The internal assessment for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) in Philosophy is a crucial step of the whole programme. Considering that the IA is the tool that gives the possibility to each student to apply the philosophical concepts learned, to different issues or topics, it can also be quite rewarding. Of course, writing it can be quite demanding, thus we are suggesting some tips to follow to be able to submit a great IA for IB DP Philosophy.
The focus should be on specific philosophical topics or issues relevant to the coursework chosen by the student. It can either be a topic covered in class or a topic that students have chosen for themselves. The crucial element is to choose topics that the students own deeply, of which they have a solid knowledge, so that they can demonstrate their understanding of philosophical concepts and arguments.
In order to write a comprehensive assessment, it is also important to create a skeleton which includes all the key points to be addressed. The skeleton should also include an introduction, a description of the essay, a list of the key points that will be discussed in the body of the essay and a conclusion.
In particular, the introduction should contain both some background information of the topic and a clear and coherent presentation of the student's thesis. As per every essay, it is also important that the statement of the thesis be brief and a that it reflects the main argument(s) of the student. The body of the essay should be developed around the main points included in the skeleton and each point should be supported by evidence gathered by the student from reading and/or research. The essay should contain a clear explanation of why and how the evidence provided supports the arguments put forward.
The conclusion of the assessment should be thought of as a summary of the main points and arguments covered and a concise explanation of why they sustain the student’s thesis. Ideally, the conclusion should also include a discussion of any possible counter-arguments that could be made to the content of the essay.
Overall, the key to a successful internal assessment of the IB DP Philosophy course is to identify relevant and interesting topics that allow the student to write a well-researched and well-discussed assignment to clearly demonstrate that the student understands and knows how to apply philosophical concepts and arguments.
Vaid Tutoring hopes that by following these guidelines, students can write internal assessments that will impress their teachers and that will help them achieve high scores in the DP Philosophy exam.
By Vaid Tutoring