The word count is 2000. If you go over this then the moderator has the right to stop marking the extra. Some parts of the IA have no word count but there are nuances.
What is not included in the word count:
- The success criteria (in Criterion A)
- The record of tasks (Criterion B)
- The design overview (Criterion B)
- The video, obviously (Criterion D)
This means that the only parts of the IA that do have a word count are:
- Criterion A (all except the success criteria)
- Criterion C
- Criterion E
Since Criterion A and Criterion E are both worth 6 marks, and Criterion C is worth 12 marks, it makes sense to divide the word count accordingly:
- Criterion A and E: 500 words each
- Criterion C: 1000 words
A few words of advice:
- Source code should be included in an appendix and obviously does not contribute to the word count.
- Diagram annotations will not contribute to the word count unless they are flagrantly being misused to cram in extra content.
- The design overview (Criterion B) should not include extended writing; it should be mostly diagrams, tables, schematics, flowcharts, pseudocode, etc. If you add a lot of explanatory text to Criterion B then the moderator is free to add it to the word count.
Please free to ask any questions in the comments section.
IB Computer Science 