Introduction
Plagiarism is one of the most serious mistakes a student can make in the IB Diploma Programme. In an Internal Assessment (IA), plagiarism not only lowers your grade but can also lead to academic misconduct investigations. Even unintentional plagiarism — forgetting to cite or paraphrasing poorly — can cost you marks.
The good news is that avoiding plagiarism in your IA is straightforward if you understand the rules. In this guide, we’ll cover how to cite correctly, paraphrase effectively, and maintain academic honesty. For real examples of IAs that meet IB standards, check RevisionDojo’s coursework exemplars.
Quick Start Checklist: Avoiding IA Plagiarism
- Always credit sources with in-text citations
- Use quotation marks for direct quotes
- Paraphrase instead of copying sentences
- Keep a running bibliography as you write
- Double-check citation formatting before submission
Understand What Counts as Plagiarism
Plagiarism isn’t just copying entire passages. It includes:
- Using someone else’s words without citation
- Copying graphs, tables, or images without credit
- Paraphrasing too closely to the original wording
- Submitting work that isn’t entirely your own
Examiners are trained to detect plagiarism, and IB takes it seriously.
Use In-Text Citations
Every time you use information from a source — whether it’s a fact, statistic, or idea — include an in-text citation.
Examples:
- APA: (Smith, 2020)
- MLA: (Smith 45)
Consistency is more important than the specific style, but follow one format throughout your IA.
