IB Economics IA Tutor — Expert Guidance for Your Internal Assessment
Your IB Economics Internal Assessment (IA) is a significant piece of work. It is worth 20% of your final IB Economics grade at Higher Level and 30% at Standard Level. That is a substantial portion of your overall score.
At IB IA Academy, we provide specialised IB Economics IA tutoring. Our approach is simple: we teach, we guide, we mentor. You complete the work yourself. That principle is non-negotiable.
Our team includes subject-matter experts, many of whom have served as IB Economics examiners. They understand the official rubrics not just in theory, but in practice. Rather than simply listing the criteria, we help you understand how to meet them in your own writing.
- Experienced IB teachers
- IB examiners
- One-to-one IB Economics IA Tutor
- Helping students with Internal Assessments since 2017
Key Takeaway: We teach you how to approach your Economics IA. Your portfolio remains your own work.
Need IB Economics IA Tutor? Talk to an IB Economics IA Tutor
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us.
What Is the IB Economics IA?
The IB Economics IA is a portfolio of three commentaries. It is your chance to explore real-world economic issues that genuinely interest you. You select published news articles, analyse them using economic theory, and write a structured commentary for each.
The IA is assessed using five criteria per commentary, plus one portfolio-wide criterion. Each commentary is marked out of 14 marks using Criteria A–E. Across three commentaries, this gives 42 marks. Criterion F assesses three portfolio-wide rubric requirements, with one mark deducted for each requirement that is not met. The maximum mark for the complete portfolio is 45.
- Criterion A — Diagrams (3 marks)
- Criterion B — Terminology (2 marks)
- Criterion C — Application and Analysis (3 marks)
- Criterion D — Key Concept (3 marks)
- Criterion E — Evaluation (3 marks)
- Criterion F — Rubric Requirements
Knowing the rubric is one thing. Applying it to your own work is another. That is where our IB Economics IA Tutor makes the difference.
IB Teaching Expertise
Our teachers work as IB teachers in reputable schools.
IB Examining Experience
Our teachers also work as IB examiners and understand how IB assessment works.
Subject-Specific Expertise
Our IB Economics IA Tutor helps you choose the economic theories that best fit your commentary.
IB Economics IA Tutor Supporting Students Since 2017
We have been helping students with Internal Assessments since 2017.
The IA is not just another assignment. At SL, it contributes 30% of your total IB Economics mark. A well-executed portfolio can significantly support your final grade. A poorly executed one can pull it down.
Why Is the Economics IA So Important?
The IA is not just another assignment. It contributes 20% of your total IB Economics mark at HL and 30% at SL. A well-executed IA can support your final grade. A poorly executed one can pull it down.
But it is more than grades. The IA teaches you to think like an economist. You learn to analyse real-world issues, apply economic theory, evaluate policy decisions, and communicate your ideas clearly. These skills matter for university and beyond. The IB designed the IA to be a meaningful learning experience.
“The IA teaches you to think like an economist.”
What Does Our IB Economics IA Tutor Cover?
We offer dedicated, one-on-one online tutoring for IB Economics (SL and HL). Our IB Economics IA tuition covers every stage of the IA process, from the very first article to the final submission.
Finding Suitable Articles and Key Concepts
Coming up with an IA idea is often the hardest part. You are not restricted to one particular news organisation, but your three articles must come from three different published news media sources. Television or radio broadcasts are not permitted. You can choose a published news media article and analyse it through the lens of one of the nine key concepts.
We help you brainstorm. We show you how to find articles that allow for meaningful economic analysis. Your three commentaries must cover different sections of the syllabus: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and The Global Economy. Your commentary must explain the linkages between the article and at least one key concept and economic theory from that syllabus section.
We also help you choose something you find genuinely interesting. When you are curious about your topic, it often shows in the quality of your work — not because “personal engagement” is a separate criterion, but because engaged students tend to think more deeply and write more thoughtfully.
Developing Your Commentary Structure With IB Economics IA Tutor
Once you have an article, we help you develop it. We guide you in:
- Writing a clear, focused introduction
- Identifying and explaining the relevant economic theory
- Constructing relevant, accurate, and correctly labelled economic diagrams and explaining them effectively
- Applying economic concepts to the article context
- Developing a balanced evaluation
We do not write your commentary for you. We teach you how to write one that an examiner could follow and understand. That is a key part of the Application and Analysis criterion.
We also help you analyse economic theory from scratch. We walk through each step so you understand why you are doing what you are doing.
Strengthening Your Economic Analysis
Your commentary should not feel like a random collection of economic terms. Examiners assess your work against the criteria. They want to see a cohesive analysis — one where every part connects to your chosen key concept and the article.
We help you understand the economic theory you need to analyse your chosen article. We show you how to use the information in the article effectively and connect it to the relevant economic theory and key concept.
Your introduction should be clear and concise — not overly descriptive. It should set up your article and explain the economic context.
Use relevant diagrams where they strengthen the economic analysis. We teach you how to construct these, so your work is easy to follow. One diagram can still be enough for full Criterion A marks if no additional diagrams are obviously needed.
Interpreting Data and Quantitative Information
Where relevant, quantitative information from the article should be interpreted and used in your analysis.
We help you:
- Extract relevant data from your article
- Apply economic theory to interpret the data
- Handle calculations properly — this is where many students lose marks
- Justify any data treatment, including decisions about economic assumptions
Where relevant, comparisons between outcomes, groups, policies or possible alternatives can strengthen your analysis and evaluation.
Writing a Strong Evaluation
Your evaluation should make a clear, reasoned judgment supported by effective and balanced reasoning.
We teach you to compare your findings with accepted economic theory and cite your sources properly.
Where relevant, consider limitations, implications or alternative perspectives that help you develop a balanced and well-supported judgment. Show the examiner that you understand the limitations of your own work.
Structure, Presentation, and Templates
We provide templates to help you design and format your IA. These are not fill-in-the-blank shortcuts. They are structural guides that show you the expected writing pattern for each section.
Using a template helps you understand the flow of a good IA. It keeps you organised and ensures you don’t miss anything important. We explain why each section exists and what the examiner expects to find there.
Teacher’s Advice: A well-executed IA with depth and clarity is likely to score better than a long, unfocused one. A simpler commentary done thoroughly can score as well as — or better than — a complex one done poorly. Focus on doing your chosen commentary well.
How Our IB Economics IA Tutor Supports You Throughout the Process
We do not just give you a few sessions and leave you alone. We offer ongoing external support throughout the IA process.
You can ask questions whenever you get stuck. We are here to help you work through problems — not to solve them for you.
We also evaluate your work as you go. We check that your commentary is well-structured, your interpretation of the article is sound, and your analysis is on track. We give constructive feedback so you can improve before your final submission.
We help you stay on track with clear planning and milestones. The IA is a long project. It is easy to fall behind. We break it down into manageable steps and help you keep moving forward.
Teacher’s Advice: Good overall planning helps you produce a strong IA. It keeps you organised and reduces stress. It also helps you present your work in a logical order, which makes it easier for the examiner to follow.
What Examiners Actually Assess
Examiners assess the commentary using the official criteria:
- Criterion A — Diagrams (3 marks)
- Criterion B — Terminology (2 marks)
- Criterion C — Application and Analysis (3 marks)
- Criterion D — Key Concept (3 marks)
- Criterion E — Evaluation (3 marks)
The portfolio is also checked against the Criterion F rubric requirements.
Your IA must be understandable to the examiner. That means clear writing, logical flow, and proper structure. We teach you how to present your work clearly so the examiner can follow your thinking.
Teacher’s Advice: A well-executed IA with depth and clarity is likely to score better than a long, unfocused one. What matters is how well you meet each criterion. Focus on doing your chosen commentary well.
Understanding the IB Economics IA Assessment
Before we go further, let us clarify what the IB actually requires. This information is based on the official IB Economics Guide (February 2020, updated October 2022) and IB Economics Examiner Instructions 2026.
| Feature | Official IB Specification |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Internal Assessment — Portfolio of Three Commentaries |
| SL Weighting | 30% of the final grade |
| HL Weighting | 20% of the final grade |
| Number of Commentaries | Three |
| Maximum Word Count | 800 words per commentary |
| Article Sources | Three different published news media sources |
| Syllabus Coverage | Three different sections of the syllabus |
| Key Concept | At least one key concept must be linked to each commentary, with a different key concept used for each commentary |
| Assessment | Criteria A–E for each commentary |
| Marks (Per Commentary) | Criterion A: 3 marks; Criterion B: 2 marks; Criterion C: 3 marks; Criterion D: 3 marks; Criterion E: 3 marks — Total: 14 marks |
| Marks (Portfolio) | 42 marks maximum for the three commentaries (14 × 3) |
| Criterion F | Portfolio-wide rubric requirements |
| Total Portfolio Marks | 45 marks |
| Important | The 800-word limit is a submission requirement, not a Criterion F rubric requirement. |
Teacher’s Advice: The allocated time includes teacher explanation of requirements, student work, consultations, progress monitoring, and authenticity checks. Each commentary must explain the linkages between the article and at least one key concept and economic theory from the relevant syllabus section.
The Assessment Criteria (What You Are Actually Marked On)
Your IA is assessed across five criteria per commentary, plus one portfolio-wide criterion. Each commentary is worth up to 14 marks, and the maximum mark for the complete portfolio is 45. We organise our tutoring around these exact areas.
Criterion A — Diagrams (3 marks)
You are assessed on your ability to construct and use diagrams — relevant, accurate, and correctly labelled diagrams with a full explanation score highest.
Criterion B — Terminology (2 marks)
You are assessed on your use of appropriate economic terminology. Terminology relevant to the article must be used appropriately throughout the commentary.
Criterion C — Application and Analysis (3 marks)
You are assessed on how effectively you recognise, understand, apply and analyse relevant economic theory or theories in the context of your chosen article.
Criterion D — Key Concept (3 marks)
You are assessed on how effectively you recognise, understand and link your selected key concept to your chosen article.
Criterion E — Evaluation (3 marks)
You are assessed on how you make judgments supported by reasoned arguments. Judgments supported by effective and balanced reasoning score highest.
Criterion F — Rubric Requirements
Criterion F assesses the portfolio-wide rubric requirements. The complete portfolio has three rubric requirements. The 800-word limit is a separate requirement and is not itself a Criterion F rubric requirement.
Teacher’s Advice: The article should not simply replicate a standard or well-known analysis. However, you can analyse an existing article in a new way. We help you find a topic and article that is both original and feasible.
The Dos and Don’ts of an IB Economics IA
We cover all the important dos and don’ts.
Do:
- Choose a topic you are genuinely interested in
- Make sure your article is from published news media
- Use a different syllabus section for each commentary
- Use a different key concept for each commentary
- Cite all sources properly
- Include accurate and well-labelled diagrams
- Write a clear, concise introduction
- Evaluate your work honestly
Don’t:
- Copy someone else’s IA or use a generic article
- Use the same key concept twice
- Write a vague evaluation
- Wait until the last minute
Teacher’s Advice: If your idea is lengthy but lacks focus, it may be better to simplify it. A clear, well-structured commentary is always preferable to a messy, overcomplicated one.
What We Help You With — And What We Do Not Do
Our IB Economics IA Tutor Helps You:
- Understand the official IB assessment criteria.
- Develop your own, original commentary.
- Plan a coherent and well-structured analysis.
- Handle data and quantitative analysis where relevant.
- Interpret your own data and draw meaningful diagrams.
- Write a clear, well-structured evaluation.
- Evaluate your analysis with genuine critical thinking.
- Review your draft for clarity, coherence, and presentation while keeping the work your own.
We Do Not:
- Write the IA for you.
- Fabricate or invent data.
- Provide a ready-made commentary for submission.
- Guarantee a specific mark (your effort and understanding are ultimately your own).
Teacher’s Advice: Academic integrity is non-negotiable. Our role is to guide, mentor, and build your confidence — not to do the work for you.
IB Economics IA Tutor Since 2017 — Ready to Bring Structure to Your IA?
You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. You can come with an idea, an article, a key concept, or a partial draft. You can also bring a problem you cannot solve.
Our IB Economics IA Tutors can help you understand your next step.
We can help you understand the economics, learn relevant tools, approach data, analyse results, and understand the assessment requirements.
You then use what you learn to develop your own portfolio.
The IA is a challenge. But with the right IB Economics IA Tutor, it becomes manageable — even enjoyable. We provide the guidance, structure, expertise, and support you need to produce your own original, high-quality portfolio.
We do not write for you. We do not dictate to you. We teach you. We mentor you. We help you succeed on your own terms.