On this page you can find some of the questions students frequently ask about Paper 1. If you are looking for an answer to a question, or you are uncertain about an aspect of your paper 1 exam, check out the FAQs below. The questions and answers are relevant to both SL and HL students, unless otherwise stated.
What is Paper 1? Is it an essay?
No, Paper 1 is not an essay. It is a task in guided textual analysis. However, the task has many similarities to academic essay writing. For example, it is expected that your writing is reasonably formal and appropriate to an academic context. Also you should write in continuous prose, rather than a series of unconnected bullet points. You should write in paragraphs, and develop your ideas, embedding examples that support your discussion.
When do I do the Paper 1 exam?
You do the Paper 1 exam at the end of your course of study. For schools registered for northern hemisphere exams this is in May of the final year of your study. For schools registered for southern hemisphere exams this is in the November of the final year of your study.
What percentage of my overall marks are based on Paper 1?
35%.
How much time do I have for my exam?
For SL students, 1 hour 15minutes.
For HL students, 2 hours 15 minutes.
Notice that HL students do not have twice as much time as SL students, but are required to do twice as much as SL students. The reason the IB give for this is as follows: SL students must read two texts and make a decision about which of the two to write an analysis on. HL students, by contrast, have no choice. SL students, in effect, are given more time for 'decision making'.
Who will mark my exam?
An IB examiner will mark your exam. Most examiners are practicing IB teachers. All are given training in marking exams, and the IB has good quality control mechanisms in place to ensure exams are marked accurately and fairly. Examiners do not know your name, your sex, or which school you attend.
How am I assessed? What are the marking criteria?
There are four marking criteria as follows:
A. Understanding and interpretation (5 marks)
B. Analysis and evaluation (5 marks)
C. Focus and organisation (5 marks)
D. Language (5 marks)
Paper 1 is a task in textual analysis. What is analysis? How is analysis different from description?
Describing something simply says what something is. Description often involves paraphrasisng; that is, using different words to say the same thing. Analysis is different. Analysis involves breaking something down and understanding how component parts contrubute and give cohesion to something bigger (in this case, a non-literay text). Analysis is the first step in understanding how texts work. To be sucessful in Paper 1, you must analyse, evaluate, and interpret. Large parts of the site - and this Paper 1 section in particular - are designed to help you understand the meaning of key words and command terms, and to show you how analysis works in practice. It is of limited use to say to you "don't describe, analyse". We explain the difference, demonstrate and model analysis, and provide opportunities to practice it.
How many words and/or pages should I write?
Excellent question, but one that is difficult to answer. We can, however, say something rather than nothing. Depending on whether you are an HL or SL student, you have somewhere between I hour 7 minutes (HL) and I hour 15 minutes (SL) to read and analyse a non-literary text. You cannot write a huge amount in this time. Thus, what you do write must be focused, relevant, and expressed with brevity. Hunderds of words of random rubbish are exactly that: random rubbish. At the same time, your analysis must be well developed. This is particularly true if you want to be awarded high marks in criteria A and B and, to a lesser extent, criterion C. It is hard to be precise about what we mean by 'well developed', but it is likely to be no less than approximately 800 words. It is unlikely that you will be able to write more than about 1300 words.
How much time should I spend annotating and planning? How much time should I spend writing my response?
This, again, is a good question, and one without a precise answer. However, once more, we can say something rather than nothing. Often, students leave exams expressing anxiety that they left too little time for writing, having spent too much time on reading and planning. You must ensure you have enough time to write a well developed analysis. Also, teachers will often advise students. Teachers are knowledgeable and well meaning. However, they do not take the exam, and what suits them will not necessarily suit you or your peers. To know how much time you need to annotate and plan, you need to practice exams and practice again. In practicing, we suggest the following: Divide your time into three thirds. Use the first third to read, annotate, and plan. Use the remainder of your time to write, and try to leave a little time to revise and correct obvious errors. Then, reflect and evaluate on your experience. What went well? What went less well? What changes will you make in light of your experience?
For SL students only: If you are an SL student, you must make a choice between two texts to analyse. Before each IB exam, you are given five minutes of 'reading time'. Aim to use as much of this time as possible to identify and select the text you intend to write about. Once you have made up your mind, do not change it!
Does Paper 1 need an introduction, including a thesis statement?
Yes. Your analysis must be focused. In this sense, it must have an argument or, if you prefer, a thesis. The more focused your response is, the better it is likely to be.
Does Paper 1 need a conclusion?
Yes. This said, the word 'conclusion' suggests that you have the final word on something, and there is nothing more to say. This isn't true, and it is a little arrogant to suggest otherwise. Also, many students finish their analysis by pithily repeating what they have already said - both dull and unnecessary. For these reasons, we prefer to use the word 'synthesis' rather than 'conclusion'. A synthesis, like a conclusion, involves bringing together the parts of a discussion. However, it is also evaluative, and it involves considering the wider implications of your argument. On our website, we show you how to write a winning synthesis.
What kinds of texts or extracts will appear in my exam?
It is very difficult to predict what kinds of texts will appear in the examination. A wide variety of non-literary texts is possible, and you must be prepared for whatever appears in the exam. Past exams have contained texts that are both recent and historical. Many texts have been hypertextual (i.e. taken from a digital source) and many texts have been multimodal (i.e. containing both written text and images). On our website, we prepare you for the many possible types of texts that you may be asked to analyse in your exam.
How important is knowing terminology to writing successful Paper 1 exams?
This is a question that divides teachers. We take the view that knowing terminology is not an end in itself and it is not the same thing as understanding a text. That said, we do think that using terminology to show how language works is important and helps improve the quality of your Paper 1 analysis. On our website, we help develop your repertoire of terminology and guide you in using it in meaningful ways for exam success.
MY PROGRESS
How much of Paper 1 - Frequently Asked Questions have you understood?
Feedback
Which of the following best describes your feedback?
Twitter 
Facebook 
LinkedIn