Every IB History essay lives or dies on its ability to make an argument — not just describe what happened, but explain why it mattered and who disagrees. Mosab unpacks how to use command terms like "evaluate" and "to what extent" as structural blueprints, turning vague responses into focused, eviden...

IB History's internal assessment alone can make or break a final score, and most students underestimate how much structured historical investigation it requires. Emerson completed the full IB program — including the Extended Essay — before enrolling at the University of Chicago, so he understands bo...

Rachel's research and editing background gives her a particular edge on the internal assessment, where students need to formulate a focused historical question, evaluate sources for their value and limitations, and produce a polished investigative essay. She also teaches the timed essay skills Paper...

Every IB History exam question is ultimately asking students to build an argument under time pressure, which means knowing the content isn't enough — they need to organize it fast. Ben tackles this by drilling command-term recognition and paragraph planning so students walk into the exam with a repe...

IB History's Paper 1 asks students to evaluate four sources in an hour, and Paper 2 demands a structured essay under time pressure — both require skills that go well beyond knowing content. Olivia digs into the specific command terms IB examiners use ("evaluate," "to what extent," "compare and contr...

IB History's Paper 2 and Paper 3 essays require a specific kind of analytical writing — comparative, thesis-driven, and packed with specific evidence across multiple regions. Dakota's background in philosophy and her experience with IB Literature make her well-suited to tackle the program's emphasis...

Having studied IB Theory of Knowledge alongside economics at Northwestern, Mackenzie understands the IB's emphasis on constructing arguments rather than recounting events — and she applies that analytical lens directly to history essays. She teaches students how to dissect Paper 1 sources for origin...

IB History's paper structure rewards a very specific skill: making a concise historical argument under time pressure while integrating multiple perspectives. Jean's history degree from Duke and her legal training at UNC both demanded exactly that kind of disciplined, evidence-based reasoning. She wa...

IB History's Paper 2 and Paper 3 essays demand something most high schoolers haven't practiced: sustained, multi-perspective argumentation under timed conditions. Erik's legal training at the University of Chicago made timed analytical writing second nature, and he applies that to IB-specific skills...

IB History's emphasis on historiography — evaluating sources, understanding perspectives, and constructing arguments across prescribed subjects — aligns directly with Julia's training as a historian. She teaches students how to tackle Paper 1 source analysis and Paper 2 essays by building the kind o...