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IB History HL Internal Assessment Exemplar: To what extent were the political structure and beliefs of Mayan city-states the most important factor in the decline of the Mayan civilizations?
To what extent were the political structure and beliefs of Mayan city-states the most important factor in the decline of the Mayan civilizations?
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5
Official IB Result
14/25
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Criteria A: Identification and evaluation of sources
5/6
0
3
6
Criteria Strands
Excellent
Research question formulation
Moderate
Source selection and relevance
Excellent
Source analysis and evaluation
Criteria Feedback
Research question is clearly and appropriately stated, providing a focused framework for the investigation.
Detailed analysis of both sources with explicit discussion of origin, purpose and content, including well-identified values and limitations.
Strong recognition of author credentials and subject-matter expertise, bolstering source credibility.
Explanation of source relevance remains general and could be deepened by linking content more directly to the research question.
Evaluation of purpose is sometimes truncated and lacks full discussion of how audience bias shapes content.
Institutional affiliations of one author are not specified, limiting assessment of potential bias.
1.1·Strength
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The research question is clearly and appropriately stated, providing a focused framework for investigation.
1.2·Suggestion
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Consider integrating the research question more fluidly into the introductory paragraph to avoid repetition and improve narrative flow.
1.3·Strength
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Good recognition of Diamond’s expertise and publication record, which establishes source credibility effectively.
1.4·Suggestion
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The limitation analysis is truncated mid-sentence. Complete the thought on source purpose and expand on its effect on content bias.
1.5·Weakness
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The explanation of why each source is relevant remains very general. Deepen the rationale by linking source content directly to aspects of your research question.
1.6·Strength
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Effectively notes anthropological critiques of Diamond’s ecological focus, demonstrating understanding of source limitations.
1.7·Weakness
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The purpose discussion notes general audience constraints but lacks analysis of how this shapes content depth and authority.
1.8·Suggestion
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Specify Cartwright’s academic affiliation or institutional context to deepen your evaluation of his expertise and potential biases.
Criteria B: Investigation
6/15
0
8
15
Criteria Strands
Moderate
Organization and clarity
Poor
Critical analysis and evidence use
Poor
Perspective evaluation and conclusion
Criteria Feedback
Logical structure with clear headings and generally coherent flow throughout the investigation.
Incorporates comparative analysis of environmental and political factors, referencing examples such as Tikal–Calakmul rivalry.
Acknowledges multiple perspectives and offers a reasoned conclusion in favor of political factors.
Analysis often remains at a surface level, relying in part on tertiary sources (e.g., Wikipedia) rather than primary or peer-reviewed scholarship.
Occasional repetition and typographical clutter detract from overall clarity.
Citation style is inconsistent, with inline URLs disrupting the narrative flow.
2.1·Suggestion
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Define key terms such as “political hierarchy” and “overpopulation” at the start of Section 2 to ensure clarity for the reader.
2.2·Strength
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Strong opening sentence clearly frames political factors as central to the Mayan collapse argument.
2.3·Suggestion
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Reliance on Wikipedia for key evidence risks weak scholarly validity. Seek peer-reviewed or primary archaeological sources.
2.4·Suggestion
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Footnotes are inconsistently formatted and sometimes duplicate information; adopt a uniform citation style throughout.
2.5·Strength
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Effective use of the Copan case study illustrates how elite resource demands undermined agricultural stability.
2.6·Suggestion
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This long paragraph could be split after the first example to improve readability and maintain focus.
2.7·Suggestion
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Footnote numbering and superscript placement appear inconsistent; ensure each citation is clearly linked to the text.
2.8·Suggestion
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Move inline URLs in the main text to footnotes to streamline the narrative and maintain a scholarly tone.
2.9·Strength
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Well-integrated comparison of environmental and political factors, illustrating how drought exacerbated intercity conflict.
2.10·Suggestion
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Avoid math-style tags for simple population figures; present “50,000” as standard text for clarity.
2.11·Suggestion
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Add a transitional sentence between drought and overpopulation sections to guide the reader through thematic shifts.
2.12·Strength
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The conclusion succinctly argues political issues as most consequential, aligning well with supporting evidence.
Criteria C: Reflection
3/4
0
2
4
Criteria Strands
Good
Methods reflection
Good
Historical challenges awareness
Good
Connection to investigation
Criteria Feedback
Reflection clearly outlines historical methods used, including source comparison and validity assessment.
Demonstrates explicit awareness of challenges such as scarcity of primary evidence and methodological limitations.
Maintains a clear, explicit connection between reflection and the main investigation throughout.
Reflection lacks deeper analytical depth and concrete examples of validating or critiquing sources.
Opportunities to illustrate methodological insights with specific cases (e.g., artifact interpretation) are missed.
Could further explore how methodological challenges directly influenced research decisions.
3.1·Suggestion
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When discussing primary artifacts, explain how their interpretation informed your analysis to deepen methodological reflection.
3.2·Strength
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The reflection clearly outlines historical techniques used, including source evaluation, demonstrating methodological awareness.
3.3·Suggestion
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Include a concrete example of how you validated a questionable source to illustrate your critical evaluation process.
3.4·Strength
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Strongly links reflection to investigation by referencing the historians consulted, showing clear connection to your IA work.
History IA Exemplar: Mayan City-State Politics and Beliefs Decline | RevisionDojo
