With its explicit emphasis on engagement and reflection, the Extended Essay asks students to consider the research and writing process, and their learning through this process, alongside the question and texts they are writing about. There is a formalised reflection structure that students and their supervisors need to follow; the idea of students reflecting on the process is not new to the task, but since the revisions in 2017 it has been made more explicit and is now part of the assessment criteria and grading. 6 out of a possible 34 points are awarded on the basis of the reflections students write on the RPPF (Reflections on Planning and Progress Form) and this is designed to assess the students’ ability to reflect thoughtfully and honestly about their process.

“We're actors — we're the opposite of people!”Rosencrantz and Guidenstern Are DeadWe encounter characters in drama very differently to how we encounter them in novels or short stories. If reading a play we get a lot less information about characters than those we read about in prose texts; if watching a play then obviously we watch actors embody the characters and we accept...

Higher Level response to Absent Friends by Alan Ayckbourn

This is a response to the Drama text used on one of the IB's specimen papers for the course, the beginning of Alan Ayckbourn's 1975 play, Absent Friends. The extract, response and teacher's grades and comments can all be seen below.

No Paper 2 for May and November 2022 examination sessionsThe IB recently announced changes to the components and examinations for May and November 2022 sessions. The announcement included the following statement: "Due to the continued loss of instructional time which will also have impacted these students, we have decided to extend the adaptations which were put in place for 2021 for sessions...

The following example guided literary analysis is written in response to the poem 'The Bat' by Ruth Pitter and a guiding question focused on how the poet portrays the development of the speaker's attitude towards the creature. This is a good response and a useful exemplar to use as its strengths are clear and will seem attainable for many students; at the same time, it presents some good opportunities to discuss how a response might move from being "good" (4 out of 5 in all criteria) to become more "insightful", "convincing" and "effective" (key words in the top mark band). Central to such a discussion will be the idea of consistency, both across a response and within paragraphs, as well as what it means for a student to handle the "larger implications" and the "subtleties" of a text (as stated in the top mark band for criterion A).

Higher Level response to 'The Right Mask' by Brian Patten

This response is to the poem used as part of this video on annotation skills. It might be useful for students to complete the activities outlined in the video and then look at this analysis, which is relatively strong.

To prepare fully for Paper 1 students need to be able to respond to various kinds of text types, including non-fiction and drama. The latter presents quite a challenge perhaps because it can often feel more context dependent than, for example, an extract from a work of prose. The example below is in response to an extract from 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' by Edward Albee. The play would not present a likely choice for the Paper 1 exam because Albee is on the prescribed reading list. However, the extract and the student's response might nevertheless provide you and your students with a helpful focus for discussion.

The following example guided literary analysis is written in response to the prose (fiction) extract 'Gryphon' by Charles Baxter and a guiding question focused on the use of humour. As with the first sample (Paper 1 sample response #1), this is a useful exemplar as it provides opportunities to discuss strengths and opportunities for improvement.

HL responses to An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan

Brian Keenan's account of being held hostage in Beirut for a number of years is a wonderful piece of writing - harrowing, moving, powerful and ultimately hopeful. It is also a great text to teach because it is beautifully written and includes many highly evocative descriptive passages. The analyses below are written under timed conditions in response to a particular extract from the work, and as such present examples of writing on non-fiction suitable for Paper 1.

Higher Level responses to 'Blaze' by Christine West

On this page you will find two HL responses to the same poem - Blaze by Christine West. It can be useful and interesting, for teachers and students, to compare how different students approach the same text, and to consider where each fits in relation to the assessment criteria. The first exemplar (sample #4) is a very strong response, with an intelligence and level of detail that not many students are capable of achieving in the time given. The second exemplar (sample #5) is a more typical response which still reaches a good level of achievement overall.