How to find a math IA topic step by step. | IB Math

Summary

In this engaging video, Tom guides students through the process of selecting a Mathematics Internal Assessment (IA) topic, emphasizing personal engagement over predefined ideas. He encourages viewers to explore their hobbies and interests, brainstorm associated concepts, and refine their themes into research questions. Tom explains the three primary types of math IAs: modeling, statistics, and calculus, while advising against probability topics due to their complexity. He also offers four reflective questions to help students think critically about their chosen topics. Overall, the video aims to inspire creativity and personal connection in the IA writing process.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start by identifying what interests you outside of math. Focus on your hobbies, passions, and activities you enjoy in your spare time.
• 😀 Collaborate with someone (e.g., a friend, sibling, or parent) during the brainstorming process to enhance your creative thinking and personal engagement.
• 😀 Use word association to generate ideas about your chosen interest, writing down whatever comes to mind without overthinking or focusing on math yet.
• 😀 Group the words or phrases you generated into themes or topics that relate to your interest, and assign a theme to each grouping.
• 😀 Create a research question based on the groupings and themes you’ve identified, which could serve as the basis for your Math IA topic.
• 😀 Consider different types of math for your IA: modeling, statistics, and calculus, based on the nature of your research question.
• 😀 For modeling, you will work with data to create equations that describe trends or patterns, comparing different models to find the best fit.
• 😀 With statistics, you analyze data, perform regression, and may use statistical tests like t-tests or chi-squared tests, ensuring you gather enough data.
• 😀 In calculus, explore optimization, rates of change, or finding the area/volume of irregular shapes, depending on your research question.
• 😀 Ask yourself critical questions about your IA, such as how it will play out, what data is needed, and how it can be gathered, to refine your research focus and ensure feasibility.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of this video?

The main purpose of the video is to guide students in choosing a Math Internal Assessment (IA) topic by encouraging personal engagement and helping them brainstorm ideas.

What initial questions should students consider when selecting a topic?

Students should consider what moves them, such as their hobbies, passions, sports, and interests, rather than starting with mathematical concepts.

Why is it important to discuss ideas with another person during the brainstorming process?

Discussing ideas with another person can provide new insights, deepen understanding of interests, and help clarify thoughts about why certain topics are meaningful.

What is the next step after identifying hobbies or interests?

The next step is to choose one hobby or interest to focus on and write it down as a reference for subsequent activities.

How should students go about generating ideas related to their selected hobby?

Students should engage in word association with a partner, writing down any relevant words or phrases that come to mind about their selected hobby.

What should students do after generating a list of words or phrases?

Students should sort and group the generated words into themes or concepts that relate to their selected hobby.

What types of math are typically explored in Math IAs?

The typical types of math explored in Math IAs include modeling, statistics, and calculus.

What is meant by modeling in a Math IA context?

Modeling involves creating equations or functions that represent a set of data, such as analyzing patterns in data over time.

Why are probability topics generally not recommended for Math IAs?

Probability topics are often considered too basic or overly complex, making it challenging for students to find a suitable middle ground for their IA.

What four bonus questions should students ask themselves about their IA topic?

Students should ask: 1) How do you think this IA is going to play out? 2) What data do you need to make this happen? 3) How are you going to gather this data? 4) Is there another question that you're actually trying to answer?