This document outlines the steps and requirements for completing a personal project in four phases: investigating, planning, taking action, and reflecting. In the investigating phase, students define a goal and conduct research. During planning, students develop criteria and a proposal. In taking action, students create an outcome or product. Finally, in reflecting, students evaluate their work, knowledge gained, and development of skills. The document provides examples of basic, challenging, and highly challenging goals and instructs students to connect their project to one of the IB global contexts. It also outlines the requirements for the final essay such as including an introduction, body, conclusion, bibliography, appendices, and process journal extracts.

1. Personal Project
Introduction

2. Investigating Planning
Taking
Action
Reflecting

3. Investigating
Define a goal based
on personal interest
Identify prior
learning and subject
specific knowledge
Demonstrate
research skills
(ATL)

4. Planning
Develop a proposal
for action (with
criteria for success)
Plan and record the
development
process
Demonstrate Self-
Management Skills
(ATL)

5. Taking Action
Create a Product or
Outcome
Demonstrate
Thinking Skills (ATL)
Demonstrate
Communication and
Social Skills (ATL)

6. Reflecting
Evaluate the Quality
of the Product or
Outcome
Reflect on
Knowledge and
Understanding
Demonstrate
Development of ATL
Skills and as an IB
Learner

7. Where to Start
Strengths and
Weaknesses
School subject
What you want to
make
Problem to be
addressed
Your Interests

8. Outlining a Goal
State a Basic and
Appropriate Goal
Outline a Clear and
Challenging Goal
Outline a Clear and Highly
Challenging Goal
To design my own electric
violin
To research violin design
and violin making and then
design my own violin
To research violin design
and violin making and then
design and produce my
own 4 or 5 string violin

9. Outlining a Goal
State a Basic and
Appropriate Goal
Outline a Clear and
Challenging Goal
Outline a Clear and Highly
Challenging Goal
To design my own summer
clothing collection
To research current fashion
trends and then design my
own summer clothing
collection
To research current
clothing trends and how to
design patterns. Then
design and create a
summer clothing collection.
Learn how to create a
template website and
market my designs.

10. Outlining a Goal
State a Basic and
Appropriate Goal
Outline a Clear and
Challenging Goal
Outline a Clear and Highly
Challenging Goal
To raise 50 000 yen to
support the education of a
child in Southeast Asia
To sponsor a Southeast
Asian child’s university
education by raising 200
000 yen
To volunteer at UNICEF
Japan over the December
break and then raise 200
000 yen to sponsor a
Southeast Asian child’s
university education.

11. Outlining a Goal
State a Basic and
Appropriate Goal
Outline a Clear and
Challenging Goal
Outline a Clear and Highly
Challenging Goal
To raise 50 000 yen to
support the education of a
child in Southeast Asia
To sponsor a Southeast
Asian child’s university
education by raising 200
000 yen
To volunteer at UNICEF
Japan over the December
break and then raise 200
000 yen to sponsor a
Southeast Asian child’s
university education.

12. What’s the Difference?
What distinguishes a basic appropriate goal from one that is challenging?
What distinguishes a challenging goal from one that is highly challenging?
Basic goal
Stating what you’re going to do or what you’re going to make.
Challenging goal
Outlining what you’re going to do and explaining what the purpose of your project is.
Highly challenging goal
Outlining a goal that has multiple parts and leads to greater learning
Check the number of verbs in your goal
More verbs require greater intensity, complexity, and learning.

13. Global Contexts

14. Global Contexts and the Personal Project
Step One:
Choose one global context to focus on through your personal project
You can frame this connection this way
An inquiry into Personal and Cultural Expression
Step Two:
Identify which part of the global context you will explore
I will focus on the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity
Step Three
Explain why you chose this particular global context
Use the explanation included with each context
I chose Personal and Cultural Expression because …

15. Personal Project Essay: First Drat Due to Advisor by March 23, Final Essay March 31
Word Count: between 1,500 to 3.500 words
12 point, double spaced, Times New Roman font and Modern Language Association (MLA)
Title Page: name, title of project, advisor, word count, school name, year
Table of Contents
Introduction: define your goal and context of the project based on your personal interests, identify prior learning and subject specific knowledge
relevant to project
Body: Divide this section into the following sections: Investigation, Planning, Taking Action and Reflecting.
In the Investigating section, discuss your research, including which research was the most vital for your project.
In the Planning section, explain the rigorous criteria that you developed for the product and outcome in response to your goal, discuss how this
relates to your chosen global context and research, demonstrate the self management skills you learned during the process
In the Taking Action section, evaluate the quality of your product against your initial criteria for success; reflect on how the project extended your
knowledge of the topic and global context
Conclusion: reflect on your development as a learner using the IB Learner Profile
Bibliography: , list alphabetically every source used to research your project, formatted according to MLA guidelines. Student must have a minimum
of 8 varied and relevant sources. Print, internet, and personal interviews are all appropriate sources.
Appendices: include materials directly relevant to the achievement of the project as appropriate. For example, if you have produced a questionnaire
or survey that has been described and analyzed in the report, you would include a segment of that completed survey.
Furthermore, you must include the following:
at least 10 process journal extracts
survey or interview questions, if applicable
any supporting visual aids used during the presentation, if applicable