Computing composite IB History grade

[Smile44]

Does anyone know how to compute te composite IB History HL-Americas grade? What is the scaling factor for each paper and internal assessment or what do you multiply to each score to get the total. Thanks!

[TykeDragon]

It's simple:

HL History:

Paper 1 = 20%.

Paper 2 = 25%.

Paper 3 = 35%.

History IA = 20%.

To work out the scaling, work out the percentage in that paper. For example, 20/25 on Paper 1 gives you 80%. Take that 80%, and multiply it by 0.2 as the scaling factor is 20%.

To give you an example of how the calculation is carried out:

Paper 1: 21/25. = 84%. 84 x 0.2 = 16.8

Paper 2: 24/40 (two 12/20 essays) = 60%. 60 x 0.25 = 15

Paper 3 = 37/60 (two 12/20 essays, one 13/20) = 61.7%. 61.7 x 0.35 = 21.583

History IA = 21/25 = 84%. 84 x 0.2 = 16.8

Those bolded totals are the constituent percentages of each component. Add them together to give the accurate final percentage! With the above example, this comes out to 70.1% - which would be a level 7

Hope this helps!

Edited April 24, 2013 by TykeDragon

[Yahooo!]

I definitely thought the grade boundaries would be higher It's my lucky day... a 6 is within reach!

[Smile44]

Thank you, tykedragon! Have you taken the History Hl-Americas exams before? If so, how difficult is the exam if you are just shooting for a 4?

[TykeDragon]

Nope, I'm doing History of Europe.

Document Paper = Peacekeeping 1919-1936

Paper 2 = 1) Causes/Practices/Effects of Wars (WW1, WW2, Spanish Civil War, Chinese Civil War)

2) Single Party and Authoritarian States (Rise and rule of dictators such as Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao)

Paper 3 = Unifications of Italy and Germany 1815-1871, Bismarck's Germany 1871-1890, Imperial Russia/last three Tsars, from 1855 - 1917

My coursework was on Bismarck's foreign policy.

No, my final exams are in two weeks actually... two weeks until the morning of my Paper 3 exam Paper 1 is pretty easy, good technique and analytical skills is enough for a level 7 in paper 1 - you only need own knowledge for a few marks in the last question. Paper 2 I'm fine with, just anxious about the random Single Party States question. And higher topics I'm fine. I usually get at least 12-13 marks in my essays with my school's harsh teachers, and I'm working harder for these, and my coursework has been given 22/25 so I have a pretty good boost.

Not too difficult if you are shooting for a 4 I imagine - grade boundaries are pretty low, a level 4 would probably be only about 30% if a 7 is 65-70%. (Grade boundaries are so low because the essays are difficult to score 15+ on) but if you were to get 9 or 10 marks in every essay (easily feasible as long as you make sure you know the information, and answer the question) and would probably get you a 5.

Edited April 25, 2013 by TykeDragon

[cjy]

I swear 9 times out of 10 the grade boundaries are much lower than 70.1%. One year it was as low as 65%. I think it's because HL History is the most taken IB Subject.

[Smile44]

TykeDragon, why are the boundaries so ridiculously low- not that i'm complaining . What score on each essay is about average to achieve?

[TykeDragon]

@cjy As far as I'm aware it was lowered to 65% for May 2012, maybe 2011, but before then I believe it was usually a solid 70%, no expert though, and it could easily go back up to 70, it's just likely to stay at around 65. I don't think it's anything to do with popularity - English grade boundaries aren't moved around alot despite basically everyone taking it and the language Bs are all of a similar/same grade boundaries despite being varied and necessary to most - same goes for maths studies.

I think it's based on difficulty/marking. Now, some of my history teachers have admitted that our essays are marked more harshly such as to force us to work harder, and thus do better in the exams (theoretically of course.) but put it this way Smile - they say that 14/20 is a level 7 essay, 12/20 is a level 6 essay, 10/20 is level 5, and so on. That's university style - 70% in an essay for a first / level 7! Also, the highest I've ever been marked at school is 16/20, and in Year 12 most of my essays were at 11 or 12, with most Year 13 essays being 13 or 14, marked by my school. This has been partly how my school have shown us that the IB only marks pretty exceptional essays at 18+ out of 20. Seeing as though 14/20 is a level 7 essay, they make the level 7 overall grade boundaries (for essays, document paper and coursework) at 65-70% - bit unreasonable to make it 85% or something if they are unwilling to mark essays that highly.

[Smile44]

@cjy As far as I'm aware it was lowered to 65% for May 2012, maybe 2011, but before then I believe it was usually a solid 70%, no expert though, and it could easily go back up to 70, it's just likely to stay at around 65. I don't think it's anything to do with popularity - English grade boundaries aren't moved around alot despite basically everyone taking it and the language Bs are all of a similar/same grade boundaries despite being varied and necessary to most - same goes for maths studies.

I think it's based on difficulty/marking. Now, some of my history teachers have admitted that our essays are marked more harshly such as to force us to work harder, and thus do better in the exams (theoretically of course.) but put it this way Smile - they say that 14/20 is a level 7 essay, 12/20 is a level 6 essay, 10/20 is level 5, and so on. That's university style - 70% in an essay for a first / level 7! Also, the highest I've ever been marked at school is 16/20, and in Year 12 most of my essays were at 11 or 12, with most Year 13 essays being 13 or 14, marked by my school. This has been partly how my school have shown us that the IB only marks pretty exceptional essays at 18+ out of 20. Seeing as though 14/20 is a level 7 essay, they make the level 7 overall grade boundaries (for essays, document paper and coursework) at 65-70% - bit unreasonable to make it 85% or something if they are unwilling to mark essays that highly.

Would you happen to know where I can find a rubric for how essays are scored for paper 2 and 3 for history hl- Americas?

[TykeDragon]

Yes, there is one grading scale that applies to whatever route of history you do. The papers' specific markschemes just consist of notes to the examiner such as the factual overview of the topic of the question, and 'candidates may talk about factor x, factor y, etc... do not expect all of the above.'

http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/kingryan/Mrs._Ryans_Website/IB_History_files/IB%20Higher%20Level%20History%20Essay%20Markbands.pdf

Be warned that if you are asked to discuss two things/two people, and you only discuss one, your marks will be limited, usually so that your essay is marked out of 8-11 instead of out of 20.

Basically, having good, accurate factual knowledge, a well constructed argument, assessment and detailed analysis (as opposed to just narrating the story), will be enough to get you 11-12/20, usually. An essay that is constructed brilliantly, with good use of accurate and detailed historical knowledge RELEVANT to the point you are making, and very analytical and evaluative, that answers all aspects of the question with focus and potentially even challenge to the assumptions in the question, would get you ever nearer to about 16 out of 20. For 17+, examiners are looking for an essay that is essentially perfect - all of the above to the highest degree, with different historical approaches evaluated and historiography well integrated in.

Edited April 27, 2013 by TykeDragon