What Makes a Great Article for the IB Economics Internal Assessment?
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Before we get going with this week’s newsletter, I just want to mention two things. First, I cannot believe this is the 100th edition of The World Is Our Classroom. That is crazy. It has been an absolute joy and honor to be with you each week and share thoughts and insights that I hope you continue to find helpful. And secondly, it’s also my son’s 23rd birthday today. Happy Birthday, Takoa! Recently, I was working with a student from the American School of Rio de Janeiro on his Macroeconomics commentary for the IB Economics Internal Assessment. As we worked together, we came across this article, Chile’s Congress Puts President’s Economic Overhaul on Track to Become Law. And I immediately thought... This is such a good article for an IA. Not because it is particularly complicated. Actually, almost the opposite. It gives the student exactly what is needed without doing the most important work for them. So I thought this week I would share this article with you as a model and then break down exactly why I think it is such an effective article for the Internal Assessment. The IA is a Link Paper Remember, I have always thought of the Internal Assessment as a link paper. Using a news article written within the previous twelve months, students are trying to link three specific things.
This Chile article works really, really well because all three links are there. We have a real-life policy proposal, a clear connection to a an economic theory within our studies of Macroeconomics, and a Key Concept that fits naturally. Look For a Proposed Economic Policy My favorite articles for IAs are always about proposed government economic policies that have not yet been implemented. This is a major reason why I love this Chile article. The government is proposing a package of reforms, including reducing the corporate tax rate for large corporations from 27% to 23%. Because the policy has not fully been implemented yet, the author of the article cannot tell us exactly what the outcome will be. And this is perfect. That leaves the analysis and evaluation to the student. I always like to put students in the position of imagining that a politician comes to them as an economist working for a particular government and says… Here is the problem we are facing. Here is the policy we are considering. What do you think will happen? Who will benefit? Who might lose? What could happen in the short run? What could happen in the long run? What are the advantages? What are the disadvantages? This is the analysis and evaluation. And this particular article on Chile does not provide the student with any of that analysis or evaluation. It’s perfect. The Economic Theory Should Be Obvious A strong article should make the economic theory very clear. The Chile article does this really well. The economy had shrunk by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026 following several months of weak growth, and unemployment had risen to 9.4%. Boom! So, the government is proposing policies to revive the private sector, create jobs, and reduce the fiscal deficit in line with its political views. Immediately, you can see a Macroeconomic economic theory from our studies emerge. In this case, the most obvious one is Low Unemployment. While the theory of Economic Growth could work too, the article just hands the kid all they need for Low Unemployment. It’s a classic easy line of argument...lower corporate taxes could encourage firms to invest, expand production, and therefore hire more workers. The goal of the government would be to reduce the unemployment rate back down toward the target rate of 5%. And this gives us a clear economic theory to analyze. Clear. Simple. Available. You Should Almost Be Able to See the Diagrams Immediately upon reading it, you can see diagrams emerging in your mind. I often think of the first diagram as the pre-condition diagram. This is the diagram of what the economy looks like before the policy is implemented. This is the status quo diagram. In this case, a Neoclassical Aggregate Demand-Aggregate Supply Diagram could show an economy operating below the full employment level with weak aggregate demand that has shifted inward, lower real output, and therefore cyclical unemployment. Then this policy is going to create an event. That event will be represented in the second diagram, what I call the post-condition diagram. This diagram answers the question… What might happen if the proposed policy is implemented? If lower tax rates encourage greater investment spending by the private sector, aggregate demand would shift to the right, increasing real output and reducing unemployment. Yay! And getting unemployment closer to the target rate of Low Unemployment of 5%. The student does not have to assume that the policy completely eliminates what would be the recessionary gap. That becomes part of the evaluation. The Key Concept Should Fit Naturally Students should not have to force the connection to one of the Nine Key Concepts. Ever. It should be super obvious In this article, two of the concepts stand out. Intervention works because the government is changing taxation and other policies and intervening in the economy to influence economic outcomes. Economic Well-Being also works because the reforms involve employment and, as a result of increased employment, the government is looking after the economic well-being of not only businesses, but also workers in Chile. The connection is already there. It is obvious and simple. The student simply has to develop it. The Article Should Provide Evidence But Not the Answers This may be the most important characteristic of all. A great IA article gives students enough information to build an argument without doing the analysis and evaluation for them. The Chile article does this extremely well. Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz argues that the reforms should give investors greater certainty, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and make Chile’s tax system more competitive. Opposition politicians argue that the legislation disproportionately benefits large corporations and wealthier citizens. That gives the student different stakeholders, competing perspectives, possible benefits, and possible costs. They could turn that into the short run. They could turn it into the long run. They could turn it into advantages and disadvantages. But the article does not answer the most important question, which is How will it actually play out in the economy for all stakeholders? That remains the student’s job which is perfect. And this article preserves that work for the student to do. So, Recap....What Does a Great IA Article Look Like? For me, the best articles share the same characteristics.
In short, and to put it in a hokey way… A great article gives the student the raw materials for analysis and evaluation without manufacturing the analysis and evaluation for them. And that is why I absolutely love this article on Chile. Everything the student needs is there. And that is exactly the way that it should be. I hope this was helpful. See you next week. Upcoming Workshops and Opportunities... Teaching the Internal Assessment in IB Economics - On-Demand - A 3-hour On-Demand Course designed for new and experienced IB Economics teachers who are looking for practical strategies for teaching, guiding, and supervising the Internal Assessment process. We will cover all of the steps from article selection to applying the mark scheme to final drafts. Effectively Supervising the Extended Essay in Economics - September 20th, 2026 - This 3-hour workshop offers IB Economics teachers actionable techniques for supervising and guiding students through every stage of the new Extended Essay journey. From unpacking the task to navigating the assessment criteria and refining their writing, gain the skills to support students in producing outstanding work. The Cohort Model for the Extended Essay Teacher Workshop - October 3rd, 2026 - The Cohort Model is a customizable approach to managing the Extended Essay, designed to meet your school’s specific context. This workshop will guide you through each step of the process, from research and reflections to assessment, offering a structured, cohesive approach that ensures student success and smooth coordination across all subjects. Effectively Supervising the Extended Essay in Any Subject- November 7th, 2026 - This focused and practical workshop is designed to help teachers confidently navigate the updated Extended Essay framework for the Class of 2027. Together, we’ll explore what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how to effectively guide students through both the Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary pathways. In-Person Professional Workshops - If your school would like a tailored training on the updated Extended Essay guidelines, we’d love to help—onsite at your campus or live online—just send me an email at brad@bradcartwright.com and we’ll work together to make it happen. Brad Cartwright |