The assessment rule summarized above is based on the IB: History curriculum updates, first assessment May 2028 ↗. Check the official version for your assessment session.
What changes in the first-assessment-2028 IA?
Students beginning the new course in August 2026 should check their assessment session. Students finishing under the earlier syllabus must not prematurely switch to the 2028 task.
| Feature | Earlier task | May 2028 onward |
|---|---|---|
| Section emphasis | Identification/evaluation, investigation and reflection | Inquiry question; sources and perspectives; synthesis and evaluation |
| Reflection section | Standalone section of the historical investigation | Removed in the new IA |
| Source selection | Prior guidelines for evaluating selected sources | Seven sources maximum; foreground deliberate source selection |
Worked example: build an evidence set without collecting seven random sources
Hypothetical research exercise: “How did the closure of a fictional port in 1932 change local merchant political demands by 1935?” The event is deliberately invented. This map illustrates how to select real sources for an actual, verifiable historical question, not material to cite as evidence.
Inquiry question
A specific historical question with a defined time, place and line of evaluation.
State why its framing changed as you inspected available sources.
Source 1
A primary account with a clear production context and identifiable perspective.
Explain what this source can show and what the author could not know.
Source 2
A different viewpoint or an appropriate scholarly interpretation.
Compare causal claims and evidence, not just whether sources agree.
Sources 3–7
Only extra sources that contribute a new type of evidence or a meaningful challenge.
Every additional source should earn its place; seven is a maximum, not a target.
Synthesis
Use competing evidence to answer the inquiry question with qualified judgment.
Separate established facts, interpretation and uncertainties.
Evaluation
Assess source selection and how gaps or perspectives affect the conclusion.
The old standalone reflection section is no longer part of this IA structure.
A useful source matrix records author, date, intended audience, relevant claim, corroboration and the exact gap in your argument. Do not confuse seven selected evidence sources with permission to invent quotations or cite a fictional event.
Exam changes beyond the IA
The new Paper 1 uses framing inquiry questions and source perspectives. Paper 2 adds concept responses, and HL Paper 3 now asks two essays from distinct regional topics rather than three. Check the current official subject brief before using a past-paper timetable or old mark scheme.
Sources and verification
Primary-source references for this article, checked 12 October 2026. Rules and admission policies can change; confirm the current version for your assessment session or university course.
- IB: History curriculum updates, first assessment May 2028 ↗
Confirms changed IA sections, removed reflection and maximum seven IA sources.
- IB: History subject brief for first assessment 2028 ↗
The revised historical investigation and Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 assessment formats.
Independent student guidance, not an official IB publication. Ask your school coordinator to confirm policies relevant to your circumstances.