IB History HL Internal Assessment Example

Research question is clearly and precisely stated twice with appropriate timeframe and command term

Two sources are explicitly identified (primary and secondary) with clear relevance to the research question

Detailed analysis of origin, purpose, content, value and limitations for both sources, demonstrating engagement with bias and historiographical context

Occasional drift into narrative when discussing limitations of Source 1

Relevance justification for Source 2 is concise and could be more fully developed

Some limitation discussion (cut-off sentence) is incomplete

Logical and coherent structure with clear sub-headings and effective sectioning

Critical analysis that moves beyond description, contrasting ‘optimist’ and ‘pessimist’ historiographies with integrated evidence

Explicit evaluation of different perspectives and a reasoned conclusion that aligns with the evidence

Occasional repetition of historiographical labels and minor lapses in clarity

Inconsistent citation and footnote formatting reduces scholarly rigor

Conclusion is abrupt and could better tie back to the research question