#diploma program

As you can guess from the title, this post is gonna talk about my biology IA. Now let me start with urging everybody to not put this off to the last THREE DAYS like I did. Seriously, it’s a horrible habit of mine but in my defense I was busy doing other assignments (and watching tv). 

So, in three days I have to turn in my biology IA. So far, I have a topic, databases to use and that’s it. But, how will I write an entire paper in three days, you ask. Well young grasshopper, I’m gonna split it off into bit size study sessions and hope for the best. (I’m already coming up with excuses as to why its late)

Before I list my steps, I do want to rant a bit (isn’t this all a rant, though?). It’s important that I pass biology. Like, it’s the deciding factor for getting into my dream college important. To get into this specific university, I have to get a 6 in biology (for those who do not know, IB/DP grades each class from 1-7, +4 is passing and 7 is almost impossible). So high expectations. Especially with all this talk about IB cancelling exams. If they do cancel them, IB will be grading me off of my IAs (internal assessments) and judging my entire IB grade off of that. That’s scary. Especially because my bio IA topic is not that hands on (i’m interpreting a bunch of data and giving reasons behind the results, it’s a very farfetched investigation in my opinion, but it’s too late to change it). I have been studying harder than ever to pass these exams, specifically bio, and if they get cancelled i don’t know how I’m gonna do. I really want to get into this university, I’m putting all my academic eggs into its basket. 

But, that rant aside, here’s my plan for writing my entire IA (draft) in three days:

1) So today, I will be collecting ALL data and research, making sure I have everything I need (preferably printed out). It won’t be the end of my research process, cause you never know what you’ll need until you start writing, but it’s a start. I’ll also try analyzing the data, but I might need to wait for my math class tomorrow to ask my teacher questions. 

2) Tomorrow is analyzing said data and interpreting it. Essentially, the body paragraphs. This will be my actual investigation and the analytical part of my paper. I will also start the section of why the results make sense and my thoughts on it.

3) Friday (the due date) will be focused on the intro and conclusion as well as the background information. This day I will also be on the road all day to look at a potential college opinion, so we’ll figure it out when we get there. This is also the last day, meaning edits, formatting and final touches. 

If I get lucky and don’t move from this computer for the rest of the week, I should finish Friday. More realistically, I’ll finish this weekend but my teacher said herself that she won’t be able to grade them all at once, so I have some leeway with that. 

Our student bloggers are invited to write in their own words and to hold nothing back –we promise we won’t edit them. Read Farah Walter's blog on 10 tips for a good TOK presentation on our From Students to Students blog:

Dear Readers,

I held my very first TOK presentation in class today. To be honest, I was overwhelmed by the work, and ravaged my brain to find “philosophical” and TOK related arguments. Nevertheless, I was inspired to create 10 tips and tricks for a good TOK presentation in hopes that these will help all of you:

Choose a good Real Life Situation. Helpful are classroom discussions, debates, and ultimately encounters that you have experienced.

Create a reasonable knowledge question that is not too easy but not too hard. Remember your knowledge question should be extracted from your RLS and should aim to draw linkages.

Use TOK terminology throughout the entire presentation. Specifically, the ways of knowing, areas of knowledge and TOK concepts. These will make your presentation more TOK based and accordingly boost your grade.

DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOUR REAL LIFE EXAMPLE TOO MUCH. This is key! Your aim is not to analyse your real life situation as you would in an FOA, but to establish TOK links and to reflect on how this produces knowledge.

Include multiple perspectives. These can either be yours, those of an expert or based on gender, race, culture, or the upbringing of an individual. Make sure to evaluate why different people might have different perspectives.

Structure your presentation coherently and establish a “flow”. There is nothing worse than an unorganized PowerPoint and no transitions between points. Structure your presentation the same way as you would structure your arguments.

When evaluating the implications focus on the long and short term effect as well as the global impact.

Do not use too many RLSs. Of course every group will vary in how many RLSs are used, however using too many may cause you to lose track and therefore create weak arguments.

Do not read off of your flash cards! Apart from the fact that the presentation will be very boring and monotone, IB examiners might believe you do not know your material and therefore deduct points.

Do not stress. Probably the hardest tip to follow, however the best advice I can give you. This is because your stress is transferred to your peers, the teacher and the examiners. By the time you present you know what you are going to talk about and therefore have no need to worry!

Studying tips

Today in biology people were talking about class rank. I guess it never occurred to me what my rank would be, it just hasn't come up a lot. I make a very conscious effort not to compare myself to others, especially with grades. It's something that I find way more harmful than good, but hearing them talk about rank got me thinking. I do a lot of hard work, I'm in a officer position for multiple honor societies and am full DP, which has to amount to something, right? I don't know if I would ever want to know my rank (our school doesn't rank anyways so it doesn't matter) cause I know how sad I'd be if I'm not in the top ten (which I'm not, there's a lot more talented and intelligent people than me).

Well, today has been a rollercoaster of a day. Or maybe a mountain range? Either way, it has had its ups and downs. First of all, all those papers I was stressed about yesterday, they’re not even due today! I got the date messed up somehow!?! And I thought I had a meeting after school today as well and apparently that was also at the end of the week, i don’t know what happened to make me thing it was all happening today. It was like that B99 moment where Gina forgets that March 31st is a day and sets everything that day, except the opposite???

Oh well, at least I worked on my papers. Now I’m studying for a bio test. BTW if any of you guys need DP HL Bio study guides, I make a quizlet for each unit, so reach out! 

Also, look at this beautiful plant! I got it for my birthday last week and I know it is still soon but it’s doing great! His name is Bartholomew in case you wanted to know. I don’t have the best reputation with plants, but like my studying I am trying to get a routine.