Assessment Aims and Objectives for Physics International Baccalaureate Diplomat Program

Subject Overview Assessment Objective Internal assessment task and External Assessment tasks
approach
 Available at standard (SL) It is the intention of this The internal assessment, worth The Standard Level (SL) and
and higher levels (HL) course that students are able to 20% of the final assessment, Higher Level (HL) have 80%
 The minimum prescribed fulfill the consists of one scientific externally assessed. The
number of hours is 150 for following assessment investigation. The individual external assessment of Physics
SL and 240 for HL objectives: investigation should cover a topic consists of three written
 Students are assessed both 1. Demonstrate knowledge that is commensurate with the level papers.
externally and internally and understanding of: of the course of study.
 Physics students at SL and • facts, concepts, and In paper 1 there are 30 (at SL)
HL undertake a common terminology Student work is internally assessed or 40 (at HL) multiple-choice
core syllabus and a • methodologies and by the teacher and externally questions. For SL and HL
common internal techniques moderated by the IB. The Paper 1 has 10% of the paper
assessment (IA) scheme. • communicating scientific performance in internal assessment covering objectives 1 and 2
 While there are core skills information. at both SL and HL is marked and 10% of the paper covering
and activities common to 2. Apply: against common assessment objective 3. The overall
both SL and HL, students • facts, concepts, and criteria, with a total mark out of weighting of paper 1 for both
at HL are required to study terminology 24. SL and HL is 20%.
some topics in greater • methodologies and
depth, to study additional techniques The new assessment model uses Paper 2 contains short-answer
topics and to study • methods of communicating five criteria to assess the final and extended-response
extension material of a scientific information. report of the individual questions on the core (and
more demanding nature in 3. Formulate, analyze and investigation with the following Additional Higher Level
the options. The evaluate: raw marks and weightings material at HL). For SL Paper
distinction between SL • hypotheses, research assigned: 2 has 20% of the paper
and HL is one of breadth questions and predictions covering objectives 1 and 2
and depth. • methodologies and and 20% of the paper covering
 A practical approach to the techniques objective 3 giving an overall
course delivery is • primary and secondary data Criteria Weight weighting of 40% for paper
emphasized through the • scientific explanations. Personal 2 (8%) 2. For HL Paper 2 has 18% of
interdisciplinary group 4 4. Demonstrate the engagement the paper covering objectives
project and a mixture of appropriate research,
 both short-term and long-
term experiments and
investigations.
 Internal assessment
accounts for 20% of the
final assessment and this is
assessed through a single
individual investigation.
This investigation may
involve a hands-on
approach, use of data-
bases, modeling,
simulation or a hybrid.
Student work is internally
assessed by the teacher
and externally moderated
by the IB.
experimental, and personal
skills necessary to carry out
insightful and ethical
investigations
Exploration 6 (25%) 1 and 2 and 18% of the paper
Analysis 6 (25%) covering objective 3 giving an
Evaluation 6 (25%) overall weighting of 36% for
Communication 4 (17%) paper 2.
Total 24 (100%)
Paper 3 has two sections;
Section A contains one data-
based question and several
short-answer questions on
experimental work on the core
(and AHL material at
HL). Section B contains
short-answer and extended-
response questions from each
of the four options. For SL
Paper 3 has 10% of the paper
covering objectives 1 and 2
and 10% of the paper covering
objective 3 giving an overall
weighting of 20% for paper
3. For HL Paper 3 has 12% of
the paper covering objectives
1 and 2 and 12% of the paper
covering objective 3 giving an
overall weighting of 24% for
paper 3.