IB MYP Design: Command terms

IB MYP Design uses MYP command terms across the design cycle: Inquiring and Analysing, Developing Ideas, Creating the Solution, and Evaluating. Command terms such as Design, Create, Evaluate, Justify and Construct are central to criterion-based assessment.

Key command terms for Design

Command term	What to do	Common mistake
State	Short answer	Overwriting
Identify	Name or recognise	Adding interpretation
Describe	Account of need/situation	Adding explanation
Explain	Reasons; how/why	Only describing
Analyse	Break down; show relationships	Surface-level
Design	Plan or produce a model	Vague; no specification
Construct	Build or create	Incomplete
Create	Produce solution	No design rationale
Evaluate	Strengths and limitations; judgement	Description only
Justify	Give reasons to support design choices	Unsupported claim
Outline	Brief account	Too much detail
Compare	Similarities and/or differences	Listing separately
Suggest	Propose solution or improvement	Random idea
Reflect	Think about; consider	Superficial

MYP Design criteria and command terms

• Criterion A: Inquiring and analysing—State, Identify, Explain, Analyse
• Criterion B: Developing ideas—Design, Outline, Justify
• Criterion C: Creating the solution—Construct, Create, Use
• Criterion D: Evaluating—Evaluate, Justify, Reflect

Tips for MYP Design

1. Design—clear specification; justified choices
2. Construct—follow plan; document process
3. Evaluate—test against specification; strengths and limitations
4. Justify—support design decisions with reasoning
5. Reflect—on process; on improvements; on impact
6. Check criterion descriptors for level boundaries

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Based on MYP Design guide. Check your school’s subject outline for criterion descriptors.