IB ESS SL exam-day guide
IB ESS SL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID
Bring the identification document your school or exam centre requires (often a passport or national ID). The exact accepted forms and whether a school-issued card is allowed vary by centre, so confirm with your IB coordinator or provider before exam day.
Admission slip or candidate number
Know your candidate number and session details. Some centres issue an admission slip or statement of entry; check with your coordinator whether you must bring it or whether it is held at the centre.
Approved calculator
ESS Paper 1 and Paper 2 involve data and calculations, so bring a calculator permitted under IB rules. Confirm the current permitted-model list and any reset/memory requirements with your coordinator, and make sure batteries are fresh.
Black or blue pens and a pencil
Bring several pens for written answers plus a pencil, eraser and sharpener for any diagrams, graphs or multiple-choice responses. Check whether your centre specifies particular pen colours.
Ruler and basic geometry tools
A ruler is useful for drawing and reading axes on graphs and for scale diagrams. Bring it even if you do not expect to need it.
Clear pencil case or pouch
Many centres require stationery to be in a transparent container and forbid pencil cases with writing or notes on them. Confirm the local rule with your provider.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch helps you pace long answers if the exam room clock is hard to see. Smart watches and any device with communication or storage capability are normally prohibited; confirm with your centre.
Water in a clear bottle
Stay hydrated, especially for the longer paper. Labels usually must be removed and the bottle must be transparent; check local rules.
Know the paper structure and timings
Reconfirm the number of papers, their durations and the weighting before the exam, as these can change between sessions. Verify current details in the subject guide or with your coordinator rather than relying on older material.
Review command terms and case-study vocabulary
Be able to distinguish command terms such as describe, explain, compare, evaluate and discuss, and have key ESS terms (for example systems, feedback, resilience, carrying capacity, ecological footprint) ready to use precisely.
Plan travel and arrival time
Arrive with margin before the scheduled start; centres typically set their own arrival and late-admission rules. Confirm the required arrival time and what happens if you are delayed with your provider.
Check permitted materials for your session
Rules on notes, textbooks, dictionaries and other materials differ by paper and centre. Do not assume; confirm exactly what may be taken into the room with your coordinator.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating. Work through the ESS syllabus statements and mark any you cannot explain in your own words. Revisit the weakest two or three topics rather than rereading everything. Practise one full paper or a set of structured questions under timed conditions, then mark it against the mark scheme and note the command terms you misread.
Rehearse data-response skills: reading axes and units, interpreting graphs and tables, describing trends, and using figures from a stimulus to support a point. These skills carry marks across both papers and improve quickly with practice.
Build a one-page summary of case studies and examples you can deploy in extended answers, with place, issue, stakeholders and outcome for each. Check that each example genuinely fits the concept it is meant to illustrate.
Do a light review only: command terms, key definitions, formulas or calculations you need, and your case-study summary. Pack your bag with ID, stationery, calculator, water and any permitted materials. Confirm the start time, room and travel plan. Aim for a normal night's sleep rather than late cramming.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive early, and avoid last-minute discussion of topics you have not covered, which mainly raises anxiety. Check your calculator works and your pens write. Once seated, read the front of the paper carefully for instructions, choice and timing.
Read the instructions and the whole paper or question set before writing. Note the marks per question and allocate time roughly in proportion, leaving time to check. Identify any choice questions and decide which options you will answer.
Answer the question asked, matching the command term: describe gives features, explain gives reasons or mechanisms, compare gives similarities and differences, evaluate and discuss require balanced argument and a judgement. Use ESS terminology precisely, refer to data or examples where the question invites it, and show working for calculations with units.
Check that every required question has an answer, that multi-part questions are all attempted, and that units and significant figures are sensible. Use leftover time to add a specific example or a link to a concept in extended answers rather than rewriting whole paragraphs.
Rules to check
Follow your centre's identification policy exactly. Acceptable ID and any exceptions are set locally, so confirm with your provider in advance rather than assuming a particular document will be accepted.
Bring only permitted equipment into the exam room. Phones, smart watches and other devices with communication or storage capability are normally not allowed; confirm the current rules, including where such items must be left, with your coordinator.
Academic honesty applies throughout. Do not take in unauthorised notes or materials, do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not share or discuss paper content afterwards in ways your centre prohibits. Report any concern to an invigilator.
Breaks and leaving the room are controlled by the invigilator and centre rules; you may not normally leave and return at will during a paper. Ask an invigilator if you need to leave, and confirm the local procedure beforehand.
Timing is set by the centre. Work to the announced start and finish, stop writing when instructed, and do not rely on your own watch as the official time.
Marks depend on answering the question as set. Read command terms and mark allocations, and make sure multi-part questions are fully attempted, since marks are awarded per point and per level of response.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper, an error or a disturbance, tell the invigilator immediately and follow your coordinator's procedure for special consideration; do not attempt to resolve it yourself.
Grading and grade boundaries are set by the awarding body after each session. Do not assume a fixed percentage is needed for a given grade; check official grade-boundary information released for your session.