MYP humanities looks like a memory subject — and that's the trap. The top grades reward critical thinking and source evaluation, not recall. Here is what each of the four criteria actually wants.
Quick answer: MYP Individuals and Societies — the humanities course covering history, geography, economics and civics — is assessed on four criteria, each out of 8: Criterion A — Knowing and understanding, Criterion B — Investigating, Criterion C — Communicating, and Criterion D — Thinking critically. The four scores (out of 32) convert to a 1–7 grade. The top grades reward critical thinking — evaluating sources, arguments and perspectives — not memorised facts.
MYP Individuals and Societies is the humanities strand — history, geography, economics, civics and related subjects. Like every MYP subject it is assessed against four criteria, each out of 8. The crucial insight: this is not a recall subject. The marks that separate a 5 from a 7 sit in Criterion D — Thinking critically.
The four marks (maximum 32) convert to a 1–7 grade through the official MYP boundaries on a best-fit basis — not a percentage. The full mechanism is in how MYP is graded.
The single biggest lever is Criterion D. For every source, assess its origin, purpose, value and limitations; for every issue, present more than one perspective and weigh them; then synthesise into a clear, evidenced judgement. Pair that with precise terminology (A), a sharp research question (B) and consistent referencing (C), and the 7 follows.
Source evaluation and multi-perspective argument are exactly the skills assessed in IB Diploma History, Geography and Economics — and in Theory of Knowledge. Students who master Criterion D in the MYP step up with real confidence.
The most reliable way to lift Criterion D is a consistent source-evaluation routine — Origin, Purpose, Value and Limitations. For each source, ask who produced it and when (origin), why it was made (purpose), what it usefully reveals (value), and what it omits or distorts (limitation). Applied to every source rather than just summarised, OPVL turns description into the genuine evaluation the top band rewards.
Whether the course is history, geography, economics or integrated humanities, the same four criteria apply — only the content changes. A geography fieldwork study and a history source investigation are both marked on knowing and understanding, investigating, communicating and thinking critically, which is why the skills transfer so well between humanities subjects.
Schools may enter Year 5 students for the optional on-screen eAssessment, which yields an IB-validated grade. It tests the same four criteria, so practising critical evaluation and source work throughout the programme is the best preparation for it.
Criterion B lives or dies on the research question. A question that is too broad — "What caused the war?" — cannot be investigated well, while a sharp, focused question — "To what extent did economic factors cause...?" — invites genuine investigation and judgement. Aim for a question that is specific, answerable within the task, and open enough to weigh evidence rather than state a single fact. A strong question also sets up Criterion D, because it pushes you toward analysis and evaluation rather than description.
On an MYP report you will see a level out of 8 for each criterion. A student strong on Criterion A (knowledge) but weak on Criterion D (critical thinking) is the classic humanities pattern — they know the material but describe rather than evaluate. Reading the spread across the four criteria tells you exactly which skill to build next, and Criterion D is almost always the one that unlocks the higher grades.
The grade is decided in Criterion D — critical thinking and source evaluation. Our MYP humanities tutors teach to the descriptors and mark like examiners. Free diagnostic trial.
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