How to choose an article for your IB Economics IA

Start with a specific economic event

The IB describes the Economics Internal Assessment as commentaries based on published news extracts, using key concepts as a lens. Your article supplies the real-world context; your commentary develops the economic reasoning.

Look for a clearly identifiable change, such as a policy being introduced, a production cost changing or a market responding to a new condition. Be able to explain what happened in a sentence, identify the affected market or economy, and name a relevant economic concept.

A hypothetical example is a news report about a city introducing a congestion charge. It could provide a starting point for examining external costs and intervention, if the report contains enough detail about the policy and the people affected. This illustration is not an article recommendation.

Check the evidence and the scope

Read the full article, including its publication date and any indication that it was updated. Identify the publisher, author where available, location, policy details and relevant evidence. Keep a copy and the source information in the form your teacher requires.

Consider whether you can analyse the main event within a focused commentary. An article covering several countries, policies and unrelated problems may make it harder to build one clear argument. An article with very little detail can leave you relying on assumptions that the source does not support.

Plan your own economic analysis

Sketch a causal chain before committing to the article: the event changes an incentive, cost or constraint; people or firms respond; this affects an economic outcome. Identify which links are supported by the article and which are predictions from the model.

For the congestion-charge illustration, you might consider how the charge changes the private cost of driving and whether travellers have alternatives. A diagram should represent the economic issue you are analysing, with labels that fit the context. Explain how your chosen key concept helps you interpret the event throughout the commentary.

Your analysis needs space to add something. A report that already provides a complete textbook-style explanation may leave less room to show your own application of economics.

Look for room to evaluate

A promising article lets you discuss why the outcome depends on the context. Examine the groups affected, the availability of alternatives, the time needed to adjust and any limits in the evidence. Use those details to develop a justified judgement.

For example, the effect of a congestion charge may depend on public transport capacity and on which journeys can be rescheduled. Distributional effects may differ between commuters, local residents and businesses. Develop the points that are relevant to the actual article rather than adding a fixed list of advantages and disadvantages.

Check requirements with your teacher

Before finalising your choice, check the article’s eligibility, the applicable date and length requirements, the syllabus coverage and the requirements across your full portfolio. Your teacher’s guidance and the IB requirements for your assessment session determine these checks.

• Can you identify a specific event and explain its relevance to economics?
• Does the article contain enough usable evidence for focused application?
• Can you develop your own analysis through an appropriate model and key concept?
• Can you evaluate the likely outcome using the context?
• Have you discussed the choice and the portfolio requirements with your teacher?

Read the IB’s Economics course overview for the official description of the course. EconDoctor’s article checks and draft feedback can help you identify points to discuss and revise. AI feedback is guidance; your commentary and academic decisions remain your own.