My Ten Steps to IA Success
Hey guys! I hope my post on writing the EE was reasonably helpful (you can check it out here), so following an ask I thought I would give you some help with your science IAs :) I used this for my Bio and Chem HL IAs, but I’m sure they’d work for physics and ESS... here we go:
1. Choosing a topic
Something you’re interested in
Food science is a really good one, lots to discuss
Use internet for inspiration, but DO NOT JUST COPY
Find an interesting angle on the cliché
2. Research
Wikipedia is okay as a starting point
Find key words and then review literature from there
You only need to skim an abstract to give you all the details
KEEP A RECORD OF ALL SITES VISITED!!!
Google scholar, JSTOR etc
Try to find journal articles
Look for support for the basis of your experiment mostly
See if you can find papers which will help analysis of your results, but not ones which have your exact method
3. Write your first parts (RQ, Aim, Background, Hypothesis, Variables, Safety, Equipment, Method) (see below for guidance for each part)
It’s so important to get this all clarified and certain before you start for real
4. Analyse method and do a test run
Look through your method and make sure there is no obvious control variables missing
Make sure you know your method well and can see any points where things will need to be done quickly or in a certain way
Make sure you are certain all parts of your experiment are going to work before you jump into the full process
Get an idea of possible places to stop, and manage your time!
5. The Experiment
Get on good terms with the lab technician, they can help you sooo much
Take photos of anything which will demonstrate the qualitative results and make notes
Be as accurate as possible
Have a printed copy of your method in front of you all the time to mark any changes in method that you have to make
Prep your excel table before-hand, so that you can plug your results straight in and see what they look like, anomalies will be obvious so you can repeat any that you need to
I found it really helpful to do it all in two days straight, rather than doing little bits by little bits
6. Write it up! Here are the sections I used:
i) RQ
Use full names of any species involved eg Escherichia coli and conform to naming conventions eg italics and abbreviation
Make all the parameters of your experiment clear
Demonstrate the dependant and independent variables
ii) Aim: basically just restate the question in a sentence
iii) Background
Show basis and research
Any relevant equations
Show personal engagement
iv) Hypothesis
Show a prediction for the results
BACK IT UP WITH FACTS
v) Variables
I did tables for them all
First do dependant and independent variables
Then do control variables with variables, method of control and reason for control
Monitored variable with same categories
Finally do control experiments and what they show
vi) Safety
CLEAPSS sheets are great
Show the implications on the experiments
Make sure you honour your safety suggestions in your method
vii) Equipment
I made my table on excel
Include details eg volume, uncertainty, specifics
Make sure you include number and make them reasonable for the method
viii) Method
Give a little background to show why the method is relevant
Quote a source for the method
Be as exact as possible
Make sure the reasons for each step are clear
ix) Raw Data (Qualitative and Quantative eg photos and titles, as well as normal data)
x) Processed Data
xi) Details of any processing eg explain Standard Deviation, T Test or Chi Square calculations
Make sure you show examples of the calculations, with annotations, and use the word ‘equation’ function (at the left of the insert tab)
Explain what the results of the processing means
xii) Conclusion
Explain trends
Point out the significance of the results
Point out any unexpected results
Explain the science behind the results
Relate this back to your hypothesis and to the papers from your research, do they support or contradict your results
xiii) Evaluation
Point out strengths of method, probably 3 or 4 strengths
Give 3 weaknesses and how they affect the application of the results (there shouldn’t be any huge flaws, just things that mean your experiment isn’t earth shattering)
Suggest a few ways to further the study
Extra write up tips:
WAY TO SIDESTEP WORD BEING STUPID: Group the shit out of your graphs and titles. Paste all the tables into a textbox so you can move them more easily and word won’t fuck them up
REFERENCING! You need to reference, I use footnotes and the word referencing tool to make sure it all works
7. Read the examiner’s report (like I know it sounds dumb and boring but like its actually really useful)
8. Ask literally anyone else to read it over. Seriously, like do a swap with a classmate or ask one of your parents or grandparents. You will never spot all your own mistakes.
9. Try your best to get your teachers to comment on it. I know some of them are jerks who don’t want to do anything, but like just try!
10. Don’t stress too much. You’re going to be okay 😊