Many IB students are surprised when their Internal Assessment receives a lower mark than expected despite weeks or months of hard work. This frustration usually comes from a misunderstanding of how IB IAs are assessed. The IB does not reward effort, difficulty, or time spent. It rewards how clearly and consistently your work meets the assessment criteria.
IB examiners never see your drafts, planning notes, or late nights. They only evaluate the final submission. If key skills are not immediately visible—such as focused analysis, relevant evidence, and clear justification—marks are lost regardless of how much work went into the IA. This is one of the most common reasons strong students underperform.
A major issue is the belief that harder topics score better. In reality, overly complex investigations often lead to weaker outcomes. Students struggle to control variables, explain results clearly, or maintain focus. Simpler topics that are tightly scoped and deeply analysed almost always score higher. Precision beats ambition in IB coursework.
Another reason effort doesn’t translate into marks is poor alignment with the criteria. Many IAs include large sections of content that are interesting but unnecessary. Examiners do not reward background knowledge unless it directly supports the research question. Extra content that does not serve a clear purpose can actually lower marks by reducing clarity and focus.
Structure also plays a critical role. Examiners read quickly and systematically. If your argument is difficult to follow, poorly signposted, or inconsistently linked to the research question, strong ideas may not be credited. Clear organisation helps examiners see where marks should be awarded.
Perhaps the biggest reason hardworking students lose marks is an overreliance on description. Explaining what happened, what was studied, or what the data shows is not enough. IB criteria consistently reward analysis—explaining why results matter, how they answer the research question, and what the implications are.
This is why RevisionDojo emphasises strategy over effort. The RevisionDojo Coursework Guide explains how to plan, structure, and write an IA so every section earns marks rather than just adds words. When students understand what examiners are actually looking for, their effort finally translates into higher grades.
👉 https://www.revisiondojo.com/coursework-guide
