Writing for IB History Paper 2 can be difficult when you don’t know the full extent of events. Luckily, there are multiple resources that provide relevant and interesting content on important people, policies, and events that can help you strengthen your understanding and arguments!
The channel’s playlist, Authoritarian States, analyzes the events of Hitler’s, Stalin’s, and Castro’s regimes through themes relevant to IB Paper 2. This includes their rise to power, as well as domestic and foreign policies. The channel also has other IB history-related videos, such as the Cold War option.
How I used this source: I used this source mainly to gather information on the key events and policies of my chosen authoritarian leaders. The discussions are conveniently divided into some possible themes in Paper 2, giving me a broad range of information I could use in my analysis and argumentation.
This generator provides randomized prompts for the Paper 2 Authoritarian States topic. It allows you to practice analysing multiple perspectives, arguments, or comparisons that may come up during the exam.
How I used this source: I used it to practice my analysis with the information I found by writing sample essays. This helped me retain information and create a structure for my answers that could be applied to multiple prompts. This exercise saved me time in organizing my answers during the actual exam.
This website compiles past Paper 2 questions and includes topics like the Causes of Wars. The questions are linked to sample works from former IB History students, which can be used for information or as a reference!
How I used this source: Like the previously mentioned question generator, I used this compilation of past questions to write practice essays. I found this very useful as I could compare my writing with a previous student’s work.
This source has notes on Paper 2 created by previous IB students. The document contains a number of topics, with about 300 pages of notes! It provides comprehensive information on the topics listed on its contents page. Additionally, its organization makes it easy to understand events and extract relevant information.
How I used this source: I used the source to find more information on key events that could be used to support my arguments or tackle different types of questions.
Conclusion
There are many more sources shared by former students and made for IB History students. These are just a few examples I found extremely useful! They provide a plethora of information and help you feel prepared for any possible themes you may have to write about during the Paper 2 exam.