Paper 2
The Paper 2 exam consists of six essay questions, only one of which must be answered during the timed period. The essay is to be written about the Part 3 literary texts. Therefore, it is a test of understanding literature in context. Although the questions will change from exam to exam, they will always focus on the connection between, style, form, author, purpose and audience.
These pages offer an overview of the requirements, the criteria, sample student work and tips on Paper 2 essay writing. Besides familiarizing yourself with these pages, you will want to study previous exam questions, practice writing under exam conditions and research your literary texts carefully. You can find several activities that help you develop the skills you need for the Paper 2 exam on the 'skills' page.
Although it seems as if a quarter of your IB grade is determined in one brief sitting, in fact you can do a lot to prepare for this exam so that it is not so nerve-racking. Careful planning and a clear strategy are half the battle. What one writes is only the tip of a very large iceberg.
The basics- Answer 1 of 6 essay questions. SL and HL students receive exactly the same 6 questions.
- Standard Level Essay must answer one question in relation to both literary texts that were studied for Part 3.
- You 1.5 hours to answer this essay question.
- Paper 2 grade counts for 25% of the final grade.
Sample questions:
- Explain how the authors of at least two literary works have portrayed a social group in a particular way. How might the contexts of the authors have influenced their portrayal of these social groups?
- It is often said that literature is a voice for social commentary. How is this true of at least two works that you have read.
- To what extent can the meaning of a literary work change over time? How does this question apply to at least two works that you have read?
- To what degree are readers influenced by their culture and context. Explain how at least two works could be read differently depending on the culture of their audience.
- 'Coming of age' is a common theme in literary works. With regards to at least two literary works, explain how the author's own youth influenced their portrayal of this theme.
- With regards to at least two literary works, explain how the setting both influences the characters and reflects the author's own context.
- How are the characters from at least two literary works representational of people from the time and place in which they were written?
- Why might two of your Part 3 works be considered 'timeless'?
- With regards to two literary texts, explain why authors may have chosen to depict events in a particular sequence or order.
- How do two literary works both reflect and challenge the spirit of the times in which they were written?
The Criteria
Paper 2 - Essay
Criterion A - Knowledge and understanding - 5 marks
The essay demonstrates an understanding of the works and knowledge of the contexts in which they were written. The student shows how context affects interpretations of the texts.
Criterion B - Response to the question - 5 marks
A Paper 2 essay should focus on the question chosen. The implications of the exam question need to be explored in depth, and the student's response must be relevant to it.
Criterion C - Understanding of the use and effects of stylistic features - 5 marks
In the Paper 2 exam, a connection needs to be made between the author's use of stylistic features and the effect of them on his or her audience. As Paper 2 questions invite students to explore how meaning is shaped by context, answers will have to explain why authors choose for a certain genre, narrative technique or structure.
Criterion D - Organization and development - 5 marks
The essay must develop an answer to the question coherently and effectively. Topic sentences should guide the ideas of paragraphs. Illustrations should be integrated well and explanations should shed light on the subject matter.
Criterion E - Language - 5 marks
The language of the Paper 2 exam should be effective and accurate. The choice of vocabulary and use of grammar should be consistent and appropriate.
Criterion A - Knowledge and understanding - 5 marks
The essay demonstrates an understanding of the works and knowledge of the contexts in which they were written. The student shows how context affects interpretations of the texts.
Criterion B - Response to the question - 5 marks
A Paper 2 essay should focus on the question chosen. The implications of the exam question need to be explored in depth, and the student's response must be relevant to it.
Criterion C - Understanding of the use and effects of stylistic features - 5 marks
In the Paper 2 exam, a connection needs to be made between the author's use of stylistic features and the effect of them on his or her audience. As Paper 2 questions invite students to explore how meaning is shaped by context, answers will have to explain why authors choose for a certain genre, narrative technique or structure.
Criterion D - Organization and development - 5 marks
The essay must develop an answer to the question coherently and effectively. Topic sentences should guide the ideas of paragraphs. Illustrations should be integrated well and explanations should shed light on the subject matter.
Criterion E - Language - 5 marks
The language of the Paper 2 exam should be effective and accurate. The choice of vocabulary and use of grammar should be consistent and appropriate.
Tips for Success
While the Paper 2 essay only takes 1.5 hours at SL and 2 hours at HL, in fact you can spend hours preparing for it. Good preparation will ensure that every minute of the exam is used wisely.
- Read the instructions. So many candidates skip the instructions and go straight to the questions. The instructions on the Paper 2 exam draw your attention to the criteria that you will be assessed on. It helps to have these in the back of your mind as you respond to the question you choose to answer.
- Remember that the Paper 2 exam is asking you to do three things. In fact, these correspond to the first three criteria. Try looking at good samples and with three different colors of highlighter pens, highlights examples of each of these three.
A) Be knowledgeable on the text and the context.
B) Do not forget to answer the question.
C) Remember to comment on the author's use of language, style and structure. - Remember that there are 6 questions on the exam. Not all questions will lend themselves to the works you have read. What's more, some questions are more criteria-focused than others. For example, a question such as, 'Explain why your literary works are timeless', will lend itself well to criterion A, where you must comment on the context in which works were written and received.
- Practice writing outlines for questions that appeared on previous tests (or one of the Specimen Papers).
- Do research on the time period when the work was written and the authors that you have studied for Part 3 works. Find 3-5 points from his/her life that may be relevant to the work you read.
- Have you shown how well you read the novels? Try to write a little bit about these three things in the essay in order to score well on Criterion C:
A) Setting - How is it important to understanding the context?
B) Plot - Was there a twist, a climax, a conflict that was of particular importance?
C) Narrative technique - Who is telling the story? Why did the author choose to tell it this way? - At HL, ask yourself if you can do the works justice by writing about all 3 works. If you take such an approach, it is not recommended to compare and contrast all of them within unified paragraphs. If you decide to write about all 3 works, spend one or two paragraphs on each work, commenting on context, style and answering the question at hand.
- Practice using the assessment criteria by examining both good and bad samples.
Sample Work
The following sample Paper 2 is based on the graphic novel Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, and Black Boy, by Richard Wright (you are studying Persepolis by Satrapi and Chaucer's Wife of Bath).
The sample essays answers the following question:
“Do works of literary merit both reflect the spirit of the time and challenge it?”
Although these literary works come from different times and places and are different types of texts, they have a lot in common. The essay shows the advantage of selecting literary works that explore similar themes. What's more, they are both memoirs, which enable the candidate to discuss both the authors' contexts and works simultaneously.
The sample paper is below. Read it and then before you read the examiner's comments below, look back at the criteria and think about what mark that you would award this sample Paper 2.
sample_paper.pdf | |
File Size: | 120 kb |
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examiners_comments_sample_paper_2.docx | |
File Size: | 150 kb |
File Type: | docx |