How To Write An IB Paper: A Comprehensive Guide

WHAT IS AN IB PAPER?

An IB paper is a specific type of research paper, assigned in international baccalaureate programs and schools, in which your research essay must integrate specific components which are unique to IB programs. An IB Paper is an essay or research paper but must meet the conventions of the IB Program that you are enrolled in. This typically means that your IB paper will need to be written on the basis of a specific type of formatting and referencing and that it will include IB-specific concepts like the areas of exploration.

With this in mind, writing an IB paper means that you must successfully integrate core IB elements, like the areas of exploration, into your IB papers. With the Areas of Exploration representing structures which allow IB students to explore how knowledge is produced and thinking critically about multidisciplinary, writing an IB essay requires that you use the areas exploration to first understand how you can approach your topic from multiple disciplines and then how you can reflect on the work you have done in relation to your topic. The purpose of applying the areas of exploration in writing your IB paper is to thus show your thinking process in a formalized manner that meets all of the criteria and objectives associated with your international baccalaureate program.

When writing an IB paper, you will typically have a high degree of freedom in terms of choosing your topic. This said, and because the interests of your IB paper advisor might differ from your own, you should consult with your IB paper advisor regarding what topic you should write your IB paper on. Consulting with your IB advisors means that the two of you will be on the same page as you write your IB paper. You are also more likely to get a good grade if you write your IB paper on a topic that is of interest to your IB advisor. Maintaining communication with your IB advisor throughout the process of writing it is something that is thus advised for all students who have to write an IB paper.

Ultimately, an IB paper is a modified form of research paper that is meant to reflect the standards of the varying organizations that accredit international schools and international baccalaureate programs. This means that when you write an IB paper, you must stick to the elements which these IB certification bodies value in terms of defining what an international baccalaureate is. With these standards varying across different international baccalaureate certification groups and bodies, this means that there is some variation in the specifications that IB papers are written to. Nevertheless, integration multidisciplinary and the areas of exploration is something that all students who write IB papers will have to do.

HOW TO WRITE AN IB PAPER

When you are writing an IB paper, you should begin with the traditional research paper model and devise a thesis. As recommended above, you should develop your topic and thesis in collaboration with your IB advisor to enhance your grade. If you and your IB paper advisor share a common understanding of your IB paper topic, your IB advisor will be more likely to offer you good advice on how you should write your IB paper. Given that your IB advisor will also be grading your IB paper, maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship with your IB advisor is key to scoring highly on an IB paper. Once your thesis has been settled on, you should use the body paragraphs or sections to support your thesis, and write a conclusion that does not introduce any new information.

As you are writing your IB Paper, it is important that you continuously think about how you will integrate the areas of exploration into your IB paper. The areas of exploration should be integrated directly into the body of your paper as you work to support your thesis point by point. While this might seem awkward, integrating the areas of exploration is key to writing an IB paper because these represent the yardsticks by which your institution and IB accreditation body measure your success in the program. As you write your IB paper, you should integrate the areas of exploration at least once in every section that is being used to support the thesis of your IB paper.

When you are writing your IB paper, you will likely have to produce early deliverables like an outline and an annotated bibliography. These are very valuable tools as they will provide you with early feedback on writing your IB paper from your IB paper advisor. Take your outline and annotated bibliography very seriously because you will be able to use these elements down the line to respectively structure and fill your IB paper. Given that your IB advisor will be providing you with feedback on these elements of your IB paper, you will be able to use them in the rough and final drafts of writing your IB paper. They are thus not a waste of time and you should take them seriously throughout the process of writing your IB paper.

In the end and with IB papers representing the most important work that you will produce in obtaining an international baccalaureate, you need to be familiar with the expectations of your institution and its international baccalaureate accreditation body when writing an IB paper. While most IB papers are only different from traditional research papers in terms of their integration of the areas of exploration, IB papers vary extensively in terms of the components that are expected in them from institution to institution. This is why it is important to examine your institution’s IB paper guide and consult your IB advisor about how to write your IB paper. If you are using an Unemployed Professor to write your IB paper, make sure that you provide them with all of this institution-specific information so that they are able to get you the highest score possible.

HOW TO FORMAT AN IB PAPER

Formatting an IB paper depends heavily on both your institution and the specific international baccalaureate conventions that it is using. Because there are different accreditation organizations for IB schools, you must absolutely follow the specific style guide that has been provided to you by your school or institution. While many IB papers require the use of Harvard or Chicago style, other IB papers require unique referencing and formatting styles that are exclusive to the institution that you are writing the paper for. IB programs and schools tend to be very punitive if you break the style and formatting that has been prescribed for writing your IB Paper. In writing your IB paper, you should thus consult your IB paper supervisor and the style guide extensively to ensure that you are maintaining congruence with the formatting and referencing standards which your IB institution wants you to use.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RESEARCH PAPER AND AN IB PAPER?

The main difference between a research paper and an IB Paper is tied to the manner by which you must integrate the areas of exploration into your IB paper. While writing a standard research paper only involves presenting evidence to support the thesis that you are arguing in favor of, writing an IB paper requires that you support your thesis all the while discussing the areas of exploration. With the areas of exploration tied to the promotion of critical thinking amongst IB students, integrating the areas of exploration when writing your IB paper requires that you reflect on how and why you thought of different elements of your IB paper when you wrote it. This difference, which should be mentioned explicitly throughout the process of writing an IB paper, is the fundamental difference between an IB paper and a traditional research paper. The writing process of the IB paper is thus critically tied to the areas of interaction.