WL How important are quotations in WL1 assignment?

[dessskris]

how many quotations do I need? is it ALWAYS good to use them?

in every point, do I need to quote from the text to prove or back up my argument?

how many quotations do you think is optimal in WL if I have, say, 6 paragraphs excluding the intro and conclusion, and use 2 works? would 12 quotations be too much?

I'm afraid if quotations will use up my word limit but I think it's quite important to put them.

thanks in advance.

[nametaken]

Yes. You NEED to put in quotations to support your points. My teacher said that a lack of quotations, means you WILL get lower marks/a lower grade.

As for the number of quotations you need to use, I'm not sure. But, you have to use them pretty much throughout your whole World Lit. essay. A lack of consistency is not good.

Edited June 26, 2011 by nametaken

[ILM]

I think that you shouldn't make the quotation more dominant than the argument itself. Let the quotation help you in convincing the reader with your idea, and bring the quotation smoothly to be a part of the paragraph. Pay attention that the IB want to us to show them our abilities in argue with good usage of language.

Good Luck

[JoeG]

Yes, make sure that the majority of the essay is actually your work, rather than that of the author.

As everyone else has said, you will need to give quotations, in somewhat of a consistent manner. For example, you can't have 8 quotatoins in the first paragraph of your essay, while only one quote for the other paragraphs of your essay lol.

My teachers have always said that quotes can "provide evidence" for your argument. That doesn't mean to give 700 words of quote, but for huge points that you make, try to give a good quotes that won't devour your wordcount lol.

Edited June 26, 2011 by JoeGuff

[Drake Glau]

Lack of textual evidence will kill your score. I'm talking low 3's and 2's...

Also my teachers always said to have 3 quotes per paragraph/topic sentence with at least one per point. More can be better though, but make sure you keep to the word count and use evidence that is relevant and don't just ramble with evidence that always sounds the same. Textual evidence should progress with your essay, don't just track stuff over and over.

[Ezeh]

My teacher is a WL1 marker and she told us to follow the TEAS acronym.

Topic sentence

Evidence

Analysis

Synthesis

Now you want to make sure you are putting lots of simple but in-depth analysis in your paragraphs. I usually tend to stick to 3 paragraphs but 5 is fine.

And I don't know what the other people are talking about, but as long as your quotations support your thesis and are adequate enough, there's no reason to put more.

I only had 6 quotes in 3 paragraphs for 2 texts.

[Jlyn]

I have a question about world lit- do we need to insert outside sources in our essay? Is it important to show that research has been carried out, or is it fine writing an essay with just quotations? Thank you =)

[CkyBlue]

I have a question about world lit- do we need to insert outside sources in our essay? Is it important to show that research has been carried out, or is it fine writing an essay with just quotations? Thank you =)

To answer your question, you do NOT need outside research to complete your essay. It is completely fine to write the essay with in text quotations (and paraphrasing).

[Arrowhead]

The format I used for the body paragraphs was:

Topic sentence to explain a facet of the main research question. Quote from book 1. Literary analysis of quote and how it proves my point. Then a quote from book 2. Literary analysis of that quote and how it proves my point in the topic sentence. Some kind of comment related (even if remotely) to cultural awareness, so a mention of an effect being 'lost in translation,' or something unique within the quote that depicts a nuance or overt characteristic of a specific culture, something in the author's writing that characterises it as German or French or whatever.<

Next paragraph new topic sentence to prove research question. Same format follows.

Generally you should find six quotes (three from each book) to prove your essay's research question through three structured topic sentences. Your WL is 1,500 words: the Introduction and Conclusion should be around 300 words combined, then each body paragraph (which means 2 quotes (1 from each) and their analysis, along with one topic sentence) should be the rest of the essay.

The reason I said six quotes and three topic sentences is because this results in you nit-picking three really important points. You should develop all three as best as you can and then cut out one that is the least strong or try to somehow combine it with one or both of the other topic sentences. At the end of the day, you need at least 300 words to adequately analyse and comment on each quote you choose.

Also your first draft should be much, much over 1,500 words (mine was almost 2,000). Your second task is then to start reducing the entire essay down to the word count, leaving only the most pertinent and concise bits in the essay, which tightens your Presentation (rubric 5).

This was the way I did my essay and a lot of the others as well in my class. It certainly worked for us. It is by no means the 'correct' and 'only' way.

If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.

Arrowhead.

Edited July 24, 2011 by Arrowhead