IB Language & Literature Assessments

This is the space to come for information and resources relating to the IB Assessments for Language and Literature, Diploma Program, HL

Complete details on IB Lang/Lit Diploma Program assessments for the two-year, Higher Level course are as follows:

External assessment details—HL

Paper 1: Guided textual analysis Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Weighting: 35%

Paper 1 contains two previously unseen non-literary passages and students are instructed to write a separate guided analysis of each of these passages. A guided analysis in this context refers to an exploration of the passage supported by a guiding question which asks the students to consider a technical or formal aspect of the passage. The passages could be taken from any of the text types listed in "Course requirements". Each of the passages will be from a different text type.

The passages for analysis may be either a complete piece of writing or an extract from a longer piece.

One guiding question will be provided for each passage on a central technical or formal element that may provide an interesting point of entry into the text. Although it is not compulsory to answer this question, students should be aware that it is expected that the analysis will be focused on a particular aspect of the text. Students may propose an alternative point of entry about any other technical or formal element of the text they feel important in order to provide such a focus.

The assessment criteria for this paper are the same at HL and SL. 20 marks will be allotted to each answer. The maximum mark for paper 1 is 40.

The learner portfolio and paper 1

The learner portfolio is not specifically assessed but it is an important tool in helping students prepare for formal assessment. It provides a place for students to practise and develop the skills necessary for performing successfully in paper 1.

In relation to the preparation of paper 1, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:

• • record responses to a passage or text read for the first time

  • formulate guiding questions for different passages, using them as a lens through which to view those passages

  • assess which of the skills involved in paper 1 they feel less confident in and use the portfolio to track their progress in the development of those skills

  • keep a record of the text types covered in their practice of paper 1 skills, make sure that they have covered as many text types as possible from those that might appear in paper 1, and assess how much of a challenge each one presents to them. 

  •  compare their successive practices of paper 1 to the first one they have done and monitor the evolution of their overall performance in the paper. 

Paper 2: Comparative essay

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes/ Weighting: 25%

Paper 2 contains four questions of a general nature which require students to write a comparative essay referring to two works studied during the course. Students are required to answer one question only.

The format of paper 2 and the four questions are the same for both SL and HL students, and for both the literature and language and literature courses. The assessment criteria will also be shared by both levels and both courses.

The essay is written under examination conditions, without access to the studied works. Students will be expected to compare and contrast two of the works studied in relation to the question chosen. Attention should be paid to the relevance of the argument to the question chosen and to the appropriateness of the works selected by the student to address the question. Students are expected to make detailed reference to the works in their answer, but they are not expected to include quotations from them.

Given the open and flexible nature of the course, potentially any work studied can be used by students for paper 2. It is highly recommended, however, that three of the works studied should be preselected by students in preparation for this paper, either individually or in conjunction and in consultation with the teacher. This will make it more manageable for students, at the moment of the exam, to select both the essay question and the two works to answer it with.

Under no circumstances can students use for paper 2 a work that has been already used for another assessment component, be it the internal assessment for both SL and HL, or the HL essay for HL.

The paper is assessed according to the assessment criteria published in this guide. The maximum mark for paper 2 is 30.

The learner portfolio and paper 2

The learner portfolio is not specifically assessed but it is an important tool in helping students prepare for formal assessment. It provides a place for students to practise and develop the skills necessary for performing successfully in paper 2.

In relation to the preparation of paper 2, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:

• • group the works studied according to a common theme or issue and explore their similarities and differences

  • develop an awareness of the differences between literary forms, and of the bearing these differences may have on how different works approach one theme or issue

  • consider which combinations of works might be the most productive ones to address the variety of questions they might encounter in the actual paper

  • inquire into the connections between the works studied and the areas of exploration of the course to gain an awareness of the multiplicity of lenses that can be used when studying a work and the essay questions that these might potentially lead to

  • compare their successive practices of paper 2 to the first one they have done and monitor the evolution of their overall performance in the paper.

Higher level essay 

Weighting: 20%

The nature of the task

At HL, students are required to write a 1,200 –1,500 word formal essay which develops a particular line of inquiry of their own choice in connection with a non-literary text, a collection of non-literary texts by one same author or a literary text or work studied during the course. 

The HL essay offers students an opportunity to develop as independent, critical and creative readers, thinkers and writers by exploring a literary or language topic over an extended period of time, refining their ideas by means of a process of planning, drafting and re-drafting. The essay requires students to construct a focused, analytical argument examining the work from a broad literary or linguistic perspective. It also requires them to adhere to the formal framework of an academic essay, using citations and references.

Explanation of the task

The HL essay is based on the exploration the student has carried out in the learner portfolio. During this exploration process, the student will have investigated a number of works and texts from a variety of different perspectives. In the lead-up to the drafting of the essay, the student must decide which text, texts or work to focus on for further investigation, and which topic to write about in connection with them. In choosing the topic, the student can consult the course’s seven central concepts. Any text, texts or work previously studied in class may be selected, with the exception of the texts used for the internal assessment and the works the student plans to use in paper 2.

Selection of text, texts or work

Candidates must select the texts and topic for their essay independently; however, consultation with the teacher is essential in this process. Care must be taken to make sure that the chosen non-literary text or texts or literary texts or works are rich enough to support a developed, focused, and analytical argument.

In the case of a collection of short stories, poems, song lyrics or any short literary text, candidates may choose to use just one literary text from the work as their focus. However, students and teachers should remember that the assignment is a broad literary investigation rather than a more narrowly-focused stylistic commentary task. It may be necessary to use more than one literary text from the work chosen in order to achieve this.

In the case of short non-literary texts, it may be necessary for the candidate to use more than one from the same text type by the same authorship, for example the same creative advertising agency, cartoonist, photographer or social media user. In this instance, at least one of the texts should be studied in class. If using language texts in translation, these must be professional and published translations of the text.

Determining the topic

The chosen topic should enable a broad literary or linguistic focus for the essay. In achieving this, the course’s seven central concepts may be a helpful starting point for students in generating or determining a topic for the essay. While students do not have to trace their essay back to one of the seven concepts and the assessment criteria do not require it, working with one of the seven concepts will allow students to begin thinking about their topic as they refine their ideas and arguments. The seven concepts are briefly discussed here in relation to the assignment. The TSM has more specific examples for further guidance.

Identity

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of identity of a particular character or group of characters in the text, or on the way in which the text relates to the identity of the writer.

Culture

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of the culture of a particular place, institution or group of people, or on the way in which the text itself relates to a particular culture.

Creativity

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of individual or collective creativity, or lack of creativity, within the text, or on the way in which the text represents the creativity of the writer.

Communication

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of acts of communication, or failures in communication, in the text, or on the way in which the text itself represents an act of communication.

Transformation

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of transformation or transformative acts in the text, or on the way in which the text itself is a transformative act either of other texts through intertextual reference to them or of reality by means of a transformative effect on the reader’s identity, relationships, goals, values, and beliefs.

Perspective

The student might be interested in an aspect of the representation of a particular perspective or perspectives within the text, or on the way in which the text represents the writer’s perspective.

Representation

The student might be interested in an aspect of the way in which the text represents different themes, attitudes and concepts, or in the extent to which language and literature can actually represent reality.

The learner portfolio and the higher level essay

The learner portfolio is not specifically assessed but it is an important tool in helping students prepare for formal assessment. It provides a platform for students to develop independent thinking when studying texts, reflecting on the ways their texts and responses explore cultural values, identities, relationships, and issues across a variety of topics.

In relation to the preparation of the HL essay, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:

• • reflect on the ways in which each text they read relates to the seven central concepts of the course

  • keep an ongoing record of themes and issues they find interesting in relation to each of the texts they read

  • explore how key passages in the texts they have studied are significant in relation to those themes and issues

  • trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with their chosen topic

  • record references for, and ideas and quotations from, secondary sources they might want to mention in their essay

reflect on the challenges that the HL essay poses for them as individual learners.

Guidance and authenticity

Teachers are expected to guide students throughout the HL essay; from choice of topic to submission of the essay, monitoring and advising them on the process, giving feedback on plans, and helping them to stay on task by setting timelines and stages for the essay’s development. Help, guidance and support at the beginning of this process cannot be emphasised enough.

At the same time, the student must have autonomy throughout; teachers should not assign works or topics, but should give advice on the appropriateness of ideas, question students to clarify them and make suggestions for avenues which could be explored or ways in which they might adjust their approach.

Teachers are expected to ensure that essays are students’ own work and address any academic honesty issues arising before submission of the assessment. It is the teachers’ responsibility to make sure that all students understand the importance of academic honesty, in particular in relation to the authenticity of their work and the need to acknowledge other people’s ideas. Teachers must ensure students understand that the essay they submit for this externally assessed component must be entirely their own work.

While teachers should give regular feedback on students’ work, they should not edit or correct their work directly. As students draw close to the end of the writing process, teachers are allowed to give advice to students on a first complete draft in terms of suggestions as regards the way the work could be improved. This could be done by annotating the draft through comments on the margin. These comments could consist in questions or prompts for further reflection and improvement. Under no circumstances can a teacher edit or rewrite the draft. The next version handed to the teacher after the first draft must be the final one.

Students should make detailed references to their primary source, using such references to support their broader argument about the text. The use of secondary sources is not mandatory. Any sources used must be appropriately cited. Essays must be students’ own work, adhering consistently to the IB policy on academic honesty.       

Internal assessment details—SL/HL

Individual oral  (IO)

Duration: 15 minutes (10 minutes: student individual oral; 5 minutes: teacher questions) /  Weighting: 30% for SL, 20% for HL

The nature of the task

The individual oral addresses the following prompt:

Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of one of the works and one of the texts that you have studied.

Explanation of the task

The individual oral is based on the exploration the student has carried out in the learner portfolio. During this exploration process, the student will have investigated a series of non-literary texts and literary works and a variety of global issues. In the lead up to the individual oral, the student must make a decision about which global issue and which text and work will be explored in the task. One work and one non-literary text must be selected. An extract of no more than 40 lines should be selected from each which is representative of the presence of the global issue in it. In forms or text types where the number of lines may not be applicable, teachers should be guided by the volume of text that can be discussed in sufficient depth in the time available.

Selection of text, work and extracts

The work and text selected must have a clear connection with the global issue. The individual oral should be a well-supported argument about the ways in which both represent and explore the global issue. Students must select two extracts, one from the text and one from the work, that clearly show significant moments when this global issue is being focused on. Normally these extracts should not exceed 40 lines or present an unmanageable amount of material to be analysed. As the student brings unannotated copies of these extracts to the individual oral, extracts which are too lengthy may hinder their ability to effectively expand the discussion to the text or work as a whole. An extract may be a complete text in itself, for example a whole poem or an advertisement. 

If the extract is from a literary text which is part of a larger work studied, such as a short story, or if it is a complete text which is part of a work studied, such as a poem, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader work as a whole in their individual oral.

If the extract is a complete non-literary text, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader body of work of the author of the text. In the case of a photograph, for example, the broader discussion should refer to other photographs by the same photographer. If identifying the single author of a non-literary text is not possible, students should use an ampler definition of authorship to broaden their discussion of the global issue. In the case of an advertisement, for example, students could refer to the other advertisements or commercials belonging to the same campaign, to other campaigns of the same brand or to other work produced by the advertising agency. In the case of an article, students could refer either to other articles by the same author or to the general editorial line of the medium in which the article was published. In cases such as the latter two, students should make explicit what constitutes their definition of authorship.

The extracts are meant to help students focus their responses, remove the need to learn quotations and enable them to explore more precise issues, such as style, specific devices and other distinct techniques used by authors to present the global issue. The choice of extracts should show the student’s understanding of the relevance of the part to the whole and enable coverage of larger and smaller choices made by the writers to shape their perspectives on the global issue.

Determining the global issue

A global issue incorporates the following three properties:

• • It has significance on a wide/large scale.

  • It is transnational.

  • Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts.

Students may look to one or more of the following fields of inquiry for guidance on how to decide on a global issue to focus their orals on. These topics are not exhaustive and are intended as helpful starting points for students to generate ideas and derive a more specific global issue on which to base their individual oral. It should also be noted that there is the potential for significant overlap between the areas.

Culture, identity and community

Students might focus on the way in which texts explore aspects of family, class, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender and sexuality, and the way these impact on individuals and societies. They might also focus on issues concerning migration, colonialism and nationalism.

Beliefs, values and education

Students might focus on the way in which texts explore the beliefs and values nurtured in particular societies and the ways they shape individuals, communities and educational systems. They might also explore the tensions that arise when there are conflicts of beliefs and values, and ethics.

Politics, power and justice

Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore aspects of rights and responsibilities, the workings and structures of governments and institutions. They might also investigate hierarchies of power, the distribution of wealth and resources, the limits of justice and the law, equality and inequality, human rights and peace and conflict.

Art, creativity and the imagination

Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore aspects of aesthetic inspiration, creation, craft, and beauty. They might also focus on the shaping and challenging of perceptions through art, and the function, value and effects of art in society.

Science, technology and the environment

Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore the relationship between humans and the environment and the implications of technology and media for society. They might also consider the idea of scientific development and progress.

In selecting the global issue for their oral, students must be careful not simply to select from the broad fields of inquiry above, but to determine a specific issue for discussion that can be reasonably explored in a 10 minute oral. The global issue chosen for consideration should be significant on a wide scale, be transnational in nature, and be an issue that has an impact felt in everyday local contexts. The issue should be clearly evidenced in the extracts or texts chosen.

For example, within the field of culture, identity and community, the theme of gender in itself might be unsuitably broad for an individual oral. A student interested in this theme might explore instead how gender bias manifests itself in different contexts; how this can be evidenced in many ways in texts of different sorts; how different authorial choices will determine what is meant by gender bias; whether bias should be viewed positively or negatively, allowing the students to evaluate the writer’s choices and the impact they might have on the different readers’ or viewers’ understanding.

The oral itself will only be concerned with the aspects of the global issue relevant to the two texts chosen. The student should ensure the oral offers a balanced approach, giving approximately equal attention to both texts. Thus, it is important that the student selects extracts/texts that offer equally sufficient material for the discussion.

The learner portfolio and the individual oral

The learner portfolio is not specifically assessed but it is an important place for students to explore and reflect upon their works in relation to global issues.

In relation to the preparation of the individual oral, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:

• • keep an ongoing record of the different global issues that could be related to each of the texts they read

  • explore links that could be established between different texts on the basis of common global issues they address

  • explore how key passages in the texts they have studied represent different or similar perspectives on one global issue through both form and content

  • trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with the global issue and how its cultural value, its definition and application to the texts they read have changed through their inquiry

  • reflect on the challenges that the interanl assessment poses for them as individual learners.

Conduct of the individual oral

Students have the flexibility to use any of the texts from their course of study up until the time of the assessment. It should be remembered that texts chosen for the individual oral cannot then be used for any other assessment component. Students should select their own oral topics. Teachers should monitor and guide students in their selection of viable global issues, relevant texts and effective choice of extracts, but they should not suggest topics to students nor tell them what to do. Though teachers play a critical role in helping students prepare, this must be a student inspired and created oral.

The oral may be conducted at any time after a significant number of the texts have been studied in the course. All of the texts used for the oral need to be featured as part of the teaching of the course. It is recommended that the oral takes place either in the last part of the first year or the first part of the second year.

The place and time of the oral is chosen by the teacher. Teachers may conduct all the orals on one day or over several days. Students must be given adequate notice of when the oral will take place. Schools will be provided with a form for students to create an outline of their oral. Students should prepare this in advance as it will provide them with a springboard for their oral. Students should not read the outline as a prepared script. The form gives students a maximum of 10 bullet points to help provide structure to their oral. Individual bullet points must not be excessively long. Schools will be required to keep all copies of the outline form until after the results are issued. In order to determine authenticity of student performance, schools may be required to submit these forms to IB.

Copies of the extracts chosen by the student must be provided to the teacher for approval at least one week before the individual oral assessment takes place. Teachers will have their own copies of the extracts during the assessment and these may help the teacher frame suitable questions for the student.

 The extracts must be clean, unmarked copies; the student may only take the extracts and the outline into the room where the individual oral assessment will take place.

The individual oral takes place between the student and teacher. The teacher asks questions to probe further into the student’s knowledge and understanding of the extracts/texts and their analysis of the choices made by the authors in relation to the global issue chosen. In the case of less confident students, teachers must encourage them to give them the opportunity to expand on unsubstantiated or inadequate statements.

The individual oral lasts 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher.

The individual oral is internally assessed and externally moderated by the IB. Audio recordings of the oral, together with the relevant extracts, are required for the purpose of moderation. To this end, all materials and recordings must be clearly and accurately assembled and kept. Care must also be taken to provide a suitably quiet environment for the recordings.