IB Literature / IB Language and Literature Paper 2 Exam Tips

6 key tips - preview before being published on the IB website as part of the Examiner Feedback series.

• Define the terms of your question - make sure you are addressing the key words of the prompt.

• Use the introduction to set out your thesis - your central argument - that, in essence, answers the question in a couple of sentences.

• As part of the introduction make sure you include a brief overview of the texts you are using - synthesising this to the thesis statement would be even more sophisticated.

• Build your argument through the essay in a three part structure such as thesis, antithesis, synthesis structure.

• Make sure you compare at each stage of your argument and balance the writing between the 2 texts.

• With short stories and poetry make sure you are covering enough material in your essay in order to offer the examiner a sense of the body of work.