How to Answer IB BM questions effectively. This is our today’s topic. IB Elite Tutor has a team of expert IB BM Tutors who has tried to solve the puzzle. Let us have a look at their expert advices one by one and excel in IB BM HL & SL.
How to answer IB BM Questions Effectively?
Students need help to answer IB Business Management long questions. And they must be a good communicator to interact with their examiner while effectively writing their answer. So, in this article, we will tell you what you must remember while writing case studies or answering 10-marker/20-marker questions. And easily score a perfect 7 in the IB Business Management examination. Let’s kick off!
How to answer IB BM Standard Level (SL) Paper 1 Questions?
- As you know, SL Paper 1 is 1 hour and 15 minutes long. And the total weightage of this paper is 35%, i.e., 50 marks of the overall grade. On the other hand, it consists of two sections, A and B.
- Section A contains 4 structured questions, and students have to answer 3 questions. And each question carries 10 marks.
- Section B: It contains one compulsory structured question of 20 marks.
- Answering techniques that you need to maximize your marks in sections A & B:
- Comprehend the question properly
- Find keywords and then write an answer that relates to the question
- Make sure theories & techniques are clearly explained
- Purposefully applied all the business techniques
- Use appropriate terminologies
- Provide arguments that support your claims.
- Stimulus material is efficiently used
- Use relevant business management tools
- Use appropriate evidence & judgments that strengthen your response
- Provide effective definitions and conclusions
- Distinguish yourself from others by giving reasonable answers
Answering IB BM Higher Level (HL) Paper 1 Questions?
- According to the IB examination guidelines, HL Paper 1 is 2 hours and 15 minutes long. And the total weightage of this paper is 35%, i.e., 70 marks of the overall grade. On the other hand, it consists of 3 sections A, B, and C.
- Section A contains 4 structured questions, and students have to answer 3 questions. And each question carries 10 marks.
- Section B: It contains one compulsory structured question of 20 marks.
- Section C contains one compulsory extended response question based on HL extension topics of 20 marks. And students must use more than one business tool to acquire 20/20.
- Answering techniques that you need to maximize your marks in sections A, B, & C:
- First and foremost, put one’s fingers on all the key terms in your case study.
- Draw a flow chart in chronological order of the organization’s financial statements.
- Write all the dates of the events that happened.
- Write all pros and cons related to the business.
- Do STEEPLE and SWOT analysis to explain a business’s internal and external background.
- Fabricate or compose a stakeholder map and list all the external and internal stakeholders.
- Explain the insight of the question properly that creates an impact on the examiner.
- Properly showcase all the problems faced in marketing, HR, finance, and operations functions.
- Connect all the dots and provide a clear solution to the problem.
- Remember to use your common sense. The most needed thing in the business world.
How to answer Standard Level (SL) Paper 2 Questions?
- First, students must understand the exam pattern and then organize themselves. So, SL Paper 2 is 1 hour and 45 minutes long. And the total weightage of this paper is 40%, i.e., 50 marks of the overall grade. Apart from this, it consists of 3 sections A, B, and C.
- Section A: It contains two structured questions that are based on stimulus material with a quantitative focus, and students have to answer one of them. And it carries 20 marks.
- Section B: It contains 3 structured questions that are based on stimulus material, and students must answer one of them. And the question carries 20 marks.
- Section C: It contains 3 extended response questions, and students have to answer one of them. And it carries 20 marks.
Answering techniques that you need to maximize your marks in sections A, B, & C:
- Fabricate income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow forecast perfectly.
- Properly calculate ratios.
- Effectively explain all the case studies related to human resources, operations management, and marketing.
- Describe all the business concepts aptly. For instance, culture, innovation, change, ethics, strategy, and globalization.
- Appropriately write an essay addressing the issue of real-world organization.
- Incorporate quality while concluding.
- Make sure all the information is reliable and creates relevancy.
How to answer Higher Level (HL) Paper 2 Questions?
- Let’s explore the exam criteria of HL Paper 2. It is 2 hours and 15 minutes long. And the total weightage of this paper is 40%, i.e., 80 marks of the overall grade. Additionally, it consists of 3 sections A, B, and C.
- Section A: It contains two structured questions that are based on stimulus material with a quantitative focus, and students have to answer one of them. And it carries 20 marks.
- Section B contains 3 structured questions based on stimulus material, and students must answer two questions. And each question carries 20 marks.
- Section C: It contains 3 extended response questions, and students have to answer one of them. And it carries 20 marks.
Answering techniques that you need to maximize your marks in sections A, B, & C:
- Familiarize yourself with the command terms.
- Comprehend the question properly and find appropriate keywords to make sentences.
- Properly explain the business key terms and connect them to the case study.
- Give exact reasons and explain possible solutions to every problem.
- Incorporate your conceptual knowledge into the stimulus material.
- Write an appropriate commentary related to the quantitative information.
- Provide both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Investigate or identify the problem and then put proper business practices to analyze data.
- Present information that you understood in the stimulus material through a specific solution.
- In the evaluation part, make judgments that give the significance of different viewpoints or arguments.
- Conclude with the help of relevant arguments.
Last Few Tips
While writing answers to IB Business Management questions or case studies, remember that you must properly break down the analysis and business techniques. And also showcase your work in a very organized manner. Indeed, you ace the IB Business Management examination and attain a perfect 7 score with the help of the above answering techniques. Best of luck!
