Getting Ahead in IB Chemistry
An Overview of IB Chemistry
All current IB chemistry students should know that, as of 2022, the curriculum has been refreshed. This update marked 2025 as the first exam year for this new IB chemistry course. However, these kinds of changes are not something to get bogged down in.
The IB chemistry course seeks to promote concept-based teaching and learning, with the aim of fostering critical thinking within students. The IB chemistry curriculum is built on three pillars so as to support a broad and balanced programme:
Approaches to learning
Nature of science
Skills in the study of chemistry.
There are a total of six modules that all IB chemistry students will study, whether they are at Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL). These six modules are organised in two groups of three.
Structure 1. Models of the particulate nature of matter
Structure 2. Models of bonding and structure
Structure 3. Classification of matter
Reactivity 1. What drives chemical reactions?
Reactivity 2. How much, how fast and how far?
Reactivity 3. What are the mechanisms of chemical change?
In addition, those studying IB chemistry must also complete practical work, a collaborative sciences project and a scientific investigation, typically referred to as an IA, or Internal Assessment.
Exam Breakdown
The IB chemistry exam consists of two papers for both SL and HL candidates.
The IB chemistry Paper 1 is divided into two parts: Paper 1A consists of multiple-choice questions while Paper 1B focuses on data-based questions and questions on experimental work. SL students have 1.5 hours to complete the paper while HL students have 2 hours. In each case, Paper 1 is worth 36% of a student's total grade.
Paper 2 of the IB chemistry exam is concerned with short answer and extended-response questions. Once more the timing is slightly different, with SL students having 1.5 hours and HL having 2.5 hours. This paper is worth 44% of the total grade.
What Is the IA?
All IB chemistry students, whether they are SL or HL, must complete an IA, or Internal Assessment. The IA is an internally marked piece of coursework that accounts for 20% of a student's final assessment. For their IA, each student designs a scientific investigation in an area of personal interest. Students then carry out the experiment, and generate a lengthy lab report of 6 to 12 pages, which is graded for personal engagement, exploration, analysis, evaluation, and communication.
The purpose of the IB chemistry IA is twofold. First, the IA enables students to demonstrate the application of the skills and knowledge they have attained thus far in their studies. Second, it offers IB students the opportunity to pursue their personal interests, without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations.
The IA Research Question
An IB chemistry student’s Research Question, or RQ, is the starting point for their IA. It is the first point of criticism for a teacher grading the work and, so, a well formed Research Question is vital to ensure a high quality IA.
There are certain essential criteria that an RQ must meet to guarantee a well-performing IA. Any Research Question must represent a diploma-level investigation that is suitably demanding, that is relevant to the IB Chemistry syllabus, that is something the student is interested in, and that has a real world application.
Examples of Weak and Strong Research Questions
Weak Research Question: Does the amount of paracetamol in different brands match the amount listed on their labels?
This Research Question is representative of a place where students often find themselves. Although it manages to touch on a real-world application, it lacks any specificity or relation to concepts studied in IB Chemistry. This Research Question, at first glance, seems to have little if anything to do with Chemistry and seems more like a general query than a scientific investigation.
Strong Research Question: Using back titration to investigate whether the concentration of paracetamol from name-brand tablets is higher after 30 minutes than from generic tablets.
It is plain to see that this Research Question is significantly stronger. Unlike the previous example, this RQ contains specific reference to the chemical process that will be used during the investigation, one that is covered in the Chemistry syllabus. As before, the real-world application remains in place, but parameters have also been introduced, thus offering a definite scope to the work.
Weak Research Question: Does cooking temperature affect the vitamin C content of broccoli?
Although this question manages to touch on some syllabus content related to organic chemistry, it is generally shallow and fails to draw in any other topics. Consequently, the breadth of the study is severely limited. This question could be answered with a simple word: Yes.
Strong Research Question: Investigating how cooking temperatures and durations affect vitamin C degradation using infrared spectroscopy.
This Research Question adds a number of variables, such as temperature and cooking duration, so that the effects of temperature and time can be investigated, thus broadening the scope. Additionally, the method to quantify vitamin C is also specified, which allows the IA to touch on more than just the simple organic chemistry of vitamin C degradation.
Tips for Getting Ahead in IB Chemistry
For IB chemistry students looking to score at the higher end of the mark band, there are a number of tips for success.
Go back and study the basics
Strong foundational knowledge is crucial for top marks in the IB chemistry exam. Often, IB chemistry students lose easy marks because they fail to remember definitions and cannot consolidate basic concepts. It is essential, therefore, to spend time on foundational knowledge and not completely ignore it in favour of focusing on more challenging concepts.
Consolidate mathematical skills
To excel in IB chemistry, candidates must make sure their maths skills are up to par. Students in their first year of IB chemistry are often surprised by how maths-intensive the course is. In the exam, IB chemistry candidates will find that the most marks come from long questions involving multi-step calculations, which means that one wrong calculation takes away a significant number of marks. With a strong foundation in maths, IB chemistry learners can break down the question more easily and maximise their scores with greater confidence.
Understand command terms
A clear understanding of the command terms specific to the IB Chemistry assessment criteria is crucial for a highly marked exam. Command terms dictate the type of answer required for a particular question. Therefore, if a student does not have a working knowledge of the IB chemistry command terms, they are going to struggle to gain marks as they fundamentally do not know what it is the examiner is looking for with any given question.
How BartyED’s Chemistry Tutors Can Help
At BartyED, our expert IB chemistry tutors have a wealth of experience working with both SL and HL chemistry students. Our tutors take a bespoke approach to tuition whereby each session is catered to the unique needs of the student. This way, the best possible results can be achieved for each individual learner. In addition to supporting IB chemistry learners in consolidating their understanding of course content and preparing for exams, our tutors have guided students through their Internal Assessments, for developing comprehensive research questions through to proof reading final drafts.
If you think that your child could benefit from the expert guidance of a BartyED IB chemistry tutor, contact us today at (+852) 2882 1017 or enquiries@bartyed.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Both SL and HL students must complete two exam papers and an Internal Assessment (IA).
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Paper 1 is divided into two parts, consisting of multiple-choice questions, data-based questions and questions on experimental work, while Paper 2 is concerned with short answer and extended-response questions.
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For both SL and HL chemistry students, Paper 1 is worth 36% of their total grade and Paper 2 is weighted at 44%.
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The chemistry IA is worth 20% of a student’s final grade.