This is the reason why more time is needed to be spent on the formulation of the research question.

Write meaningful methodology

Examiners pay attention how your methodology is written. You need to write it in a way that anyone else should be able to repeat it. In other words you should write it as a cake recipe.

The ESS tutor can be able to help you:

• enough trials are there
• all of your variables are included
• methodology is justified
• safety is included
• all the equipment is written

If you have already a clear research question therefore it will be easer for you to explain your methodology. Additionaly, many times students make mistake of being too general, not including all of their variables and not explaining details of their data collection.

Having a tutor early in the process of making your ESS IA can help you because it saves you time and nothing is overlooked or missing in your IA.

Data Collection

Good data collection section meaning you need to have enough data and great quality data.

You can have several types of ESS IAs:

• Field work IAs ( pH, biodiversity measurments, acid rain soil data)

• Taking a survey

• Using secondary data for your IA

Students make mistakes such as:

• Not enough data sets

• Flows when measuring data

• Forget to write the units

Having ESS tutor can help you with:

• Fixing your data points

• Identifying units that are missing

• Anomalies are explained and understood

• Having good amount of data to accomplish your analysis

If you dont provide enough data for your investigation then this leads to weak data analysis.

Data Processing

Data processing and analysis is often times seen as difficult when it comes to ESS IA.

Your data sets should be manipulated in a right way. This includes:

• average values are calculated or percentages are used
• standard deviation shold be included in your report
• using statistical tests is required such as  Spearman’s rank correlation
• graphs and charts are used to support your data

Graphs are required in your investigation. Basically they must show:

• variables and units used

• error bars if they are needed

• descriptive title

• connection with your investigation topic

ESS tutor makes sure that your  ESS IA feedback:

• Uses correct statistical test

• Calculations are correct

• ESS terminology is on point

• Correct charts and graphs

 Analysis for success

Analysis is pne of the most important parts of your ESS IA.

Students make mistakes when it comes to analysis by explaining the patterns in a general way and not providing enough details.

However, the best ESS IAs explain:

• patterns and why we have them

• does it match the ESS theory and concepts

• what their statistical analysis show

• are their results significant

The well written IB ESS Internal Assessment includes:

ESS theory explained together with their environmental issue and:

• explain the anomalies

• including both social and environmental aspects

• research question connection with analysis

Having ESS tutor at this part of the IA helps students from being too descriptive to critical thinking. Basically, it’s important to ask correct things such as:

• What explains this trend in your data?

• Is it possible that another variable is impacting the outcome?

• What do you think about this pattern?

Evaluation section of your ESS IA

Evaluation – here students should list advantages and disadvantages of their IB ESS Internal Assessment methodology. You are not expected just to write that there was human error occuring. It is more than that.

Your evaluation:

• Target specific weaknesses

• Explain why your data might get affected

• Improvements should be listed

• There should be discussion about your conclusion.