Jump to content

General IB Knowledge - Ask mini-questions about IB here


ibnerd22222

Recommended Posts

I'm a first year IB student going to take exams in 2014? I think. Why are some exams in Nov and some in May? How important are question banks , what are they and where can i find them? if I am to graduate in May 2014 does that mean my MAth SL is the new syllabus or the 2009 syllabus...thanks in advance

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm a first year IB student going to take exams in 2014? I think. Why are some exams in Nov and some in May? How important are question banks , what are they and where can i find them? if I am to graduate in May 2014 does that mean my MAth SL is the new syllabus or the 2009 syllabus...thanks in advance

November exams are for those in the southern hemisphere and May is for the northern hemisphere due to different seasons. They want everyone to finish right before summer starts. This is not just IB, it is almost all schools in these regions. Question banks are useful for reviewing topics and preparing for tests and exams because they have past paper questions from the IB, so they have the type of questions you should expect in the mock exams and in the IB exams. You can buy them from the IBO webstore or get them illegally somehow.

I believe for Math SL you use the new syllabus that says for 2014 examinations on it. I may be wrong though. Use it if it says 2014 or less.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm a first year IB student going to take exams in 2014? I think. Why are some exams in Nov and some in May? How important are question banks , what are they and where can i find them? if I am to graduate in May 2014 does that mean my MAth SL is the new syllabus or the 2009 syllabus...thanks in advance

November exams are for those in the southern hemisphere and May is for the northern hemisphere due to different seasons. They want everyone to finish right before summer starts. This is not just IB, it is almost all schools in these regions. Question banks are useful for reviewing topics and preparing for tests and exams because they have past paper questions from the IB, so they have the type of questions you should expect in the mock exams and in the IB exams. You can buy them from the IBO webstore or get them illegally somehow.

I believe for Math SL you use the new syllabus that says for 2014 examinations on it. I may be wrong though. Use it if it says 2014 or less.

I am currently taking Math SL they took away matrices for the 2014 course so yeah cheers :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I am about to finish my exams, but have an important question about great boundaries. I've seen that component boundaries are drawn as well. Does it mean if I reach overall 7, but fails to reach 7 in a component, I won't get a 7? I am concerned about Biology, because paper 1 component grades are 28-30 for 7, and it is very hard to achieve, while for paper 2 and 3 it is quite easy to reach that 70% thing. So, thanks for the answers in advance! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am about to finish my exams, but have an important question about great boundaries. I've seen that component boundaries are drawn as well. Does it mean if I reach overall 7, but fails to reach 7 in a component, I won't get a 7? I am concerned about Biology, because paper 1 component grades are 28-30 for 7, and it is very hard to achieve, while for paper 2 and 3 it is quite easy to reach that 70% thing. So, thanks for the answers in advance! :)

You don't need a 7 in all components for an overall 7. They take the weighted average (IAs account for 20-30% of the total usually, and the rest goes to the exams). The higher your grade, the better it is for your overall (example: a 115/120 on an exam will benefit you more than a 100/120, even if both grades are sevens, because it will make your overall grade higher and make up for any lower grades)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a question as to how they assign 7s, 6s, etc. on IB tests....is there a set score range that you need to achieve in order to get a 7, or is there a bell curve in which only a certain number of people are assigned 7s, and a specific number of people are assigned 6s, etc.?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a question as to how they assign 7s, 6s, etc. on IB tests....is there a set score range that you need to achieve in order to get a 7, or is there a bell curve in which only a certain number of people are assigned 7s, and a specific number of people are assigned 6s, etc.?

After all of the exams have been scored they assign a grade. It is sort of graded on a bell curve as the score required for a 6 or 7 is based on how well the entire world did on that exam. There is no set number assigned for people to have a 6 or 7, and there is no set mark that is issued before an exam that guarantees a 6 or 7. However, the mark boundaries usually do not change very much from year to year, only really fluctuating a few percentage points in either direction, unless something major happened and EVERYONE did well or EVERYONE did poorly, in which case there might be say a 10% drop or rise in the score needed. You can use the previous years' mark boundaries in order to guess about where you need to be to get a high score, but nothing is set in stone.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A question, after how many months/time will the results be released??

If I am sitting the November 2014 exam, then when will I know of my actual grades?

Jan 2015, I think

so I guess a few montsh of torture is in order

Edited by susanne
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

A question, after how many months/time will the results be released??

If I am sitting the November 2014 exam, then when will I know of my actual grades?

Jan 2015, I think

so I guess a few montsh of torture is in order

Haha yep exactly!

You guys will receive your results on January 6, 2015. Happy waiting!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I am starting the IB next year, and need som help to decide which subjects I should choose. Currently I have decided som of them:

HL:

Economics

Spanish B

SL:

Norwegian A1

Mathematical Studies

I'm from Norway, and are pretty sure that I want to study Economics at UNI. I want to apply for a uni here in Norway, which explains why I have chosen Norwegian and Economics. Math isn't my strongest subject, and since the uni I want to get into doesn't require more than Math Studies, I decided to stick with it as I really have potential to score a 7. I have chosen Spanish for no other reason thatI really enjoy it. Most students at my shool tends to take English A1 in group nr. 2, but I want to study Spanish instead.

For the science I'm considering to take Bio (maybe at HL) since I enjoy it, and because it is the science subject I like the most.

So, for my question: I need to decide my subject for group number 6. Had some thoughts about taking English A1 in addition to Spanish and Norwegian. I am strong in languages, but I am not sure if I want to study two A1 languages (not that interested in reading novels etc). On the other hand, I also enjoy science (not Physics), therefore I've been thinking about Chemistry (at SL in that case, and Bio HL). I haven't much experience with Chem, but I think I might find it very interesting (had a dream of studying medicine once, but more interested in Econ). If I decide to take English A1, I have to take Bio at HL and English at SL as I am not that fluent in English. And I've heard that to achieve a 7 in HL English is nearly impossible. Is this true?

Though I don't want to study science at uni, it is tempting to take both Bio (HL) and Chem(SL) as I think I will excel in it (at least in Bio). N Anyway, I am not so sure which subject I both will enjoy and excel in the most. Really need some help to find out what options that are best for me. Somebody who can give me a hand? Would be glad for any feedback, and please share all your thoughts and experiences :clap: Thanks!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

theoratically, if I fail both EE and TOK, and failed againin moderation, do I have to retake the whole IB?

if this do happen, then what do i do?

You can't get the diploma if you fail on both counts, but you could take certificates for the subjects that you did pass. Whether you re-take or not is up to you but I guess you would have to as you can't re-sit either of those.

To be honest I would just work hard on your EE and your TOK essay! It's actually hard to completely fail them, although it's surprisingly common to end up with 0 or just 1 bonus points from them. If you follow the advice on this site about how to approach TOK and put all your personal examples in/make an effort, and for your EE if you look at past examples and follow the advice in the EE Guide as published by the IBO - you're not going to fail them. It's hard to do well but it's also hard to totally screw up 100%, you generally have to have really put in no effort at all or got the wrong end of the stick in terms of what is required. I think more people get the wrong end of the stick than anything else - that's the real problem with the IB, poor understanding of what they want and it's not uncommon that teachers have a level of understanding no better than your own so dispense really poor advice.

Generally I'd say that's true for most people.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Also, is there a special way you have to credit you sources in all you IAs and EE and TOK? If yes, is there like a template or draft for this?

The syllabi will probably be released in a few months when people taking 2016 exams actually begin the IB or are just about to begin IB. Just wait a bit. As for the IAs, EE, and TOK, the only requirement is that you pick one referencing style for that IA or paper and stick to it in your paper (i.e. you don't use APA for the first half and then MLA for the second half). You can find guides on the internet for whichever style you choose to use. The most commonly used ones are APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard, but there are many others.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Possible to pick up a seventh subject if there's room in the schedule?

Say one of the SL classes chosen was only for two semesters, opening up time for something else in the second year. Could one pick up another IB subject at SL?

Yes, as long as your school allows it. You would just get a certificate for your extra subject, and it doesn't count towards your diploma.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

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...