Writing your IB Math Internal Assessment (IA) is more than just explaining math—it’s about communicating your thinking in a voice that sounds authentic and professional. Many students struggle with this balance: write too personally, and your IA may feel informal; write too academically, and it may sound detached or robotic.
This guide shows you how to strike the perfect balance between personal voice and academic tone using RevisionDojo’s Tone Polisher, helping your IA sound confident, polished, and examiner-ready.
Quick Start Checklist
Before you finalize your IA’s tone, make sure you have:
- A clear, structured draft of your analysis.
- A good mix of explanation, reflection, and reasoning.
- Used Tone Polisher prompts to refine word choice and phrasing.
- Reviewed how personal and academic elements appear in each section.
- Ensured your IA reads like a professional report—written by you.
Your tone should communicate ownership, understanding, and credibility all at once.
Why Tone Matters in the IB Math IA
Tone directly affects how examiners perceive your understanding and engagement.
The IB looks for writing that is:
- Personal enough to show independent thinking.
- Academic enough to maintain professionalism and clarity.
- Consistent enough to read smoothly from start to finish.
Your tone bridges the gap between mathematical precision and human reasoning—it’s the voice of your analysis.
Understanding the Two Sides of Tone
Let’s define the difference between personal voice and academic tone before learning to balance them.
Personal Voice
- Expresses curiosity, decision-making, and reflection.
- Often uses “I” when discussing reasoning or process.
- Shows ownership of mathematical choices.
- Appears in introductions, reflections, and evaluations.
Example:
“I decided to use a logistic model because it seemed to fit the real-world data more accurately than a linear model.”
Academic Tone
- Focuses on objective explanation and precise reasoning.
- Avoids emotional or informal expressions.
- Uses technical vocabulary and clear structure.
- Appears throughout analysis and conclusions.
Example:
“The logistic model provides a more accurate representation of growth as it incorporates limiting factors over time.”
The magic happens when both are used in harmony.
Where to Use Personal Voice
The IB encourages personal engagement, but it must always serve a mathematical purpose.
You can use personal voice effectively in:
- Introduction: Explain why you chose the topic.
- Methodology: Describe your decision-making process.
- Reflection: Discuss challenges, insights, or changes in understanding.
- Evaluation: Summarize lessons learned or future extensions.
Personal voice makes your IA sound alive—it’s how examiners connect with your work.
Where to Maintain Academic Tone
Your analysis and results sections should remain professional, clear, and technical.
Maintain academic tone when:
- Defining variables, formulas, or parameters.
- Explaining calculations or derivations.
- Comparing models and interpreting data.
- Writing conclusions supported by logic and evidence.
In these sections, precision is more valuable than personality.
Using the Tone Polisher for Refinement
RevisionDojo’s Tone Polisher helps you balance these two voices by prompting you to adjust phrasing for clarity and professionalism. It can help you:
- Identify when “I” statements become too informal.
- Replace vague expressions with precise academic alternatives.
- Add reflective sentences without losing focus.
- Ensure consistent tone across all IA sections.
For example, it might suggest changing:
“I thought this equation looked cool” → “This equation was selected because it effectively models the observed trend.”
Examples: Balancing Tone in Practice
Weak Example:
“I wanted to try different models because I like experimenting with functions.”
Issue: Too informal, lacks mathematical reasoning.
Improved Version:
“I explored different models to evaluate which function best represented the observed data trend.”
Fix: Adds academic precision while keeping personal involvement.
Weak Example:
“This graph looks interesting because it changes shape.”
Issue: Too casual and descriptive.
Improved Version:
“The graph shows a distinct inflection point, indicating a change in the rate of increase.”
Fix: Replaces casual observation with analytical interpretation.
Weak Example:
“I think my calculations are correct.”
Issue: Uncertain tone.
Improved Version:
“The consistency between calculated and observed results supports the accuracy of the model.”
Fix: Expresses confidence based on evidence, not opinion.
The “Voice Ratio” Rule
Aim for roughly 70% academic tone and 30% personal voice throughout your IA.
- The academic 70% shows mastery of mathematics.
- The personal 30% shows engagement, reasoning, and reflection.
This mix creates writing that feels credible and human at the same time.
Common Tone Mistakes to Avoid
- Overusing “I”: Personal voice should appear selectively, not constantly.
- Being too formal: Avoid unnecessary jargon or forced complexity.
- Being too casual: Don’t use phrases like “pretty good fit” or “sort of close.”
- Contradictory tone: Keep phrasing consistent across sections.
- No personality at all: A purely robotic IA can lose engagement marks.
Aim for professional confidence, not distance or detachment.
Reflection: Sounding Like a Mathematician
Balancing personal voice and academic tone helps your IA sound like it was written by a real mathematician—a thinker who both understands and cares about the process.
Mathematics is logical, but it’s also creative. When your writing reflects both sides, examiners see depth, authenticity, and mastery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I use first-person language in my IA?
Yes, but use it purposefully. Write “I used this model because…” instead of “I think this looks good.”
2. What if my IA sounds too formal?
Add reflection sentences that explain your reasoning or discoveries. This adds warmth and engagement.
3. How can I make my IA sound more confident?
Replace uncertain words like “maybe” or “I think” with evidence-based phrases such as “the results indicate” or “the data suggest.”
4. Should I use contractions like “can’t” or “don’t”?
Avoid them. Write in full form for professionalism.
5. How can I check my tone consistency?
Read your IA aloud or use the Tone Polisher to identify shifts between informal and overly formal sections.
Conclusion
The balance between personal voice and academic tone defines the professionalism of your IB Math IA. It’s not about sounding perfect—it’s about sounding like you, communicating mathematics with confidence, precision, and authenticity.
Using RevisionDojo’s Tone Polisher, you can refine your language, strengthen your clarity, and achieve the ideal tone that examiners associate with top-band IAs.
RevisionDojo Call to Action:
Write like a confident mathematician. Use RevisionDojo’s Tone Polisher to balance personal voice with academic tone and present your IB Math IA with clarity, confidence, and originality.
