Tips on choosing a research question for the Individual Investigation (II or IA) in IB DP Biology

The IB Internal Assessment (IB IA) carries an important weight on your final grade (24%). It is also the first important assessment, completed during the course of the IB DP programme when the syllabus is not yet completed. Many find it challenging. 

The most common and straight-forward type of IB DP Internal Assessment is to carry out a practical, wet-lab experiment, that you have designed, performed and have recorded your own data. However, there are other possibilities, which have become more frequent, especially since the covid pandemic when access to the school laboratory has become limited or off grounds. These include data base research questions or computer simulations. In this case, the quality of the selected source is of  importance. Whichever type of IB IA you choose, the success of it, is predominantly determined by choosing a suitable and an interesting research question. So, here are some tips on how to choose and formulate a good research question: 

Before starting your investigation, think of the following and use your time to research:

• Choose a research question that is of personal interest and has a wider significance. This is described in the introductory paragraph of your IA.  Remember to cite any relevant facts related to the significance of your research question.  

So, for example, if you are investigating the effect of moisture on seed germination,  you may explain which topic of the IB DP Biology syllabus drew you to the research question, what is the importance of seed germination for the success of plants and how moisture may be relevant when our planet is facing global climate change or, the importance of seeds and germination for food security and agriculture to fight human world hunger.

• Be sure that you have a way to directly measure and record accurate quantitative data, which corresponds to your dependent variable,  and to collect qualitative data or make observations that will enhance the relevance of your quantitative data.

So, for example with germinating seeds, it would be counting the number of sprouted seeds among a large sample of seeds. Remember, you need 5 repetitions for each of 5 values of the independent variable, allowing good data processing and statistical analysis. 

• Be sure that you are able to accurately measure and control a wide range of your independent variable.

So, using the same example of the effect of moisture on seed germination, it would be daily, evenly applying a specific volume of distilled water to the cotton wool swab using a plastic syringe or pipette with a small instrumental uncertainty.

• Be sure that you are able to control relevant variables that would affect the outcome of your results.

Again in the case of germinating seeds, to name some, temperature, light, duration, size of petri dishes, number of seeds, distance between seeds need to be kept constant in all trials.

• Be sure that specific and accurate equipment is available for your investigation. 

… and then you state a fully focused research question:

• Include the independent variable with the range of at least five values, the dependent variable and how you will measure it, and the main controlled variables. 

So, for example, the research question could be:  How does moisture, measured at  0.0mL day⁻¹, 2.0mL day⁻¹,4.0mL day⁻¹,6.0mL day⁻¹,8.0mL day⁻¹ and 10.0mL day⁻¹ affect the number of sprouts during germination of broad bean, Vicia faba, seeds kept in the dark, over seven days at a constant temperature of 21°C?