The IB Economics Internal Assessment is the only IA in the IB DP that takes the form of a portfolio of three commentaries rather than a single investigation. Each commentary is 800 words, covers a different syllabus unit (microeconomics, macroeconomics, global economy), and is based on a published news article that you select.

The IA carries 20% of the final mark at HL and 30% at SL — making it the highest-leverage component for SL candidates. A strong portfolio can lift your overall grade by half a band; a weak portfolio can prevent a grade 7 even with strong written-paper performance.

This guide goes deeper than our overview of IB IA topic ideas across all subjects to focus specifically on Economics: 20 article sources mapped to syllabus units, the criteria broken down with what each one rewards, common pitfalls and what a high-scoring commentary looks like.

Free resource: Use Tutopiya’s IB DP Economics revision checklist to confirm your topic choice connects to a syllabus area you understand at depth.

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How the IB Economics IA portfolio is marked

Each commentary is assessed against five criteria for a total of 14 marks per commentary, summed across three commentaries to give 42 marks:

Criterion	Marks per commentary	What it rewards
Diagrams	3	Accurate, fully labelled, contextual diagrams
Terminology	2	Correct, syllabus-appropriate terminology
Application and analysis	3	Linkage between theory and the article context
Key concept	3	Explicit identification and integration of key concept
Evaluation	3	Balanced argument, judgement, prioritisation

A grade 7 portfolio typically averages 12+/14 per commentary, totalling 36+/42 across the three.

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The five criteria, broken down

Diagrams (3 marks per commentary)

Examiners want accurate, fully labelled, contextual diagrams. Three marks divides into:

• 1 mark for relevant diagram(s).
• 1 mark for accuracy and completeness (axes, labels, intersections).
• 1 mark for contextual relevance (data from the article applied to the diagram).

The most-missed mark is the third — generic textbook diagrams without applied data lose this mark.

Terminology (2 marks per commentary)

Use 5–10 syllabus-correct terms explicitly. “Inflation” is a term; “demand-pull inflation, characterised by an increase in aggregate demand at the full-employment level of output” is the term used precisely.

Application and analysis (3 marks per commentary)

Examiners want the theory linked explicitly to the article context. Quote a specific phrase from the article. Apply the diagram. Develop the chain of reasoning step by step.

Key concept (3 marks per commentary)

Each commentary must use one of the IB Economics key concepts (scarcity, choice, efficiency, equity, economic well-being, sustainability, change, interdependence, intervention) and integrate it explicitly into the analysis. Mentioning the concept once is not enough; it must shape the argument.

Evaluation (3 marks per commentary)

Examiners want balanced argument, judgement and prioritisation. Three marks divides into:

• 1 mark for considering both sides / multiple stakeholders.
• 1 mark for prioritising effects (short vs long run, magnitude).
• 1 mark for an explicit, justified judgement.

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20 article sources mapped to syllabus units

Choose one commentary per unit from these areas. Articles must be from a published news source (FT, Economist, Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, national papers) within the past 12 months.

Microeconomics (Commentary 1)

1. Price floors / minimum wages — articles on minimum wage rises in different countries.
2. Price ceilings / rent controls — articles on rent control policies in major cities.
3. Indirect taxes — articles on sugar taxes, fuel duties, plastic taxes.
4. Subsidies — articles on EV subsidies, agricultural subsidies, education subsidies.
5. Externalities — articles on pollution, second-hand smoke, traffic congestion charging.
6. Public goods provision — articles on infrastructure projects, defence spending.
7. Information asymmetry — articles on used-car markets, healthcare disclosure.

Macroeconomics (Commentary 2)

8. Demand-side fiscal policy — articles on government spending packages or tax cuts.
9. Monetary policy — articles on central bank interest rate decisions (Fed, BoE, ECB, BOJ, RBI).
10. Supply-side policy — articles on labour market reform, deregulation, training initiatives.
11. Inflation reporting — articles on CPI movements and central bank reactions.
12. Unemployment data — articles on labour market reports and policy responses.
13. Fiscal stimulus — articles on infrastructure or recovery packages.

Global economy (Commentary 3)

14. Tariffs and protectionism — articles on trade disputes, tariff increases, retaliation.
15. Free trade agreements — articles on bilateral or regional trade agreements.
16. Exchange rate management — articles on currency interventions, peg adjustments.
17. Economic development indicators — articles on HDI, MPI, gender development index.
18. Foreign aid effectiveness — articles on aid programmes and their measured outcomes.
19. Microfinance — articles on financial inclusion and microfinance institutions.
20. Sustainable development goals — articles on SDG progress in specific countries.

For broader topic ideas across the IB subjects, see our overview of IA topic ideas by subject.

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What a high-scoring Economics commentary looks like

A 12/14 commentary shares five common features:

1. An 800-word article from a reputable source dated within 12 months.
2. At least two relevant, fully-labelled diagrams with article data applied to the curves.
3. 5–10 syllabus terms used precisely, including the key concept.
4. A clear chain of reasoning linking the diagram to the article context, with a specific quote from the article.
5. An evaluation paragraph that considers both sides, prioritises, and reaches an explicit judgement.

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Common Economics IA pitfalls

Five errors come up consistently:

1. Generic diagrams without applied data. Drawing a textbook AD/AS diagram without applying figures from the article costs 1 mark per commentary.
2. Implicit key concept. Mentioning “interdependence” once in passing does not integrate the concept. Examiners reward concepts that shape the analysis.
3. One-sided evaluation. “This policy is good because…” without consideration of stakeholders or downsides loses Evaluation marks.
4. Article older than 12 months. Commentaries on articles from outside the 12-month window are penalised.
5. Word count over 800. Strict cap. Going over costs the mark — the IB cuts at the limit.

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How to plan your Economics IA portfolio timeline

The Economics IA is built across two academic years:

• Year 1, Term 2: First commentary (typically microeconomics), draft and teacher feedback.
• Year 1, Term 3: Second commentary (typically macroeconomics), draft and teacher feedback.
• Year 2, Term 1: Third commentary (global economy), draft and teacher feedback.
• Year 2, Term 2: Final revisions, portfolio submission.

Most schools enforce a one-commentary-per-term rhythm. Candidates who submit all three at the last minute typically score 6–8 marks lower than candidates who pace the portfolio across the full two years.

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Frequently asked questions

How long is each IB Economics commentary?

Each commentary is a maximum of 800 words (excluding diagrams, references and the source article). The total portfolio across three commentaries is therefore 2,400 words.

How recent must the source article be?

Each article must be dated within the 12 months prior to submission. Older articles are penalised.

Can I use the same key concept across multiple commentaries?

You must use a different key concept for each of the three commentaries. The portfolio must demonstrate engagement with at least three of the nine key concepts.

What sources count as a “published news article”?

Reputable national or international news outlets — FT, Economist, Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, national newspapers in your country of residence. Blogs, opinion pieces and academic papers are generally not accepted.

Can I write the commentary in a language other than English?

The portfolio is submitted in your IB Economics language of registration. Articles can be translated from other languages with proper citation.

How does the IA mark connect to my final IB Economics grade?

The IA contributes 20% of your subject grade at HL and 30% at SL. See our IB DP Economics grade boundaries guide for how the IA mark is combined with written papers to award a 1–7 grade.

What’s the most common reason Economics commentaries lose Diagram marks?

Generic diagrams without article data applied. The diagram should reflect the specific scenario — e.g., a supply curve shift labelled with the magnitude implied by the article, not just an unmarked left-shift.

Can I work with classmates on selecting articles?

You can discuss articles together, but each commentary must be individually written. Two students with the same source article must produce recognisably different analyses.

How do I know which key concept to use?

Read the article first. The dominant theme — interdependence (trade), intervention (government policy), efficiency (resource allocation), sustainability (long-run trade-offs) — usually selects itself.

What’s the difference between a 10/14 and a 12/14 commentary?

The 12 has applied diagrams (not generic), 5+ syllabus terms, an integrated key concept, and a balanced evaluation with judgement. The 10 typically misses one of those — most often the integrated key concept or the explicit judgement.

Can I include data tables in the commentary?

Yes — but the word count includes any text in tables. Diagrams are excluded from the word count; data tables that consist of text are typically not.

Should the three commentaries cover different syllabus units?

Yes — best practice is one each from microeconomics, macroeconomics, and global economy. Some teachers permit international economics in place of one of these; check with your teacher.

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Last reviewed: 29 April 2026. The IB Economics IA is moderated against published criteria. Always work from the official IB Economics subject guide and your teacher’s feedback. For broader subject-IA ideas, see our IB IA topic ideas by subject overview.

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