IB Language and Literature Paper 2

1. Constructing a Paper 2
How to get 5 points on Criteria D

2. Criteria D: Organization
 The key to a successful Paper 2
 Poor organization causes sloppy thinking
 Succumbing to time pressure causes mistakes
 Poor organization makes your thinking hard for the examiner to follow
 Good organization rewards itself with a 5
 Good organization makes your ideas easy to follow, even when they may be weak
 You can also use a variation of this (discussing a single work) for WT2

3. The 5-paragraph essay
 The basic structure for academic writing
 A special approach to Paper 2
 Can be more than 5
 No word count is required but…
 You need at least 800 (well-chosen) words for SL
 You need at least 1000 (well-chosen) words for HL
 Body paragraphs should be roughly all the same length

4. Paper 2: purpose
 Paper 2 is a literary essay in which you respond to a question, using examples from
two (or more works)
 It is not a comparison of the two works but….
 You can still get 25 points without it being a comparison
 The best essays will often be a comparison of two works
 You can still get only 10 points if you compare the two works poorly

5. The basic model
Understand this before you vary from it

6. The introductory paragraph
 Opens with a conceptual response to the question
 Including framing (defining) the key terms
 State the two texts you will focus on
 Thesis: 3 stylistic features in the two works which make the works suitable as
examples for the question (may be more than one sentence).

7. Example introduction
 Question: Literature is often said to be timeless. To what extent is this true in at least two
works you have studied?
 Valuable works of literature contain universal lessons that can apply to every culture at
any point in history. Both Author A’s BOOK A and Author B’s BOOK B teach us valuable
lessons. Using XXXXXXXX, YYYYYYYY, and ZZZZZZZZ, both authors address issues that
resonate across the barriers of culture and time.
 For XXXXXX, YYYYYY and ZZZZZ, use a general term if you are going to discuss multiple
examples per work, or be specific if you are going to use only one
 Example (one example): The non-linear structure of Pulp Fiction’s narrative is key to
exposing its timeless message.
 Example (multiple examples): O’Brien’s characterizations are just one of the timeless
features of his book.

8. Body paragraphs: One per stylistic feature
 Body Paragraph 1:
 Stylistic Feature A
 Book A
 Body Paragraph 2:
 Stylistic Feature B
 Book B
 Body Paragraph 3:
 Stylistic Feature C
 Book A
 Book B
 Body Paragraph 1:
 Stylistic Feature A
 Book A
 Book B
 Body Paragraph 2:
 Stylistic Feature B
 Book A
 Book B
 Body Paragraph 3:
 Stylistic Feature C
 Book A
 Book B

9. Body Paragraph Content
 Basic Topic Sentence: [Author X] uses [Stylistic Feature Y] in order to [Z]
 Weaker essays will repeat this every paragraph; better essays will find a different
paraphrasing for each paragraph
 Examples
 Explain how example supports the point and links back to the question
 Don’t forget linking words and phrases
 Example topic sentence: El Sadaawi uses the motif of eyes as a symbol to represent
how injustice to women in Egypt is visible to anyone who is willing to open theirs
and see.

10. Conclusion paragraph
 Revisit your thesis
 Discuss the wider significance
 Example: Both Achebe and Lee have created timeless works through the use of
narrative voice, moral lessons carried via proverbs, and characterization which deal
with issues such as social injustice, discrimination and cultural alienation. The
timelessness of these works is sadly illustrated when we examine the reasons which
drive the disenfranchised children of moslim immigrants in the west who go to Syria
and Iraq to join IS in its crusade.

11. Caveats
 This structure almost guarantees 5 for Criteria D but
 Each book must get equal coverage in equal detail
 To get more than 3 for Criteria E
 Avoid boring, repetitive language
 Use academic vocabulary, complex sentences and literary terms
 Don’t use contractions or informal language
 Do not make grammar or spelling errors
 To get more than 3 for Criteria A
 Use lots of quotes (even one-word quotes)
 Use specific examples, avoid generalizations
 Discuss context in every body paragraph
 To get more than 3 for Criteria B
 Make sure you frame your answer effectively and come up with a good thesis
 To get more than 3 for Criteria C
 Choose 3 pertinent and specific stylistic features to discuss (don’t use theme)
 Use specific examples, avoid generalization