Exam technique
Knowing the content is only half the battle. Exam technique is how you turn knowledge into marks.
The papers
| SL | HL | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour, multiple choice, 30 marks, 20% | 1h 30m, multiple choice, 40 marks, 25% |
| Paper 2 | 1h 30m, short + extended response, 50 marks, 40% | 2h 30m, short + extended response, 80 marks, 45% |
| Internal assessment | design project, 50 hours, 33 marks, 40% | design project, 50 hours, 33 marks, 30% |
| Total external | 2h 30m, 60% | 4 hours, 70% |
Paper 1 tests breadth of knowledge across the syllabus. Paper 2 tests depth, application, and written communication. At SL both papers draw on SL material only; at HL they draw on both SL and HL material.
Paper 1 — multiple choice
Strategy
- Read every option before choosing. The right answer is often the one that is more specific or more accurate — not the first plausible one.
- Eliminate wrong answers first. Cross out clearly incorrect options to narrow the field.
- Beware distractors. Exam writers deliberately include tempting wrong answers based on common misconceptions.
- Don't leave blanks. No penalty for guessing — answer every question.
- Time discipline. About 2 minutes per question — SL gives 60 minutes for 30 questions, HL 90 minutes for 40. If stuck, mark it, move on, return later.
Common traps
- "All of the above" / "None of the above" — usually avoid unless you are certain every option applies.
- Absolute words ("always", "never", "must") — often wrong because real design involves trade-offs.
- Similar-looking options — look for the distinguishing word. One option may be correct because it is more precise.
- Over-reading — if the question seems simple, it probably is. Don't invent complications.
Command-style words in MCQ
Even multiple choice uses command terms. Read them carefully: - "Identify" — provide the answer from the possibilities offered - "State" — select the specific name or value, no explanation needed - "Describe" — select the option giving the accurate detailed account - "Outline" — select the option that best summarises
Paper 2 — structured and extended response
Structure of answers
Paper 2 questions use IB command terms that dictate what kind of answer is expected. Address the command term directly.
The guide defines fifteen command terms, grouped by assessment objective. These are the official definitions — learn them, because the term tells you exactly what the examiner is looking for.
Assessment objective 1 — recall
| Command term | Definition | Marks typical |
|---|---|---|
| Label | Add a title, labels or brief explanation(s) to a diagram or graph | 1 |
| List | Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation | 1–2 |
| State | Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation | 1 |
Assessment objective 2 — application and understanding
| Command term | Definition | Marks typical |
|---|---|---|
| Apply | Use an idea, equation, principle, theory or law in relation to a given problem or issue | 2–4 |
| Demonstrate | Make clear by reasoning or evidence, illustrating with examples or practical application | 2–4 |
| Describe | Give a detailed account | 2–4 |
| Identify | Provide an answer from a number of possibilities | 1 |
| Outline | Give a brief account or summary | 2–3 |
| Present | Offer for display, observation, examination or consideration | 2–4 |
Assessment objective 3 — analysis and evaluation
| Command term | Definition | Marks typical |
|---|---|---|
| Analyse | Break down in order to bring out the guiding elements or structure | 4–8 |
| Construct | Display information in a diagrammatic or logical form | 3–6 |
| Design | Produce a plan, simulation or model | 4–8 |
| Evaluate | Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations | 6–10 |
| Explain | Give a detailed account including reasons or causes | 3–6 |
| Justify | Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion | 4–6 |
The mark ranges are a guide to expected depth, not a rule — always follow the mark allocation printed on the paper.
Note the ladder within a topic: state → describe → explain → evaluate asks for progressively more of you. The guide also warns that other terms may appear in questions, so read every command word carefully rather than pattern-matching.
Answering "explain" (4 marks)
"Explain" wants reasoning, not just statement. A 4-mark explain question typically earns marks through: - A correct statement (1 mark) - A reason that statement is true (1 mark) - A specific example or mechanism (1 mark) - A connected consequence or implication (1 mark)
Answering "evaluate" (10 marks)
"Evaluate" requires a balanced judgement: - Introduce the issue and its context - Strengths / arguments for (2–3 specific points) - Weaknesses / arguments against (2–3 specific points) - Use specific examples, not generic statements - Conclude with a reasoned judgement
Avoid "it depends" as a conclusion. Take a position and justify it.
Writing with specificity
Vague answers lose marks. Specific answers earn them.
❌ "The product is more sustainable because it is made of better materials." ✅ "The product uses recycled aluminium, which has ~95% lower embodied carbon than primary aluminium (~10 MJ/kg vs ~200 MJ/kg), significantly reducing its cradle-to-gate carbon footprint."
❌ "UCD is important because users matter." ✅ "UCD is important because designs that ignore user research typically address invented problems. Microsoft's Inclusive Design Toolkit shows that features designed for permanent disability (e.g. voice control) also benefit situational users (parents holding babies)."
Specificity comes from: - Named products / companies / people - Numbers, percentages, measurements - Technical terms used correctly - Cause-and-effect reasoning
Using case studies
Every topic in this book includes case studies. Build a mental library:
- For ergonomics → OXO Good Grips, Herman Miller Aeron
- For sustainability → Patagonia, Fairphone, Interface
- For UCD → IDEO shopping trolley, Ford Third Age Suit
- For manufacturing → LEGO brick, Apple unibody
- For circular economy → Rolls-Royce Power by the Hour, Philips Pay-per-Lux
Drop them into answers by name. Examiners reward specificity — a student who says "Apple's unibody MacBook is milled from a single aluminium billet, achieving 100+ parts of structural rigidity in one component" scores higher than one who says "CNC machining is used in manufacturing".
Time management in Paper 2
Work backwards from the mark allocation: - ~1.8 minutes per mark for SL (90 min / 50 marks) - ~1.9 minutes per mark for HL (150 min / 80 marks)
In practice that is close to two minutes a mark in both routes — a useful rule of thumb. Paper 1 is tighter: SL gives 60 minutes for 30 questions (2 minutes each), HL gives 90 minutes for 40 (a little over 2 minutes each).
Don't spend 20 minutes on a 4-mark question. Plan, write, move on.
First pass: answer questions you know quickly. Second pass: attempt harder questions. Third pass: check, add examples, fix obvious errors.
Leave 5 minutes at the end for proofreading.
Common exam mistakes
- Not addressing the command term. "Explain" answers that only describe, "evaluate" answers that only list.
- Generic answers. Avoiding specific products, numbers, or mechanisms.
- Undefined terms. Using "sustainable", "efficient", "good" without defining them.
- Ignoring context. Answering in general when the question gave a scenario.
- Padding. Rephrasing the question back at the examiner, repeating points, vague filler.
- Running out of time on easy questions left to the end.
Before the exam
- Review this book, especially case studies and glossary
- Re-read the IB subject guide for official mark schemes
- Practise past papers under timed conditions
- Make one-sheet summaries per topic
- Sleep. Tired students lose marks on things they know.
In the exam
- Read each question twice before starting
- Underline command terms and key nouns in the question
- Plan multi-mark answers in 30 seconds before writing
- Write legibly — examiners cannot mark what they cannot read
- Use diagrams where helpful (quick pencil sketches score marks if clearly labelled)
- Check the mark allocation — write enough, not too much
Good luck. You know more than you think you do.