Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. The most important aims of assessment in the Diploma Programme are that it should support curricular goals and encourage appropriate student learning. Both external and internal assessment are used in the Diploma Programme. IB Computer Science examiners mark work produced for external assessment, while work produced for internal assessment is marked by teachers
and externally moderated by the IB.
The Diploma Programme primarily focuses on summative assessment designed to record student achievement at, or towards the end of, the course of study. However, many of the assessment instruments can also be used formatively during the course of teaching and learning, and teachers are encouraged to do this. A comprehensive assessment plan is viewed as being integral with teaching, learning and course organization. For further information, see the IB Computer Science Programme standards and practices document.
The approach to assessment used by the IB is criterion-related, not norm-referenced. This approach to assessment judges students’ work by their performance in relation to identified levels of attainment, and not in relation to the work of other students. For further information on assessment within the Diploma Programme please refer to the publication Diploma Programme assessment: Principles and practice.
Assessment criteria are used when the assessment task is open-ended. Each criterion concentrates on a particular skill that students are expected to demonstrate. An assessment objective describes what students should be able to do and assessment criteria describe how well they should be able to do it. Using assessment criteria allows discrimination between different answers and encourages a variety of responses.
Each criterion comprises a set of hierarchically ordered level descriptors. Each level descriptor is worth one or more marks. Each criterion is applied independently using a best-fit model. The maximum marks for each criterion may differ according to the criterion’s importance. The marks awarded for each criterion are added together to give the total mark for the piece of work.
Standard Level
IB Computer Science External assessment (2 hours 30 minutes)
- Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes)
- Paper 1 is an examination paper consisting of two compulsory sections.
- Section A (30 minutes approximately) consists of several compulsory short answer questions. The maximum mark for this section is 25.
- Section B (60 minutes approximately) consists of three compulsory structured questions. The maximum mark for this section is 45.
- Paper 2 (1 hour)
- Paper 2 is an examination paper linked to the option studied.
- The paper consists of between two and five compulsory questions.
IB Computer Science Internal assessment (40 hours)
This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by
the IB at the end of the course.
Solution (30 hours)
- The development of a computational solution.
- Students must produce:
- A cover page that follows the prescribed format
- a product
- supporting documentation (word limit 2,000 words).
(34 marks)
Group 4 project (10 hours)
- To be assessed using the criterion Personal skills.
Higher Level
IB Computer Science External assessment (4 hours 30 minutes)
- Paper 1 (2 hour 10 minutes)
- Paper 1 is an examination paper consisting of two compulsory sections.
- Section A (30 minutes approximately) consists of several compulsory short answer questions. The maximum mark for this section is 25.
- Section B (60 minutes approximately) consists of three compulsory structured questions. The maximum mark for this section is 45.
- Paper 2 (1 hour 20 minutes)
- Paper 2 is an examination paper linked to the option studied.
- The paper consists of between three and seven compulsory questions.
The SL/HL core questions are common and worth 45 marks, HL extension is worth
20 marks.
Paper 3 (1 hour)
- Paper 3 is an examination paper of 1 hour consisting of four compulsory questions based on a pre-seen case study
IB Computer Science Internal assessment (40 hours)
This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by
the IB at the end of the course.
Solution (30 hours)
- The development of a computational solution.
- Students must produce:
- A cover page that follows the prescribed format
- a product
- supporting documentation (word limit 2,000 words).
(34 marks)
Group 4 project (10 hours)
- To be assessed using the criterion Personal skills.