BW Abitur History Bilingual FR LF exam-day guide
BW Abitur History Bilingual FR LF · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid ID document
Bring an official photo ID (Personalausweis or passport). Confirm with your school which form of identification is accepted and whether a student ID alone suffices - this varies by provider.
Exam admission letter / registration confirmation
Bring the invitation or registration slip issued by your school or the examination office showing your candidate number and the scheduled room.
Permitted dictionaries
For a bilingual history exam, a monolingual or bilingual dictionary may be allowed. Confirm with the provider exactly which dictionaries are permitted and whether they must be unmarked; do not assume.
Approved writing instruments
Bring several blue or black ballpoint/rollerball pens plus spares. Confirm with the provider whether pencil or erasable ink is allowed for fair copies.
Highlighters and annotation pens
Useful for marking up source extracts and structuring your outline. Check whether coloured pens are permitted on the answer booklet.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Smart watches and phones are usually prohibited at the desk. A simple analogue watch helps you pace the sections. Confirm the provider's rules on watches.
Clear water bottle and small snack
Long written exams need hydration and energy. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in the exam room.
Transparent pencil case or pouch
Many exam centres require see-through storage. Confirm the provider's rules on bags and pencil cases.
Printed timetable and room plan
Note the start time, room, and any staggered arrival slot. Arrive early enough to find the room without stress.
Review your own topic overview the night before
Re-read your own condensed summaries of the syllabus themes and source-analysis method. Do not try to learn new material at this stage.
Check prohibited items list
Leave phones, smart devices, and unauthorised notes at home or in the designated storage. Confirm the provider's policy on confiscated devices.
Confirm special arrangements
If you have an approved compensation for disadvantage (e.g. extra time, separate room), confirm in advance with the provider that it is recorded for this exam.
Plan the day
Finish your revision cycle: review your own summaries of each syllabus theme, the source-analysis and essay structures, and the evaluation criteria. Do one timed practice task under exam conditions (e.g. source analysis plus essay) and mark it against the criteria yourself.
Identify your two or three weakest areas and do targeted work on them only. Rehearse your method: read the task, identify the operator (describe, analyse, evaluate, compare), plan, write, check. Prepare your materials: pens, dictionary, ID, admission letter.
Light review only: key dates, key terms, and your essay skeleton. Pack your bag with all permitted items. Check the start time, room, and travel route. Confirm with the provider any open questions about permitted aids. Sleep at your normal time; do not cram overnight.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the centre well before the start time, and keep your phone switched off and stored as required. Use the waiting time for calm review of your method, not for new content. Follow the invigilator's instructions for seating and materials.
Read the whole paper and the task instructions before writing. Note the operator words and the weighting of each part. Allocate your time according to the marks, and reserve time at the end for checking.
For source-based tasks, analyse the source first: type, author, date, occasion, audience, intention, and content. Then build a short outline with a clear thesis and structured arguments before you start the fair copy.
Keep to your time plan. Signal structure with paragraphs and linking phrases. Support every claim with specific evidence from the sources or your own knowledge. Write legibly; illegible passages cannot be credited.
Check that you have answered every part of the task, that your thesis is visible, and that names, dates, and terms are correct. Correct errors neatly rather than rewriting whole passages.
Rules to check
Bring and display the identification required by the provider; confirm with the provider in advance which documents are accepted.
Keep only permitted aids on your desk. Phones and smart devices must be switched off and stored as instructed; confirm with the provider what counts as a prohibited device.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, starting, and finishing. Do not begin writing before the signal and stop immediately when time is called.
Breaks and leaving the room are governed by the provider's regulations; confirm with the provider whether toilet visits are supervised and whether extra time is granted for them.
Any communication with other candidates during the exam, or use of unauthorised material, may lead to the paper being graded as failed or to exclusion from the examination; confirm the exact consequences with the provider.
Write in the language required by the task and keep to the prescribed format (e.g. continuous text, no bullet points in the essay). Confirm the provider's formatting requirements.
Assessment follows the published criteria for content, analysis, and expression; confirm with the provider how the parts of the paper are weighted and whether a dictionary affects the marking of language.
If you believe an examination condition was disrupted (noise, missing materials, timing), report it immediately to the invigilator and note it in the record; confirm with the provider how such cases are handled.