Here, we look at how to score 7 in IB Chemistry. Not an easy task by any stretch, but one of our teaching team of IB Examiners here, gives you her top tips on how to do it.

Margarita, an IB examiner with 27 years of teaching experience, gives you her tips to score a 7.

Know Your Key IB Chemistry Concepts

My top tip is that you need to have a good understanding of the key concepts. Plus, the context in which these concepts can be used. So this means when you read the free response questions you need to identify the key concepts to connect together in order to answer that question.

You don’t even need to write your answer in full sentences. In fact, it can be in bullet points as long as the key concepts are in the answers.

Use Mind Maps For Revision

Another tip for IB Chemistry revision is that students can prepare by making mind maps and peer tutoring each other. As long as they don’t leave any gaps in the understanding of each unit. While making mind maps they need to try to connect every single concept to the other parts of the syllabus.

First, this is because Chemistry is a very sequential science. Second every concept can find its own connection with the other units. The most important topic and the most fundamental concept in Chemistry is bonding.

It can help to use the subject guide, as a basis for your mind maps. In this way you can check off each topic as you go, making sure none are missed.

You Should Start Your Revision With Bonding

I recommend brushing up on knowledge of bonding because every question around any other topic is deeply connected with it. Any property, any reaction, can be easily explained with the bonds that exist in particular reactions or what kind of products should be expected to be produced.

So it is key that they have a very secure knowledge of the bonding which is not easy as it is a very broad topic.

Learn The Tactics For Multiple-Choice Questions

When you approach multiple-choice questions, you need to read them carefully (because sometimes the IB puts a little trick in there). Students must read carefully and decide what the question is about.

First, I suggest underlining the keywords as you read the question. Second, try to eliminate the impossible answers before you actually try to answer the question. Finally, you can decide what the answer should be.

Usually, that is easy, but sometimes there are two answers that are quite similar and could both be correct.

That’s why the IB tests which one is the best answer, which means that one of them is more general.

So, the answer that is less broad is the right answer, as it is the one that covers most of the situations in Chemistry.