One of the most common reasons IB Internal Assessments lose marks is an overly broad research question. Many students believe that choosing a wide, ambitious question will show depth and sophistication. In reality, the opposite is usually true. Broad research questions make strong analysis and evaluation far more difficult, and often cap grades earlier than students expect.

Understanding why this happens helps students refine their focus and protect marks from the start.

Broad Questions Create Superficial Analysis

When a research question covers too much ground, students are forced to spread their analysis thinly. This often leads to:

• Brief discussion of many points
• Limited depth in each section
• Generalised conclusions

Examiners reward depth, not coverage. A narrow question allows students to explore cause-and-effect relationships and justify conclusions more convincingly.

Students Confuse Scope With Complexity

Many students assume that a complex-sounding question will impress examiners. As a result, they choose questions that try to investigate:

• Too many variables
• Long time periods
• Multiple concepts at once

Complexity in IB coursework comes from how well ideas are analysed, not how many ideas are included. Narrow questions often lead to more sophisticated thinking.

Broad Questions Make Evaluation Weak

Evaluation depends on having something specific to judge. When a question is too broad:

• Limitations become vague
• Conclusions become descriptive
• Judgments lack justification

Students often end up summarising findings rather than evaluating them, which limits access to higher mark bands.

Broad Focus Leads to Structural Problems

An unclear or overly broad question often results in:

• Sections that feel loosely connected
• Repetition of ideas
• Difficulty deciding what to include or cut

Examiners quickly notice when an IA lacks a clear line of inquiry, even if individual paragraphs are well written.

Why Students Choose Broad Questions

Students usually choose broad questions because:

• They are afraid of being “too narrow”
• They want flexibility later
• They are unsure what examiners expect

Unfortunately, this flexibility often turns into confusion and rewriting.

Narrow Questions Are Easier to Control

Strong IA questions are focused enough that students can:

• Stay relevant throughout
• Select evidence confidently
• Develop sustained analysis
• Reach justified conclusions

Narrow does not mean simple — it means manageable.

Refining a Broad Question

A broad question can often be improved by:

• Limiting the context
• Reducing the number of variables
• Focusing on one clear relationship

Refinement is usually far more effective than starting again.

Why This Matters Across All IB Subjects

This issue appears in:

• Sciences
• Humanities
• Languages
• Arts

Because the underlying problem is the same: unclear focus limits analysis and evaluation regardless of subject.

Getting the Focus Right Early

Students who refine their research question early:

• Save time later
• Avoid major rewrites
• Score more consistently across criteria

The challenge is knowing how narrow is narrow enough.

Using a Clear Coursework Framework

Most students struggle with focus because they don’t have a clear model for what a strong IA question looks like. A structured coursework framework helps students:

• Judge whether a question is too broad
• Refine focus confidently
• Align the question with assessment criteria

If you’re working on any IB IA or the Extended Essay, following a clear coursework system can help you get your research question right from the start.

You can find a step-by-step guide to refining IA and EE focus here:
👉 https://www.revisiondojo.com/coursework-guide

Final Thoughts

A broad IA research question may feel safe, but it often limits depth, clarity, and evaluation. Strong IAs are built on focused questions that allow sustained analysis and justified conclusions. Getting the focus right early is one of the most effective ways to improve both grades and confidence.