Understanding exam command terms is essential for success in IB Digital Society. Many students lose marks not because they lack knowledge, but because they misunderstand what the question is asking them to do. Command terms guide how responses should be structured, how deep analysis should go, and what examiners are looking for in a high-scoring answer.

This article explains the most important exam command terms used in IB Digital Society and how students should respond to them effectively.

Why Command Terms Matter in IB Digital Society

IB Digital Society is an analytical subject. Examiners assess not just what students know, but how they apply concepts, analyze digital systems, and evaluate impacts and implications.

Command terms matter because they:

• Define the level of thinking required
• Signal how much explanation or evaluation is expected
• Determine whether description or judgment is needed

Misinterpreting a command term often leads to answers that are too simple or unfocused.

Describe

Describe requires students to give a clear account of what is happening. This command term focuses on factual explanation without analysis or judgment.

In Digital Society, describing might involve:

• Outlining how a digital system operates
• Identifying key features of a system

To score well:

• Be clear and specific
• Avoid explanation of causes or impacts
• Stick to observable details

Description alone rarely earns high marks unless combined with higher-level command terms.

Explain

Explain goes beyond description by requiring reasons or mechanisms. Students must show how or why something happens.

In IB Digital Society, explaining often involves:

• Linking system design to outcomes
• Clarifying cause-and-effect relationships

To score well:

• Use clear reasoning
• Link explanations to digital systems
• Avoid listing without explanation

Explanation demonstrates understanding, but not yet evaluation.

Analyse

Analyse is one of the most important command terms in Digital Society. It requires breaking a digital system or issue into parts and examining relationships between them.

Analysis often includes:

• Applying concepts such as power or ethics
• Linking system features to impacts
• Examining cause-and-effect relationships

To score well:

• Focus on how digital systems operate
• Use concepts consistently
• Avoid narrative description

Strong analysis is structured and concept-driven.

Discuss

Discuss requires balanced consideration of different perspectives or factors. Students must explore more than one viewpoint or impact.

In Digital Society, discussion may involve:

• Considering benefits and risks
• Exploring stakeholder perspectives
• Examining tensions or trade-offs

To score well:

• Present multiple viewpoints
• Explain rather than list
• Avoid one-sided answers

Discussion shows awareness of complexity.

Evaluate

Evaluate is the highest-level command term commonly used in Digital Society. It requires making a judgment supported by evidence and reasoning.

Evaluation often involves:

• Weighing benefits against risks
• Assessing ethical responsibility
• Judging effectiveness or justification

To score well:

• Make a clear, justified judgment
• Use evidence and concepts
• Acknowledge limitations or uncertainty

Evaluation answers the question “to what extent” or “how justified.”

To What Extent

To what extent requires evaluation with a balanced conclusion. Students must assess how far a claim is true rather than choosing a simple yes or no.

Strong responses:

• Explore supporting arguments
• Consider counterarguments
• Reach a reasoned conclusion

This command term strongly rewards nuance.

Compare and Contrast

Compare and contrast requires identifying similarities and differences between two digital systems or contexts.

To score well:

• Compare directly, not separately
• Use clear criteria for comparison
• Avoid description without comparison

This command term often appears in higher-mark questions.

Examine

Examine requires detailed investigation of an issue, often combining explanation and analysis.

In Digital Society, examining might involve:

• Investigating how a system affects communities
• Exploring ethical or power-related dimensions

To score well:

• Use structured analysis
• Apply relevant concepts
• Avoid unsupported claims

Justify

Justify requires giving valid reasons for a choice or position. It often appears in ethical or decision-based questions.

Strong justification:

• Is concept-driven
• Uses evidence or examples
• Explains reasoning clearly

Justification is not opinion — it must be supported.

Common Mistakes with Command Terms

Students often lose marks by:

• Describing when evaluation is required
• Giving opinions without justification
• Ignoring concepts in analysis
• Writing one-sided answers for “discuss” or “evaluate”

Reading the command term carefully before writing is essential.

Strategy for Using Command Terms in Exams

Before answering:

• Underline the command term
• Identify the level of thinking required
• Plan structure based on the command term

Matching structure to command terms improves clarity and marks.

Why Command Terms Are Especially Important in Digital Society

Digital Society exam questions often involve unfamiliar digital systems. Command terms guide students on how to respond even when content is unfamiliar.

Mastery of command terms helps students:

• Stay focused
• Structure answers effectively
• Demonstrate higher-order thinking

This skill is essential for consistent exam success.

Final Thoughts

Understanding exam command terms is one of the most effective ways to improve performance in IB Digital Society. These terms tell students exactly how examiners expect them to think, structure, and evaluate digital systems. By responding accurately to command terms and aligning answers with analysis and evaluation requirements, students can significantly increase their chances of achieving top marks in Digital Society exams.