Some questions about the IA Commentary

[Sarusta]

I'm in the process of writing my IA commentary, and I was wondering about a couple things.

1.) Is there a specific type or format of graph we are supposed to use for the commentary? I've seen a couple friends hand-draw their graphs, and a couple use computer programs. Our teacher tells us that the graphs should look like the ones in our textbook (shown below), but since our textbook is NOT an IB book, I was a little concerned that they weren't right.

2.) Do the words in the graphs count towards our final word count? I recall reading somewhere here that every word in the IA counts towards the word count. Does that include the graph and/or cover page?

[Vvi]

The cover page doesn't count towards word count, and the examiners are also confused about whether or not words on graphs count towards word count. They add up to a ridiculously huge amount (like 175 words) in the end if you do count them (because even letters like "D" count as a word), so what I did was I counted the title of my graphs in the word count and left out everything else on the graoh. If they wanna be picky and deduct marks for my graphs, then they can't expect me to write a good commentary in only 500 words.

About the graphs: those graphs are basically right, but generally the demand and supply curves aren't curved, but are drawn straight instead. I did mine on the computer (Microsoft Word, you can insert all kinds of shapes) and the only line I had to draw by hand was the SRAS (because I couldn't find a good shape for it on Word). Some people also draw their graphs by hand, which is fine too as long as your handwriting is legible.

There are also variations of the graphs depending on the schools of economics (mostly they concern the macroeconomic graphs, where Keynesians and Monetarists have different opininions on the shape of the SRAS curve). We drew our graphs according to the school in the middle of the road, and so the SRAS curve was neither L-shaped nor completely vertical, but in between the two. You can use any shape for the graphs (if it's drawn according to how one school of Economics views the curve), but I don't think you should copy them out of the textbook you have if it's not an IB one. You could get the OSC revision guide for economics and look in there, their graphs are fine to draw. I also drew some from Glanville's book of economics, it's this big green or orange book (depending on the version).

Edited May 21, 2009 by Vvi

[Sarusta]

All the graphs in the book and that our teacher have shown us are curved... >_<; I'll look into the ones in the IB books.

Another thing I forgot to ask, should the graphs be placed in an appendix, or just introduced and referred to in the IA as needed?

[Vvi]

Introduced as needed, IA commentaries usually don't have appendixes at all. When you draw a graph in there, title it and explain how it relates to your situation, and describe the movement of the Demand curve or whatever is happening in it. Don't just thrown one in to make it look like a better commentary and not explain it, my classmate did this on our Economics exams and you get no marks for including it if you don't incorporate it into your explanation.

[9d9]

guys please check out the sample bm ia's which i have submitted in the ibusurvival files.! it wuld be really helpfull.!! do check them out..!!

[CeciliaL]

Do we have to draw our OWN graphs??

Our teacher never mentioned anything of the sort, so we've basically just been copying relevant ones off internet websites...