IB Diploma Program

General overview

Students elect six subjects of which they must study three at higher and three at standard levels. After a two year course they are examined by a mixture of externally set examination papers and internally assessed (externally moderated) coursework.

They are given a final grade out of 7 for each subject making a mark out of 42. To this mark is added a further possible three points representing their achievement in the Theory of Knowledge and Extended essays (externally assessed).

A student attaining 24 or more marks will be awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma provided that he/she has attained grade levels of 4 or above in the higher subjects.

General objectives relating to Group IV (sciences)

The (assessment) objectives reflect those parts of the aims which will be assessed. Wherever appropriate the assessment will draw upon environmental and technological contexts; identify the social and economic effects of the experimental sciences, and the moral considerations of scientific activity.

It is the intention of all experimental sciences programmes that students should be able to:

Demonstrate:-
an understanding of scientific facts and concepts scientific methods/techniques scientific terminology methods of presenting scientific information

Apply and use:-

• scientific facts and concepts
• scientific methods/techniques
• scientific terminology to communicate effectively
• appropriate methods to present scientific information

Construct, Analyse and Evaluate:-

• hypotheses, research questions and predictions
• scientific methods/techniques and procedures
• scientific explanations

Demonstrate:
the personal skills of cooperation, perseverance and responsibility appropriate for effective scientific investigation and problem solving

Demonstrate:
the manipulative skills necessary to carry out scientific investigation with precision and safety.

Analyse
Classify the component parts and patterns.

Evaluate
Discuss and examine the implications (the effect and significance) and limitations (the confines and boundaries).

Results
Raw data or manipulated data.

Scientific methods/techniques
Qualitative or quantitative experimental methods (devised by students or teachers, published in textbooks or literature); the refinement of methods to improve accuracy; repeating a method to improve reliability of data collected; use of apparatus.

Data
Information that could include qualitative and/or quantitative observations.

Scientific terminology
Use of correct nomenclature, conventions, units and significant figures. Methods of presenting
scientific information Written, oral, audio-visual, graphic and using information technology.

Scientific explanations
Explanations based on scientific information (including models), using arguments to show reasoning.

Scientific investigation
Study of a phenomenon, hypothesis or theory which involves using the scientific method.

Problem solving
The use of experimental (primary) data, and data from other sources (secondary), to solve a given problem or a problem formulated by the student.

Hypothesis
An idea suggested as a possible way of explaining observations and phenomena.    

Glossary of terms relating to the assessment objectives

• Demonstrate an understanding
• Recall information (facts, concepts, models, data);
• Translate information from one form to another;
• Explain information; summarise information. Apply and use
• Take given information and use it to solve a task. The tasks may be familiar or novel and recalled information can be required for their solution.
• Construct and Assemble scientific information in a logical manner.