Jump to content

How can I study for the IB official exams?


G.Eid

Recommended Posts

Hey guys, I'm currently in IB1, and next year I'll be in IB2. I was wondering if anyone can give me some really helpful tips on how to study for the IB officials, and how I can pass all the quizzes, IAs, tests, and Saturday exams in general. I'm new here, so there might be another existing topic regarding this subject, and if there is, sorry for posting another one.

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

EDIT:

The subjects I am taking are:

  • HL: ITGS, Chemistry, and Arabic
  • SL: Math, Physics, and English A Lit

Note: I've been taking Biology HL since the beginning of the year, but I changed Physics SL after the mid years since I had to change majors, so I changed to Engineering (I just want to do professional football (soccer), as it is my passion and I want nothing else in this life. Very long story as to how I came about this).

So yeah, these are my subjects.

 

 

Thanks once again in advance.

Edited by G.Eid
Link to post
Share on other sites

The syllabi are your friend, use them when studying from books and other material and you'll know for sure what is expected for you to know. 

 

Also, get comfortable with past papers. Once you practice time and time again, the real exams won't be as stressful as you know what to expect. 

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

The syllabi are your friend, use them when studying from books and other material and you'll know for sure what is expected for you to know. 

 

Also, get comfortable with past papers. Once you practice time and time again, the real exams won't be as stressful as you know what to expect. 

 

Do you know where I can get the syllabi for all the subjects I am currently taking?

Plus do they really help you, like for example when you have a test and you follow the syllabus, then you basically know what comes on the test?

 

 

And thanks for the asnwer

Depends on what kind of a learner you are overall and/or for each course. What courses do you have and what kind of a learner are you?

The courses are mentioned in the edited part of my post.

 

 

 

Thanks for the answer

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cry. Lol, jk.

 

Go over your syllabi and make notes on them! For your sciences, always complete the assessment statements. Also, yes, looking over past papers for ALL of your subjects will be so beneficial - you'll get used to the wording and format of everything.

 

Be sure to take good, thorough notes that you can actually understand because those will be your best friends when it comes to crunch time. I'd start reviewing your IB1 materials over the summer break (or any school break) just to go over some prerequisite knowledge for IB2.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I've taken four of those subjects (academic level, IB but HL and SL switched) so I can provide general tips for them.

 

SL Math - I actually took this course and finished this year. Honestly, it's all practice. All of it. What I would suggest is writing notes, or key points for each mathematical concept you learn so you can refer to them when reviewing for your exam; this is especially handy for the first couple units you learned in the beginning of the year. Also, get friendly with your calculator, it's going to be your best friend until the end of your Math paper 2. Learn everything you can about it, and use it often so that you don't waste time when entering numbers into a table, making a graph, finding a derivative, solving integrals...etc. When studying for tests, I would review all of the examples we covered in class, go over different types of questions from the homework assigned and make a list of everything we learned in the unit. This is useful for the final exams as well. Another little suggestion: print off this year or last year's math formula booklet and use it. You'll realize how much easier the math exam is because all you need is basically in those 6 pages.

 

Chemistry - I took this course at the SL level but again, this is mostly practice. For this one, I would say follow the syllabus. And do every single question assigned for homework and more. Do extra, keep yourself exposed to chemistry - discuss chem concepts with classmates. Keep reviewing your notes from the past semesters (i.e. you're in your third semester, keep reading notes from the past two semesters) so the content is still fresh in your mind. There's A LOT of information in chemistry so trying to cram your studying prior to tests and exams will NEVER work (if you still want sleep, and seriously it's just better. Trust me, I've been down that road and it's not fun). 

 

Physics - I took this course at the academic level in summer school so it's definitely a different level of understanding. However, I do not believe study techniques are that different, just intensity of learning. Again, and I know this is probably getting old but PRACTICE. Very similar to the study strategies I used in chemistry. 

 

ITGS - Okay I barely know anything about this course but I can give a little tip for your IA. Look at a lot of examples and don't leave it for two weeks before. From what the students who took this course spoke of, the IA for this course is...intense so take your time and use all three semesters, all of your resources, constant communication with your teacher to finish it. (this tip can apply to all IAs)

 

Languages - Expose yourself to as much of each language as you can. If Arabic is your native language then well, I suppose you know what you should do better than I do. Read Arabic, listen to Arabic, speak Arabic. Same goes for English, practice it. And don't leave your essays for last minute. Finish it ahead of time and get your peers to edit it, get graduates to edit, get your family to edit. And then edit it yourself before handing it in. Again, I base this off of other students who have taking SL Lit A, do not take this for an extremely easy course as some might. Read the novels, more importantly understand the novels. So come exam time, you won't have to scramble to read them again, go to Sparknotes (please don't use Sparknotes) and figure out what on earth the novels are about. Same goes for the poetry. 

 

No idea how useful this will be, but I wish you all the best :)

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I've taken four of those subjects (academic level, IB but HL and SL switched) so I can provide general tips for them.

 

SL Math - I actually took this course and finished this year. Honestly, it's all practice. All of it. What I would suggest is writing notes, or key points for each mathematical concept you learn so you can refer to them when reviewing for your exam; this is especially handy for the first couple units you learned in the beginning of the year. Also, get friendly with your calculator, it's going to be your best friend until the end of your Math paper 2. Learn everything you can about it, and use it often so that you don't waste time when entering numbers into a table, making a graph, finding a derivative, solving integrals...etc. When studying for tests, I would review all of the examples we covered in class, go over different types of questions from the homework assigned and make a list of everything we learned in the unit. This is useful for the final exams as well. Another little suggestion: print off this year or last year's math formula booklet and use it. You'll realize how much easier the math exam is because all you need is basically in those 6 pages.

 

Chemistry - I took this course at the SL level but again, this is mostly practice. For this one, I would say follow the syllabus. And do every single question assigned for homework and more. Do extra, keep yourself exposed to chemistry - discuss chem concepts with classmates. Keep reviewing your notes from the past semesters (i.e. you're in your third semester, keep reading notes from the past two semesters) so the content is still fresh in your mind. There's A LOT of information in chemistry so trying to cram your studying prior to tests and exams will NEVER work (if you still want sleep, and seriously it's just better. Trust me, I've been down that road and it's not fun). 

 

Physics - I took this course at the academic level in summer school so it's definitely a different level of understanding. However, I do not believe study techniques are that different, just intensity of learning. Again, and I know this is probably getting old but PRACTICE. Very similar to the study strategies I used in chemistry. 

 

ITGS - Okay I barely know anything about this course but I can give a little tip for your IA. Look at a lot of examples and don't leave it for two weeks before. From what the students who took this course spoke of, the IA for this course is...intense so take your time and use all three semesters, all of your resources, constant communication with your teacher to finish it. (this tip can apply to all IAs)

 

Languages - Expose yourself to as much of each language as you can. If Arabic is your native language then well, I suppose you know what you should do better than I do. Read Arabic, listen to Arabic, speak Arabic. Same goes for English, practice it. And don't leave your essays for last minute. Finish it ahead of time and get your peers to edit it, get graduates to edit, get your family to edit. And then edit it yourself before handing it in. Again, I base this off of other students who have taking SL Lit A, do not take this for an extremely easy course as some might. Read the novels, more importantly understand the novels. So come exam time, you won't have to scramble to read them again, go to Sparknotes (please don't use Sparknotes) and figure out what on earth the novels are about. Same goes for the poetry. 

 

No idea how useful this will be, but I wish you all the best :)

Thank you very much! Very helpful

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I've taken four of those subjects (academic level, IB but HL and SL switched) so I can provide general tips for them.

 

SL Math - I actually took this course and finished this year. Honestly, it's all practice. All of it. What I would suggest is writing notes, or key points for each mathematical concept you learn so you can refer to them when reviewing for your exam; this is especially handy for the first couple units you learned in the beginning of the year. Also, get friendly with your calculator, it's going to be your best friend until the end of your Math paper 2. Learn everything you can about it, and use it often so that you don't waste time when entering numbers into a table, making a graph, finding a derivative, solving integrals...etc. When studying for tests, I would review all of the examples we covered in class, go over different types of questions from the homework assigned and make a list of everything we learned in the unit. This is useful for the final exams as well. Another little suggestion: print off this year or last year's math formula booklet and use it. You'll realize how much easier the math exam is because all you need is basically in those 6 pages.

 

Chemistry - I took this course at the SL level but again, this is mostly practice. For this one, I would say follow the syllabus. And do every single question assigned for homework and more. Do extra, keep yourself exposed to chemistry - discuss chem concepts with classmates. Keep reviewing your notes from the past semesters (i.e. you're in your third semester, keep reading notes from the past two semesters) so the content is still fresh in your mind. There's A LOT of information in chemistry so trying to cram your studying prior to tests and exams will NEVER work (if you still want sleep, and seriously it's just better. Trust me, I've been down that road and it's not fun). 

 

Physics - I took this course at the academic level in summer school so it's definitely a different level of understanding. However, I do not believe study techniques are that different, just intensity of learning. Again, and I know this is probably getting old but PRACTICE. Very similar to the study strategies I used in chemistry. 

 

ITGS - Okay I barely know anything about this course but I can give a little tip for your IA. Look at a lot of examples and don't leave it for two weeks before. From what the students who took this course spoke of, the IA for this course is...intense so take your time and use all three semesters, all of your resources, constant communication with your teacher to finish it. (this tip can apply to all IAs)

 

Languages - Expose yourself to as much of each language as you can. If Arabic is your native language then well, I suppose you know what you should do better than I do. Read Arabic, listen to Arabic, speak Arabic. Same goes for English, practice it. And don't leave your essays for last minute. Finish it ahead of time and get your peers to edit it, get graduates to edit, get your family to edit. And then edit it yourself before handing it in. Again, I base this off of other students who have taking SL Lit A, do not take this for an extremely easy course as some might. Read the novels, more importantly understand the novels. So come exam time, you won't have to scramble to read them again, go to Sparknotes (please don't use Sparknotes) and figure out what on earth the novels are about. Same goes for the poetry. 

 

No idea how useful this will be, but I wish you all the best :)

Thank you very much! Very helpful

 

Cry. Lol, jk.

 

Go over your syllabi and make notes on them! For your sciences, always complete the assessment statements. Also, yes, looking over past papers for ALL of your subjects will be so beneficial - you'll get used to the wording and format of everything.

 

Be sure to take good, thorough notes that you can actually understand because those will be your best friends when it comes to crunch time. I'd start reviewing your IB1 materials over the summer break (or any school break) just to go over some prerequisite knowledge for IB2.

Thanks!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...