses Criterion A, while the investigation-skills task mainly assesses Criteria B and C. The applying-science task principally assesses Criterion D through a real-world scientific issue. The current public brief shows an indicative distribution of 25 marks, 50 marks, and 25 marks, although the blueprint allows limited variation and questions can assess more than one criterion. Schools and candidates should use the current session documentation provided by the IB because older materials may display a different total-mark scale.

Are MYP Physics grade boundaries always 28 out of 32 for a grade 7?

For ordinary criterion-based school reporting, the commonly used MYP conversion places 28-32 at grade 7 and 24-27 at grade 6. These totals come from adding the four classroom criterion levels, each out of 8. Schools should still follow their authorized reporting policy and current IB guidance when issuing grades. External MYP Physics eAssessment works differently because the IB converts raw examination marks using subject- and session-specific boundaries. A student should therefore never assume that 28 out of 32 or a particular raw percentage is automatically the external examination boundary for every session.

Does MYP Physics require practical investigation skills?

Yes, practical inquiry is central to MYP Physics even when a particular assessment is completed on screen. Criterion B requires students to formulate and design investigations, while Criterion C requires them to process evidence and evaluate conclusions and methods. Classroom work may involve conducting a real experiment, collecting measurements, and producing a laboratory report. In eAssessment, similar skills can be tested through simulations, provided data, experimental scenarios, diagrams, or method-design questions. Students should therefore practise both hands-on investigations and written responses based on unfamiliar experimental evidence.

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MYP Physics Criteria: Grading and eAssessment

MYP Physics Assessment MYP IB Physics IB Grading

Michael R.

• 11 Sept 2026•11

MYP Physics Criteria: Grading and eAssessment

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MYP Physics Criteria: Grading and eAssessment | RevisionDojo

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MYP Physics Criteria: Grading and eAssessment

MYP Physics Assessment MYP IB Physics IB Grading

Michael R.

• 11 Sept 2026•11

MYP Physics is assessed through four equally weighted criteria: A: Knowing and understanding, B: Inquiring and designing, C: Processing and evaluating, and D: Reflecting on the impacts of science. Each criterion has a maximum achievement level of 8, producing a classroom total out of 32 that can be converted into a final grade from 1 to 7.

Physics belongs to the MYP Sciences subject group, so these criteria assess more than factual recall. Students must apply concepts, design investigations, interpret evidence, evaluate methods, and examine the implications of scientific applications. The official IB Sciences subject brief outlines this framework.

The four MYP Physics criteria

Criterion	Official focus	Typical Physics evidence
A	Knowing and understanding	Explanations, calculations, models, data interpretation, and scientific judgments
B	Inquiring and designing	Research questions, hypotheses, variables, data-collection plans, and safe methods
C	Processing and evaluating	Tables, graphs, calculations, conclusions, method evaluation, and improvements
D	Reflecting on the impacts of science	Applications of physics and their social, environmental, economic, or ethical implications

Criterion A: Knowing and understanding

Criterion A measures whether students can explain scientific knowledge, apply it to familiar and unfamiliar problems, and analyse information to make supported judgments. Tasks might involve explaining electromagnetic induction, calculating work using $W=Fs$ , interpreting a motion graph, or assessing a claim about energy efficiency.

Using the correct formula does not by itself demonstrate top-band performance. Students should select the appropriate relationship, substitute values with units, show logical working, and interpret the answer in context. Strong responses explain why an effect occurs using relevant physical principles rather than merely describing it.

Criterion B: Inquiring and designing

Criterion B assesses the planning of an investigation. By MYP Year 5, students should be able to explain a research problem, formulate and justify a testable hypothesis, identify variables, explain how sufficient relevant data will be collected, and design a logical method.

For a pendulum investigation, a student could vary pendulum length and measure period while controlling release angle and mass. A strong design specifies an appropriate range, repeats measurements, includes safety considerations, and explains why timing several oscillations reduces percentage uncertainty.

A numbered method is not automatically a valid design. The student must justify important choices, including the range, intervals, controls, instruments, repetitions, and amount of data required.

Criterion C: Processing and evaluating

Criterion C concerns how students use experimental results. It assesses data presentation and transformation, scientific interpretation, evaluation of the hypothesis and method, and explanation of realistic improvements or extensions.

Students may calculate a mean, gradient, efficiency, or percentage uncertainty. Tables need headings and units, while graphs require suitable scales, labelled axes, accurate plotting, and an appropriate best-fit line or curve.

Evaluation should be specific. Instead of stating that “human error affected the results,” identify the limitation, explain its likely effect, and propose a feasible response. For example, reaction time creates stopwatch uncertainty; using a light gate would reduce that uncertainty through electronic measurement.

Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science

Criterion D assesses how well students connect physics to a real-world issue. Students explain how science is applied, evaluate implications, use scientific language, and document sources.

A nuclear-power task might require an explanation of fission followed by consideration of reliability, emissions, radioactive waste, cost, safety, and public acceptance. Listing advantages and disadvantages is weaker than weighing their importance and reaching a justified conclusion for the stated context. Citations matter because documenting other people's work forms part of scientific communication.

How MYP Physics grading works

MYP assessment is criterion-related: work is compared with published descriptors rather than ranked against classmates. Achievement bands are generally 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8. A level of 0 means the evidence does not reach a standard described by the rubric.

Teachers make a best-fit judgment by selecting the descriptor band that most accurately represents the evidence, then determining the level within that band. Criterion strands are not separate points that should be mechanically added. Final criterion levels should also reflect sufficient evidence rather than a simple average of every task completed.

The four reported criterion levels are added:

\text{Criterion total}=A+B+C+D

Total criterion levels	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 zero indicates that no described standard has been reached. Schools must follow their authorized reporting policy and current IB documentation rather than treating achievement levels as percentages. The RevisionDojo guide to MYP grade boundaries explains the wider conversion process.

Worked grading example

Suppose a student receives A: 7, B: 6, C: 7, and D: 6. The total is:

7+6+7+6=26

A score of 26 out of 32 converts to a classroom grade of 6. Raising B alone to 7 produces 27, which remains a grade 6; raising both B and D by one level produces 28 and reaches grade 7. This illustrates why students should address weaker criteria rather than concentrating only on content knowledge.

MYP Physics eAssessment criteria

The MYP Physics eAssessment is an externally marked on-screen examination for eligible Year 5 students registered by their school. The IB provides an overview of MYP assessment and separate information about MYP passing criteria.

The public Sciences subject brief presents a 100-mark structure:

eAssessment task	Main criteria	Indicative marks
Knowing and understanding	A	25
Investigation skills	B and C	50
Applying science	D	25

The blueprint permits limited variation, and some questions may provide evidence for more than one criterion. Students should use current session information supplied through their school rather than assuming every examination has perfectly isolated sections.

External eAssessment grades are not calculated by placing the raw examination percentage into the classroom 32-point conversion table. Examiners award marks using authorized markschemes, after which the IB establishes subject- and session-specific grade boundaries. RevisionDojo's guide to MYP eAssessment duration and grading explains this distinction further.

How to improve in every criterion

Students should organize practice around the evidence required:

Criterion A: explain equations, show units, solve unfamiliar problems, and justify conclusions from data.
Criterion B: plan investigations with justified hypotheses, variables, controls, ranges, repetitions, equipment, and safety measures.
Criterion C: process unfamiliar data, construct graphs, discuss uncertainty, and connect each improvement to a named limitation.
Criterion D: combine accurate physics with balanced implications, credible sources, and a reasoned judgment.

Command terms also matter. State, describe, explain, analyse, and evaluate require different depths of reasoning. A scientifically correct response can underperform if it describes an issue when the question requires evaluation.

Students can target applications and calculations with the MYP Physics Questionbank, use the MYP Physics resource hub for study materials, and consult the MYP assessment criteria guide when translating descriptors into evidence.

Common misconceptions

“Physics is mainly Criterion A.” All four criteria are equally weighted in the MYP framework.
“A level 6 means 75%.” Achievement levels describe rubric performance and are not percentages.
“Criterion B includes the results.” B addresses inquiry design; processing results and evaluating the completed investigation belong to C.
“Any improvement earns Criterion C credit.” Improvements must address identified limitations and explain how data quality would improve.
“The classroom table predicts eAssessment grades.” External boundaries depend on the subject and examination session.

Conclusion

The MYP Physics criteria assess understanding, investigation design, evidence evaluation, and reflection on scientific impacts. Classroom achievement levels are awarded out of 8 using best-fit descriptors, combined into a total out of 32, and converted to a grade from 1 to 7.

Students improve most reliably when they use the rubric to identify the evidence missing from their work. RevisionDojo's MYP Physics Study Notes, Questionbank, Flashcards, and practice tools can support this criteria-based revision.

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