HL Essay Final for IB Lit Lang Spring

+ HL Essay Final for IB Lit & Lang Spring 2020

+ Nuts & Bolts n Due: Friday, June 19 th to turnitin. com n This is your ‘final’ in IB Lit & Lang n This is an IB assessment, and so it counts towards your final portfolio of work. If you are a candidate, this is especially important. n This is part of our essential learning. It needs to be completed in order to avoid earning an ‘incomplete’ in the class for the semester, regardless of whether you are a candidate or not.

+ What is it? n At HL, students are required to write a 1, 200 – 1, 500 word formal research 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. n External n 20% Assessment graded by IB weighting n Choose either a literary work focused on during the year, or a language based body of work (a collection of language texts by the same author) studied during the course.

+ Selection of Text(s) n 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. n 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 text from the literary work chosen in order to achieve this (ie. Multiple short stories vs. a single short story) n 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. n If using language texts in translation, these must be professional and published translations of the text.

+ What does “line of inquiry” mean? n. A line of inquiry is a research question which acts as a guiding question for your research, pointing you toward secondary sources that will help you further analyze your main text. n. A good line of inquiry… n Offers an opportunity to analyze the language of your main text n Requires an answer that is informed by other secondary sources. n Is answerable within the 1200 -1500 word limit n Leads to an argument and not a summary or description n Explores both author’s purpose and effect on the reader n Explores one of the 7 concepts related to language & literature (see topic slide #9)

+ IB Examples of Good Lines of Inquiry Some IB examples of good lines of inquiry include: n Through which linguistic devices and for what reasons does Nelson Mandela explore the motif of identity in his inaugural speech? n To what degree are the communication techniques of Lance Armstrong inadequate in expressing remorse in his interview with Oprah Winfrey? n To what extent does Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel and memoir Persepolis promote intercultural understanding or divide cultures and people? n In what ways and for what reasons does Carol Ann Duffy explore perspective in her collection of poetry The World’s Wife?

+ Some Bad Lines of Inquiry From IB These are real examples that IB examiners have seen: n Why is the British version of The Office so much better than the American version? n To what extent has George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four come true? n Why was the Marlboro Man so successful in selling cigarettes? n How loyal to the novel is the TV series The Handmaid’s Tale? n How is Harry Potter a typical British schoolboy?

+ What Defines a Literary Work? n One novel (including graphic novels), play, autobiography, or biography n Two or more novellas n 5 -10 short stories n 5 -8 essays n 10 -15 n One letters by the same author very long poem or a 600 line selection from this poem n 15 -20 poems by the same poet

What Defines a Body of Work? • • • A group of non-literary texts that share the same authorship. For example, a full film is an example of a body of work, equivalent to a full novel. Other examples include: • • • 9 A full TV series A series of advertisements from the same company A series of photographs from the same photographer 3 or more short films by the same director 5 -8 music videos by the same artist OR director PLEASE NOTE: A graphic novel is considered a literary work, not a non-literary body of work.

+ PLEASE NOTE! n. If you choose to write your HL Essay on a literary work, keep in mind this means you CANNOT write about this work on your Paper 2 Essay Exam next year, your EE, or discuss it in your IO next year (formerly known as the IOC). n. You can’t double dip with texts. Whatever you choose is off limits for your exams, your EE, and IA next year.

+ Determining Topic: Suggestions from IB (Not required but might be helpful in narrowing focus) n 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. n 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. n 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. n 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.

+ Determining Topic (cont’d) n 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. n 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. n 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.

+ Academic Integrity & Citations n 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. n Essays must be students’ own work, adhering consistently to the IB policy on academic honesty. n Teachers are expected to ensure that essays are students’ own work and address any academic honesty issues arising before submission of the assessment.

+ Teacher Feedback n While teachers should give regular feedback on students’ work, they should not edit or correct their work directly. n 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. n 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.

+ Scoring- 5 each for 20 points total n Criterion A: Understanding and Interpretation- How well does the candidate demonstrate an understanding of the text and draw reasoned conclusions from implications in it? How well are ideas supported by references to the text? n Criterion B: Analysis and Evaluation- To what extent does the candidate analyze and evaluate how textual features and/or authorial choices shape meaning? n Criterion C: Focus and Organization- How well organized, coherent and focused is the presentation of ideas? n Criterion D: Language-How clear, varied and accurate is the language? How appropriate is the choice of register and style? (“Register” refers, in this context, to the candidate’s use of elements such as vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and terminology appropriate to the analysis).

+ Options for Literary Works n The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (novel) n. A Good Man is Hard to Find & Other Stories by Flannery O’Connor (short story collection) n March n The by John Lewis (graphic novel) Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien (vignettes) n Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X speeches NOTE: The Great Gatsby is not a feasible option for this assignment, the Paper 2, or the IO next year, because Fitzgerald is no longer included on our Prescribed List of Authors (PLA), and March has become our free choice text.

+ Options for Language Bodies of Work n Pleasantville n Winter’s (film) Bone (film) n The Twilight Zone (TV show) n Her (film) n Advertisements (would need to all be from a same agency or same company) n Thomas n Dr. Nast political cartoons Seuss World War II propaganda/political cartoons n Campaign Advertisements (would need to be from the same campaign/candidate) n Jacob Riis photography (Gilded Age) n Dorthea Lange photography (Great Depression) n Gordon Parks photography (Civil Rights Movement)

+ Research n. It is expected that you do outside research and also include secondary sources along with your main text to create a full literary or language investigation. n Look at relevant historical and/or cultural context that influences the text’s audience and purpose. n Look at examples of criticism, public reaction to the text at the time of publication vs. now, controversy surrounding a text, issues of censorship, etc. n You will need to create and submit an MLA formatted Works Cited page with your main text and all of your other sources used.

+ Thesis Statements for HL Essay n. Your thesis statement should: n Answer your line of inquiry n Mention the stylistic features that will be explored in your essay n Articulate the author’s purpose & effect on the reader.
- Slides: 19