Paper 2: Essay

Part 3: Literary Genres

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Goal, Process and Assessment:

Goal: to write an essay on at least two works from one literary genre, demonstrating an understanding of the works and the way in which meaning is conveyed through literary conventions.

Process: students study 3 (SL) or 4 (HL) texts from PLA, written in English, from the same genre.

Assessment: externally assessed, according to different sets of criteria at SL and HL. A combined mark out of 25, based on five criteria.

Page 2

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Assessment Criteria

Compare the assessment details for SL and HL, referring to pages 38 and 46 of the Guide.

How are students at SL and HL assessed differently?

Page 3

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

SL and HL

Examination: • SL: 1 hr 30 min• HL: 2 hrs

Weighting: 25% Paper 2 contains three essay questions for each

literary genre represented on the PLA. Students answer one essay question only.

Page 4

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Paper 2 Sample Questions Drama:

• Explore the use of monologues and/or soliloquies in at least two plays you have studied.

Poetry:• Light and dark, country and city: Contrasts of many kinds are

used by poets to sharpen their expression of ideas or feelings. In the works of at least two poets you have studied, explore the ways contrasts have been used to achieve particular effects.

Page 5

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Paper 2 Sample Questions

The novel and short story:• The themes and ideas presented in the opening passages or

pages of a novel or short story should resonate throughout the whole work. Discuss with reference to at least two works you have studied.

Prose other than fiction:• Writers of prose other than fiction use their personal

experiences as a lens through which the reader’s interpretation of events and/or places is filtered. Discuss with reference to at least two works you have studied.

Page 6

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

SL and HL

The essay is written under examination conditions, without access to the studied texts. Each question directs students to explore the ways in which content is delivered through the conventions of the selected genre. Students are required to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between at least two of the works studied in Part 3 of the course. The comparison of the works is assessed under Criterion B: Response to the question.

Page 7

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Practice before exam, using peer-editing

1st draft done in class Student (non-native speaker of English) uses PEARL

to structure ideas Pearl? 1st draft peer is edited and assessed, using cover

sheet with assessment details 2nd draft written at home, to be assessed by teacher Advantages: students learn to apply assessment

criteria, and they learn more about written expression from reading their peers’ work

Page 8

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Criterion C: Appreciation of the Literary Conventions of the Genre

How would you aim to teach the conventions of a particular genre?

Examples on pages 82-84 of workbook An IB examiner’s perspective: feature dropping Task: discuss in pairs which literary conventions you

would teach for a particular text or genre.

Page 9

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

Assessment practice

Read the sample script on p 93-94 of your workbook. Apply the assessment criteria. Compare your marks and comments with those of the IB examiner (p. 95).

Second sample script: p 97-99, with examiner’s comments on p. 100.

Page 10