What is IJSO ?
International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) is a science competition open to kids under fifteen years from all over the world. The annual Olympiad is held in December and tests the student’s knowledge and grasp of subjects in Natural Sciences. Students from around 50 countries participate in this prestigious competition. This year’s IJSO will be conducted in Thailand from 1-10 December.
The IJSO academic competitions comprise difficult assessments in science-related subjects, including both theoretical and practical exercises. The IJSO exam syllabus is meant to gauge how well students comprehend topics and how well they can apply those concepts to the scenarios that are presented.
IJSO Syllabus
The International Junior Science Olympiad syllabus includes components of Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) along with Mathematics. The Olympiad aims to test the skill and knowledge of students on various fundamental general scientific concepts. The exam aims at gauging a student’s analytical skills, conceptual understanding, and awareness of the implications of the concepts in real life.
The syllabus’s material is based on:
- The previous IJSO curriculum.
- The syllabus of participating countries for under 15 students.
- The IJSO questions the fifth IJSO in 2008.
Let’s dig deeper into the INMO syllabus and the concepts that should be the key focus areas for IJSO preparation.
1. General Science
- Employ and Explain Scientific Methods
- Use Scientific Terminology
- Present Hypotheses
- Devise and Accurately Describe Methods/Experiments to Test Hypotheses
- Assess the Validity of Different Sources of Information
- Adequately Represent Data in Tables, Diagrams and Graphs
- Interpret Data
2. Content Knowledge in Science and Mathematics
- Particles, Waves and Matter
- Energy
- Interactions
- Structure, Properties and Functions
- Systems
- Development and Evolution
- Mathematical Skills
3. Laboratory Skills
- Work in the laboratory following safety regulations
- Employ basic techniques for measuring the quantities
- Make observations using the five senses
- Identify and use basic laboratory equipment
- Use more sophisticated equipment if proper instructions are given
- Collect data from an experiment being aware that instruments affect measurements
- Identify error sources and estimate their effects
Note
As long as the problems themselves provide enough information to work on the questions, more complicated or other topics may be investigated. This can involve the use of advanced equipment in the tests as well as scientific issues that aren’t covered above. These additional topics will not exceed 10% of the total questions from any paper.
As long as the problems themselves provide enough information to work on the questions, more complicated or other topics may be investigated. This can involve the use of advanced equipment in the tests as well as scientific issues that aren’t covered above. These additional topics will not exceed 10% of the total questions from any paper.
IJSO Pattern
The IJSO exam is conducted in English and the exam consists of three different papers conducted on different days with the maximum scoring marks being 100 divided into the following three sections.
The Test
The test lasts for three hours and there are 30 multiple-choice questions on the test, with 10 in physics, 10 in chemistry, and 10 in biology. Students will be presented with 4 options for each question and they will receive 1 point for each correct response, 0 points for questions that go unanswered, and –0.25 points for incorrect ones.
Theoretical Test
The theoretical test is also of 3 hours with one hour allocated for each subject. Each section includes several questions that cover one or more areas of the respective science areas. The test has a maximum score of 30 marks.
Experimental Examination
The three-hour experimental assessment is done in groups of upto three participants from the same country. Each nation can send two teams for representation and the entire group is given the same grade. A maximum of 40 points can be scored from the experimentation examination.
IJSO Tips
Recognising the Olympiad Demands
Understanding IJSO exam papers from prior years is the first stage in IJSO preparation, and Sri Chaitanya’s Early Champions Formula is an excellent resource for doing so. Through this platform, you’ll also have access to practical mentoring and test papers from prior years, both of which will help you better comprehend the Olympiad framework and challenges.
Time Management
Having a clearly defined practice routine, study schedule, and problem-solving tempo is one of the most crucial elements of an Olympiad’s success. Performance can be considerably enhanced by all of these elements. The only way to succeed at this is to have a thorough comprehension of the IJSO syllabus and to practice frequently.
Be an early starter
The academic year must start with early Olympiad preparation so that students have adequate time to become accustomed to the topics, syllabus, and exam format.
Practice Exams
Students’ confidence soars when they practice sets of past Olympiad test papers successfully. Understanding the degree of difficulty and the types of problems they may encounter in Olympiads is made simpler by taking as many practice tests as possible. By using these Olympiad test questions as practise, students can also develop their time management skills.
Books for IJSO
Here is a list of IJSO study material and preparation books that will help you cover the Olympiad syllabus:
- Science IQ Challenge
- 1000 Biology Quiz
- Biology Olympiad Book and Physics Olympiad Problems Book
- Solved Olympiad Problems of National & International Exam
- Math IQ Challenge
- Math Olympiad Problems
