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Paper 2 is the second examination you'll encounter in your IB World Religions assessments. In this post, we will provide a thorough breakdown of IB World Religions Paper 2, exploring the questions you may encounter and offering valuable tips on how to tackle them effectively.
IB World Religions Paper 2
- Paper 2 accounts for 45% of the final grade.
- Students have 1 hour 30 minutes to complete the assessment.
- This is an essay based paper.
- Paper 2 is made up of two sections: Section A and Section B.
- Students answer one question from each section.
- Each question is worth 15 marks.
Typical Section A questions may look the following way:
Hinduism
1. Compare how the supreme being in Hinduism can be understood as either personal or non-personal.
2. Discuss the importance for Hindus of obtaining the Three Objectives and satisfying the Three Debts.
Buddhism
3. Discuss different ways in which Buddhists venerate the Buddha.
4. “Ahimsa (non-violence) is the most important of the Five Precepts.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Sikhism
5. Examine the use of Gurmukhi in Sikhism.
6. Discuss attitudes to conversion in Sikhism.
Open-ended question
7. With reference to one religion—Hinduism or Buddhism or Sikhism—justify the importance of two religious festivals.
Typical Section B questions may look the following way:
Judaism
8. Examine the importance of Kabbalah (mysticism) in Judaism.
9. “Pesach (Passover) is the most important festival for Jews.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Christianity
10. Examine the authority of the Bible in different Christian denominations.
11. “Church and state should always be separate.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Islam
12. Examine the importance of tafsir (the science of interpretation or exegesis of the Qur’an) for Muslims.
13. “The most important role of Allah is creator.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Open-ended question
14. With reference to one religion—Judaism or Christianity or Islam—discuss attitudes to abortion.
How to succeed in World Religions Paper 2?
World Religions Paper 2 is an entirely essay-based paper. The types of questions you’ll encounter often ask you to examine the significance of a key belief, practice, or concept (such as Kabbalah, tafsir, or the authority of scripture), or to evaluate a provocative statement (“The most important role of Allah is creator”). You will also be provided with a possibility to answer an open-ended and issue-based question, like those that ask about attitudes toward abortion. The questions in Paper 2 demand not only strong knowledge of the religion in question but also the ability to construct a well-structured, balanced, and thoughtful essay. Hence, essay writing skills are absolutely essential for success. You need to be able to present a clear argument, structure your thoughts logically, and support your ideas with relevant evidence from religious texts, traditions, and customs.
The most effective way to develop this skill is through consistent practice with past paper questions. For efficient preparation, we recommend regularly creating detailed essay outlines – spending around 15 minutes per outline. Aim to complete as many outlines as possible, as this will help you plan strong, structured essays without the time commitment of writing each one in full. However, don’t neglect full essay practice entirely. Be sure to write out complete responses occasionally, simulating real exam conditions: set aside the full allotted time, put away your notes, and eliminate all distractions.
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify.
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