Quick Answer
'Evaluate' means make a judgment based on evidence. You must present different perspectives or criteria, weigh them against each other, and reach a supported conclusion. Answers that only describe or explain won't score full marks.
What You'll Learn
- Evaluation requires judgment, not just description
- Present multiple perspectives or criteria
- Weigh evidence and reach a supported conclusion
- Use signpost phrases to show you're evaluating
What Does 'Evaluate' Mean?
In IB assessments, 'evaluate' is a high-level command term that requires you to make a judgment based on evidence and reasoning. It's not enough to describe what something is or explain how it works. You must assess its value, significance, effectiveness, or validity. Evaluation questions typically carry more marks because they require deeper thinking.
Pro Tip
When you see 'evaluate,' immediately think: 'I need to make a judgment and justify it with evidence.'
How to Structure an Evaluate Response
A strong evaluation follows a clear pattern that demonstrates your analytical thinking:
- 1Establish criteria: What standards or perspectives will you use to evaluate?
- 2Present evidence: What arguments, data, or examples support different positions?
- 3Weigh and compare: How do different perspectives or pieces of evidence compare?
- 4Reach a judgment: What is your overall assessment, based on your analysis?
- 5Justify your conclusion: Why is your judgment reasonable given the evidence?
Signpost Phrases for Evaluation
Using appropriate language signals to examiners that you're evaluating, not just describing. These phrases help structure your thinking and make your evaluation explicit.
- 'The most significant factor is... because...'
- 'While X has merit, Y is more compelling because...'
- 'On balance, the evidence suggests...'
- 'The effectiveness is limited by...'
- 'This is significant to the extent that...'
- 'However, this must be weighed against...'
- 'Ultimately, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses because...'
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These errors prevent students from scoring full marks on evaluate questions:
- Describing without judging: Presenting information without assessing its significance
- One-sided arguments: Only presenting one perspective without considering alternatives
- Unsupported conclusions: Making judgments without linking them to evidence
- Vague evaluations: Using generic phrases like 'it's good' without specific justification
- No conclusion: Presenting multiple perspectives but not reaching a final judgment
- Ignoring limitations: Not acknowledging weaknesses in your preferred position
Watch Out
An answer that explains but doesn't judge is not an evaluation. You must take a position and defend it.
Subject-Specific Examples
Evaluation looks different across subjects, but the core skill remains the same:
- History: Evaluate the significance of the Treaty of Versailles. Assess multiple consequences, weigh short vs long-term impact, reach a judgment about overall significance
- Biology: Evaluate the use of GMOs in agriculture. Consider benefits, risks, ethical concerns, and reach a balanced judgment
- Economics: Evaluate the effectiveness of monetary policy. Assess impact on different stakeholders, consider limitations, conclude on overall effectiveness
- English: Evaluate how the author uses symbolism. Assess multiple examples, consider their effect on meaning, judge overall effectiveness