Understanding IB Internal Assessments (IAs)

An IB Internal Assessment (IA) is an assignment that is graded by your own subject teacher, rather than an external IB examiner. These assignments contribute significantly to your final IB grade and can take various forms, such as essays, commentaries, oral presentations, or practical investigations, depending on the subject.

Internal Assessments are crucial because they contribute a substantial portion to your final IB grade in each subject. Since your teacher grades them, their feedback and guidance are particularly important to ensure you meet the specific criteria and achieve the best possible marks.

Your IB Internal Assessments are initially graded by your own subject teacher. The IB then uses a moderation process where an external IB examiner reviews a sample of IAs from your school to ensure fair and consistent grading according to IB guidelines.

The IB has a moderation process to ensure fairness. If your teacher is a strict grader, an external IB examiner will review a sample of IAs from your class. If the examiner finds that your teacher graded too harshly (or too leniently), they will adjust the grades for the entire class to ensure all students receive a fair mark in line with IB standards.

The key difference lies in who grades them. Internal Assessments (IAs) are initially graded by your school teacher and then moderated by the IB. External Assessments (EAs), such as your final IB exams, are sent directly to external IB examiners for grading, with no involvement from your school teachers in the grading process. Both contribute to your final IB Diploma score.

Lanterna's expert tutors, many of whom are 40+ point IB graduates or experienced IB teachers and examiners, provide personalised support for IAs across all subjects. We can help you refine your research question, structure your investigation, develop your analysis, and ensure your work meets the IB's specific criteria, all while maintaining academic integrity.

Yes, absolutely. Lanterna has a global network of over 600 highly qualified IB tutors covering virtually every IB subject at both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Whether you need help with a Biology IA, an Economics commentary, a Maths exploration, or any other subject's IA, we have an expert ready to support you.

The Lanterna IB consultation is a free, no-pressure 20-30 minute session with one of our expert IB Student Success Experts. It's designed to help you clarify your current situation, understand what's coming next in your IB journey, and walk away with a personalised plan and clear priorities, without any obligation to book tutoring.

Yes, the Lanterna IB consultation is completely free. We believe in providing valuable support and clarity to IB students and parents upfront, helping you understand your options and next steps without any financial commitment.

After your free 20-30 minute consultation, you'll have a clear, personalised plan for your IB studies, outlining key priorities and next steps. There's absolutely no obligation to continue with tutoring. If you do decide that personalised tutoring could benefit you, your Student Success Expert can help you explore how Lanterna's tutors can support your specific goals.