Sports, Exercise & Health Science · Scientific Investigation (IA)
IB Sports, Exercise & Health Science IA Grader
Upload your Scientific Investigation (IA) and get criterion-by-criterion feedback against the IB assessment criteria in the IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science internal assessment (scientific investigation) criteria (first assessment 2026). 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 — 24 marks total
Your Scientific Investigation (IA) is graded against 4 criteria in the official mark scheme. iBacalao scores each one and tells you exactly where to gain marks.
Research Design
The methodology (purpose and practice) used to address the research question effectively communicated: a focused question in a specific sport/exercise/health context, the relevant variables (or groups being compared), methodological choices explained, and enough detail to reproduce the investigation.
Data Analysis
Data recorded, processed and presented in ways relevant to the research question: clear and precise communication (tables, graphs, units, significant figures), appropriate consideration of uncertainties and variability, and processing carried out appropriately and accurately.
Conclusion
The research question answered with regard to the analysis and the accepted scientific context — a justified conclusion consistent with the data and its limitations, compared against published research or accepted theory, and considering the implications of the findings for real-world sport, exercise or health practice.
Evaluation
Evidence of evaluation of the investigation methodology with suggested improvements: specific weaknesses and limitations (protocol, participant variability, measurement) weighed for their relative impact on the conclusion, with realistic improvements that address them.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most frequent reasons students drop marks on each criterion.
Research Design
- Research question without a specific sport, exercise or health context
- Comparison groups or variables not operationally defined
- Method missing the detail needed to reproduce the protocol
- Ethical/safety considerations for human participants ignored
Data Analysis
- Tables or graphs missing units, labels or consistent precision
- Human variability and measurement uncertainty ignored
- Processing errors that propagate into the findings
- Processed results that don't address the research question
Conclusion
- Conclusion claims more than the data and its variability support
- No comparison with published values or accepted theory
- Statistical significance confused with practical significance for performance
- Real-world implications of the findings never considered
Evaluation
- Generic weaknesses ("human error") not specific to this protocol
- Improvements unrelated to the weaknesses identified
- Relative impact of each limitation on the conclusion not weighed
- Participant-related limitations (motivation, learning effects) ignored
Common questions
How is the IB Sports, Exercise & Health Science Scientific Investigation (IA) marked?
Your Scientific Investigation (IA) is marked against 4 criteria totalling 24 marks using the IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science internal assessment (scientific investigation) criteria (first assessment 2026): Research Design (/6), Data Analysis (/6), Conclusion (/6), Evaluation (/6). 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 Sports, Exercise & Health Science Scientific Investigation (IA)?
The two criteria worth the most marks are where students lose the most. On Research Design: Research question without a specific sport, exercise or health context; Comparison groups or variables not operationally defined. On Data Analysis: Tables or graphs missing units, labels or consistent precision; Human variability and measurement uncertainty ignored. The full list for every criterion is above.
Which criterion is worth the most marks in the IB Sports, Exercise & Health Science Scientific Investigation (IA)?
The highest-weighted criterion is "Research Design" and is worth 6 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 Sports, Exercise & Health Science Scientific Investigation (IA)?
Word and page limits for the Scientific Investigation (IA) are set in the IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science internal assessment (scientific investigation) criteria (first assessment 2026) 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 Sports, Exercise & Health Science 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.