Revising for IB Design Technology (DT) exams is very different from revising for content-heavy subjects. Many students revise DT the wrong way — memorising definitions, rereading notes, or cramming theory — and are surprised when their marks do not improve.
Effective DT revision is not about how much you know, but how well you can apply, analyse, and evaluate under exam conditions.
Why Traditional Revision Methods Don’t Work Well for DT
DT exams are not recall-based.
Students often struggle because they:
- Memorise definitions instead of practising application
- Revise topics in isolation
- Ignore command terms
- Avoid extended responses
Knowing content is necessary, but it is not sufficient. Marks come from using knowledge in context.
Understand the Exam Structure First
Before revising content, you must understand:
- The structure of Paper 1 and Paper 2
- The types of questions asked
- How marks are awarded
Many students waste time revising areas that rarely appear or revising them in the wrong way.
Exam familiarity improves performance more than extra content revision.
Master Command Terms
Command terms are one of the biggest grade separators.
High-scoring students clearly understand the difference between:
- Describe
- Explain
- Analyse
- Evaluate
For example:
