May 2025 IB SEHS Exam Analysis

The May 2025 Standard Level Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) papers present a balanced, well-structured assessment that heavily rewards deep conceptual understanding over simple rote memorization. With a global difficulty rating of 3.2 stars, this exam serves as an excellent benchmark for the current syllabus, blending high-frequency anatomy and physiology concepts with practical study design analysis.

Where the Marks are Won or Lost

As always, the core pillars of Topic 1 (Anatomy/Generating Movement), Topic 2 (Exercise Physiology/Response), and Topic 5 (Motor Learning) account for the lion's share of the marks. Students who chose Option A (Optimizing Physiological Performance) and Option B (Psychology of Sports) found themselves navigating highly structured, multi-step questions that demanded precise terminology. For instance, in Paper 2, the 4-mark elbow joint movement table required candidates to accurately identify the joint action (extension), agonist muscle (triceps brachii), contraction type (isotonic concentric), and antagonist muscle (biceps brachii). Missing the full anatomical names, such as writing 'triceps' instead of 'triceps brachii', was a common source of dropped marks.

Examiner Pitfalls to Avoid

Examiner notes reveal several critical areas where candidates frequently slip up:

  • Vague Definitions: In questions calling to 'define transfer', candidates often gave circular definitions rather than specifying how learning in one situation influences performance in another.
  • Incorrect Percent Change Calculations: For Paper 2 Question 1(b), candidates must show their working, e.g., \( \frac{\text{Post} - \text{Pre}}{\text{Pre}} \times 100 \). Jumping straight to a rounded value without a clear formula risks losing the method mark.
  • Confusing Muscle Actions: Differentiating concentric and eccentric phases during dynamic actions (like stretching to serve in tennis) remains a persistent hurdle.
  • Generalizing Diet Advice: When discussing macronutrients for marathon runners, writing 'they need carbs' is insufficient. Candidates must provide precise percentages (e.g., 55-75%) or carbohydrate-to-bodyweight ratios (e.g., 6-10g/kg) to secure high marks.

Strategic Guidance for Future Candidates

To excel in future sessions, target Study Design and Research Methods. It represents some of the highest Return on Investment (ROI) in the entire course. Mastery of standard deviation, t-test interpretation, error bars, and study limitations (such as control groups and blinding) guarantees a solid base of accessible marks. Additionally, practice drawing and labeling sarcomere components and synaptic transmission diagrams, as these visual aids are frequently tested in high-value Paper 2 Section B questions.

Predictions for Upcoming Sessions

Based on our historical regression analysis of past exam papers, Forces, motion and movement is highly overdue for a major 5-to-6 mark question in Section B of Paper 2, likely focusing on projectile motion or fluid mechanics (Bernoulli's principle). Additionally, keep a close eye on injury and recovery mechanisms, which have been underrepresented in recent core papers.