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The IB History course can seem overwhelming if you are unsure of what it comprises. This post is here to provide you with a detailed IB History guide to help you navigate your way through the course. In this post, we'll discuss key elements of both internal and external assessments of the IB History course, as well as tips for the Extended Essay, should you choose to complete your EE in History.
IB History Guide
General Overview
Syllabus – IB History is designed to help students understand the past through a comparative and multi-perspective approach. The course blends factual knowledge with historical evaluation, encouraging students to analyze historical events and apply critical thinking skills to socio-political contexts. Throughout the course, students explore prescribed subjects such as military conflicts, the rise of authoritarian states, wars, and regional history options, while also developing essential skills in source analysis, historical synthesis, and structured essay writing. For a full overview of the IB History syllabus and the topics covered in each section, check out this post.
Grade boundaries – Although the IB History grade boundaries change from session to session, it is important that you are familiar with what the approximate range of values can be. This can help you, especially when practicing past papers, as it can show you what grade category you fall into depending on the number of marks you obtain. The latest IB grade boundaries can be found here.
Key concepts – The IB History course is centred on six fundamental concepts of causation, consequence, change, continuity, significance, and perspectives. These key concepts provide an analytical framework for exploring historical content and evaluating diverse case studies across varied temporal and regional contexts. To learn more about the IB History key concepts, click here.
Options – The IB History syllabus teaches about diverse regional pathways through its structural options. All students cover one source-based Prescribed Subject for Paper 1 and two World History Topics for Paper 2, exploring global themes like authoritarian states or 20th-century wars. Higher Level (HL) students take an additional regional option for Paper 3, which requires a deep dive into the history of a specific geographic area, such as Europe or the Americas. To learn more about the IB History options, check out this guide.
General difficulty – IB History is considered a challenging individuals and societies course, as it requires a large volume of content memorization and stong essay writing skills compared to other Group 3 subjects. For a more in-depth view into how hard IB History is, check out this guide.
Getting the maximum score – The ultimate goal of any IB student is to get the highest score possible. To ensure your success in IB History, we have compiled some tips to help you get a 7. You can read our suggestions in this post.
Assessment overview – The IB History course consists of both external exams and internal assessments, which will be outlined in more depth in the section below. For a summary of the IB History assessment and the IB History paper weighting, click the links in blue.
External Assessments - Exams
Paper 1 – This paper is a source-based exam focusing on a specific prescribed historical subject. It consists of four source-based questions that require students to evaluate primary and secondary sources for historical validity, utility, and perspective. More information about the structure, time limit, weighting, and differences between SL and HL for Paper 1 can be found here.
Paper 2 – This paper consists of essay questions based on world history topics, such as authoritarian states or causes and effects of 20th-century wars. Students must write two analytical essays chosen from different topics. More information about the structure, time limit, weighting, and differences between SL and HL for Paper 2 can be found here.
Paper 3 – This paper is a Higher Level (HL) exclusive study focusing on one specific geographic region selected by your school. It consists of a two-hour exam where students must write two analytical essays chosen from a wide variety of regional sections and historical periods. More information about the structure, time limit, weighting, and essay rubric requirements for Paper 3 can be found here.
Command terms – To succeed in the exams, you must understand what each question type is asking you to do. Command terms such as "Evaluate", "Discuss", "To what extent", and "Compare and contrast" all have different meanings and require you to structure your historical arguments in a certain way. Browse through our list of command terms to understand what each one means.
Internal Assessment (IA)
Topic ideas – The History IA allows you to explore a specific historical research question in depth. A History IA involves a three-part historical investigation, including a critical source evaluation, a formal historical analysis, and a structural reflection. Many topics can be explored in the History IA. For a detailed list of topic ideas and examples, read our post here.
Criteria – The History IA is scored against 3 main criteria, such as source evaluation, historical investigation, and critical reflection. For a detailed list of the IB History IA criteria and a checklist of what to include to maximize your chances of a 7, check out our guide here.
Format and word count – History IAs should include sections such as an evaluation of sources, a structured historical investigation, and a personal reflection on the methods used by historians. For a full guide to the format and structure of a History IA, including what each section should contain, see this guide. The History IA should be a maximum of 2200 words. For a guide on how many words each section should be, read this post here.
Extended Essay (EE)
Topic ideas – The EE is a 4000-word investigation that allows you to explore a certain research question in depth. Most often, a History EE involves a deep dive into secondary literature and archival documents to construct a complex historical thesis. There is a wide variety of topics you can choose to investigate for your History EE. For a detailed list of topic ideas and associated examples, read our post here.
Criteria – The EE is scored against 5 criteria that target different aspects of your investigation, such as the framework for the essay, analysis, and evaluation. For a detailed list of the IB History EE criteria and a checklist of what to include to maximize your chances of an A in the EE, check out our guide here.
Format – A well-presented EE can drastically improve your score. History EEs should include sections such as an introduction, localized historical context, thematic or chronological body arguments, historiographical evaluations, and a conclusion. For a full guide to the format and structure of a History EE, including what each section should contain, see this guide.
Comparison to Other Individuals & Societies Subjects
Economics – IB Economics and History are two of the more analytical subjects in Group 3. However, the analysis in IB History focuses on qualitative socio-political evaluation and source bias rather than quantitative market models. IB History is heavily text-based and narrative-driven, while IB Economics relies on diagrams and structural calculations. For a detailed overview of IB Economics and IB History, including a comparison of course content, who should take these courses, and applicable university majors, read this guide.
Psychology – IB Psychology is considered more empirical and scientifically experimental compared to IB History, which relies on narrative synthesis and historical data tracking. IB History is often considered to have a broader chronological memory load, while IB Psychology is more structured around evaluating specific research methodologies and biological or cognitive frameworks. Both subjects place a strong emphasis on evidence evaluation. For a detailed overview of IB Psychology and IB History, including a comparison of course content, who should take these courses, and applicable university majors, read this guide.
We hope this post has helped you learn more about IB History. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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