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IB Philosophy Paper 2: Prescribed Text, Quotations and Argument Reconstruction
Read the text first, then the command term
Philosophy Paper 2 tests depth on a prescribed text: you get an extract and a question that has to be answered from the whole work. Marks are usually lost by summarising content instead of doing what the command term asks. Break each text into its argument skeleton – premises, inference, conclusion, objections – then group past questions by command term.
How is IB Philosophy Paper 2 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes): Section A stimulus question 25 marks (one of two) + Section B essays 2 (SL 50% / HL 40%); Paper 2 (prescribed text): one of two questions, part A 10 marks + part B 15 marks = 25 marks; op (SL 25% / HL 20%); Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues): HL only; one unseen text, part A 10 marks + part B 15 marks = 25 marks (HL 20%); Internal assessment (philosophical analysis): a 2,000-word philosophical analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus, 2 (SL 25% / HL 20%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes) | Section A stimulus question 25 marks (one of two) + Section B essays 25 marks each; SL 2 questions/50 marks, HL 3/75 | SL 50% / HL 40% | SL 1 h 45 min / HL 2 h 30 min |
| Paper 2 (prescribed text) | one of two questions, part A 10 marks + part B 15 marks = 25 marks; open book | SL 25% / HL 20% | 1 hour |
| Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues) | HL only; one unseen text, part A 10 marks + part B 15 marks = 25 marks | HL 20% | 1 h 15 min |
| Internal assessment (philosophical analysis) | a 2,000-word philosophical analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus, 25 marks; done in school | SL 25% / HL 20% | 20 hours (in school) |
IB Philosophy Paper 2 drilling technique: part A explains, it does not evaluate – define the concept precisely and cite the text, then save your evaluation for part B, or you will lose part A marks by evaluating twice; about 20 minutes for part A and 35 for part B; open book does not mean slow browsing – write down the passages you remember first and check them at the end.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes) | do the stimulus question first, then the essays | A position is stated without unpacking the argument, so the answer stays descriptive. |
| Paper 2 (prescribed text) | one clean, unannotated copy of the text | A quotation is given without a source, or bears no relation to the command term. |
| Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues) | philosophy and technology or the environment | Contemporary examples are listed without evaluating the ethical framework behind them. |
| Internal assessment (philosophical analysis) | referencing and organisation carry marks | The analysis becomes a summary, with no clear line of argument or objection handled. |
What is each IB Philosophy Paper 2 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes): do the stimulus question first, then the essays; Paper 2 (prescribed text): one clean, unannotated copy of the text; Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues): philosophy and technology or the environment; Internal assessment (philosophical analysis): referencing and organisation carry marks
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
Should drilling go by topic first or by year?
By topic first, then whole papers by year, then the mark scheme. The first third of the time goes topic by topic (8-10 years of the same topic back to back), the middle switches to timed whole papers, and the last fortnight only redoes the recurring errors from your log.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Weeks 1-3: one text at a time, writing out its main line of argument plus two objections. Weeks 4-6: command terms by topic, three essays each for explain, compare and evaluate on the same passage. Weeks 7-9: timed whole questions, ten minutes of plan then the full answer. Weeks 10-12: mixed-year sampling, redoing only the command terms and texts that keep recurring in the error log.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes) | SL 1 h 45 min / HL 2 h 30 min | about 50-55 min per question (SL two, HL three) |
| Paper 2 (prescribed text) | 1 hour | about 20 min for part A, 35 min for part B |
| Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues) | 1 h 15 min | about 15 min reading, 25 min part A, 35 min part B |
| Internal assessment (philosophical analysis) | 20 hours (in school) | choose the stimulus, then sharpen the question |
How should the time be split inside each IB Philosophy Paper 2 paper?
Paper 1 (core theme + optional themes): about 50-55 min per question (SL two, HL three); Paper 2 (prescribed text): about 20 min for part A, 35 min for part B; Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues): about 15 min reading, 25 min part A, 35 min part B; Internal assessment (philosophical analysis): choose the stimulus, then sharpen the question
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluating in part A | Opening with “this claim is wrong” | Part A marks explanation only | explain in A, evaluate in B |
| No reference to the text | General concepts only | Without textual support 9-10 is out of reach | point to the location of specific passages |
| One-sided part B | Only support, or only objection | A 15-mark answer needs both sides and a judgement | both sides + condition analysis + conclusion |
| Browsing the book slowly | Twenty minutes hunting for a passage | Part B runs out of time | write first, check after |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: command term and text, the argument step that was omitted (premise, inference, objection), and whether the loss came from misreading the question, an unsourced quotation or a missing evaluation.
How many years should you drill?
Prescribed texts are revised every few years, so about five to seven years of questions stay usable; older sets are writing practice only, and the list should be checked against the current official guide.
How many years of past papers is enough?
Prescribed texts are revised every few years, so about five to seven years of questions stay usable; older sets are writing practice only, and the list should be checked against the current official guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB Philosophy Paper 2 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the IB Philosophy Paper 2 mock papers linked under Related.
By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.
How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.
How many quotations should be memorised?
Two per theme, with source and context. The extract in the exam is usually the main battlefield, and unsourced quotations only show that the book was read.
Can one position be argued alone?
Yes, provided the opposing position is stated and answered. Marks follow the argument, and a single position with no objection handled stays at description.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IB Philosophy subject page (IBO) | Confirm Paper 2 marks, time and the prescribed-text list |
| IB Philosophy HL course guide | Course themes and assessment overview |
Related: practice area · IB Philosophy drilling guide · IB World Religions Paper 1 drilling mock · IB Philosophy Paper 1 drilling mock · IB Philosophy Paper 3 drilling mock (HL) · IB Geography Paper 1 drilling mock · IB Anthropology Paper 1 drilling mock
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
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