The Ultimate IB History IA Guide: Topics, Structure & Common Pitfalls
Let's be honest, the History Internal Assessment can feel like a mammoth task. It’s worth a huge chunk of your final grade (25% at SL, 20% at HL) and requires you to think and work like a real historian. But here's the good news: a well-executed IA is one of the most rewarding parts of the IB, and it's completely within your control to score highly.
This guide is your roadmap. We'll break down exactly what the examiners are looking for, how to choose a killer topic that will keep you engaged, and highlight the common mistakes that you can easily avoid.
Part 1: Deconstructing the History IA (25 Marks Total)
Your IA is a 2,200-word historical investigation broken down into three key sections. Understanding what each part demands is the first step to success.
Criterion A: Identification & Evaluation of Sources (6 Marks)
This is where you set the stage. You need to formulate a sharp, focused research question and conduct a detailed analysis of two key sources you'll be using. This means a full OPVL (Origin, Purpose, Value, Limitation) for each. Don't just list the features; you must explain exactly how the origin and purpose of each source affect its value and limitations in relation to your specific question.
Criterion B: The Investigation (15 Marks)
This is the heart of your IA—the main body of your essay. It's where you answer your research question using a wide range of evidence. The key here is critical analysis, not just description. You must use your sources to build a coherent argument, evaluate different historical perspectives, and lead the reader to a well-supported conclusion. This section carries the most weight, so make it count!
Criterion C: Reflection (4 Marks)
In this final section, you step back and reflect on the process. What did your investigation teach you about the methods historians use? What were the challenges you faced in finding or interpreting sources? This isn't just a summary of your experience; it's a thoughtful consideration of the nature of history itself, showing your awareness of things like bias, perspective, and the construction of historical narratives.
Part 2: How to Choose a Winning IA Topic
Your topic is the foundation of your entire project. A great topic makes research exciting and analysis possible. A weak one leads to frustration and a descriptive paper. Here’s your checklist for picking a winner:
- Find a Genuine Interest: You are going to be living with this topic for weeks. Choose something that genuinely fascinates you. Your passion will fuel your research and shine through in your writing.
- Look for Historical Debate: The best IAs explore questions that historians themselves disagree on. Avoid topics with an obvious, universally accepted answer. Your goal is to enter a historical conversation, not just report facts.
- Be Narrow and Focused: "The Cold War" is a course, not an IA topic. "To what extent was Nixon's Vietnamization policy a success between 1969 and 1971?" is an IA topic. Think a specific event, a timeframe of less than a decade, or a particular group.
- Check for Source Availability: You need accessible and credible primary and secondary sources. If you can't find solid academic sources within an hour of searching, it's a red flag.
- Ensure it's "Historical": The IB requires your topic to be at least 10 years old. This ensures enough time has passed for proper historical analysis and perspective to develop.
The Lanterna Tip: The One-Hour Source Test. Before committing to a topic, spend one hour on a preliminary source hunt. Can you find at least two promising primary sources? Can you find at least five academic books or journal articles on the topic? If not, you should seriously consider pivoting to another idea.
Part 3: 25 Battle-Tested IA Topic Ideas
Use these questions as a launchpad. Remember to narrow them down further with specific dates, locations, or groups to fit the 2,200-word limit.
Revolutions and Political Upheavals
- To what extent was the Haitian Revolution the most successful slave revolution in history?
- How successful was Mao's Cultural Revolution in achieving its stated political goals?
- To what extent was nationalism, rather than Prussian militarism, the primary driver of German unification in 1871?
- An analysis of the successes and failures of the Russian Revolution's initial phase (1917-1918).
- How did the Cuban Revolution's outcomes differ from Fidel Castro's initial promises?
Wars and Conflicts
- How significant was German involvement in determining the outcome of the Spanish Civil War?
- To what extent were foreign powers responsible for the escalation of the Rwandan Genocide?
- Examine the strategic impact of the Battle of Stalingrad on the Eastern Front in WWII.
- To what extent can Nixon's policy of "Vietnamization" be considered a military success?
- A study of the bombing of Guernica: Was it a strategic military target or an act of terror?
Social and Cultural History
- How significant was WWII in accelerating the women's rights movement in the United States?
- An investigation into the role of British politics in the ineffective response to the Jack the Ripper incidents.
- How did the New Deal's Farm Security Administration use photography as propaganda?
- To what extent did the Industrial Revolution improve the daily lives of the urban working class in Manchester?
- An analysis of the effectiveness of the US Civil Rights Movement's non-violent protest strategies in the 1960s.
Political Figures and Policies
- How did Stalin's agricultural policies directly contribute to the Ukrainian Famine (Holodomor)?
- To what extent did Napoleon III's domestic policies achieve his goal of modernizing France?
- Was the primary purpose of the Berlin Wall to limit the freedom of East Germans or to project Soviet strength?
- To what extent were Stalin's Five-Year Plans successful in industrializing the USSR by 1939?
- An evaluation of Fidel Castro's social policies in Cuba: successes and failures.
Part 4: Common IA Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
Many students lose marks on the same simple mistakes. Here’s how to make sure you’re not one of them.
| The Pitfall | The Lanterna Fix |
|---|
A Descriptive Research Question
e.g., "What were the effects of the Vietnam War?" This is too broad and invites a simple list of facts. | Frame it as a Debate. Use analytical command terms. "To what extent..." or "How significant was..." forces you to take a position and argue it. |
Superficial Source Analysis (OPVL)
Simply stating a source is "biased" because the author is from a certain country or has a political view. | Connect OPVL Directly to Your Question. Explain how the origin and purpose make the source valuable or limited for answering your specific question. How does the bias manifest in the text? What information might be omitted? |
Confusing Description with Analysis
Your investigation becomes a play-by-play of events without an argument. You're telling a story, not analyzing it. | Make Every Paragraph Argue a Point. Start paragraphs with an assertion that supports your thesis, then use evidence from sources to prove it. Ask yourself "so what?" after presenting a piece of evidence. |
Ignoring the IA Structure
Mashing all three sections together or putting your reflection in the conclusion. | Use the Official Subheadings. Clearly label "A: Identification and Evaluation of Sources", "B: Investigation", and "C: Reflection". This shows the examiner you understand the task and makes it easy to award marks. |
Exceeding the Word Count
Going over the strict 2,200-word limit. Examiners are instructed to stop reading, which can cost you valuable marks. | Be a Ruthless Editor. Every single sentence must serve your argument. Cut waffle, combine ideas, and ensure your language is precise. Remember, the bibliography and citations are not included in the count. |
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