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IB Sports Science Paper 2 Drill Guide: Data and Extended Answers
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB SEHS PAPER 2: DATA, FORMULA, BOTH SIDES
Paper 2 marks evidence habits rather than recall: data questions quote numbers, name the trend and compare magnitudes, using overlapping standard deviations to judge significance; physiology questions state the formula then substitute; extended answers need both sides plus a specific factor. The paper carries 35%, 50 marks at SL and 90 at HL, with about 25 minutes for Section A and 45 for Section B.
How is IB Sports Science Paper 2 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 2 (short + extended): SL 50 marks (HL 90) (35%); Paper 1 (multiple choice): SL 30 questions (HL 40) (20%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (short + extended) | SL 50 marks (HL 90) | 35% | SL 1 h 15 min / HL 2 h 15 min |
| Paper 1 (multiple choice) | SL 30 questions (HL 40) | 20% | SL 45 min / HL 1 h |
IB Sports Science Paper 2 drilling technique: data questions must quote figures, state the trend and compare magnitudes, using overlapping standard deviations to judge significance; p < 0.05 means rejecting the null hypothesis; physiology answers should quote the equation and substitute (cardiac output = HR x SV); extended responses need both sides, specific factors and why they affect validity. Bring a calculator.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (short + extended) | data analysis + physiology essays | The data question says only that values rose, with no mean, standard deviation or magnitude. |
| Paper 1 (multiple choice) | core topics + HL extension | The physiology answer jumps to a conclusion with no formula and no substitution. |
What is each IB Sports Science Paper 2 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 2 (short + extended): data analysis + physiology essays; Paper 1 (multiple choice): core topics + HL extension
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 one to four run topic by topic: energy systems, then cardiorespiratory and muscle physiology, then sports psychology and skill learning, with every data answer forced into number, trend and significance. Weeks five to eight switch to timed papers, 25 minutes for Section A and 45 for Section B, using a fixed both-sides-plus-one-factor structure for extended answers. The last four weeks redo the three-time error types and write each evaluation as two opposing sentences.
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 2 (short + extended) | SL 1 h 15 min / HL 2 h 15 min | about 25 min Section A, 45 min Section B |
| Paper 1 (multiple choice) | SL 45 min / HL 1 h | about 1.5 min per question |
How should the time be split inside each IB Sports Science Paper 2 paper?
Paper 2 (short + extended): about 25 min Section A, 45 min Section B; Paper 1 (multiple choice): about 1.5 min per question
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data question without figures | It increased | Quote means and standard deviations | cite figures |
| Ignoring SD overlap | Declaring significance at once | Overlap means it may not be significant | check overlap |
| Physiology without equations | Heart rate rises only | Quote Q = HR x SV and substitute | equation plus substitution |
| One-sided extended response | Strengths only | Both sides plus factors | both sides plus reasons |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: question and topic; which step failed (no numbers, no magnitude, wrong formula, one-sided answer); and the corrected action, such as copying the mean and standard deviation from the table before writing. For any miscalculated physiology answer, copy the formula in full with the unit of each symbol, since unit slips are this subject s quietest mark loss.
How many years should you drill?
SEHS is a recent course with limited public past papers, so do not rely on By Year alone. Work from the current guide and markbands, top up the volume with school and published questions, and treat each command term (state, outline, discuss) as the instruction for how long to write.
How many years of past papers is enough?
SEHS is a recent course with limited public past papers, so do not rely on By Year alone. Work from the current guide and markbands, top up the volume with school and published questions, and treat each command term (state, outline, discuss) as the instruction for how long to write.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB Sports Science 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 Sports Science 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.
Does overlapping standard deviation really mean not significant?
Overlapping error bars mean the difference may not reach significance, so write that it cannot be judged significant rather than that there is no difference. Where a p value is given, use p < 0.05 as the threshold for rejecting the null, and state both.
How many sides does an extended answer need?
Two, each tied to a specific factor such as facility, training volume or mental preparation, never just advantages and disadvantages in the abstract. Length follows the command term: discuss wants both sides and a judgement, evaluate wants both sides and a reason for the trade-off.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IB SEHS subject page (IBO) | Confirm the Paper 1-3 marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-english-a-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IB English A Paper 1 drilling mock |
Original mock: IB Sports Science Paper 2 mock paper with answers; more practice in the practice area.
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
Demand for tutors in this subject is steady, and those who can explain the marking scheme and where marks are won are especially sought after. Register free; you pay only when a match succeeds.
