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IB History Past Papers & Drilling (Paper 1): Source Analysis, OPCVL and the Mini-Essay
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL DRILLING MOCK · IB HISTORY PAPER 1 (CURRENT COURSE)
Written to the current IB History course: Paper 1 (source-based), 1 hour, 24 marks, four questions – Q1 comprehension (5 marks), Q2 value and limitations (4), Q3 compare and contrast (6), Q4 mini-essay evaluation (9). Worth 30% at SL and 20% at HL. This is a Paper 1 drilling mock with answers and techniques.
What is in IB History Paper 1?
Direct answer: 1 hour, 24 marks, four source questions – comprehension 5, value and limitations 4, comparison 6, mini-essay 9. Worth 30% at SL.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (source-based) | 4 questions, 24 marks | SL 30%／HL 20% | 1 hour |
| Paper 2 (essays) | two essays (30 marks) from two different world history topics | SL 45%／HL 25% | 1 h 30 min |
IB History Paper 1 drilling technique: Q1/Q2 use the sources only – add no outside knowledge; every Q2 point must be tied to origin/purpose/content; Q3 needs both sides (similarities and differences) or it caps at 3; Q4 (9 marks) demands sources + own knowledge + a judgement – doing only source analysis is the most common way to lose marks.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original drilling mock: the four sources (Source A-D) and the questions are our own, not IB past papers, marking references or IB publications; the sources are teaching samples, not the text of real historical documents.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (source-based) | SL 30%／HL 20% | about 10 min Q1, 10 min Q2, 12 min Q3, 20 min Q4 | comprehension + OPCVL + comparison + mini-essay |
| Paper 2 (essays) | SL 45%／HL 25% | about 40 min per essay | argument + specific evidence |
How do I score full marks on Q2 (OPCVL)?
Direct answer: two marks for value plus two for limitation, each tied to the source’s origin, purpose or content; bare “reliable/unreliable” scores nothing.
Paper 1: four source questions (24 marks)
Q1/Q2 sources only; Q3 both sides; Q4 sources plus own knowledge.
Question 1 (Q1a: 3 marks)
Q1(a) According to Source A, what does the author suggest about the effectiveness of the League of Nations in the interwar period?
Question 2 (Q1b: 2 marks)
Q1(b) According to Source B, what are two reasons the author gives for the collapse of collective security in the 1930s?
Question 3 (Q2: 4 marks)
Q2 With reference to the origin, purpose and content of Source C, analyse its value and limitations as historical evidence.
Question 4 (Q3: 6 marks)
Q3 Compare and contrast the views in Source A and Source B about the international order in the 1930s.
Question 5 (Q4: 9 marks)
Q4 Using the sources and your own knowledge, evaluate the claim: “The collapse of the international order in the 1930s was mainly caused by the League’s own institutional flaws.”
What matters in the Q4 mini-essay?
Direct answer: it must use the sources plus your own knowledge plus an explicit judgement – source analysis alone is the most common lost-mark trap.
Paper 1 answers and marks
Question 1
Answer from Source A only, giving three points (1 mark each): (1) the League lacked enforcement power; (2) major powers stayed out or left; (3) economic sanctions failed. Do not add your own knowledge.
Question 2
Two reasons from Source B only (1 mark each), e.g. states pursued national interest first and there was no joint military commitment.
Question 3
Two marks for value plus two for limitation, each tied to origin, purpose or content. E.g. value: a contemporary official report giving the policy-maker’s perspective; limitation: propagandistic, one-sided and possibly exaggerating success. Bare “reliable/unreliable” scores nothing.
Question 4
Cover both sides: similarities (3) and differences (3), each anchored in source content (e.g. both see the League as failing vs Source A blaming design flaws, Source B blaming members’ will). One side only caps at 3.
Question 5
Must use BOTH the sources and your own knowledge – missing either loses marks. Structure: (1) cite the sources in support (3); (2) bring own knowledge to extend or counter (4) – e.g. the Great Depression, appeasement, German/Japanese/Italian expansion; (3) reach a judgement (2). Pure source analysis never reaches the top band.
Which topics does this paper drill?
Direct answer: source comprehension, source value and limitations (OPCVL), comparing two sources, and evaluating with sources plus own knowledge.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Own knowledge in Q1/Q2 | Reciting the textbook | Sources only | sources only |
| Q2 as reliable/unreliable | No origin/purpose link | Tie every point to OPCVL | tie to origin/purpose/content |
| Q3 similarities only | Differences ignored | 3 marks each side | both sides |
| Q4 source analysis only | No own knowledge | Sources + own knowledge + judgement | use both |
How to use this paper
First drill: the full hour (keep 20 minutes for Q4) with no notes.
Mark it: check Q2 ties to OPCVL, Q3 covers both sides, Q4 uses own knowledge and reaches a judgement.
Second drill: redo three to seven days later, aiming to finish inside 50 minutes.
What should I do after drilling this paper?
Direct answer: log answers missing OPCVL links, one-sided comparisons or own knowledge; redo in three to seven days; and drill Paper 2’s two essays under time.
FAQ
Is this an IB past paper?
No. The sources and questions are TutorZone originals, not IB past papers, marking references or IB publications.
What is in IB History Paper 1?
1 hour, 24 marks, four source questions: comprehension (5), value and limitations (4), compare and contrast (6), mini-essay evaluation (9).
Why must Q4 use own knowledge?
Because Q4 carries 9 marks and is marked on “using the sources and your own knowledge” – source analysis alone stays in the low bands.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| IB History subject page (IBO) | Confirm the Paper 1-3 marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-psychology-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IB Psychology Paper 1 drilling mock |
Related: practice area · IB Economics drilling mock · IB Global Politics mock
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