ib ESS revision page

Various pieces of materials will be found here to help you with your IBESS Exam. Some of the information references IB Biology, but is very useful 
Bring to the exam: a calculator, ruler, pens (black and or blue)!!! You must write in pen for the exam (including the multiple choice)

EXAM CONTENT

 All the IB expectations. These can be found at the beginning of each chapter in the textbook or on the IB Biology Guide
  • Note: the content from all the categories is fair game (understanding, nature of science, applications, skills)
  • Note: we did extra information in some units that you are NOT required to know. Ex: Human Evolution, Hardy Weinberg

Paper 1:  /40 marks
  • 40 Multiple Choice Questions
  • Time Allotted: 1 Hour
  • Weight: Work 20% of your IB grade
  • Material covers all core and HL material (no exclusively “option” material” -  however, some material (such as action potential and synaptic transmission appears in both core/HL and option material)
  • NO calculators allowed in the section 
  • No marks deducted for incorrect answers so take a guess if you don't know the answer.

Paper 2:  /72 marks
  • Database, Short Answer, and Long Answer Paper 
  • Time allotted: 2 hr and 15 min
  • Weight: 36% of your IB grade
  • Material covers all core and HL material (no exclusively “option” material”)
  • BRING A CALCULATOR AND A RULER!!!!!
  • If you haven’t figured this out yet, rulers are useful when reading graphs. You may also be given magnification problems in which you definitely require a calculator.
  • Also, if you have to draw a diagram, use a ruler to label. They like that.

Section A – This is the Data Base and Short Answer Section. You must answer all the questions in this section.
  1. Data Base: Expect multiple Data Base questions (or one long one with multiple diagrams). In the 2014 exams, 15 marks came from data base alone and it went on for 7 pages. Remember to answer what the question is asking (look for key words, like “identify” or “describe”  or  “compare”)
  2. Short Answer: You may be also be asked to label and or annotate diagrams here, complete punnet squares.

Section B – This is the Long Answer Response Section with choice.
  • You will be presented with 3 questions (with multiple parts to them). Choose 2 questions to respond to.
  • Each questions is worth 15 marks 
  • There is an additional 1 mark per question for quality and clarity. 
  • This is where you might see “draw and label” questions. See the home page for possible "draw and label" questions.

Quality and Clarity Marks
  • Write neatly and clearly and in a size that does not require a magnifying glass to read  
  • Do NOT ramble. Be concise. 
  • Stay on topic and focused (do not just starting talking about everything you know about the general topic)
  • Your answer should have a logical flow. The examiner should only have to read your answer ONCE.

Paper 3:  /40
  • Time allotted: hour and 15 minutes
  • Weight: 24% of your IB grade
  •  Bring a calculator and a ruler for this paper as well.

Section A – Experimental Skills and Techniques. These are 2 - 3 short answer questions based on experimental skills and techniques, analysis and evaluation, using unseen data linked to core material.
  •  Review the 7 practicals for this section. Click on the link to view a document to review the 7 practicals.
  • You must answer all the questions in this section.
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                    List of Practicals
                    1.  Using a Microscope and Magnification (Topic 1)
                    2.  Potato Lab/Osmolarity of Tissues (Topic 1)
                    3.  Factors that Affect Enzyme Activity (Topic 2)
                    4.  Separation of Photosynthetic Pigments by Chromatograph (Topic 2)
                    5.  Mesocosms (Topic 4)
                    6.  Ventilation and Exercise (Topic 6)
                    7.  Transpiration Rates (Topic 9)

Section B – Data base, short answer, and 1 long answer response from 1 option of your choice. We covered 2 options in class. 
    o   
    o   

I would highly suggest you to do Option D, Human Physiology. A lot of the information in this section is repeated in Topic 6 which you have to know anyway. Section A1 Human Nutrition is the only section we did not spend a lot of time on (you were asked to make your own notes - did you???)

Remember, there will still be core material that you are required to know for the option you didn’t choose. (For example if you choose to study for Option D and not do Option A, you still need to understand action potentials because appears in the core material) You can learn on your own one of the other options (B, or C) but I wouldn’t suggest it.

Other Exam Notes....
  • Write in the boxes. Sometimes the exams are photocopied and sent to various markers. If you write out of the boxes, some of that info may not get passed on. You can ask for additional paper if your response is lengthy 
  • You may write in point form, however, make sure you complete your thoughts!!!!
  • ex: Don't say " Substrate- level phosphorylation is indirect and oxidative phosphorylation is direct". What does that mean????? Indirect what? Direct what?
  •  IB does not award half marks, so be complete in your answer (especially in comparison questions)
  • Even though they don’t award half marks, sometimes questions are worth half a mark. For example a question asking you to draw and label the digestive system may only be worth 5 marks, meaning they want you to label 10 items. If you correctly identify 8 items, you would receive a 4 out of 5. If you identify 9 items, you would still only receive a 4 out of 5.
  • Make T-charts in comparison questions and make your points line up.
  • Don't ramble, however, if you know you are supposed to make 4 points about something make 5, just in case they don't accept one of your points.  Do not contradict yourself.
  • Don't be afraid to draw diagrams.
  • Review the command terms before the exam.

Here's a fun ASAP video with 9 study tips.