Overview
The IB Chemistry Internal Assessment is worth 20% of your final Chemistry grade — often the difference between a 5 and a 7 when exams go wrong. Unlike past papers, the IA is coursework you control months before exams. This guide explains criteria, structure, and the mistakes moderators see every year.
What examiners mark
For the IB Diploma Programme, marked on Personal engagement, Exploration, Analysis, Evaluation, and Communication — same science IA framework as Biology and Physics.
Recommended structure
For the IB Diploma Programme, clear research question → background (linked to syllabus) → method with controlled variables → qualitative/quantitative data → calculations with units and sig figs → graph with trend line → conclusion tied to question → evaluation referencing uncertainty.
Workflow for a top-band IA
For the IB Diploma Programme, choose a reaction or property you can repeat 5+ times. Record uncertainty in apparatus. Show one full sample calculation then a table for the rest.
Common pitfalls
For the IB Diploma Programme, uncontrolled temperature; wrong SF rules; missing safety; procedure copied from a website without adaptation; evaluation that ignores systematic error.
Criterion practice on MarkScheme
Draft sections can be checked against IB assessment language — [get feedback on your IA writing](/mark?subject=ib-chemistry-sl) where supported, and use syllabus [lessons](/ib/courses/chemistry-sl) to strengthen methodology and subject vocabulary.
Frequently asked questions
This section covers Frequently asked questions — what IB examiners reward most often in past papers and coursework.
Good IA topics?
Enthalpy, rates, equilibrium shifts, acid-base titrations — if variables are measurable and syllabus-linked.
Database IA?
Some schools allow database investigations — confirm with your teacher; methodology criteria still apply.