[A83] Re: Symbolic... [OT]

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[A83] Re: Symbolic... [OT]


> I'm Swiss and have really no idea about this (I even
> never heard about this system).
That's way too funny, as the IBO centre is situated in 
Switzerland. :)
> 
> + How many subjects are there?
Many. Every student has to choose 6 subjects, each from
a subject group. The groups are the following:

1. Native language literature (also includes world
   literature)
2. IB language (grammar or literature course)
   this is the language in which you study during your
   two-year IB course: English, French or Spanish
3. Mathematics
4. Natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology)
5. Social sciences (history, economics, psychology)
6. Miscellaneous: art, computer science, second
   foreign language, music, world religions etc.
   or alternatively a second subject from either
   group 4 or 5.

You have to take 3 or 4 of these on high level (HL),
and the others on sub level (SL). Actually there are
three levels of maths in practice. You can see that maths,
native literature and IB language are inevitable.

E. g. my choice was:

Hungarian literature SL
English B (grammar course) HL
Mathematics HL
Physics HL
Economics SL
History SL

(As you can see, I chose two social sciences.)

> + Is there only a written or also an oral examination?

One thing: you are not registered at IBO, only
from the second year. There are only two orals,
those of group 1 and 2 (native literature and
IB language). They are not too hard to come by.

The final exams last for three weeks, and all
subjects are involved. I don't want to elaborate
on this too much, but nearly all subjects have a
Paper One (multiple choice) and a Paper Two
(exercises/essays) and group 4 subjects have
a Paper Three as well (options - because there
is a core material and there are options that
your group takes, like "Optics" or "Medical Physics"
in the subject of physics).

> + What are the subjects maintopics, how are they proved?

Literature: oral exam, 1500 word World Literature Essay

IB language: oral exam, no final essay but lots of
little essays during the two years (at least for us);
the written exam contains some kind of essay but
no translation as far as I remember

Maths: good coverage of trigs, exp/log, calculus
(even some differential calculus), linear algebra,
probability and the options (cannot cite them here
and now...);
you have to prepare portfolio (set of a few little
projects on various topics

Group 4: laboratory reports (can be a pain) - this
is actually the portfolio; a special big project
called "Group 4 Project" which results in a grand
lab report. It means that people who chose different
G4 subjects work together on a big project (measurements,
experiments), we have to prepare and plan everything
on our own, and organise the division of labour
between physicists, biologists and chemists. Great fun...

Economics: portfolio (5 commentaries on articles) and
oral commentary presentations in front of your group

History: 3000 word Guided Coursework, lots of essays
during the two years

I don't know of the others...

> + I suppose that your grades of the year are added to the
>    grade of the big examination. How?

Important: your grades acquired throughout the two
years have NO EFFECT on your final IB diploma grade.
This is an unbiased system: only about 25 percent
of your grade is given by your teacher. Another
25 percent is partially given by your teacher for
your written assignments (portfolio), but these are 
submitted to the IBO and they moderate the precentages
(e. g. if they find that a teacher is too harsh, they add
a multiplier of 1.1). 50 percent comes from the written
final exams, which are evaluated by other IB teachers all
over the world, who don't know any of you. (I think
our English exams were evaluated in Mexico...)

Somehow they calculate a percentage, which is converted
into a final grade:

85-100=7; 70-84=6; 55-69=5; 45-55=4; 30-44=3; 15-29=2
and below 15=1

The final diploma will be awarded a score with a maximum
of 45. This is the sum of your grades plus a combined
value of your ToK essay (1500 words philosophy) and 
Extended Essay (4000 words on ANY subject you choose, but
you have to connect it to an IB subject; e. g. I wrote
an essay about a mathematical model to simulate the
reconnaissance process of worker bees, and claimed the
essay to be in mathematics). This value ranges from 0 to 3.

I. e. 6*7+3=45. There are only a few (probably below ten) 
students each year scoring 45.

> + Have you also to do a kind of project before to be 
allowed
>    to the big examination?

You can consider the extended essay to be such a project.
However, you shouldn't put too much emphasis on it as
it only determines a part of the extra 3 points.

And you have to do 180 hours of CAS (extracurricular
activities ranging from sports, creative activity like arts 
to doing some kind of service like library assistance
or helping handicapped people)
> 
> A really buch of questions, huh? I hope I don't annoy 
you... :)

I hope I could be informative enough. :)
Anyone discovering wrong information should correct me.

BTW for some better organised info you can drop a
visit on the page of IBO: www.ibo.org or even at
my high school's page: www.karinthy.hu (English version
is available); from this latter page you can download
real extended essays from the earlier years.

PG
References: