Paper 2 Comparative Essay - study tips

[J O Y]

Hey guys!

For the paper 2 comparative (HL student here), is it better to study two or three texts in preparation for the exam?

I'm thinking of Great Gatsby vs A Streetcar Named Desire but I don't know if I should also study Master Harold and the Boys IN CASE it would be better suited to the paper 2 questions on the exam. 

Also, I really struggle with the Paper 2 as I've been consistently getting low 5s with the practice papers. I think it's because I struggle to come up with ideas relevant to the given questions while timed conditions so if you have any tips it would really helpful!

Also as an HL student, are be in any way expected to use our HL text (the Crucible) in the exam? 

Thank you

 

[IB`NOT`ez]

No, you're not expected to use your HL book as the examiner may even know all 3 works you studied in class, or whichever of those 3 works is the HL one. If you're pressed for time, I suggest just focusing yourself on the 2 works that has the most in common with each other. Unlike in HL Paper 1 Comparative Essay, you're really more comparing similarities than differences.

I've seen some good essays where a student manages to talk about all 3 works and gets a high 6 (19/25), but all the excellent essays that I've red only discussed 2 works. With the amount of time you have, even for HL, trying to talk all 3 works can result in the pitfall of being more superficial than you'd like, and your arguments spread thin .

That said, I haven't done many Paper 2s yet. I've only done one paper 2 that my teacher assessed -- got an 18/25, which was Ok imo -- and some practice ones that I tried to self-assess. It definitely isn't easy. (Having dropped to English A SL now, I'm hoping I'll be able to score higher for both my Papers due to the (slightly) less harsh demands of the criteria)  

But as for tips on how to prepare effectively for Paper 2, all I can suggest is that you know your novels pretty well enough in terms of themes, contexts, symbols, and characterization. Unlike in Part 4 Critical Study where you also need to know more precise details of the devices used throughout the work, context is what matters most for Paper 2 -- so long as whatever you're discussing is related to the contexts of the work you're studying, and that you back your points up with relevant examples and details from the actual work, you'll end up with a strong Paper 2.

Edit: You mentioned 5 works in total in your post -- how is that possible? If I'm not mistaken, you're only supposed to study 3 works at HL for Part 3 Texts and Contexts, which are for your Paper 2. I wouldn't suggest self-studying works that your teacher didn't taught; for one, there might be important areas that you can miss out without the guidance of a teacher, and although I don't know the inner workings and procedures of the exams, I think your teacher will submit a form or something stating the 3 works studied in class. You know, to prevent students from bringing in something like A Game of Thrones into discussion.. I might be wrong though, but then you should probably ask your teacher if you're allowed to discuss works that are still prescribed by the IBO, but not studied in class.

Edited September 25, 2016 by IB`ez

[J O Y]

4 hours ago, IB`ez said:

Edit: You mentioned 5 works in total in your post -- how is that possible? If I'm not mistaken, you're only supposed to study 3 works at HL for Part 3 Texts and Contexts, which are for your Paper 2. I wouldn't suggest self-studying works that your teacher didn't taught; for one, there might be important areas that you can miss out without the guidance of a teacher, and although I don't know the inner workings and procedures of the exams, I think your teacher will submit a form or something stating the 3 works studied in class. You know, to prevent students from bringing in something like A Game of Thrones into discussion.. I might be wrong though, but then you should probably ask your teacher if you're allowed to discuss works that are still prescribed by the IBO, but not studied in class.

Hey thanks for the reply! 

We've only studied one HL text for the comparative essay (The Crucible) but we've also studied four SL texts (Freedom of the City, Gatsby, Streetcar and Master Harold). I'm not quite sure what you mean by Part 3 Texts and Contexts though? 

Thanks for the tips though! Really helpful

[Blackcurrant]

Study ALL your Part 3 novels for the exam. That's really the best way. And know them inside-out. You can never "predict" (and shouldn't put yourself at risk this way) what you will need for the Paper 2 exam.

[IB`NOT`ez]

1 hour ago, J O Y said:

Hey thanks for the reply! 

We've only studied one HL text for the comparative essay (The Crucible) but we've also studied four SL texts (Freedom of the City, Gatsby, Streetcar and Master Harold). I'm not quite sure what you mean by Part 3 Texts and Contexts though? 

Thanks for the tips though! Really helpful

Well, there's a difference between Part 3 and Part 4 texts.

Part 4 texts are the 3 works usually studied in the first year for the DP, and are the works that your orals and Written Assignment/Task 2 will be based on. For example, I studied The Great Gatsby, Atonement, and Macbeth as my Part 4 texts that goes into the Internal Oral assessment.

Part 3 texts are the 3 works studied in the last year of DP that you will be using to for your exam Paper 2; I'm studying The Handmaid's Tale, Metamorphosis, and The Road, and I can only discuss these works for my Paper 2, as otherwise would result in low marks. I suggest you confirm with your teacher to know which works are part of which part.

Edited September 25, 2016 by IB`ez

[J O Y]

6 hours ago, IB`ez said:

Well, there's a difference between Part 3 and Part 4 texts.

Part 4 texts are the 3 works usually studied in the first year for the DP, and are the works that your orals and Written Assignment/Task 2 will be based on. For example, I studied The Great Gatsby, Atonement, and Macbeth as my Part 4 texts that goes into the Internal Oral assessment.

Part 3 texts are the 3 works studied in the last year of DP that you will be using to for your exam Paper 2; I'm studying The Handmaid's Tale, Metamorphosis, and The Road, and I can only discuss these works for my Paper 2, as otherwise would result in low marks. I suggest you confirm with your teacher to know which works are part of which part.

Ok thank you! Got it now  I asked around my fellow IB classmates and Gatsby's our part 3 text so I can't use it for the comparative :/ oh well. Also you're so lucky you got to study Atonement!! I love it (hate Briony) 

Thanks heaps!!

[IB`NOT`ez]

Just now, J O Y said:

Ok thank you! Got it now  I asked around my fellow IB classmates and Gatsby's our part 3 text so I can't use it for the comparative :/ oh well. Also you're so lucky you got to study Atonement!! I love it (hate Briony) 

Thanks heaps!!

Wait what nNOo Part 3, and not Part 4, texts are the ones you ARE supposed to use for your Paper 2  

Ahahahah I hated Atonement so much. I literally spent all summer revising and internalizing the whole story and ended up fully annotating and analyzing a lot of pages as I know I wouldn't be able to do so in the preparation time -- I found it really hard to analyze extracts from it in general.

 

[J O Y]

1 minute ago, IB`ez said:

Wait what nNOo Part 3, and not Part 4, texts are the ones you ARE supposed to use for your Paper 2  

Ahahahah I hated Atonement so much. I literally spent all summer revising and internalizing the whole story and ended up fully annotating and analyzing a lot of pages as I know I wouldn't be able to do so in the preparation time -- I found it really hard to analyze extracts from it in general.

WHOOPS SORRY YES I MEANT PART 4 (bad with numbers here) 

I guess that's the thing with having to analyse works :') I loved the Great Gatsby before having to deconstruct it in class - ruined it for me