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IB World Religions Paper 1: Choosing Across Three Sections and the Fifteen-Minute Rhythm
Write the five question numbers down before you write a word
World Religions Paper 1 is the stimulus paper: nine questions in three sections, five answers with at least one from each, 3 marks in part (a) and 7 in (b), all inside seventy-five minutes. Five answers in that time means about fifteen minutes each, so hesitation over selection costs the whole paper. Scan the paper, write the chosen numbers down section by section, then start.
How is IB World Religions Paper 1 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 1 (stimulus questions): Nine questions in three sections; answer five, at least one per sectio (SL 30%); Paper 2 (essays): Fourteen questions in two sections; answer one from each; 20 marks eac (SL 45%); Internal assessment (investigative study): A 1,500-1,800 word investigative study, 30 marks, teacher-marked and m (SL 25%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (stimulus questions) | Nine questions in three sections; answer five, at least one per section; each (a) 3 + (b) 7 | SL 30% | 1 h 15 min |
| Paper 2 (essays) | Fourteen questions in two sections; answer one from each; 20 marks each | SL 45% | 1 h 30 min |
| Internal assessment (investigative study) | A 1,500-1,800 word investigative study, 30 marks, teacher-marked and moderated | SL 25% | about 20 hours |
IB World Religions drilling technique: in Paper 1 every question is (a) 3 marks + (b) 7 marks – spend 3 minutes on the definition or key concept and 9 on (b), writing framework first and then the example. Read all three sections and lock in one question per section before starting. In Paper 2 each 20-mark answer is an essay: introduction, two concrete examples with denominational and regional context, evaluation, conclusion.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (stimulus questions) | the key concept in the stimulus (AO1) plus application and analysis (AO2) | Selection overruns and the final answer gets about ten minutes. |
| Paper 2 (essays) | comparing the two in-depth religions with specific, contextualised examples | Paper 2 essays state no position and summarise the textbook instead of arguing. |
| Internal assessment (investigative study) | a focused research question and evaluation of primary/secondary sources | The internal assessment question is too broad, so the report describes rather than analyses. |
What is each IB World Religions Paper 1 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 1 (stimulus questions): the key concept in the stimulus (AO1) plus application and analysis (AO2); Paper 2 (essays): comparing the two in-depth religions with specific, contextualised examples; Internal assessment (investigative study): a focused research question and evaluation of primary/secondary sources
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: two questions per section, writing only the three-mark definition in three minutes until a keyword produces two sentences. Weeks 4-6: the seven-mark frame in four fixed moves — position, concept, textual or practice example, one comparative line. Weeks 7-9: three full papers at seventy-five minutes, logging how long selection took. Weeks 10-12: unseen questions only, until five numbers and two examples per question are on paper before writing starts.
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 (stimulus questions) | 1 h 15 min | about 5 min choosing questions, then 14 min a question: 3 for (a), 9 for (b), 5 to check |
| Paper 2 (essays) | 1 h 30 min | about 42 min an essay (10 planning, 27 writing, 5 checking) |
| Internal assessment (investigative study) | about 20 hours | fix the research question first, then about 8 hours gathering sources and 8 writing |
How should the time be split inside each IB World Religions Paper 1 paper?
Paper 1 (stimulus questions): about 5 min choosing questions, then 14 min a question: 3 for (a), 9 for (b), 5 to check; Paper 2 (essays): about 42 min an essay (10 planning, 27 writing, 5 checking); Internal assessment (investigative study): fix the research question first, then about 8 hours gathering sources and 8 writing
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing Paper 1 as an essay | Long answers to every question | (a) is only 3 marks and (b) carries 7; long answers mean five questions do not get finished | Define, then framework + example |
| Answering from one section only | All five questions from the same section | The paper requires at least one from each section | At least one per section |
| Vague examples | “some societies” | Marks need specific examples with denominational, cultural and regional context | Name the religion, denomination and region |
| No comparison in Paper 2 | One religion only | The essays require the two in-depth religions side by side | Half to each, then compare |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: the question number and its section; whether (a) or (b) lost the marks, and whether that was definition, evidence or comparison; the repair, naming the scholar or passage to learn. Three losses in a row in one section makes it the next week focus.
How many years should you drill?
The three-section shape and the 3 plus 7 split have been stable, so five years covers the question types; the prescribed religions and course content have changed, so old papers are practice only and the current guide should be checked.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The three-section shape and the 3 plus 7 split have been stable, so five years covers the question types; the prescribed religions and course content have changed, so old papers are practice only and the current guide should be checked.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB World Religions Paper 1 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 World Religions Paper 1 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.
Can a candidate drop one of the three sections?
No. Each section must supply at least one answer, so a candidate who knows only two ends up writing a weak comparative response. Prepare two religions per section instead.
Is the three-mark part worth planning for?
Yes. Two or three precise sentences take all three marks, and part (b) usually builds its argument on the concept named there.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IB World Religions subject page (IBO) | Confirm the Paper 1 and Paper 2 marks, timings and internal assessment weighting |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-philosophy-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IB Philosophy Paper 1 drilling mock (same subject group) |
Related: practice area · IB World Religions Paper 1 mock · IB World Religions Paper 2 mock
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