A step-by-step writing frame for the IB History IA — the Historical Investigation. Ask a focused, historically-significant question, evaluate two sources for origin, purpose, value and limitations, and build an analytical, evidence-based investigation across the three sections — with the three assessment criteria and the historian's method built in.
The planning sections are free — unlock every remaining section of this tool for a one-time £9.99, or get the 🎒 Diploma Pass — every subject for a one-time £24.99. No subscription.
📄 Official IB subject brief (ibo.org ↗) — your teacher or IB coordinator can share the full subject guide.
Sign in to save your work to your own account and sync it across devices. The planning sections are free; the rest is a one-time unlock.
Signed in as
Tier: Free
⚙️ Demo mode. No backend is configured yet, so your work saves in this browser only. Add your Firebase keys in js/firebase-config.js to switch on real accounts and cloud sync.
To cite a source, click “Insert citation” on any entry while a writing box is focused — it drops an in-text citation at your cursor.
This is roughly how your exported DOCX / PDF will read. Use it to rehearse a focused, analytical investigation that answers your question and evaluates its sources.
The IB History Internal Assessment is a Historical Investigation of about 2,200 words written in three sections. Section 1 (Identification and evaluation of sources) states a focused, historically-significant question, identifies a range of appropriate sources, and evaluates two of them in depth for their origin, purpose, value and limitations. Section 2 (Investigation) is a well-organised, analytical, evidence-based answer to the question that weighs different perspectives. Section 3 (Reflection) discusses what the investigation revealed about the methods used by, and the challenges facing, the historian. This examiner-written frame walks you through the method step by step — sharpen the question, gather and weigh sources, plan an argument, then draft each of the three sections — pairing every step with the assessment criteria, worked good-and-bad examples and the traps that cost marks, and your investigation exports to DOCX or PDF.
The investigation is marked out of 25 across three criteria: A — Identification and evaluation of sources (/6); B — Investigation (/15); C — Reflection (/4). Top-mark investigations evaluate two sources thoroughly, deriving value and limitations from each source's origin and purpose rather than labelling it "biased"; argue a clear, evidence-based line that incorporates different perspectives instead of narrating events; and reflect with genuine insight on the discipline of history rather than on personal feelings.
The skill that defines the History IA is source evaluation. For each of your two chosen sources you analyse its origin (who produced it, when and what type), its purpose (why it was produced and for whom), and from these its value and limitations for answering your specific question. A partial source — a party leaflet, a memoir, a piece of propaganda — is often valuable precisely because of its purpose, so OPVL means reading a source as evidence rather than dismissing it as biased.
The History IA tool is written by experienced IB educators. It is free to start: the planning sections are free, and the later sections are a one-time unlock per tool. Sign in to save your work and sync it across devices.