IB History HL Internal Assessment Example

You ask a clear, focused, and historically manageable question that allows for a nuanced argument about extent rather than a simple yes/no claim.

You select two highly relevant scholarly sources that directly represent contrasting interpretations of the Salem trials.

You explain why each source matters to the inquiry and evaluate both their value and limitations with good attention to origin, purpose, and content.

You could define socioeconomic status more precisely so the investigation is easier to operationalize.

At times you lean too much on the authority of academic publication rather than the actual method and evidence of the sources.

The limitations of each source could be connected even more tightly to how far each one can answer the specific question.

Your investigation is generally clear, coherent, and logically organized from framing the debate through to the final judgement.

You move beyond description by comparing interpretations and using case evidence to test whether a socioeconomic pattern really existed.

You reach a reasoned conclusion that is consistent with the evidence you present and that acknowledges complexity rather than forcing a simplistic answer.

Some sections repeat the same overall point without deepening the analysis enough each time.

A few individual examples are used illustratively rather than being unpacked in enough detail to fully prove the claim being made.

The discussion of alternative explanations is present but could be weighed more explicitly against the socioeconomic argument instead of being mainly listed as additional factors.