1. IB Psychology SL: Internal Assessment

2. Introducing the IA: The Basics
It is HIGHLY recommended that you do a replication of a published study (using the IA menu provided to you)
Your sample size must utilize at least 20 participants.
In a repeated measures design that is 20 total,
In an independent measures design that is 10 participants per condition.
You may simplify the original study (look at only 1 IV) – or you may create your own version of the study based off of the original study (Must have 1 IV and 1 DV)
There is a maximum of 2200 words for your final copy

3. Introducing the IA: The Basics
You are required to work in groups of 2-4 people (no less, no more)
You must write your procedure and materials list together
ALL group members must help carry out the experiment and collect data (This will be observed/overseen by your instructor)
You will create/compile data as a group
All other items in the IA are to be completed individually. It is expected that reports will be similar, but they should NOT be identical

4. Introducing the IA: Ethical Guidelines
Your experiment must meet APA (and IB) ethical guidelines. This includes:
A letter of consent. For all participants under 16, you must get parental consent as well
No undue stress or harm may be caused to the participants
Participants must be debriefed and a copy of your debriefing notes must be included in your report
All data must be kept confidential. This includes the name of the school which should not be included anywhere in your final report.
Deception should be avoided; any use of deception must be justified within the report.

5. Introducing the IA: Non-Permitted Experiments
The following experiments are NOT permitted by IB:
Studies in obedience or conformity
Animal experiments
Children under 12 used as participants
No ingestion or inhalation is allowed
No placebos
No quasi-experiments (looking at differences in behavior based on gender, age, culture, native language or socioeconomic status)
No deprivation studies

6. Getting Started: Our First Steps
1) Choose a study that you and your group will use to create or replicate your experiment.
2) Write out the aim, hypothesis, procedure and results of the original study. It is VERY important that you understand the original study.
3) Decide as a group any changes that you think you would need to make experiment in the community (Metro)
4) Complete the IA Proposal (due Tuesday) and submit for teacher approval

7. IA Components: Introduction

8. IA Components: Introduction
The introduction explains to the reader what you are doing and why.
An explanation of the theory upon which your investigation is based
Definitions of any important terminology relevant to your study.
A description of the original study that you are replicating
A statement of the aim of your study including the population you will be studying
An explanation of why your study is worth doing (why is it relevant or important)
An operationalized null and research hypothesis

9. IA Components: Introduction
Theory and Original Study:
It is important that you clearly explain the theory. You may use quotes but be sure to cite them.
You are NOT expected to have more than one piece of research in your introduction—the study on which you are basing your research. You must cite the study. It does not need to be the original work, although this is preferred/

10. IA Components: Introduction
Writing the Aim:
When writing the aim, you should be explicitly clear in identifying your IV and your DV—as well as the nature of your sample
For example: The aim of this study was to investigate in a high school population whether a high anchor value would influence the estimated cost of an iPad

11. IA Components: Introduction
Justifying the Aim
You will need to explain why your study is worth doing. This may be specific to the sample you have chosen or a more general reason
For example: The anchoring effect is important to study as it shows how we use System 1 thinking in making a decision. It is also important because it can be applied in sales. It is possible that by setting a high anchor value, it will influence the amount of money a person is willing to spend

12. IA Components: Introduction
Writing the Null Hypothesis
The null hypothesis should be stated with the variables fully operationalized. The null hypothesis should argue that any differences are due to chance.
For example: There will be no significant difference in the mean price estimates for an iPad between students who were given a high anchor value and those that had no anchor presented

13. IA Components: Introduction
Writing the research hypothesis
The IB requires a one-tailed hypothesis. That is your research hypothesis should predict a singular outcome to the experimental condition
For example: The mean estimated value of an iPad will be significantly greater when participants are presented with a high anchor value than when there is no anchor value presented.

14. IA Components: Exploration

15. IA Components: Exploration
This section of the IA explains to the reader how you are doing your research.
Identify and explain the design and sampling technique in your study
Describe the characteristics of your sample and why you chose them.
Describe your procedure, explaining any controls that were used
Explain how your materials were developed and why you made the choices you did
Document how ethical guidelines were met

16. IA Components: Exploration
Experimental Design
When choosing your design you will use either repeated measures or independent measures design.
An independent samples design will have 2 or more groups.
A repeated samples design will have one group or sample that will receive both the treatment and the control condition.

17. IA Components: Exploration
Experimental Design (Continued)
Do not simply identify the design you are using, but explain how it is organized.
While it is not required, it is a good idea to explain why you chose one design over another
For example: We used an independent samples design. Our study used two groups. Group A was given a high anchor and group B had no anchor.

18. IA Components: Exploration
Sampling Technique and Nature of the Sample
Almost all studies for an IA use an opportunity sample. You need to explain how your sample was actually collected and why this choice was made.
It is also important that you describe the sample and how that may influence the study
For example; how native language proficiency, gender, culture, age or some type of experience (psychology knowledge, driving ability, awareness of current events) may affect the experiment.

19. IA Components: Exploration
Procedure and Materials
Write out your procedure either as a paragraph or a bulleted list. Be sure to include a detailed description of each step of your experiment.
Reference your appendices for materials and ethics (consent forms, briefing/debriefing scripts)
Explain how you chose your materials. Why did you choose the words or video clips that you chose?
Be sure to cite any sources you use that were already created by someone else

20. IA Components: Exploration
Documenting Ethical Standards
You need to include evidence in your appendices that you had consent from your participants.
To do this include a blank copy of your consent form
You also need to include documentation that you debriefed participants.
To do this include a copy of your debriefing notes/script.

21. IA Components: Analysis

22. IA Components: Analysis
The analysis outlines the interpretation of your data
Apply descriptive statistics
Apply inferential statistics
Include 1 graph that clearly reflects your hypothesis
State the significance of your data with regard to your hypothesis
Explain your statistical findings with regard to the data

23. IA Components: Analysis
Descriptive Statistics
When applying descriptive statistics, you may consider the mean, median or mode for measures of central tendency
For variance in the data you may include the range, semi- interquartile range, standard deviation or variance
You MUST include a table in this section. In addition you must have a paragraph that explains the statistics

24. IA Components: Evaluation

25. IA Components: Evaluation
The evaluation explains for the reader the strengths and limitations of your research.
Link the findings to the theory and original study in your introduction
Discuss the strengths and limitations of your design, sample, procedure and materials.
Suggest modifications for future replications
End with a final statement of conclusion with regard to your hypothesis

26. IA Components: Evaluation
Linking to the Introduction
The first paragraph of your evaluation should discuss your findings with regard to the original study and theory.
If your results were significant: How does the theory explain your results? What was the strength of the study you replicated?
If your results were insignificant: How was your study different from the original? How might the theory still explain your findings?

27. IA Components: Evaluation
Evaluating the Experimental Design
Things to think about:
How would the study be different if you had used the other design?
To what extent was your design a control for this experiment?
What are the limitations in using this design?
Did you counterbalance your design? Why or why not?

28. IA Components: Evaluation
Evaluating your Sample
Do NOT discuss the “behavior” of your sample
Were there characteristics of this sample that influenced the result?
What were the advantages and disadvantages of using opportunity sampling?

29. IA Components: Evaluation
Evaluating Procedure and Materials
It is important here that you not discuss “mistakes”. If there were significant errors in carrying out your procedure than it should be redone (and IB could void your entire study)
Reflect on things that you “should have thought of” before the experiment
Were the materials you used appropriate? Was enough/too little/too much time given for a task? Were directions clear? Did you test what you were hoping to test? Was the procedure adequately standardized?

30. IA Components: Evaluation
Suggesting Modifications
Suggest at least 1 modification for every limitation that you identify
Modifications should be justified—That is, you need to be able to explain why the modification would make a difference
For example: If you say you need to do this experiment on another culture, explain why that would potentially make a difference?
Do not say that the sample size should be larger.

31. IA Components: Presentation

32. IA Components: Presentation
Although IA Presentation is not directly assessed, it does affect the quality of your overall work. Failure to cite specific sources is an academic integrity issue and can cause your entire report to be voided by IB.
In-text citation and an alphabetized works cited page is required
You must use the appropriate headings in your report and include a table of contents
All appendecies must be included to document ethical standards
Data tables and calculation of inferential statistics must be in appendecies

33. IA Components: Presentation
References
In text citation and an alphabetized works cited page is required
You may use either APA or MLA citation format
Do not simply list URLs. However, you may include URLs as a part of your citation
Failure to include a citation may result in earning a 0 for your internal assessment. A paper without citation is academically dishonest

34. IA Components: Presentation
Appendecies
All appendecies must be included to document ethical standards: BLANK letter of consent, briefing and debriefing notes
Standardized instructions (different from procedure) and any materials used in the experiment (photos-with citation),
Data tables (raw data) and calculations and equations used for statistical data (inferential and descriptive)