12 IB Sports, Exercise & Health Science IA ideas

Written and cross-checked by IB Diploma graduates: Alexander (41), Alejandro (40), Martina (40), Victoria (38), Martin (35), Maria (34)

Last reviewed: September 2026 · Checked against official IB guidance · Editorial policy

A strong SEHS IA is a small-scale scientific investigation with one focused research question, a clear independent and dependent variable, and primary data collected ethically from human participants or physiological measures. Link results to a specific SEHS principle or model.

Scope: Use simple, school-safe measures: heart rate, flexibility, reaction time, grip strength, or simple fitness tests. Follow consent and risk-assessment rules; avoid maximal exertion. ~2,000 words.

How does caffeine affect resting heart rate and reaction time in the 30 minutes after ingestion?

Variables · IV: caffeine dose or placebo. DV: resting HR and reaction time at 5-min intervals. Control: same participant, time of day, hydration, prior sleep.

How does warm-up duration affect vertical jump height?

Variables · IV: warm-up time. DV: jump height from a mat or app. Control: protocol, footwear, rest between trials, time of day.

How does arm span correlate with standing broad jump distance?

Variables · IV: arm span bands. DV: jump distance. Control: footwear, take-off line, warm-up, tester.

How does music tempo affect 200 m running performance?

Variables · IV: music tempo. DV: split time and post-run HR. Control: same runner, course, warm-up, footwear.

How does breathing technique affect breath-hold time?

Variables · IV: breathing instruction. DV: breath-hold time. Control: same participant, rest period, posture, time of day.

How does prior sleep duration affect reaction time?

Variables · IV: self-reported sleep hours. DV: reaction time. Control: same test, time of day, caffeine, screen brightness.

How does hamstring flexibility affect balance on a wobble board?

Variables · IV: sit-and-reach score band. DV: balance time. Control: footwear, surface, same leg, visual input.

How does rest interval affect repeat-sprint performance?

Variables · IV: rest interval. DV: sprint time and fatigue index. Control: distance, start protocol, footwear, surface.

How does hand dominance affect pegboard speed and accuracy?

Variables · IV: hand used. DV: time and error count. Control: same task, posture, practice block, time of day.

How does target motion affect ball-tracking anticipation?

Variables · IV: target motion. DV: anticipation error in ms. Control: viewing distance, screen brightness, experience.

How does caffeine dose affect aiming steadiness?

Variables · IV: caffeine dose or placebo. DV: aiming error in mm. Control: same participant, time of day, sleep, hydration.

How does warm-up intensity affect post-exercise sit-and-reach?

Variables · IV: warm-up intensity. DV: sit-and-reach distance. Control: same participant, stretch duration, footwear, time of day.

Sources & verification

Primary-source references used to verify key assessment facts on this page. Last source check: September 22, 2026.

These Sports, Exercise & Health Science ideas are original iBacalao starting points, not official IB research questions. Check the current Sports, Exercise & Health Science subject guide, your assessment session and your school's safety/ethics rules before committing to a question.

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