Assessment in visual arts consists of an evaluation of each student’s body of work as a whole—both the finished products and the processes of artistic investigation and development. In each case, the component contributing the larger proportion to the total assessment is externally assessed: for option A this is studio; for option B it is investigation.

Students must present their externally assessed work (studio for option A; investigation for option B) in the candidate record booklet, which is viewed by and discussed with a visiting examiner. Before meeting each student, the visiting examiner studies the candidate record booklet. During the interview, students should have both their studio work and investigation workbooks available.

Teachers should become acquainted with the Vade Mecum (the procedures manual for Diploma Programme teachers and coordinators) and refer to the visual arts section. This publication contains:

• information about completing the candidate record booklet

• details of the process for nominating prospective examiners for consideration by the IBO

• procedures for arranging the visit of the examiner appointed

• the alternative procedure to be followed (where no visiting examiner has been allocated)

• information on assessment

• forms for completion.

Candidate record booklet

The candidate record booklet must contain:

• a statement by the student

• a short written comment by the teacher

• a photographic record of the selected studio work

• A4/letter-size copies of the selected investigation workbook pages.

In the statement, the student must describe briefly, in no more than 300 words, his or her artistic growth and development throughout the course. He or she should illustrate these insights with specific examples related to studio work and the investigation workbooks.

It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that the student selects and provides a photographic record of studio work and representative pages from the investigation workbooks for the candidate record booklet. The teacher should provide support and advice throughout this process. As students learn to discriminate between different levels of quality in their work, they are expected to select their best body of work in both studio and investigation. However, following input from the teacher, the final decisions about what to include in the candidate record booklet must be the student’s own.

Wherever possible, two additional photographs of the overall exhibition should be provided for inclusion in the candidate record booklet. The two photographs can be taken at the time of the interview. This can provide a useful record of the exhibition.

The student must select carefully the stated number of copied investigation workbook pages (see the following tables) and ensure that the work meets all the assessment criteria. It is important that the student includes pages that demonstrate how his or her investigation led to the development of some of the studio works photographed for inclusion in the candidate record booklet. The selection can include some consecutive pages.

It is also important that students demonstrate evidence of:

• their investigation and strategies for organizing its content

• first-hand responses to such content

• exploration of ideas both visually and in writing.

Quantity of work

The quantity of work expected of students for both studio and investigation work is not prescribed and should be what is “reasonable” in the time available during the course. (Please refer to the “Difference between HL and SL” and “Syllabus outline” sections.) The following tables indicate the quantity of work required for inclusion in the candidate record booklet for both studio and investigation. The selection of photographs may include, where appropriate, such details as close-ups or different angles, or a series of stills.

Option A
	Studio 60% External assessment	Investigation 40% Internal assessment
HL	Selection of 12–18 photographs representing the works produced	25–30 A4/letter-size copies of workbook pages
SL	Selection of 8–12 photographs representing the works produced	15–20 A4/letter-size copies of workbook pages

Authenticity

The execution of artworks submitted for assessment must be by the student exclusively. A student who allows the work of another to stand as his or her own commits malpractice. The student is responsible for ensuring that all work submitted for assessment is his or her own, and that all investigation sources are acknowledged, including situations where the creative appropriation of another artist’s work has been made.

Copying works of art without the provision of references constitutes plagiarism. There are circumstances where the creative appropriation of another artist’s work may be acceptable and important, but the original source must always be acknowledged.

It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor student work on a regular basis and to confirm that, to the best of his or her knowledge, it is the student’s own work.

• As part of the learning process, teachers should give advice to students on the development of studio artwork but students should take increasing responsibility for their own direction of the work.

• The investigation workbooks are designed to be working journals, and, although teacher feedback about them is expected, reworking or “tidying up” the content of the workbook pages is not encouraged.

In addition, the teacher is responsible for overseeing student documentation of artworks (in the photographs and investigation workbook pages included in the candidate record booklet). Teachers are also required to sign the appropriate documents. (Please see the Vade Mecum.)

Teachers should refer to Academic honesty: guidance for schools (September 2006) for further guidance and information.

Collaborative work

If students wish to work collaboratively, all work should be planned in consultation with the teacher. The teacher’s role is vital in monitoring the individual’s contribution to the collaborative project. The final assessment is of individual students, so each student’s artwork must show evidence of his or her individual achievements within a particular project. The investigation workbooks are vital in documenting each individual’s development of ideas and contribution to the project. Teacher comments relating to collaborative work, to be noted in the candidate record booklets, are also very important.

External assessment (60%): studio

Each student prepares an exhibition of work undertaken during the course. The student’s exhibition is viewed by and discussed with a visiting examiner.

Before meeting the student in an interview, the visiting examiner reviews the candidate record booklet. This review normally takes place before the visit to the school, and must take place before meeting the student.

• The investigation workbooks must be available to the visiting examiner during the discussion of the student’s studio work.

• The exhibition should include works that have been developed to their complete and final form as well as investigative work carried out during the development phase (for example, sketches, notes, preliminary studies). A rough sketch may have considerable relevance when explained by the student.

• The selection and presentation of studio work should reflect the student’s choices. However, the teacher is expected to provide help in the display of the work.

• The studio work not chosen for exhibition must be available to the visiting examiner during the interview.

The quantity of work included in the exhibition is not prescribed. The main factors influencing the quantity of work produced are the:

• technical characteristics of the media and the production processes required

• complexity and scale of the art pieces

• nature of the art pieces and the process of their development

• various combinations of media chosen

• time available at either HL or SL.

For example, a student working in photography or computer graphics may complete a hundred or more pieces for exhibition. However, a student working with labour-intensive sculptural pieces, particularly if on a large scale, would probably produce fewer finished works.

The examiner may ask to see the exhibition space before beginning the interview. The viewing and discussion of the student’s work must be arranged in a quiet, well-lit room where no other activities are taking place and where the examiner can talk privately with the student. If students present visual arts work on videotapes, DVDs or slides, appropriate viewing facilities must be provided by the school. If the examiner is not satisfied with the facilities or space arrangements, the school’s Diploma Programme coordinator will be asked to make appropriate changes.

Where appropriate, works should be matted/mounted and displayed on panels, tables, or in a way that allows them to be viewed to the best advantage.

The interview

The purpose of the interview is to assess the student’s studio work. At HL the interview should last for 30–40 minutes; at SL it should last for 20–30 minutes.

During the interview, the examiner will encourage the student to talk about the technical aspects of the studio works, his or her own aims or intentions, and the relationship between the studio works and the investigation workbooks. The discussion should focus on the student’s experiences in making the studio works exhibited and how these relate to the investigation work undertaken. The student is not expected to make a prepared speech.

Alternative procedure

If a school has not been assigned a visiting examiner (for example, if there are too few students to justify an appointment), each student prepares a portfolio of original work to be sent to IBCA for assessment. The portfolio should also include photographs or slides of three-dimensional work, or work that is too large to mail. In addition, the teacher should record a discussion with each student. Further details about this procedure are provided in the Vade Mecum.

Internal assessment (40%): investigation

Each student produces investigation workbooks during the course of study that support, inform, develop and help to refine the studio work.

For assessment purposes, the student must select carefully the stated number of copied investigation workbook pages and ensure that they clearly meet the requirements of the assessment criteria. Once the student has chosen the required number of pages that fulfill these requirements, the school must ensure that the candidate session number has been clearly marked on the top of each page and that the pages are numbered sequentially.

The teacher should then mark the selection of investigation workbook pages. In cases where there is more than one visual arts teacher teaching option A students, internal standardization should take place during this process.

All internal assessment marks are moderated on what is presented in the candidate record booklets.