THE IB MATH IA RUBRIC BREAKDOWN
Most students read the IB mark descriptors and
still don’t know what they actually mean in
practice.
“Coherent and well-organized.” What does that
look like on the page?
“Evidence of outstanding personal engagement.”
What’s the difference between outstanding and
significant?
“Sophisticated mathematics.” What counts as
sophisticated at SL? At HL?
This guide answers all of those questions —
criterion by criterion, mark level by mark level.
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WHAT’S INSIDE (16 pages)
For each of the 5 IB IA criteria, you get a
complete 6-part deep dive:
PART 1 — Official IB Mark Descriptors
The actual language IB uses at every mark level,
presented clearly for each criterion.
PART 2 — Plain English Translation
What each descriptor actually means in practice
— the way a trusted teacher would explain it,
not the way a formal document reads.
PART 3 — Illustrative Examples
Fictional student writing excerpts showing the
SAME content at a low mark level and a high mark
level — side by side, so you can see exactly
what changed and why it matters.
PART 4 — Most Common Reasons for Mark Loss
The specific mistakes that appear in IB examiner
reports year after year for that criterion.
PART 5 — How to Move Up One Level
Specific, actionable steps for each mark level
transition: from 0–1 to 2, from 2 to 3, from
3 to 4.
PART 6 — Examiner Insight
A direct insight into how examiners think about
this criterion — the kind of thing teachers who’ve
seen many IAs know but don’t always say out loud.
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THE 5 CRITERIA COVERED IN FULL
✅ Criterion A: Presentation (4 marks)
✅ Criterion B: Mathematical Communication (4 marks)
✅ Criterion C: Personal Engagement (3 marks)
✅ Criterion D: Reflection (3 marks)
✅ Criterion E: Use of Mathematics (6 marks)
— Separate SL and HL guidance
— SL and HL worked examples
— SL vs HL comparison table
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PLUS: BONUS CONTENT
“What Examiners Wish Every Student Knew”
8 examiner insights drawn from IB examiner
report patterns — the kind of knowledge that
separates students who consistently score 17+
from those who plateau at 13–14.
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THIS IS NOT A CHECKLIST
The IA Checklist (also available at samzhub.com)
gives you a stage-by-stage action plan. This guide
goes deeper — it explains the WHY behind every
criterion so you understand what you’re working
toward, not just what boxes to tick.
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WHO THIS IS FOR
→ Students who want to understand what examiners
actually look for — not just what the official
descriptors say
→ Students who’ve read their IA and want to
know which criterion is losing them marks
→ HL students who need to understand what
“sophisticated” really means
→ SL students who keep scoring in the 3–4 range
on Criterion E and don’t know why
→ IB Math teachers who want a clear guide to
share with students before or during the
writing process
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INSTANT DOWNLOAD
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