IB Digital Society Inquiry Project (IA) Guide: How to Get a 7 for Digital Society's IA (2025 updated guide)

May 2025 Digital Society IA results were HARSH, with many Digital Society teachers raising concerns about the way the majority of grades were moderated down. As a result, with the help of Claude.ai I have fed all the IA feedback from the examiners and exemplars into the AI tool and asked it it analyse and create an updated guide and here are the results.

🎯 IB DP Digital Society Inquiry Project: Complete Guide to Grade 7 Success Video

Complete Student Guide to Achieving Excellence

THE GRADE 7 MINDSET

Ask yourself: "Would a university student/professor cite this research?"If yes, you're on track for top marks.

Bottom Line: The difference between good and excellent work lies in specificity, depth of analysis, explicit connections, and evidence-based conclusions.

CRITERION A: INQUIRY FOCUS

Target: 3 marks

✅ MUST DO:

• Craft a focused, specific inquiry question

  • Use "To what extent..." or "How does..." formats

  • Avoid broad, vague questions

  • Ensure it's actually a question, not a statement

• Explicitly reference Digital Society guide topics

  • Include topic numbers and subtitles (e.g., "Change 2.1", "AI-3.6.E")

  • Explain the connection in detail

• Connect clearly to the 3Cs (Concepts, Content, Contexts)

  • Dedicate 2-3 sentences explaining each connection

  • Use specific examples, not generalisations

• Include accurate, specific real-life examples

  • Recent examples with proper citations

  • Explain relevance to your inquiry

❌ DON'T DO:

• Create overly broad inquiry questions that lack focus

• Submit statements instead of questions

• Provide limited explanations of 3Cs connections

• Use vague or outdated real-world examples

📝 EXEMPLAR APPROACH:

"To what extent does the use of AI chatbots in education (such as Chat GPT) help to enhance students learning experience?"

• Specific technology (AI chatbots)

• Clear scope (education)

• Measurable outcome (learning experience)

• Includes example (ChatGPT)

CRITERION B: SOURCES AND PERSPECTIVES

Target: 6 marks

✅ MUST DO:

• Use proper bibliographic format for all sources

• Include OPVL analysis with clear subtitles:

  • Origin: Who created it? When? Where?

  • Purpose: Why was it created?

  • Value: What makes it useful for your inquiry?

  • Limitations: What are its weaknesses?

• Demonstrate deep analysis of claims and perspectives

• Fully justify relevance of each source to your inquiry

• Include references to digital tools used in multimedia presentation

• Use recent, high-quality sources (within 4 years)

• Mix source types: Academic journals, institutional reports, primary research

❌ DON'T DO:

• Provide superficial source analysis

• Rely on outdated or low-quality sources

• Forget to explain why sources are relevant

• Ignore digital tools in your reference list

📊 SOURCE QUALITY HIERARCHY:

1. Peer-reviewed academic journals (highest value)

2. Institutional/government reports

3. Reputable news organisations

4. Industry reports from recognised organisations

5. General websites (lowest value - use sparingly)

CRITERION C: ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION

Target: 6 marks

✅ MUST DO:

• Conduct primary research

  • Surveys with substantial sample sizes (50+ respondents)

  • Interviews with relevant stakeholders

  • Include demographic breakdowns

• Go beyond description - provide substantial analysis

• Use additional supporting evidence not already used in Criteria A and B

• Present impacts and implications with strong evidence

• Use specific statistics and data

• Address counterarguments and negative aspects

• Include visual data (charts, graphs, infographics)

• Include evidence-based stakeholder recommendations

❌ DON'T DO:

• Rely purely on descriptive analysis

• Ignore negative aspects or counterarguments

• Use vague statements instead of specific data

• Present analysis without supporting evidence

🔍 THE "SANDWICH METHOD":

Academic Source → Primary Data → Academic Source → Analysis → Conclusion

CRITERION D: CONCLUSION AND INSIGHTS

Target: 6 marks

✅ MUST DO:

• Provide clear, explicit insights directly connected to your inquiry question

• Include substantial discussion of emerging trends

• Back future trend analysis with credible evidence

• Demonstrate adequate further insight beyond surface level

• Use specific institutional examples (e.g., Harvard's CS50 Duck, Staffordshire's Beacon)

• Provide actionable solutions to identified problems

• Connect to multiple stakeholders (students, institutions, society)

❌ DON'T DO:

• Provide conclusions without clear connections to your inquiry

• Discuss future trends without credible evidence

• Ignore practical implications

• End with generic, superficial conclusions

🎯 FUTURE TRENDS EXAMPLES:

• Hyper-personalized learning systems

• Real-time emotional analysis integration

• AI-powered assessment tools

• Virtual reality educational environments

CRITERION E: DIGITAL COMMUNICATION

Target: 3 marks

✅ MUST DO:

• Use digital tools creatively and purposefully

• Ensure every visual element supports content

• Organize presentation with logical flow

• Include complete reference list with:

  • Primary sources

  • Secondary sources

  • Media sources

  • Digital tools used

• Provide professional presentation format

• Include substantial appendices (interview transcripts, survey data, raw data)

❌ DON'T DO:

• Use digital tools just for decoration

• Submit incomplete references

• Ignore the multimedia presentation requirements

• Forget to cite creation tools (Canva, CapCut, etc.)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY EXCELLENCE

Primary Research Best Practices:

• Survey Design: 100+ respondents across multiple demographics

• Interview Strategy: 2-3 in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders

• Data Analysis: Use charts, percentages, and visual representations

• Transparency: Include methodology explanation and raw data

Source Integration Strategy:

1. Start broad with recent academic overview

2. Narrow focus with specific case studies

3. Add primary data from your research

4. Compare perspectives from multiple stakeholders

5. Synthesize findings with original analysis

COMMON PITFALLS TO AVOID

Research Mistakes:

• Relying solely on secondary sources

• Using outdated information (pre-2021)

• Ignoring bias in source selection

• Failing to address counterarguments

Analysis Errors:

• Surface-level description without evaluation

• Cherry-picking data to support predetermined conclusions

• Lacking connection between evidence and insights

• Missing stakeholder perspectives

Presentation Issues:

• Incomplete citations and references

• Poor visual design that distracts from content

• Missing appendices with supporting materials

• Failure to demonstrate digital tool mastery

SUCCESS CHECKLIST

Before Submission:

•  Inquiry question is specific and focused

•  3Cs connections are explicit and detailed

•  Real-world examples are current and relevant

•  Sources include OPVL analysis with proper citations

•  Primary research data is substantial and well-presented

•  Analysis goes beyond description to evaluation

•  Counterarguments and limitations are addressed

•  Future trends are supported by credible evidence

•  Multimedia presentation uses tools creatively

•  Complete reference list includes all source types

•  Appendices contain interview transcripts and raw data

Final Quality Test:

"Would this research contribute new knowledge to the field?"

If you can answer yes with confidence, you're ready for Grade 7 success.

EXEMPLAR ANALYSIS TAKEAWAY

The highest-scoring projects combine:

• Rigorous academic research with original primary data

• Balanced analysis that addresses both benefits and concerns

• Practical real-world applications with specific institutional examples

• Professional presentation with comprehensive supporting materials

Remember: Excellence in the Inquiry Project means contributing original insights to your chosen topic, not just summarising existing knowledge.