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IB Philosophy Drilling Guide (SL and HL): Papers 1-3, Pacing and a 12-Week Plan
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB PHILOSOPHY (FIRST ASSESSMENT 2025)
Built on the IB Philosophy course first assessed in 2025: SL sits Paper 1 (50%), Paper 2 (25%) and the philosophical analysis (25%); HL is 40/20/20/20. This page is the drilling method only – assessment structure, drill order (by topic, by year, mark scheme), a 12-week timetable, pacing, the usual mark losses and the error log. For questions and answers use the mock papers linked below.
How is IB Philosophy 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%)
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 1 drilling technique: state the issue before you argue – the stimulus question is marked from the moment the issue is named, not by length; the command term fixes the shape of your conclusion (Evaluate / To what extent always demands a judgement); about 50 minutes per question, and at HL never spend more than 55 minutes on Section A.
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 | Never naming the issue in the first sentence of the stimulus answer; treating Evaluate or To what extent as a descriptive question and never judging |
| Paper 2 (prescribed text) | one clean, unannotated copy of the text | Open-book paper but never opening the text; quoting lines without explaining what they philosophically mean |
| Paper 3 (HL extension: contemporary issues) | philosophy and technology or the environment | Reading the unseen text too slowly and writing in a panic; arguing one side and never addressing the counter-claim |
| Internal assessment (philosophical analysis) | referencing and organisation carry marks | Citing the stimulus without linking it to a philosophical concept; the 2,000-word analysis loses marks for organisation |
What is each IB Philosophy 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: IB Philosophy splits across the 12 weeks: the first six weeks are Paper 1 stimulus questions only (three a week, issue plus argument inside 25 minutes), weeks 7-8 add Paper 2 part (a) on the prescribed text, Paper 3 (HL unseen text) joins in weeks 9-10 with the timed whole papers, and the last fortnight goes to the 2,000-word philosophical analysis – its organisation marks need a draft by week 10.
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?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arguing before naming the issue | Launching into a stance | Section A marks start from a clear statement of the issue | name the issue in your first line |
| Reporting philosophers only | Three paragraphs of “X thinks…” | No evaluation, no top band | position + counterexample + judgement |
| Conclusion inconsistent with the body | A sudden switch at the end | 21-25 requires a conclusion consistent with the argument | the conclusion answers the issue you named |
| HL answers on the same theme twice | Both essays on Ethics | Breaches the Section B requirement | two different optional themes |
The error log and the mark scheme
The log has three columns and never copies out questions: issue (is it in the first sentence), argument (is there a counter-claim and a judgement), quotation (is there a sentence explaining the quote or stimulus). Three entries in one column within a week means that is your fixed leak – drill only that column next week. The level descriptors are blunt: no named issue means no top band, however long the rest.
How many years should you drill?
The current IB Philosophy course was first assessed in 2025, so only one official session exists and by-year drilling is not available – which is exactly why the method matters more here. Work the guide exemplars properly once, fill the rest with original mock papers, and rewrite your answers against the level descriptors rather than chasing a number of past years.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The current IB Philosophy course was first assessed in 2025, so only one official session exists and by-year drilling is not available – which is exactly why the method matters more here. Work the guide exemplars properly once, fill the rest with original mock papers, and rewrite your answers against the level descriptors rather than chasing a number of past years.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB Philosophy 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 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 do I answer a Paper 1 stimulus that is an image?
Turn the visible detail into an argument: one sentence of description, then what it disrupts, then the comparison of positions. The marking still starts with whether the issue is named.
Paper 3 is HL only – does an SL student need it?
No. Paper 3 is the HL extension (20% of HL); SL time belongs to Paper 1 and Paper 2 essay technique.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IB Philosophy subject page (IBO) | Confirm the Paper 1-3 marks, times and weightings |
| IB Philosophy HL course guide | Course themes and the prescribed-text list |
Related: practice area · IB Philosophy drilling guide · IB World Religions Paper 1 drilling mock · IB Philosophy Paper 2 drilling mock (prescribed text) · IB Philosophy Paper 3 drilling mock (HL unseen text) · IB Global Politics drilling mock · IB Anthropology Paper 1 drilling mock
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