Social & Cultural Anthropology · Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA)
IB Social & Cultural Anthropology IA Grader
Upload your Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA) and get criterion-by-criterion feedback against the IB assessment criteria in the official IB Social and Cultural Anthropology internal assessment (doing anthropology: fieldwork) criteria (first examinations 2019). Whether you are at Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), iBacalao shows where your draft meets the mark scheme and what to improve before formative submission. Free to start in the Mac app; sign-in is required to keep reviews and usage limits tied to your account.
IB assessment criteria — 26 marks total
Your Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA) is graded against 4 criteria in the official mark scheme. iBacalao scores each one and tells you exactly where to gain marks.
Observation and Report
The 450-word report of the initial one-hour observation: organized and detailed, purely descriptive at this stage, with the context of the observation discussed.
Methodological and Conceptual Extension of Initial Fieldwork
The 300-word justification of the second research method (participant observation, interviews, visual anthropology, surveys, life history…) and the key or inquiry-specific concept framing the further research — identified, described, explained, and their relevance to the initial observation clearly established and justified.
Second Fieldwork Data Collection and Analysis
The 400-word report of the further research: appropriate and relevant data analysed soundly in relation to the key concept or inquiry-specific concept and the chosen method.
Critical Reflection of Fieldwork Research, Methods and Concepts
A critical reflection on doing anthropology: a balanced, detailed critical comparison and evaluation of the two fieldwork experiences, a discussion of the position of the researcher and how it may have affected the results, and an explicit account of what was learned about gathering fieldwork data.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most frequent reasons students drop marks on each criterion.
Observation and Report
- Interpretation creeping into what should be pure description
- Report organized but thin on observed detail (or vice versa)
- Context of the observation barely discussed
- Setting too empty or unfocused to sustain observation
Methodological and Conceptual Extension of Initial Fieldwork
- Method named but never explained or justified
- Key concept stated without connecting it to the observation site
- Choice justified by convenience rather than anthropological relevance
- No link drawn between the first observation and the planned extension
Second Fieldwork Data Collection and Analysis
- Data described rather than analysed through the concept
- Irrelevant or inconsistent data diluting the analysis
- The chosen method and concept disappear from the analysis
- New data not connected back to the initial observation
Critical Reflection of Fieldwork Research, Methods and Concepts
- Comparing what was seen rather than the methods used to see it
- Researcher's position mentioned but its effect on results never discussed
- Reflection reads as a diary rather than a methodological critique
- What was learned about doing anthropology left implicit
Common questions
How is the IB Social & Cultural Anthropology Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA) marked?
Your Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA) is marked against 4 criteria totalling 26 marks using the official IB Social and Cultural Anthropology internal assessment (doing anthropology: fieldwork) criteria (first examinations 2019): Observation and Report (/4), Methodological and Conceptual Extension of Initial Fieldwork (/6), Second Fieldwork Data Collection and Analysis (/4), Critical Reflection of Fieldwork Research, Methods and Concepts (/12). Each criterion has its own mark bands, and your teacher's marks are moderated by the IBO.
What are the most common mistakes in the IB Social & Cultural Anthropology Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA)?
The two criteria worth the most marks are where students lose the most. On Critical Reflection of Fieldwork Research, Methods and Concepts: Comparing what was seen rather than the methods used to see it; Researcher's position mentioned but its effect on results never discussed. On Methodological and Conceptual Extension of Initial Fieldwork: Method named but never explained or justified; Key concept stated without connecting it to the observation site. The full list for every criterion is above.
Which criterion is worth the most marks in the IB Social & Cultural Anthropology Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA)?
The highest-weighted criterion is "Critical Reflection of Fieldwork Research, Methods and Concepts" and is worth 12 marks. The top mark band for this criterion is the most detailed, so missing any element it mentions is the fastest way to lose marks.
What is the word limit for the Social & Cultural Anthropology Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA)?
Word and page limits for the Fieldwork critical reflection + main report (IA) are set in the official IB Social and Cultural Anthropology internal assessment (doing anthropology: fieldwork) criteria (first examinations 2019) rather than being the same across subjects, so check your subject guide for the exact figure. Going over the limit risks examiners stopping at the limit and not marking what follows.
Can I use AI to help with my Social & Cultural Anthropology IA?
The IBO allows AI for research support and feedback, but the submitted work must be entirely your own. iBacalao gives criterion-by-criterion feedback on your draft — the same kind of comment your teacher would give — without generating any text for your IA.