IB Computer Science (CS) SL Extended Essay Example
To what extent is there a time complexity and output storage space difference between HEVC and AV1 codecs in terms of encoding?SL
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B
Official IB Result
21/34
Criteria A: Focus and Method
5/6
0
3
6
Criteria StrandsPro
A.1Topic Communication
Excellent
A.2Research Question
Excellent
A.3Methodology
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Clear and effective communication of topic with explicit motivation linked to practical relevance
Well-defined, focused research question prominently stated and consistently connected to analysis
Comprehensive methodology with appropriate variables, detailed procedures, and evidence of informed selection
Minor phrasing lapses (e.g., awkward sentences) that slightly obscure clarity
No justification provided for sample selection criteria
Limited discussion of measurement error and its mitigation
1.1·Strength
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The research question is stated prominently and remains central throughout the report, demonstrating clear focus and connection to subsequent sections.
1.2·Strength
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The motivation linking encoding time and file size to server resources and user experience shows clear understanding of practical relevance.
1.3·Weakness
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The introduction frames the streaming challenge effectively, but the sentence “video codecs with encode the data” is awkward. Revise for clarity (e.g., “codecs encode raw video data”).
1.4·Suggestion
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Independent, dependent, and control variables are well identified, but justify selection of video sample criteria to strengthen methodological rigor.
1.5·Suggestion
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Procedural steps are detailed and logical, though adding code snippets inline could immediately illustrate script structure without referring to appendices.
Criteria B: Knowledge and Understanding
4/6
0
3
6
Criteria StrandsPro
B.1Subject Knowledge
Good
B.2Use of Terminology
Good
Criteria Feedback
Good demonstration of subject knowledge with mostly relevant and accurate use of sources
Frequent and generally accurate application of specialist terminology
Clear explanations of key concepts supported by figures
Explanations occasionally surface-level and contain minor inaccuracies or typos (e.g., “discreate”)
Some theoretical discussions lack depth (e.g., formal justification of Big-O notation)
Missed opportunities to deepen conceptual links (e.g., encoding parameters to complexity)
2.1·Suggestion
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Terminology like “HEVC” and “AV1” is introduced accurately, but including publication years in citations (e.g., Haivision, n.d.) would strengthen academic precision.
2.2·Suggestion
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Your background section defines video codecs well, but expanding on how encoding parameters (bitrate, resolution) directly tie to complexity could deepen understanding.
2.3·Strength
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The explanation of CTUs, CUs and quadtrees is technically clear; graphics (Figure 1) reinforce the description effectively.
2.4·Weakness
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The overview of transformation and quantization uses accurate terms (DCT, DST, TUs), though “Discreate Sine Transform” is a typo—correct to “Discrete Sine Transform”.
2.5·Strength
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Your explanation of entropy coding and CABAC is comprehensive, demonstrating excellent grasp of context modeling and arithmetic coding processes.
2.6·Strength
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The time complexity section defines Big O effectively and uses an illustrative figure to support understanding of asymptotic trends.
Criteria C: Critical Thinking
6/12
0
6
12
Criteria StrandsPro
C.1Research Application
Moderate
C.2Analysis
Moderate
C.3Discussion and Evaluation
Moderate
Criteria Feedback
Consistent relevance of research activities and background theory to the research question
Meaningful data analysis with comparative modeling (linear vs. quadratic) and supported numerical conclusions
Clear integration of graphs and quantitative evidence to support analytical claims
Discussion and evaluation are present but somewhat cursory, lacking deep statistical robustness (e.g., p-values, confidence intervals)
Limited exploration of alternative methodologies and potential biases
Suggestions for deeper critical evaluation (e.g., perceptual metrics) remain unaddressed
3.1·Suggestion
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When introducing AV1’s multi-symbol encoding, including a brief comparison to HEVC’s single-symbol context enhances critical evaluation of algorithmic trade-offs.
3.2·Suggestion
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The data-processing section correctly derives frames per video, but explicitly linking this step to the research question would reinforce analytical relevance.
3.3·Strength
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Graphs are used effectively to visualize encoding time and file-size trends, supporting comparative analysis across codecs.
3.4·Question
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When fitting models, you adjust the y-intercept to zero; justify this choice statistically to avoid introducing bias in intercept estimation.
3.5·Suggestion
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The comparison of linear vs quadratic fits using R² is sound; consider adding p-values or confidence intervals to strengthen statistical robustness.
3.6·Suggestion
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Discussion recognizes quality–compression trade-offs but could further evaluate how CDEF and IDTX impact perceptual metrics, not just file size.
3.7·Strength
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The conclusion reflects on limitations and suggests extending the experiment, showing evaluative reflection on methodology.
Criteria D: Presentation
3/4
0
2
4
Criteria StrandsPro
D.1Structure
Excellent
D.2Layout
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Logical academic structure with clear headings, contents page, and consistent formatting
Fully applied layout considerations (font consistency, captions, page numbers) that support readability
Proper use of LaTeX for equations and consistent bibliography styling
Some minor presentation issues (e.g., cut-off sentence, missing dot leaders in contents)
Code blocks could be better positioned under standardized headers for clarity
Occasional undefined variables in equations hinder immediate comprehension
4.1·Suggestion
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The candidate code is clearly displayed, but consider repositioning it under a standard header rather than inline to enhance presentation clarity.
4.2·Suggestion
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Consider adding dot leaders between section titles and page numbers to improve visual alignment and reader usability in the contents.
4.3·Strength
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The table of contents is comprehensive and well organized, supporting navigation through the investigation’s structure.
4.4·Weakness
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In the prediction subsection, the last sentence is cut off. Ensure complete paragraphs to maintain coherence and reader comprehension.
4.5·Suggestion
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Equations are correctly formatted in LaTeX; ensure all variables (e.g., x, y) are defined immediately to avoid reader confusion.
4.6·Suggestion
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The list of control variables covers key factors. Consider grouping related items under sub-headings to improve reader clarity.
4.7·Suggestion
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Raw data tables are presented clearly, but including units in column headers (e.g., “Time (s)”) would improve immediate interpretability.
4.8·Strength
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Bibliography entries are formatted consistently in APA style, demonstrating attention to source accuracy and consistency.