IA+Criteria+A

**Internal assessment criteria—SL and HL**

General info, requirements and resources: http://ibcs1-wd.wikispaces.com/The+project+%28IA%29

Criterion A: Planning (6 marks) The success criteria identified in criterion A will be used in criterion D to evaluate the effectiveness of the product.
 * ~ Marks ||~ Description ||
 * 0 || The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. ||
 * 1–2 || An appropriate scenario for investigation for an identified client is stated. The rationale for choosing the proposed product is identified. The criteria for evaluating the success of the product are generally inappropriate. ||
 * 3–4 || An appropriate scenario for investigation for an identified client, providing evidence of consultation, is stated. The rationale for choosing the proposed product is partially explained and includes some appropriate criteria for evaluating the success of the product. ||
 * 5–6 || An appropriate scenario for investigation for an identified client, providing evidence of consultation, is described. The rationale for choosing the proposed product is justified and includes a range of appropriate criteria for evaluating the success of the product. ||

https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/live-exist/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=d_4_comsc_tsm_1201_1_e&part=4&chapter=2 useful selection:
 * [|Stage 1: Planning and preparation] **

**Choice of client and/or adviser**
The choice of a suitable client and/or adviser is a major contributing factor to the final success of the solution. It is recommended that the client is either a teacher within the school, a friend or member of the family. If the student is the client, similar considerations should be undertaken in choosing the adviser. Further information is available in the “Choice of topic” section of the // Computer science guide //.

**Role of the adviser**
The adviser should provide guidance to the student as suggested below.
 * Advise on the scope and feasibility of the solution to ensure that a non-trivial solution is developed.
 * Discuss possible success criteria with the student.
 * Advise during the development of the product.
 * Confirm whether the success criteria have been met.

**Selecting a topic for the solution**
It is important that students, with the teacher’s guidance, choose an issue that: Examples of scenarios from within the school could include the following. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">Examples of scenarios from outside of the school could include: // ** Choose your topic: ** // Python Programming Projects Archive: []
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">engages their interest
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">meets the criteria for assessment
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">involves a client and/or adviser who is accessible and can provide feedback within the required time frame
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">is realistic in terms of resources, their technical ability and the time frame for completion.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">The computer science student (client) wishes to develop further (improve an existing product) his website, which provides an online forum for the development of web pages using PHP. A possible solution is to develop additional web pages with the network manager acting as an adviser.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">A computer science student has been asked by the economics teacher (client) to develop a spreadsheet (original product) that is able to process a set of examination results to see if the mistakes in the questions have had a significant effect on the students’ marks.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">A computer science student has been asked by the geography teacher (client) to develop a modelling package (new product) to determine whether four colours are sufficient to colour the states in any given country.
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0012px; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline; vertical-align: baseline;">A manager of a local football team (client) requires a method of keeping accurate records of players’ details, attendance at training sessions and performance throughout the season (problem). A possible solution is to develop a bespoke relational database.

<span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 21.6022px; vertical-align: baseline;">Word count and format
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">These word count figures in the table below are guidelines. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">The overall word limit for the solution is 2,000; however, it is possible to complete the solution in 1,500 words without a significant loss of quality. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">If students write extended prose in the sections where the word count does not apply, these words will be counted in the overall word count. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is strongly recommended that the documentation is submitted in a commonly used format such as a PDF. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12.0012px; vertical-align: baseline;">**Prescribed format(s) of presentation are indicated in bold.**
 * ~ Criterion ||~ Recommended word count ||~ Comments—format of presentation ||
 * **Planning** ||
 * Defining the problem or unanswered question || 175–250 || **Extended writing** ||
 * Justification for the proposed product || 175–250 || **Extended writing** ||
 * Success criteria || n/a || Bulleted list ||