Biology Extended Essay Exemplar: To what extent does increasing the… | RevisionDojo

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IB Biology SL Extended Essay Example

To what extent does increasing the distance to UV source (10cm, 20cm, 30cm, 40cm, 50cm) and changing UV type (UVA and UVB) affect the fermentation rate, as measured by height growth over 120 minutes (cm/min), of Saccharomyces cerevisiae?SL

Official IB Result

IB Grade: B

Criteria A: Focus and Method

4/6

Criteria StrandsPro

A.1Topic communication and explanation

Good

A.2Research question formulation and focus

Good

A.3Methodology appropriateness and completeness

Moderate

Criteria Feedback

The student communicates a recognizable scientific topic with enough background for the reader to understand the investigation context.
The student's research question is clearly stated and experimentally addressable in broad terms.
The student includes a range of practical details such as variables, replicates, preliminary trials, and safety considerations.

The explanation sometimes extends beyond what the student's method can actually prove.
The comparison between UVA and UVB is not fully controlled because lamp power and irradiance are not matched.
The method would be stronger with a non-UV control and clearer justification for how the distances were chosen.

Criteria B: Knowledge and Understanding

4/6

Criteria StrandsPro

B.1Application of source material

Good

B.2Use of terminology and concepts

Good

Criteria Feedback

The student uses relevant scientific terminology in a mostly accurate way, including key terms related to yeast, fermentation, UV exposure, variables, and statistics.
The student selects source material that is generally relevant to the investigation and uses it to support the biological context.
The student shows awareness of how model organisms and UV effects relate to the research question.

Some source use is broader than the investigation actually requires, so not every reference is used with equal precision.
There are inconsistencies in terminology and units, especially when describing a height-based measurement.
Some statistical terms and interpretations need tightening, such as the difference between precision and accuracy and the meaning of hypothesis-test decisions.

Criteria C: Critical Thinking

7/12

Criteria StrandsPro

C.1Research analysis

Moderate

C.2Discussion and evaluation

Poor

C.3Argument development

Poor

Criteria Feedback

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Criteria D: Presentation

4/4

Criteria StrandsPro

D.1Structure appropriateness

Excellent

D.2Layout and formatting

Good

Criteria Feedback

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Loading scores...

Official IB Result

IB Grade: B

Criteria A: Focus and Method

4/6

Criteria StrandsPro

A.1Topic communication and explanation

Good

A.2Research question formulation and focus

Good

A.3Methodology appropriateness and completeness

Moderate

Criteria Feedback

The student communicates a recognizable scientific topic with enough background for the reader to understand the investigation context.
The student's research question is clearly stated and experimentally addressable in broad terms.
The student includes a range of practical details such as variables, replicates, preliminary trials, and safety considerations.

The explanation sometimes extends beyond what the student's method can actually prove.
The comparison between UVA and UVB is not fully controlled because lamp power and irradiance are not matched.
The method would be stronger with a non-UV control and clearer justification for how the distances were chosen.

Criteria B: Knowledge and Understanding

4/6

Criteria StrandsPro

B.1Application of source material

Good

B.2Use of terminology and concepts

Good

Criteria Feedback

The student uses relevant scientific terminology in a mostly accurate way, including key terms related to yeast, fermentation, UV exposure, variables, and statistics.
The student selects source material that is generally relevant to the investigation and uses it to support the biological context.
The student shows awareness of how model organisms and UV effects relate to the research question.

Some source use is broader than the investigation actually requires, so not every reference is used with equal precision.
There are inconsistencies in terminology and units, especially when describing a height-based measurement.
Some statistical terms and interpretations need tightening, such as the difference between precision and accuracy and the meaning of hypothesis-test decisions.

Criteria C: Critical Thinking

7/12

Criteria StrandsPro

C.1Research analysis

Moderate

C.2Discussion and evaluation

Poor

C.3Argument development

Poor

Criteria Feedback

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Criteria D: Presentation

4/4

Criteria StrandsPro

D.1Structure appropriateness

Excellent

D.2Layout and formatting

Good

Criteria Feedback

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.