HISTORY · IB Diploma Programme
HISTORY/11
Source-based (Prescribed Subjects)
History · 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: International Baccalaureate Organization
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.0 / 5
30
90 min
Authoritarian states (20th century)
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
30
Duration
90 min
Session difficulty
3.0 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation.
In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks.
Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; examiners rewarded candidates who evaluated the limits of specific historical assertions rather than merely describing events chronologically.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
IB subject report — grade distributions, IA weighting, and HL/SL distinctions
Level 7
Excellent — top band for competitive university offers
Level 6
Very good — strong HL performance
Level 5
Good — solid pass at higher level
Level 4
Satisfactory — minimum for many university credits
Level 3
Mediocre
Level 2
Poor
Level 1
Very poor
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
Where the Marks Are
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation. In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks. Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; ex
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
No data available in official reports
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Authoritarian states (20th century)
15 marks this session
The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)
15 marks this session
Causes and effects of 20th-century wars
15 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Authoritarian states (20th century)
The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)
Causes and effects of 20th-century wars
Authoritarian states (20th century) 2.
Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century) 2.
Causes and effects of 20th-century wars 2.
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 2:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
- Neglecting to address alternative perspectives, such as orthodox vs. revisionist historiographical schools of thought on Cold War crises.
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Authoritarian states (20th century)
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiThe Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiCauses and effects of 20th-century wars
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation.
- 2Message
In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks.
- 3Message
Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; examiners rewarded candidates who evaluated the limits of specific historical assertions rather than merely describing events chronologically.
- 4Strength
Where the Marks Are: High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation. In prompts
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2023 2023
History
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation. In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analyt
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation.
In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks.
Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; examiners rewarded candidates who evaluated the limits of specific historical assertions rather than merely describing events chronologically.
- Total marks
- 30
- Duration
- 90 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.0 / 5
Session analysis
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation. In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks. Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; examiners rewarded candidates who evaluated the limits of specific historical assertions rather than merely describing events chronologically.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 2:
Top chapters
Where the Marks Are
High-scoring scripts in this series are distinguished by balanced, dual-case evaluation. In prompts requiring examples from 'different regions', candidates who could confidently transition between European, American, Asian, or African-Middle Eastern contexts without losing analytical depth secured top-band marks. Crucially, marks are heavily concentrated in the Critical Analysis (AO3) criteria; examiners rewarded candidates who evaluated the limits of specific historical assertions rather than merely describing events chronologically.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- The 'Regional' Blind Spot: A recurrent reason for lost marks was the failure to select case studies from distinct regions when explicitly prompted (e.g., in Topic 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, or 12). Selecting two leaders or crises from the same continent instantly caps the maximum score.
- Chronological Storytelling: Many candidates write narrative histories of authoritarian leaders or Cold War crises without directly addressing the command terms like Evaluate or Discuss.
- Imbalanced Comparisons: In comparison questions, devoting 80% of the essay to one country and only 20% to the other indicates poor planning and prevents access to the top 13–15 markband.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h
- Total marks
- 24
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.