The internal assessment

An investigative study of an aspect of the religious experience, practice or belief of a group and/or individual adherents. 1,500–1,800 words, 30 marks, 25% of the grade, 20 teaching hours.

A visit to a sacred place, building or museum; a study of artefacts; attendance at an act of worship; an interview or interviews; or a study using a range of sources. Any religion at all.

A rationale and preliminary research (8), B plan for study (3), C summary of significant findings (6), D critical reflection and evaluation (10), E references and compliance with format (3).

A rationale for the topic; the focus formulated as a question; a range of sources outlined and justified; and supporting evidence selected and analysed, showing how it informs the study.

A clearly stated, narrowly focused research question; the scope and plan outlined; and the relationship between the question and the scope and plan identified.

It names who and where, and makes clear what evidence would count as an answer — narrow enough that one visit and a few interviews could settle something.

Titles, citations, references and appendices.

To say what that source can tell you about your particular research question — and what it cannot.

Choosing the study; preparing (preliminary research first); interviewing; recording what was said; and representing the tradition in the written analysis.

That their authority and appropriateness to the research project must be considered, and that they must not be misrepresented — for example by being quoted out of context.

Representation must be evidence based, balanced and neutral rather than stereotypical and biased, and generalizations that miss the internal diversity of a tradition are to be avoided.

Reliability, accuracy and perspective — the guide names all three.

Because the guide calls the IA an academic exercise requiring preliminary research, criterion A rewards it, and it stops an interview being spent on basics a book could supply.

Open rather than leading — asking what a practice means to the person rather than suggesting an answer — and prepared in advance so it can go in an appendix.

Identifying and outlining the significant findings from observation, interview and/or participation; explaining how they relate to the research question; and discussing the rationale and plan in relation to them.

Critical reflection on the findings against the research question; showing how the study deepens understanding of religious experience or belief; identifying misconceptions and inconsistencies resulting from the plan and materials; and judging how far the research succeeded, justifying future research.

No more than 1,800 words; a list of references in a consistent standard format, including interviews; and the prescribed format of the written analysis.

Assessment is based on the first 1,800 words, and the work is also penalised under criterion E. Work significantly below the range is likely to score low.

A diary reports what happened in order; findings report only what bears on the research question, identified as significant and with the reason given.

In proportion to the marks — roughly 450–500 on A, 150–200 on B, 350–400 on C, 600–650 on D. Criterion E costs no words.

Criterion D, critical reflection and evaluation: 10 of the 30 marks, a third of the internal assessment.