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How to Ace Your IB Chemistry IA (Tips & Ideas)

How to Ace Your IB Chemistry IA (Tips & Ideas)

3 min read | Lanterna Team | January 27, 2026

Ace your IB Chemistry IA with top tips from an expert tutor. Learn how to score highly and browse 15 unique IA examples for inspiration.

The chemistry IA was probably the most fun I had during the IB. It is a fantastic opportunity to play around in the lab and see how beautiful chemistry can be. Yet, it can also seem daunting, scary and overwhelming. To help you overcome your fear of the chemistry IA and make it seem less intimidating, I will share my tips for getting a top grade and making the process as smooth as silk.

Do Not Make Your IA Complicated

Making it complicated was the honey-trap that tempted me to nose-dived into it. I thought I had to demonstrate Einstein-levels of genius to get a 7. As it turns out, you really do not have to.

Delivering a solid experiment in which you are thorough and precise in your descriptions of what you do will do the trick! It can be a simple concept or theory you cover, as long as you do it right.

The Lanterna Tip: The trick is to be humble. In conducting your IA experiment, you will make mistakes. That’s okay! As long as you admit to them formally and suggest how you could do better next time.

Write Notes While in The Lab

Not writing notes in the lab caused so much headache for me. My experiments went over a couple of weeks, and once I got to writing, I had totally forgotten all the details of what I did in the beginning. So, I had to retrace all of my steps from scratch to be accurate in my description. Do better than me! Write notes of exactly what you do in the lab, so you never lose track of what’s happened. Also, take a bunch of pictures of it!

15 Chemistry IA Ideas to Get You Started

I figured I would leave you with a list of suggestions of what you can write about to give you some inspiration. Please do not copy these titles 1:1, but adapt them to your needs!

  1. What method is best for isolating iodine from seaweed? Best can be defined by “most safe to eat” or “most in amount”.
  2. How does the boiling point of the homologous series of alcohols/alkanes/alkenes compare? In this one, you can talk about intermolecular forces!
  3. Optimise the sturdiness of plastic. This is one of those fun trial-and-error ideas. Find one variable in plastic making that you’re looking to influence, and see how changing affects how rigid plastic is. The challenge here is finding an objective way to measure the sturdiness of plastic.
  4. Measure the energy in different fast food chains’ fries. This one is neat for energetics.
  5. Determine the hardness of your local area. Maybe compare those values to what the official documents say.
  6. Isolate chlorophyll from plants. Do you expect some plants to have more/less? Why?
  7. Isolate capsaicin from chilli. Capsaicin is the spice molecule. You can tell that I have a thing for isolating compounds from plants. It’s just because it’s that cool!
  8. How does the pH correlate with conductivity? Can you reliably use how conductive something is to measure its pH?
  9. How does the solute concentration in a voltaic cell affect the voltage produced? This one is relatively straightforward, but still plenty to get a high grade. Remember, it does not have to be complicated to score highly!
  10. Investigate how changing the concentration of a compound changes the rate of reaction.
  11. Determine the vitamin C content in orange juice from fresh vs old oranges. Does vitamin C degrade in fruits?
  12. Measure the chlorine content in local pools and see if they are safe according to restrictions.
  13. Do something with electroplating! This one is always really fascinating. Maybe see how different currents change the mass of electroplated stuff formed over a set time, using the formula Q=IT.
  14. Investigate the caffeine amount in tea.
  15. See how temperature changes Kw, water’s ionisation constant.

I hope these tips and ideas will make you more confident tackling your IA.

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The most crucial advice is not to overcomplicate your IA. Focus on delivering a solid experiment with thorough and precise descriptions. A simple concept executed perfectly, where you meticulously document your process and acknowledge any mistakes with suggested improvements, will score higher than an overly ambitious but poorly executed project.

No, absolutely not. The guide emphasizes that a simple concept, thoroughly investigated and clearly explained, can lead to a top grade. Examiners value precision, clear methodology, and critical reflection over groundbreaking complexity. Don't feel pressured to demonstrate "Einstein-levels of genius."

Detailed note-taking is vital for accuracy and avoiding headaches later. Experiments can span weeks, and forgetting specifics can lead to inaccuracies in your write-up. Documenting every step, observations, and even taking photos ensures your description is precise and reflects exactly what happened in the lab, which is crucial for the methodology and analysis sections.

It's perfectly normal to make mistakes. The key is to be "humble" and admit them formally in your report. More importantly, you should suggest how you could improve the experiment or mitigate those errors if you were to repeat it. This demonstrates critical thinking and reflection, which are highly valued by examiners.

The guide provides these ideas for inspiration. You should adapt them to your interests and resources, rather than copying them verbatim. Personalising the topic allows for deeper engagement and a more unique investigation, which can lead to a stronger IA and a more enjoyable research process.

Lanterna's tutors are experts in the IB Chemistry IA criteria. We can help you refine your research question, design a robust methodology, ensure your data analysis is sound, and structure your report to meet all requirements. Our tutors provide personalised guidance to help you achieve your best possible grade, all while upholding academic honesty and making the process less daunting.

The Lanterna IB consultation is a free, no-pressure 20-30 minute session with an IB Student Success Expert. For your Chemistry IA, it's an opportunity to discuss your ideas, clarify doubts about the process, and get a personalised plan for tackling your project. You'll walk away with clear priorities and next steps, backed by expert advice, with zero obligation to book tutoring.

Yes, the Lanterna IB consultation is genuinely free, with no catch and no obligation to purchase tutoring. It's designed to provide immediate clarity and a personalised plan for your IB journey, whether you're a student or a parent. We believe in empowering students with the right guidance from the start, helping you understand what to focus on now and what to stop wasting time on.

Our Student Success Experts are experienced professionals who have supported thousands of IB students and parents through their IB journey. They have deep knowledge of the IB programme and can offer invaluable insights into academic strategies, subject choices, university applications, and how to navigate the challenges of the IB, including specific IAs like Chemistry. They're here to provide clarity and confidence.

Yes, Lanterna provides expert tutoring and support for a wide range of IB subjects at both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Our network includes over 600 highly qualified IB tutors, many of whom scored 40+ in the IB, are experienced teachers with an average of 10+ years of experience at top schools globally, or have examiner experience across various subjects.

Our Chemistry IA tutors are highly qualified, including IB graduates who scored 40+ points, experienced teachers with over 10 years of experience at top schools globally, and even former IB examiners. They understand the nuances of the Chemistry IA rubric and can guide you to maximise your marks, from refining your research question to structuring your analysis and conclusions.


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