IB Literature SL exam-day guide
IB Literature SL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID and admission documents
Bring the ID your school or exam centre has registered for you (usually a passport or national ID). Confirm with your school's IB coordinator which document is accepted and whether any admission slip is issued locally; do not assume a specific format.
Know your session times and venue
Confirm the exact start time, room, and reporting time for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 with your coordinator. IB schedules are set globally, but local start times and access arrangements are organised by the centre.
Black or blue pens (several) plus spare
Write in ink unless your coordinator says otherwise. Bring at least two pens that you have already tested for comfort and ink flow.
Pencils, eraser, sharpener
Useful for annotating and for any diagrams or planning; some centres restrict pencil cases, so confirm what may be on your desk.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Hydration helps sustained writing. Many centres require bottles to be transparent and unlabelled; check local rules.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you pace the timed writing. Smart watches and phones are not permitted at the desk; confirm with the provider where devices must be stored.
Approved texts and clean copies
For Paper 2 you will need your copies of the works studied. Many centres require clean copies without annotations; confirm with your coordinator exactly what is allowed and whether any clean copies are supplied.
Know your works and their key details
Be able to name author, title, date, genre, and central concerns for each work you may write on. This is memory, not a bringable item, but it is the single most useful preparation.
Plan your timing per question
Decide in advance how many minutes you will spend planning, writing, and checking for each essay, based on the number and weighting of questions in your session.
Access arrangements confirmed
If you use extra time, a separate room, a reader, or a word processor, confirm the arrangements in writing with your coordinator before the exam. Policies vary; confirm with the provider.
No notes, phones, or smart devices at the desk
Leave phones and smart devices stored as directed. Even possession in the exam room can be treated as malpractice; confirm the centre's storage policy.
Sleep, food, and travel plan
Plan transport with a buffer and eat a normal breakfast. Confirm with the provider whether you may bring snacks or leave the room for water.
Plan the day
Finish active revision and switch to consolidation. Re-read your own summary sheets for each work: characters, structure, narrative voice, key motifs, and two or three strong quotations you can use flexibly. Do not start a new text.
Practise under timed conditions: one Paper 1 guided analysis on an unseen passage and one Paper 2 essay outline from a past-paper-style prompt. Focus on planning speed and on writing a clear thesis in the first two minutes.
Rehearse the Paper 1 method: read the passage twice, note context of production and reception if the prompt invites it, identify the central tension or effect, then build paragraphs around technique and effect rather than a technique list.
Rehearse the Paper 2 method: read all questions, choose one that fits at least two works well, and prepare a comparative line of argument. Practise integrating comparison throughout rather than in a separate section.
Confirm logistics: venue, start time, ID, permitted texts, and any access arrangements. Resolve uncertainties with your coordinator now rather than on the day.
Do light review only: your quotation bank, a one-page summary per work, and your timing plan. Stop studying in the evening and protect your sleep.
Pack your bag: ID, pens, pencils, water bottle, watch, permitted texts if allowed. Lay out clothes and check transport times.
Write a short personal checklist for each paper: the first thing you will do on opening the paper, how long you will spend choosing a question, and your target finish time for checking.
Eat breakfast, arrive early, and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. Skim only your own summary sheet for ten minutes at most, then put it away.
Follow the centre's instructions on storing devices and personal items. Confirm with the provider where phones must be left and whether bags are permitted in the room.
Read the instructions and all questions before writing. Check the number of questions required, their weighting, and any choice restrictions. Note the time you must stop each answer.
Spend a short, fixed time planning each answer: a thesis, three or four topic sentences, and the evidence for each. A plan prevents repetition and keeps comparison or analysis focused.
Open each essay with a direct response to the question, then develop paragraphs that make a claim, support it with close reference or quotation, and explain the effect. Keep returning to the exact wording of the prompt.
Check that every required question is answered, that your name or candidate number is correct, and that quotations and authors' names are accurate. Fix obvious slips rather than rewriting whole paragraphs.
Rules to check
Bring the identification document registered for you and present it if asked. Acceptable ID varies by centre; confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a photograph or signature is required.
Follow all instructions from invigilators about seating, materials, and timing. If you are unsure whether something is permitted, ask before the exam begins rather than risk a malpractice finding.
Do not bring unauthorised material into the exam room, including notes, annotated texts where clean copies are required, phones, or smart watches. Possession can be treated as malpractice regardless of intent; confirm the centre's rules with the provider.
If you need to leave the room for a break, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator. You will normally be supervised, and you may not take papers with you; confirm the centre's procedure with the provider.
Write legibly and in the language of the examination. Answers that cannot be read cannot be credited, and handwriting or spelling does not itself change the mark except where it obscures meaning.
Use your time according to the weighting of the questions. An unanswered or half-answered question usually costs more than a slightly weaker final paragraph on a completed one.
If you believe an error has affected your exam, such as a misprinted paper or a disruption, tell the invigilator immediately and ask your coordinator to record it; do not rely on raising it later.
Scoring is against published assessment criteria applied by trained examiners; do not expect marks for effort, length, or biographical detail about the author that is not used to analyse the text.