IB History HL might be one of the hardest classes in the International Baccalaureate. The main problem is that it’s almost impossible to reach a 7. Yet, there are certain tips you can remember to both write essays in class and prepare for the examination at the end of the year that will help you reach closer to this high score.
The first thing to do is to know the general timeline of events. Certain dates should not be confused, such as the outbreak of World War I, 1914, and the date it ended, 1919. Drawing out an overall timeline in your notes (while you’re studying), for both domestic and international conflicts, could be the best way to approach this.
Numerical values in and of themselves are very helpful. You should try to remember other dates, such as the years certain rulers (the ones you are studying) came to power. Any data you remember, such as the number of deaths that occurred under certain dictators or the dimensions of new technologies, should be included in the essays you write in Paper 1, 2 and 3. These will not only impress your examiner, but give you several extra points.
However, dictating numbers, years and dates will not earn you the seven you should be aiming for. To really score well, analysis is required. Therefore, you should also try to remember certain historian’s views, since name-dropping their ideas can also help impress your examiner. For example, I found it very useful to remember John Keynes’s economic ideas about the Great Depression. Furthermore, supplying different historians’ opinions helps delve into the analysis portion of the markscheme, earning you higher marks on Papers 1, 2 and 3 as well as the Internal Assessment.
And, don’t forget to study in advance, the best way to completely understand what is occurring during these years of history, without having to cram last-minute.
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