Language & Literature WRITTEN TASKS: THE

BASICS

WT1 basics

Written task 1s are between 800-1000 words long.

Students must write a rationale of 200-300 words, explaining the
decision making process behind the task. The rationale should offer the
examiner the necessary background information for a good understanding
of the task.
Written tasks may be done at home or in school under teacher
guidance. Teachers are not supposed to prescribe a type of task. Rather
they should facilitate the process and guide students towards successful
ideas. While general feedback may be given, the work must be the
student's own.
Students submit one WT1 task from their portfolio.
Students submit two tasks from their portfolio: one WT1 and one WT2.

WT2 basics (HL only)

Written task 2s (also called 'critical responses' or essays) are between

800-1000 words.
Written task 2 is a critical response to a text which answers one of six
prescribed questions from the Language A: Language and Literature guide.
Written task 2s can be based on texts taken from anywhere in the
syllabus, from Part 1 to Part 4.
Each written task 2 must be accompanied by an outline, which must be
written in class. The outline contains the following.
the prescribed question that has been chosen
the title of the text(s) for analysis
the part of the course to which the task refers
three or four key points that explain the particular focus of the task
 The guide states that "the critical response is based on material studied
in the course." You need an anchor text in which to base/root your
response.
WRITTEN TASKS GENERAL INFORMATION

At SL students are required to submit one written task, 8001,000 words in

length, exploring an aspect of the material studied in the course.

At HL students are required to submit two written tasks, each 8001,000 words in
length. One of EACH task (task 1 creative, and task 2, critical) has to be
submitted, and 1 has to be based on a Language part of the course (parts 1&2)
and one has to be on a Literature part of the course (parts 3 & 4).

Guidance and authenticity

The written task(s) submitted for external assessment at SL and at

HL must be the students own work. However, it is not the
intention that students should decide upon a title or topic and be
left to work on the task without any further support from the
teacher.

What the teacher will do:

discuss the task with the student
help the student choose a focused and appropriate topic
give advice on the first draft

What the student must do:

THINK critically about texts and topics and decide on an idea
choose the type of text that best suits their objectives.
decide on the appropriate register and style for the text type.
initiate discussions with the teacher in order to obtain advice
sign the coversheet to confirm that the work is his or her authentic work

Criteria:
There are 4 assessment Criteria for Written Task 1 at HL and SL:
A: Rationale 2 marks
B: Task and Content 8 marks
C: Organization 5 marks
D: Language and Style 5 marks
TOTAL 20 marks

There are 4 assessment criteria for Written Task 2 at HL:

A: Outline 2 marks
B: Response to the Question 8 marks
C: Organization and Argument 5 marks

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D: Language and Style 5 marks
TOTAL 20 marks

WRITTEN TASK 1 (SL & HL)

There are four parts to keep in mind:

1. Proposal (not externally assessed)

2. Rationale
3. Written task text
4. References/Works Cited Page

THE PROPOSAL

Although the IB does not stipulate that students must write a proposal
before writing the written task 1, this activity helps for several reasons:

Writing a proposal helps the teacher give you guidance. If you have a poor
or irrelevant idea, you will not want to waste your time on it. It is better to
reject it earlier than later.

You can use the proposal as a springboard for the rationale.

The proposal creates a sense of commitment. If you and your teacher agree
to write the task you propose, then you should stick to it.

The proposal helps prevent plagiarism. If you have creatively come up with
an idea by yourself or with your teacher, then you are less likely to find
samples to steal from online.

Here are five questions that you will want to answer when writing
a proposal (these answers will then be the basis of your
RATIONALE):

1. What is my purpose/what do I want to show?

2. What type of text do I intend to write? Why is this suited to my purpose?

3. To which topic and / or text is my task going to be connected?

4. Which learning outcome (or outcomes) will I meet by writing this task?

5. HOW will I show that I have a deep understanding of the issues presented in
the text/part of the course through my task?
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THE RATIONALE

Although the rationale is only 200-300 words and only counts for 2 of the 20
marks for the written task, the success of your written task largely depends
on it.

Be sure to include the following:

Explain the connection between the task and your course content (course
part + topic or literary text studied).
Place your written task 1 in a particular context (where it would be
situated/published), so that the examiner understands its aims better.
An explanation of the task's purpose and target audience.
An explanation of your choice of text type and features you have shown.
Why is this text type suited to your purpose? What does it help show?
How does your task show understanding and ADD to your original
text/topic? (ex: key themes/ideas and HOW you have shown your
understanding of these)
A link to one or more learning outcomes for the course part studied
THE WRITTEN TASK TEXT

Text Type: The written task 1 asks you to imitate a certain text type. You may
want to write a brochure, a speech, a letter, a memoir...the possibilities are
(almost) endless.

But how do you know what structural elements to include in these types of texts?

In order to become familiar with the conventions of different types of texts, you
will want to explore several examples of the same type of text and research their
features. Essentially, we are interested in defining the key structural
characteristics of a text. What makes a feature article a feature article, a diary a
diary, or a letter a letter? What is the typical format and structure, and how is
language used?

Sample Ideas for Written Tasks (YOUR NOTES FROM CLASS DISCUSSION):

1)

2)

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3)

REFERENCES:
Students must acknowledge all sources used and submit a Works Cited List.
Written Task 1: Dos & Donts
Written task 1 is an 'imaginative piece' in which you demonstrate your understanding
of the course work and a type of text. It is worth 20% of your overall grade.

Written Task 1 - What it is and what it is not

The written task 1 can be difficult to write, if you do not understand the nature of the
task. Here is a table to clarify this form of assessment:

What WT1 is NOT What it IS

A creative writing assignment A type of text

WT1 is not the opportunity to write a
fantastical short story, a hypothetical play
script or a cryptic poem. If you want to
write a new ending to a novel or a
missing chapter, it has to be in the spirit
of the authors intentions. WT1 is not
solely the product of your imagination.
Instead, you have to show that you have
understood a text type. Each text has
structural conventions. For example, if
you write a speech, it has to have
rhetorical devices that are characteristic
of speech writing. Be sure that the text
type lends itself well to the content you
are writing about. Study a few examples
of the text type that you want to write.

Out of context In context

It is not enough to state in your rationale,
Im writing an opinion column about
advertising. In which magazine or
newspaper does your column appear? Is
it in the style of a particular columnist?
Place your WT1 in a context. For
example, if you want to write an opinion
column about advertising, write about a
particular ad campaign that has received
attention in the news. Imitate the style of
a famous columnist. What would he/she
say in response to a topic?

A persuasive essay An understanding of course work

WT1 is not a test of your opinion. This is
not your chance to vent your frustrations
about a particular topic that you feel
passionate about.
A summary
Examiners are not interested in reading
the summary of a text that you read. This
is not a book report or retelling of the plot
through a different text type.
Instead, WT1 is a test of the course
work. How will you demonstrate your
understanding of language and/or
literature? Is your written task rooted in a
particular text?
An insightful exploration or
interpretation
There should be some evidence of
critical thinking. For example, writing a
letter from one character to another
can provide you the chance to show that

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 youve understood the work thoroughly, not
just understood its plot or overview.

Tips for Success

The Common Pitfalls

The written task 1 can be tricky. With so much freedom, there

can be many pitfalls. The requirements ask you to imitate a
writing style or construct a specific type of text.

Here are some of the common pitfalls that students often fall into, followed by
three tips on how to avoid them.

1. The written task is NOT a plot summary or re-stating of ideas already

covered in the novel or topic studied. Push yourself to show NEW INSIGHTS.
Value added.

2. The written task is not an essay writing assignment. Unfortunately, many

'opinion columns' and 'blogs' end up sounding like essays.

3. The context of the text is not clear. If you write an opinion column, ask
yourself how it is characteristic of an opinion column from a specific
newspaper or magazine. Who does it target?

4. The content of the task has nothing to do with course content. For example,
a brochure warning against the health dangers of bulimia, does not reflect
course work that explored the role of advertising in shaping young women's
sense of beauty.

The Right Ingredients

Although there is no one guaranteed recipe for a successful

written task 1, you can avoid these 'pitfalls' by including all of
the following ingredients:

Text type - If you write a speech, your speech should look and sound like a
speech. If you write a letter to the editor, it should look and sound like a letter to
the editor.

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In other words, each type of text has its own set of stylistic and structural
conventions. Ask yourself what characteristics define the type of text you plan to
write. If you're not sure about these conventions, research the conventions of
your chosen text type.

Primary source - Your written task should be rooted in a primary source. If you
are writing about a literary work for Part 3 or 4, the poem, novel or play is the
primary source. Your task should reflect your understanding of it.
For the non-literary parts of the syllabus, be sure you comment on a primary text.
If you looked at the representation of women in advertising, comment on an
actual ad. If you looked at a political campaign, focus on one ad, website or
poster.

Secondary source - Since written task 1 is not an essay, you are not asked to
give your personal opinion on a subject matter or literary text. Instead, you are
expected to be knowledgeable on the subject matter or the literary text. Even the
best opinion columns inform readers to a great extent.

You want to prove to the examiner that you have understood the course work and
you have done your homework! This can also be achieved through the rationale,
where applicable terms and concepts can be explained.

Find secondary sources that comment on the texts you have worked on. For
example, if you read an article about John Fowles and existentialism, this may
inspire you to write a missing chapter to his novel, The Collector. If you explored
women in advertising, you will want to find some statistics or articles on the
effects of these ads on women.

Citing and Referencing

The MLA System of Referencing

This is the simplest of several systems for citing your references or sources in
your work.

There is information on the class website on how to cite sources appropriately.

For more detailed information see: http://owl.english.purdue.edu

If you are unsure of anything about the sources of information you have
used in your work, you must consult your teacher for assistance.

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 WRITTEN TASK 2 (HL ONLY)

There are four parts to keep in mind:

1. Proposal (not externally assessed)

2. Outline
3. Written task text
4. References

Formal requirements for task 2

One of the tasks submitted for external assessment must be a critical response
to one of six prescribed questions (task 2).

One of the tasks submitted for external assessment must be based on a literary
text studied in part 3 or part 4 of the course. The other must be based on material
studied in part 1 or part 2 of the course.

Aims of task 2

Task 2 takes the form of a critical response and is a requirement of the HL course
only. The aims of task 2 are:

to consider in greater detail the material studied in the four parts of the
language A: language and literature course
to reflect and question in greater depth the values, beliefs and attitudes
that are implied in the texts studied

to encourage students to view texts in a number of ways

to enable students to give an individual response to the way in which texts

can be understood in the light of the prescribed questions.

Formal requirements for task 2

There are two prescribed questions for each of the areas of study
listed below. Task 2 is a critical essay response to one of these six
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questions. The prescribed questions are designed to be as open as possible and
are intended to highlight broad areas within which students can explore and
develop their responses to the texts.

The prescribed questions remain the same from session to session.

The critical response is based on material studied in the course. This material
could be a longer work such as a novel or a group of poems. It could also be a
shorter text or texts such as a newspaper article or a sports blog.

A rationale is not included with task 2. Instead, students are expected to

complete an outline on a designated form.

This outline is submitted with the task for external assessment.

This outline should be completed in class time and must include:

the part of the course to which the task refers & the title of the text(s) for
analysis
the prescribed question that has been chosen
the narrowed down version of the question as it relates to your text(s)
Introduction points with THESIS
the skeleton of the body of the essay: three or four body paragraphs/areas
that explain the particular focus of the task.

Task 2 must reference, in a bibliography, the relevant support documentation

such as the newspaper article or magazine advertisement on which it is based
(the anchor text or texts).

Where a shorter text is chosen (for example, a newspaper article or an

advertisement from a magazine) students may refer to other texts to support
their response.

The critical response is in the style of a formal essay and must be clearly
structured with an introduction, THESIS, developed points and evidence and a
conclusion.

Areas of study for task 2

In preparation for task 2, students must address one of the following areas of
study, which correspond to the topics and material studied in the four parts of the
course.

Reader, culture and text

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1. How could the text be read and interpreted differently by two
different readers?

2. If the text had been written in a different time or place or language or

for a different audience, how and why might it differ?

Students are encouraged to consider that a texts meaning is determined by the

reader and by the cultural context. The interpretation of a text is dependent on
various factors, including:

the reader and producers cultural identity or identities

age
gender
social status
the historical and cultural settings of the text and its production
aspects of language and translation.

Power and privilege

3. How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?

4. Which social groups are marginalized, excluded or silenced within the

text?

Students are encouraged to consider how and why social groups are represented
in texts in particular ways.
In addition, consideration may be given to who is excluded from or marginalized
in a text, or whose views are silenced. Social groups could include:

women
adolescents
senior citizens
children
immigrants
ethnic minorities

Text and genre

5. How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a
particular genre, and for what purpose?

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6. How has the text borrowed from other texts, and with what effects?

Students are encouraged to consider the genre in which a text is placed. Certain
textual features belong to a particular genre and can be identified by a particular
reader or audience. Writers make use of, or deviate from, particular conventions
of genre in order to achieve particular effects. Students may also explore how
texts borrow from other texts, and how texts can be re-imagined or reconstructed.

Examples of conventions of genre include:

structure
storyline
characterization
stylistic devices
tone, mood and atmosphere
register
visual images and layout

SAMPLE TOPIC IDEAS BASED ON THE QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN TASK 2

Reader, culture and text

1. How could the text be read and interpreted differently by two
different readers?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 1.

The study and analysis of possible readings of the final pages of part 1 of
the
novel The Outsider by a French and Algerian reader at the time of the
Algerian
war of independence
The study and analysis of possible readings of an extract from the
screenplay
of La Grande Illusion by a French public in the early 1930s and late 1930s
The study and analysis of a political speech by a world leader that excludes
references to certain groups or issues (those excluded will read the speech
differently)

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 The study and analysis of different views of an article on obesity (this
article
may be viewed differently by someone from a country with problems of
poverty and famine and by someone from a wealthy consumer society)

2. If the text had been written in a different time or place or language or

for a different audience, how and why might it differ?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 2.
An article from a newspaper and how it would be written in a different
newspaper
A comic book or graphic novel for teenagers in the 1950s rewritten for
teenagers in the 21st century
The study and analysis of a literary work on the theme of prejudice that
highlights different assumptions about race, religion, and so on

The study and analysis of an article about social class from a country that
has a very hierarchical class structure (the significance of language that
identifies class distinctions is of primary focus)

Power and privilege

3. How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 1.

The study and analysis of an article in which an urban tribe is represented

in a
negative way
The representation of social groups in the novel The Yacoubian Building by
Alaa al Aswany
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4. Which social groups are marginalized, excluded or silenced within the
text?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 2.

Chinese fiction in which the figure of the intellectual is either revered or

condemned
Representations of the Roma in the contemporary popular press

Text and genre

5. How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a
particular genre, and for what purpose?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 1.

The study and analysis of an authors reworking of fairy tales

The study and analysis of a novel that uses dramatic dialogue, poetry,
letters,
accounts of journeys
The study and analysis of media texts with a particular format, style and
register

6. How has the text borrowed from other texts, and with what effects?

The following are examples of texts that may be studied for student responses to
question 2.

The study and analysis of how a particular character from a work of fiction
is
re-imagined in a song lyric
The study and analysis of religious imagery and references in political
speeches
The study and analysis of the use of the courtly love tradition in Romeo and
Juliet.
Citing and Referencing
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The MLA System of Referencing

This is the simplest of several systems for citing your references or sources in
your work.
There is information on the class website on how to cite sources appropriately.

For more detailed information see: http://owl.english.purdue.edu

If you are unsure of anything about the sources of information you have
used in your work, you must consult your teacher for assistance.

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