Group 4 - Paper 3 - Options

[Guest]

Hey there,

I just have few questions about Paper 3 (esp. Chemistry and Physics). I understood that there are a bunch of options you can study (some SL only, some SL and HL, and some HL only of which you have to study two in total... correct?) and I also understood that Paper 3 is all about the options...

"Several short-answer questions and one extended-response question in each of the two options studied" - Physics Syllabus Guide, First Examinations: 2009, about Paper 3

So there are (according to the PDF document I have: http://www.ncbis.net/Editor/EditorImages/Physics.pdf ) 7 options for SL students available and 6 options for HL students. Obviously, not every IB Physics, Chemistry or whatever student on this planet will study the same 2 options in class.

Is Paper 3 simply a massive packet with all the questions about all the options and each students simply states which option-questions s/he will answer? Or how does it work?

Thanks in advance

[maroctam]

Yes, it is a huge packet. SL students get all the SL options and HL students get all the HL options (the SL and HL packets are separate). So if you want you can choose which options to study and even study them on your own (I don't recommend this, however).

Even though this isn't part of your question, in Math HL for example this isn't the case. You sign up for one of four options and the paper 3 you receive will only have the option you signed up for.

[Guest]

Yes, it is a huge packet. SL students get all the SL options and HL students get all the HL options (the SL and HL packet are separate). So if you want you can choose which options to study and even study them on your own (I don't recommend this, however).

Even though this isn't part of your question, in Math HL for example this isn't the case. You sign up for one of four options and the paper 3 you receive will only have the option you signed up for.

Thanks (for the Math HL info too... i actually wanted to know that as well, i just forgot to ask)

and the options which are both for SL and HL students (options E-G) are in both packets? or are there for instance "Option E: Astrophysics - HL" and "Option E: Astrophysics - SL", which both are about option E but the "Option E: Astrophysics - HL" simply has more difficult/ more complex questions as HL students studied their options in greater depth and breadth?

Also, does your IB Physics Teacher ask the class which two options they want to study, or does he decide? Or does that vary from teacher to teacher?

[khimberleigh]

The SL and HL students get a different exam paper. The SL one will say "option E- astrophysics" and just have SL questions. Some of those questions will be the same as the HL exam and some will be different. The HL exam will be the same but with more HL questions and it may not have all the same SL questions. It's no different to paper 1 and 2 how there is some content that both SL and HL study but both levels have different exam papers. By the way they've changed the format of the paper 3s for the sciences. Instead of having, for example, all the option A questions being named A1, A2, A3 etc and the option B questions being named B1, B2.... They now say on the front that (for example) questions 1-4 are option A, questions 5-8 are option B.

As for choosing the options, it varies from teacher to teacher. In my physics class the whole class did the same two options whereas in my chemistry class we chose and self-taught the options we wanted to do.

If you're still curious about the exam format (for any subject) just search for past papers online or ask your teacher/coordinator for some.