Prepare for a mock exam as a realistic diagnostic
Schools use mock examinations in different ways, so ask what content, format and conditions apply to yours.
Find out what the mock is for
Schools use mock examinations in different ways, so ask what content, format and conditions apply to yours. Record the timetable and preparation guidance. A mock can provide evidence about knowledge, application and timing, but its role in school decisions should come from school policy. Avoid assuming every school uses mocks identically or that one result permanently determines your final performance.
Choose representative preparation
Use current class material and school-selected questions that match the assessed content. Test a few unfamiliar tasks before deciding what to revise. If time is limited, target the clearest gaps rather than attempting to reread every note. Include instruction reading, planning and checking in preparation. A mock should let you practise the decisions required under examination conditions, not only reproduce familiar questions completed with answers nearby.
Try a short preflight session
Imagine your mock is next week and recent work shows weak data interpretation. Attempt a small unfamiliar dataset question without notes, then check the reasoning. Revise the first unsupported inference and try another example. Later, combine the repaired skill with a timed task. This sequence prepares a specific need while leaving useful diagnostic work for the mock itself; it does not require predicting the exact paper.
Prepare the practical conditions
Confirm permitted equipment, arrival instructions and any school arrangements. Practise using the calculator or other tools allowed for the relevant paper. If something affects your ability to participate, discuss it with staff early. The practical check belongs in one place so you can complete it without repeatedly revisiting every detail. Preparation should reduce avoidable surprises while keeping time for the academic tasks you actually need.
Plan the follow-up before the result
Set aside a short review after marked work becomes available. Record what the mock should help you learn: recurring errors, timing decisions or a gap in question interpretation. Avoid writing a final improvement plan based only on how the paper felt. Once feedback arrives, use the actual responses and marks to choose next actions. The preflight succeeds when it gives the mock a clear diagnostic purpose and makes subsequent practice more informed.
Prepare a personal diagnostic sheet
Before the mock, write three things you want its feedback to reveal. Examples include whether planning keeps an essay relevant, whether calculations remain accurate under time pressure or whether you read graph scales correctly. After marked work arrives, find evidence for each question in your actual response. Add an action only when the evidence identifies a need. Keeping these questions separate from a grade target makes the mock useful even when the overall result differs from your expectation.
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Official references
This is an original practical guide from IBvia. The examples are illustrative; your subject guide, assessment year and school instructions determine the requirements.
Keep working on your next step
Use a past-paper error log to choose your next practice
Identify why marks were lost, make a specific correction and check whether it transfers to a fresh question.
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Read the command term before writing the answer
Use question wording, evidence and the available marks to plan a response that does the task being asked.
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