IB History SL exam-day guide
IB History SL · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam session time, room, and arrival deadline with your school's IB coordinator
IB History SL is normally sat in the May or November examination session at your registered school, not at an external test centre. Exact start times and reporting times are set by the school, so confirm them in writing (email or the school's exam timetable) rather than relying on what a classmate says.
Bring your candidate personal code / session number and any ID the school requires
IB candidates are identified by a personal code and session number issued by the school; these usually appear on your admission slip or exam timetable. Whether photo ID is also required is a school decision, so confirm with the provider (your IB coordinator) what identification to carry.
Carry black or dark blue ballpoint pens (at least two)
Scripts are scanned for examiner marking, so write in black or dark blue ink and avoid light or gel colours that scan poorly. Bring spares; borrowing mid-exam wastes time.
Bring pencils, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener for any planning or diagram work
Use pencil for rough planning or timelines on the question paper if permitted in your room, and erase any working you do not want considered. Confirm with the provider whether annotation of the question paper is allowed in your session.
Know which option/route you have studied and check the paper structure in advance
SL History papers typically offer prescribed subject questions and a choice from regional/period options. Go in knowing which prescribed subject and which option questions you are prepared to answer, so you can find them fast and avoid wasting reading time.
Bring a clear water bottle and a small permitted snack if your session is long
Access to water and whether snacks are allowed during the examination varies by school and by the length of the session. Confirm with the provider what is permitted in the exam room.
Leave phones and smart devices outside the exam room
Mobile phones, smart watches, and any wearable with communication or storage capability are not allowed in the examination room. Hand them in or leave them in your bag as instructed; possession during the exam is treated as malpractice.
Plan your route and arrival buffer
Aim to arrive well before the reporting time so you can settle, use the toilet, and hear the invigilator's instructions without stress. Traffic and transport delays are the most common cause of avoidable exam-day panic.
Prepare a one-page revision sheet of command terms and essay structures
Review the meaning of command terms you will meet (e.g. 'compare and contrast', 'to what extent', 'evaluate', 'analyse') and your standard essay skeleton: thesis, structured paragraphs, evidence, evaluation, conclusion. This is the highest-yield last-minute revision.
Check your source-analysis routine for Paper 1
Have a fixed method for origin, purpose, value, and limitations of sources, and for comparing sources. Practising this routine on unseen sources is more useful in the final days than rereading notes.
Confirm any access arrangements you are entitled to
If you have approved access arrangements (extra time, separate room, a reader or scribe), confirm with your IB coordinator that they are in place for this specific session. Do not assume they carry over automatically.
Know the timing of each section and bring a permitted watch
Check whether a plain analogue watch is allowed in your room, since wall clocks may be out of sight. Practise allocating time per question and per essay so you do not overrun one answer.
Plan the day
Stop collecting new content and switch to retrieval practice. Write out from memory the key themes, dates, and case studies for each topic you plan to answer on, then check against your notes. This exposes gaps far better than rereading.
Do at least one full timed paper or a full timed set of essay plans under exam conditions, including planning time. Mark it against the mark scheme or with your teacher, and note the two or three specific weaknesses to fix.
Confirm logistics: session time, room, reporting time, transport, and what you are allowed to bring. If anything is unclear, email your IB coordinator now rather than on the morning.
Drill command terms and essay structure. For each command term, write one sentence explaining what the examiner expects. Then produce skeleton plans (thesis, three or four topic sentences, key evidence, conclusion line) for likely essay questions.
For Paper 1, work through two or three unseen source sets. Time yourself on the source questions and practise extracting provenance, purpose, and limitations quickly.
Do light consolidation only: your one-page command-term sheet, your essay skeleton, and a short list of dates and key figures you keep forgetting. Do not start a new topic.
Pack your bag: pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, permitted watch, water, admission details, and any approved materials. Lay out clothes and check your transport plan.
Eat properly and go to bed at a normal time. Sleep is more valuable than an extra hour of cramming; fatigue costs marks on long essays.
Eat breakfast, arrive early, and avoid last-minute discussion of topics with classmates, which often creates doubt. Skim only your command-term and structure sheet.
Hand in or switch off your phone before entering the room, use the toilet, and take your seat with materials laid out. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions on timing and materials.
Read the instructions and the full question list before writing. Choose your questions deliberately, marking the ones you will answer, and confirm the number of questions and sections required. Allocate your remaining time across the questions in proportion to their marks.
Answer in the order that suits you, but keep to your time allocation. For each source question, address exactly what is asked, use provenance where it earns marks, and keep answers focused rather than descriptive.
Spend a few minutes planning each essay: a clear thesis that answers the question, topic sentences that advance an argument, and specific evidence with dates and names. Leave a short conclusion. If time runs short, finish the essay in note form rather than leaving it incomplete.
Check that every required question is answered and numbered clearly, that your candidate details are correct, and that no page is left blank unintentionally. Cross out rough work you do not want marked.
Do not post or discuss the paper's content online or in group chats in ways that could breach IB rules on examination security. Move on to the next paper and confirm its timing.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted materials into the examination room. Phones, smart watches, and any device with communication or storage capability must be handed in or left outside; possession during the examination is treated as malpractice.
Write your answers in the answer booklet provided, in black or dark blue ink, and label each answer with the correct question number. Work written on the question paper is generally not marked, so confirm with the provider where answers must go.
You may not communicate with other candidates once the examination has begun, and you may not leave the room without permission. If you need to leave for the toilet, raise your hand and wait for an invigilator; whether you are escorted or supervised varies by school.
Do not attempt to obtain, share, or discuss the paper's content before or after the examination in any way that breaches examination security. This includes posting questions online.
If you believe there is an error in the paper, or you are affected by an disturbance, tell the invigilator immediately and ensure it is recorded; requests for special consideration are handled through your IB coordinator, not by the invigilator.
Scoring: your final grade combines your examination papers with internal assessment according to the weighting set for your session. Confirm the current weightings and grade boundaries with your teacher or the provider, as these can change between sessions.
If you finish early, use the time to check your work rather than leaving, unless your school permits early departure. Confirm with the provider whether early departure is allowed and under what conditions.
Declare any access arrangements in advance through your IB coordinator. Arrangements are approved per candidate and per session, so confirm with the provider that yours are in place before exam day.