BW Abitur Ethics exam-day guide
BW Abitur Ethics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter and photo ID
Bring the invitation/admission document issued by your school or the examination office together with an official photo ID. Which ID types are accepted and whether a copy suffices is set locally - confirm with the provider (your school's Abitur office or the responsible Kultusministerium/Regierungspräsidium).
Permitted texts and materials for Ethics
Ethics tasks often require referring to normative theories (e.g. Kantian deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, discourse ethics) and to set texts studied in class. Check which aids - dictionaries, legal texts, unannotated text editions, a list of quotations - are allowed in your Bundesland and school. This varies; confirm with the provider before relying on any material.
Approved dictionary
In Baden-Württemberg a monolingual or bilingual dictionary may be permitted in some subjects; the exact allowance is set by the examination regulations. Ask your course teacher which dictionary, if any, you may bring and whether it must be free of annotations.
Writing instruments and spares
Bring several pens that write reliably in blue or black, spare cartridges, pencils, eraser and sharpener. Do not rely on a single pen; ink colour requirements are set by the school.
Watch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital wristwatch without communication or storage functions helps you pace the writing time. Smartwatches and phones must stay switched off and stored as instructed.
Water and a light snack
Hydration and a small snack for the break between tasks help concentration. Check the school's rules on food and drink at the desk.
Know the room and start time
Confirm the examination room, building entrance and reporting time in advance. Arrive early enough to find the room without stress; late arrival rules are set locally, so confirm with the provider what happens if you are delayed.
Review the task structure in advance
Practise the typical Ethics format: comprehension of a philosophical text or case, reconstruction of the argument, comparison of ethical positions, and a reasoned evaluation. Knowing the expected structure saves time on the day.
Plan your time budget
Decide beforehand how many minutes to spend on reading, outlining, writing and checking. Write the plan on your answer sheet and stick to it.
Prepare your position repertoire
Have ready a small set of ethical theories and concepts you can apply precisely: categorical imperative, utilitarian calculus, virtue-ethical judgement, discourse principle, and concepts such as dignity, autonomy, justice and responsibility.
Plan the day
Review your own summaries of the main theories and the texts studied. Write one short outline per likely topic (e.g. medical ethics, environmental ethics, technology ethics, justice) so you can recall the structure quickly. Stop learning new material; consolidate instead.
Do one timed practice task under exam conditions: read a philosophical text or case, reconstruct the argument, compare two positions and write an evaluation. Then check your outline against the task and note what you would improve.
Prepare your bag: ID, admission letter, pens, dictionary if permitted, watch, water. Confirm room and time. Do a light review of key concepts only, then stop early and sleep a full night; sleep matters more than one more hour of revision.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the school well before the reporting time, and keep your phone switched off and stored. Read the instructions on the task sheet carefully before choosing tasks.
Read all task options, choose deliberately, and note the required operating instructions (which tasks are compulsory, how many must be answered). Write a short time plan and stick to it.
Read the source text or case twice: first for the overall claim, then for the argument structure. Mark thesis, premises, examples and any rhetorical moves. Note key terms you will need to define.
Follow the expected structure: summary/reconstruction, analysis of the argument, comparison with another ethical position, and a reasoned evaluation with your own justified position. Use precise terminology and connect each claim to the text.
Reserve the last 10–15 minutes to check that every sub-task is answered, that your evaluation is justified rather than merely asserted, and that your handwriting and numbering are clear.
Rules to check
Follow the examination regulations of your Bundesland and school. Rules on aids, task choice, timing and conduct differ between states; where you are unsure, confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Bring your admission document and official photo ID and place them on the desk as instructed. Identity checks and the accepted ID types are set locally - confirm with the provider.
Switch off phones, smartwatches and any other electronic devices and store them as directed. Unauthorised devices at the desk can be treated as an attempt to cheat.
Use only the aids explicitly permitted for your examination. If a dictionary or text edition is allowed, it must not contain handwritten notes unless the regulations expressly permit them; confirm the exact rule with the provider.
Breaks and leaving the room are regulated by the invigilators. Ask before leaving, and do not take examination materials out of the room.
Write in the required ink colour and on the paper provided, number your answers clearly, and indicate which task you have chosen. Follow the operating instructions on the task sheet.
Assessment in Ethics rewards precise reconstruction and justified evaluation, not mere opinion. A clear, well-structured argument with correct use of theory scores better than a longer, unstructured text.
If you believe a task is unclear or a rule is ambiguous, raise your hand and ask the invigilator immediately; do not guess silently. Any special circumstances (illness, disruption) must be reported according to the school's procedure - confirm the procedure with the provider.