how to write a good thesis statement ib english

7 Tips to Achieve a Level 7 on the IB HL English Essay

What is the IB English HL Essay?

The IB English HL Essay is usually written at the end of the first year of IB English in international schools and constitutes 25% of the IB English grade. For IB HL English Language & Literature, the source for the 1200-1500 word essay will be a non-literary or literary text studied in the course; for HL English Literature, this will be a literary text studied in the course.

As an International Baccalaureate Higher Level English student, one of the most daunting tasks is achieving a level 7 on the essay. However, with the right approach and mindset, it’s definitely achievable. Here are the top tips to help you achieve a level 7 on your IB HL English essay.

• Analyze the question carefully: Before diving into writing, read the prompt carefully and identify the key themes and ideas. Make sure you understand what the question is asking for. This will help you to stay focused and on-topic throughout the essay.
• Develop a strong thesis statement: Your thesis statement should reflect the main argument of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and specific. Remember, a strong thesis statement is the foundation of a successful essay.
• Use evidence effectively: Include specific quotes and examples from the text to support your arguments. Make sure to explain how the evidence relates to your thesis statement.
• Analyze literary techniques: IB exams often require students to analyze literary techniques such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphors. Make sure to identify these techniques in the text and explain how they contribute to the overall meaning.
• Plan your essay: Before writing, take some time to plan out your essay. Create an outline or a rough draft to organize your thoughts and ideas. This will help you to structure your essay effectively and ensure that you cover all the necessary points.
• Edit and revise: After finishing your essay, take some time to edit and revise. Check for grammar and spelling errors, and make sure that your sentences are clear and concise. Also, ask someone else to read your essay and provide feedback.
• Stay calm and focused: Finally, stay calm and focused throughout the exam. Remember to manage your time effectively, and don’t panic if you encounter a difficult question. Take a deep breath and approach the question logically and systematically.

In conclusion, achieving a level 7 on your IB HL English essay requires careful planning, effective use of evidence, and a clear and concise writing style. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Are you ready to improve your exam performance?

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IB English Paper 1

Table of Contents

IB English Paper 1 can be an anxiety-inducing experience that everyone must face. It can be especially intimidating because you have no idea what topic you’ll be writing about for your final exam, and your grades depend on it!

To prepare yourself, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of the exam structure and strategies for approaching a Paper 1 in general. If you want to fully grasp the IB English Paper 1 guided analysis, then this blog post is perfect for you.

In 2014, Jackson Huang, an IB 45 graduate, achieved a perfect 20/20 score on his final Paper 1. In this guide, he will share his secrets on how to conquer the IB English Paper 1, so you can achieve the same success! 💪

Topics included

• What is a Paper 1?
• Choosing an analytical topic
• The correct approach to analysis
• The importance of the thesis
• Developing an effective commentary structure
• Structuring your body paragraphs
• The benefits of planning ahead

What is a Paper 1 exam?

In a Paper 1 exam, you are given two unidentified texts, both ranging from 1 to 2 pages in length.

For IB English Literature SL and HL:

• You’ll be presented with two different literary text types, which may include poems, short extracts from fiction and non-fiction prose (regular writing from novels and short stories), and extracts from plays (including stage directions and dialogue).

For IB English Language and Literature SL & HL:

• The texts can come from a variety of categories, including magazines, editorials, speeches, interview scripts, instruction manuals, cartoon strips, and much more. Be prepared to be surprised! 😂

So, you’re given two unseen texts. What’s your next step?

For SL students, you’re in luck: You have to write a commentary guided analysis on just one of the two texts within 1 hour and 15 minutes. The exam is out of 20 marks.

For HL students, your task is a bit more challenging: You have to write a guided analysis on each of the texts within 2 hours and 15 minutes. Good luck and have fun!

Wait, what’s a “guided analysis”?

At the end of each text, the IB English exam includes a short, open-ended question about the text. Here’s an example:

“How does the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus impact the narrative?”

I suggest most students use this guiding question as the “entry point” for their essay. However, you are also allowed to discuss anything else because the IB states on the cover page of the Paper 1 exam:

“Use the guiding question or propose an alternative technical or formal aspect of the text to focus your analysis.”

But why make your life harder? Just go with the guiding question unless you’re truly confused by it and feel confident in an alternative focus for the current text.

What do I have to write about in a guided analysis?

Imagine someone asked you to talk about a novel you recently read during your commute to school (obviously a joke, who reads novels on the bus?). What would you discuss?

Immediately, a few crucial aspects should come to mind:

• Characters are usually the core of any story. They should definitely be analyzed.
• Stories often revolve around central ideas, or themes. For example, if you’re discussing Harry Potter and don’t mention anything about wizardry, you’re neglecting a vital part of the book!
• Lastly, you need to consider the events that take place in the text, also known as the plot.

By addressing characterisation, themes, and plot, you provide a holistic commentary on the text, which is exactly what we want.

But that’s only half of the story.

In IB English, your guided analysis must dive deeper than just describing characters, themes, and plot, which represent the ‘surface meaning’ of a text.

By the way, we’re using a literary text as an example to keep things simple. Of course, characters and plot aren’t crucial in non-literary texts like advertisements, infographics, and articles. However, the same principles still apply!

The IB wants you to delve into the text and answer two key questions:

• HOW did the writer create these characters, themes, and plot?
• WHY did the writer choose to create them in this specific way? For example, “JK Rowling could have made Draco a kinder person, but she didn’t. Why?”

These questions are at the heart and soul of analysis. In this blog post, we’ll focus on the broader aspects of Paper 1 as a whole.

Your ONE mission in Paper 1

Let’s quickly review what you need to accomplish in a Paper 1.

• Discuss the characters, themes, and plot of a chosen literary text, or the visual and stylistic elements (diagrams, headings, titles, images) for a non-literary text.
• Explain how and why these aspects were achieved by the writer or artist.

These two points serve as a foundation for understanding, but they won’t help you put concrete words onto the exam page. What we need now is a practical guide to writing an actual commentary.

A Practical Guide to Writing a Paper 1 Commentary

An IB English Paper 1 commentary consists of three main parts:

• An introduction paragraph: It includes a thesis and an outline of your points.
• A body (usually 3 paragraphs): Each paragraph focuses on one of your points.
• A conclusion: It wraps up the essay.

Choosing a thesis

The thesis or subject statement is a single sentence in the introduction of your guided analysis that explains how the writer achieves their overall purpose.

This thesis is also the main argument you need to prove in your essay, and it’s typically related to the guiding question. The examiner can gauge the strength of your analytical skills based on your subject statement alone, so it must be well-written!

Here’s an example to distinguish between a good and bad thesis:

Bad thesis: “In the poem, the poet depicts a crying man in the city centre, which highlights society’s aversion towards emotion and demonstrates the overly masculine nature of society.”

Good thesis: “In the poem, the poet uses hyperbole to criticize masculinity as a restrictive social norm that inhibits the natural expression of emotion.”

Can you identify which subject statement is better? If so, do you understand why? It’s important to be able to articulate your reasoning.

Choosing the right commentary structure for IB English Paper 1

Every text works best with a specific paragraph structure. Finding this match isn’t always easy, but it’s essential to select the most appropriate structure for your commentary in your Paper 1 guided analysis.

You can organize your essay by:

• Ideas or themes
• Sections (e.g., stanza by stanza for poems)
• The ‘Big 5’
• And other acronyms that English teachers love to invent.

Criterion C for IB English Paper 1 is Organization, which accounts for 5 out of 20 marks. So, it’s in your best interest to choose a suitable structure for your commentary.

I suggest staying away from the Big 5 because analysis involves examining the causal interplay between techniques, stylistic choices, audience, tone, and themes. The Big 5 and SPECSLIMS artificially compartmentalize these components. Trust my advice or face the consequences! (Notice that rhyme?)

In my opinion, there are only two types of structures that are most conducive to achieving a 7: Ideas/themes and Sections. Embrace this advice. If your teacher insists on other structures, make sure you understand why it’s recommended.

Writing body paragraphs: Why and How

Once you’ve chosen the best structure for your commentary and determined your thesis as the central argument, the rest of your essay should focus on proving this argument.

How do you accomplish this? By examining individual points. These smaller points support specific aspects of the overall thesis.

Each body paragraph aims to prove a separate, smaller aspect of the bigger thesis. It’s like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. You need to piece together smaller, manageable pieces to build the larger argument (i.e., the thesis).

In essence, this means writing 2, 3, or 4 points, each of which fits into its own paragraph or multiple paragraphs (depending on the complexity of the point).

In each point, you must include:

• Quotes, references to images, titles, headings, or visual elements. This serves as evidence.
• Analysis of language and literary techniques. Use specific quotes from the text to explain how and why the writer employed them to convey their message.

Of course, this is just a brief overview of how to write a high-quality body paragraph. For a more comprehensive understanding, check out the Free Full lesson inside LitLearn. You’ll need to create a Free account to access the lesson.

Planning ahead

Ironically, the most vital part of IB English Paper 1 is not the analysis itself (well, it is, but not entirely). The part you need to get right from the start is the plan. Many students struggle with effective planning, get flustered during the exam and skip planning altogether, or don’t even bother because they think they’re above it. HUGE MISTAKE!

Before you begin writing, you should meticulously plan out your commentary. Without a clear roadmap for every part of your analysis, you’ll lose track of time, thought, and sanity.

Learn how to efficiently annotate and plan using the flowchart method inside Analysis Simplified. It will empower you to walk out of your Paper 1 practice, mock, and final exams feeling like a powerful Spartan, triumphing over IB English (and its daunting challenges)!

For the complete article, including images, please visit Quill And Fox .

IBDP English A: Language & Literature

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The written task 2 asks you to respond to a text critically, answering one of six prescribed questions. The Language A: Language and Literature guide also calls this form of assessment an "essay". At the heart of essay writing is the thesis statement. This is the sentence that comes at the end of the introduction paragraph. In a very concise and poignant way, thesis statements state the main idea of the essay. They...

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete ib extended essay guide: examples, topics, and ideas.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

IB students around the globe fear writing the Extended Essay, but it doesn't have to be a source of stress! In this article, I'll get you excited about writing your Extended Essay and provide you with the resources you need to get an A on it.

If you're reading this article, I'm going to assume you're an IB student getting ready to write your Extended Essay. If you're looking at this as a potential future IB student, I recommend reading our introductory IB articles first, including our guide to what the IB program is and our full coverage of the IB curriculum .

IB Extended Essay: Why Should You Trust My Advice?

I myself am a recipient of an IB Diploma, and I happened to receive an A on my IB Extended Essay. Don't believe me? The proof is in the IBO pudding:

If you're confused by what this report means, EE is short for Extended Essay , and English A1 is the subject that my Extended Essay topic coordinated with. In layman's terms, my IB Diploma was graded in May 2010, I wrote my Extended Essay in the English A1 category, and I received an A grade on it.

What Is the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme?

The IB Extended Essay, or EE , is a mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an IB advisor (an IB teacher at your school), which counts toward your IB Diploma (learn more about the major IB Diploma requirements in our guide) . I will explain exactly how the EE affects your Diploma later in this article.

For the Extended Essay, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings . The essay itself is a long one—although there's a cap of 4,000 words, most successful essays get very close to this limit.

Keep in mind that the IB requires this essay to be a "formal piece of academic writing," meaning you'll have to do outside research and cite additional sources.

The IB Extended Essay must include the following:

• A title page
• Contents page
• Introduction
• Body of the essay
• References and bibliography

Additionally, your research topic must fall into one of the six approved DP categories , or IB subject groups, which are as follows:

• Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
• Group 2: Language Acquisition
• Group 3: Individuals and Societies
• Group 4: Sciences
• Group 5: Mathematics
• Group 6: The Arts

Once you figure out your category and have identified a potential research topic, it's time to pick your advisor, who is normally an IB teacher at your school (though you can also find one online ). This person will help direct your research, and they'll conduct the reflection sessions you'll have to do as part of your Extended Essay.

As of 2018, the IB requires a "reflection process" as part of your EE supervision process. To fulfill this requirement, you have to meet at least three times with your supervisor in what the IB calls "reflection sessions." These meetings are not only mandatory but are also part of the formal assessment of the EE and your research methods.

According to the IB, the purpose of these meetings is to "provide an opportunity for students to reflect on their engagement with the research process." Basically, these meetings give your supervisor the opportunity to offer feedback, push you to think differently, and encourage you to evaluate your research process.

The final reflection session is called the viva voce, and it's a short 10- to 15-minute interview between you and your advisor. This happens at the very end of the EE process, and it's designed to help your advisor write their report, which factors into your EE grade.

Here are the topics covered in your viva voce :

• A check on plagiarism and malpractice
• Your reflection on your project's successes and difficulties
• Your reflection on what you've learned during the EE process

Your completed Extended Essay, along with your supervisor's report, will then be sent to the IB to be graded. We'll cover the assessment criteria in just a moment.

We'll help you learn how to have those "lightbulb" moments...even on test day!  

What Should You Write About in Your IB Extended Essay?

You can technically write about anything, so long as it falls within one of the approved categories listed above.

It's best to choose a topic that matches one of the IB courses , (such as Theatre, Film, Spanish, French, Math, Biology, etc.), which shouldn't be difficult because there are so many class subjects.

Here is a range of sample topics with the attached extended essay:

• Biology: The Effect of Age and Gender on the Photoreceptor Cells in the Human Retina
• Chemistry: How Does Reflux Time Affect the Yield and Purity of Ethyl Aminobenzoate (Benzocaine), and How Effective is Recrystallisation as a Purification Technique for This Compound?
• English: An Exploration of Jane Austen's Use of the Outdoors in Emma
• Geography: The Effect of Location on the Educational Attainment of Indigenous Secondary Students in Queensland, Australia
• Math: Alhazen's Billiard Problem
• Visual Arts: Can Luc Tuymans Be Classified as a Political Painter?

You can see from how varied the topics are that you have a lot of freedom when it comes to picking a topic . So how do you pick when the options are limitless?

How to Write a Stellar IB Extended Essay: 6 Essential Tips

Below are six key tips to keep in mind as you work on your Extended Essay for the IB DP. Follow these and you're sure to get an A!

#1: Write About Something You Enjoy

You can't expect to write a compelling essay if you're not a fan of the topic on which you're writing. For example, I just love British theatre and ended up writing my Extended Essay on a revolution in post-WWII British theatre. (Yes, I'm definitely a #TheatreNerd.)

I really encourage anyone who pursues an IB Diploma to take the Extended Essay seriously. I was fortunate enough to receive a full-tuition merit scholarship to USC's School of Dramatic Arts program. In my interview for the scholarship, I spoke passionately about my Extended Essay; thus, I genuinely think my Extended Essay helped me get my scholarship.

But how do you find a topic you're passionate about? Start by thinking about which classes you enjoy the most and why . Do you like math classes because you like to solve problems? Or do you enjoy English because you like to analyze literary texts?

Keep in mind that there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing your Extended Essay topic. You're not more likely to get high marks because you're writing about science, just like you're not doomed to failure because you've chosen to tackle the social sciences. The quality of what you produce—not the field you choose to research within—will determine your grade.

Once you've figured out your category, you should brainstorm more specific topics by putting pen to paper . What was your favorite chapter you learned in that class? Was it astrophysics or mechanics? What did you like about that specific chapter? Is there something you want to learn more about? I recommend spending a few hours on this type of brainstorming.

One last note: if you're truly stumped on what to research, pick a topic that will help you in your future major or career . That way you can use your Extended Essay as a talking point in your college essays (and it will prepare you for your studies to come too!).

#2: Select a Topic That Is Neither Too Broad nor Too Narrow

There's a fine line between broad and narrow. You need to write about something specific, but not so specific that you can't write 4,000 words on it.

You can't write about WWII because that would be a book's worth of material. You also don't want to write about what type of soup prisoners of war received behind enemy lines, because you probably won’t be able to come up with 4,000 words of material about it. However, you could possibly write about how the conditions in German POW camps—and the rations provided—were directly affected by the Nazis' successes and failures on the front, including the use of captured factories and prison labor in Eastern Europe to increase production. WWII military history might be a little overdone, but you get my point.

If you're really stuck trying to pinpoint a not-too-broad-or-too-narrow topic, I suggest trying to brainstorm a topic that uses a comparison. Once you begin looking through the list of sample essays below, you'll notice that many use comparisons to formulate their main arguments.

I also used a comparison in my EE, contrasting Harold Pinter's Party Time with John Osborne's Look Back in Anger in order to show a transition in British theatre. Topics with comparisons of two to three plays, books, and so on tend to be the sweet spot. You can analyze each item and then compare them with one another after doing some in-depth analysis of each individually. The ways these items compare and contrast will end up forming the thesis of your essay!

When choosing a comparative topic, the key is that the comparison should be significant. I compared two plays to illustrate the transition in British theatre, but you could compare the ways different regional dialects affect people's job prospects or how different temperatures may or may not affect the mating patterns of lightning bugs. The point here is that comparisons not only help you limit your topic, but they also help you build your argument.

Comparisons are not the only way to get a grade-A EE, though. If after brainstorming, you pick a non-comparison-based topic and are still unsure whether your topic is too broad or narrow, spend about 30 minutes doing some basic research and see how much material is out there.

If there are more than 1,000 books, articles, or documentaries out there on that exact topic, it may be too broad. But if there are only two books that have any connection to your topic, it may be too narrow. If you're still unsure, ask your advisor—it's what they're there for! Speaking of advisors...

Don't get stuck with a narrow topic!

#3: Choose an Advisor Who Is Familiar With Your Topic

If you're not certain of who you would like to be your advisor, create a list of your top three choices. Next, write down the pros and cons of each possibility (I know this sounds tedious, but it really helps!).

For example, Mr. Green is my favorite teacher and we get along really well, but he teaches English. For my EE, I want to conduct an experiment that compares the efficiency of American electric cars with foreign electric cars.

I had Ms. White a year ago. She teaches physics and enjoyed having me in her class. Unlike Mr. Green, Ms. White could help me design my experiment.

Based on my topic and what I need from my advisor, Ms. White would be a better fit for me than would Mr. Green (even though I like him a lot).

The moral of my story is this: do not just ask your favorite teacher to be your advisor . They might be a hindrance to you if they teach another subject. For example, I would not recommend asking your biology teacher to guide you in writing an English literature-based EE.

There can, of course, be exceptions to this rule. If you have a teacher who's passionate and knowledgeable about your topic (as my English teacher was about my theatre topic), you could ask that instructor. Consider all your options before you do this. There was no theatre teacher at my high school, so I couldn't find a theatre-specific advisor, but I chose the next best thing.

Before you approach a teacher to serve as your advisor, check with your high school to see what requirements they have for this process. Some IB high schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form , for instance.

Make sure that you ask your IB coordinator whether there is any required paperwork to fill out. If your school needs a specific form signed, bring it with you when you ask your teacher to be your EE advisor.

#4: Pick an Advisor Who Will Push You to Be Your Best

Some teachers might just take on students because they have to and aren't very passionate about reading drafts, only giving you minimal feedback. Choose a teacher who will take the time to read several drafts of your essay and give you extensive notes. I would not have gotten my A without being pushed to make my Extended Essay draft better.

Ask a teacher that you have experience with through class or an extracurricular activity. Do not ask a teacher that you have absolutely no connection to. If a teacher already knows you, that means they already know your strengths and weaknesses, so they know what to look for, where you need to improve, and how to encourage your best work.

Also, don't forget that your supervisor's assessment is part of your overall EE score . If you're meeting with someone who pushes you to do better—and you actually take their advice—they'll have more impressive things to say about you than a supervisor who doesn't know you well and isn't heavily involved in your research process.

Be aware that the IB only allows advisors to make suggestions and give constructive criticism. Your teacher cannot actually help you write your EE. The IB recommends that the supervisor spends approximately two to three hours in total with the candidate discussing the EE.

#5: Make Sure Your Essay Has a Clear Structure and Flow

The IB likes structure. Your EE needs a clear introduction (which should be one to two double-spaced pages), research question/focus (i.e., what you're investigating), a body, and a conclusion (about one double-spaced page). An essay with unclear organization will be graded poorly.

The body of your EE should make up the bulk of the essay. It should be about eight to 18 pages long (again, depending on your topic). Your body can be split into multiple parts. For example, if you were doing a comparison, you might have one third of your body as Novel A Analysis, another third as Novel B Analysis, and the final third as your comparison of Novels A and B.

If you're conducting an experiment or analyzing data, such as in this EE , your EE body should have a clear structure that aligns with the scientific method ; you should state the research question, discuss your method, present the data, analyze the data, explain any uncertainties, and draw a conclusion and/or evaluate the success of the experiment.

#6: Start Writing Sooner Rather Than Later!

You will not be able to crank out a 4,000-word essay in just a week and get an A on it. You'll be reading many, many articles (and, depending on your topic, possibly books and plays as well!). As such, it's imperative that you start your research as soon as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay. Some schools want them as soon as November of your senior year; others will take them as late as February. Your school will tell you what your deadline is. If they haven't mentioned it by February of your junior year, ask your IB coordinator about it.

Some high schools will provide you with a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet with your advisor, and when certain drafts are due. Not all schools do this. Ask your IB coordinator if you are unsure whether you are on a specific timeline.

Below is my recommended EE timeline. While it's earlier than most schools, it'll save you a ton of heartache (trust me, I remember how hard this process was!):

• January/February of Junior Year: Come up with your final research topic (or at least your top three options).
• February of Junior Year: Approach a teacher about being your EE advisor. If they decline, keep asking others until you find one. See my notes above on how to pick an EE advisor.
• April/May of Junior Year: Submit an outline of your EE and a bibliography of potential research sources (I recommend at least seven to 10) to your EE advisor. Meet with your EE advisor to discuss your outline.
• Summer Between Junior and Senior Year: Complete your first full draft over the summer between your junior and senior year. I know, I know—no one wants to work during the summer, but trust me—this will save you so much stress come fall when you are busy with college applications and other internal assessments for your IB classes. You will want to have this first full draft done because you will want to complete a couple of draft cycles as you likely won't be able to get everything you want to say into 4,000 articulate words on the first attempt. Try to get this first draft into the best possible shape so you don't have to work on too many revisions during the school year on top of your homework, college applications, and extracurriculars.
• August/September of Senior Year: Turn in your first draft of your EE to your advisor and receive feedback. Work on incorporating their feedback into your essay. If they have a lot of suggestions for improvement, ask if they will read one more draft before the final draft.
• September/October of Senior Year: Submit the second draft of your EE to your advisor (if necessary) and look at their feedback. Work on creating the best possible final draft.
• November-February of Senior Year: Schedule your viva voce. Submit two copies of your final draft to your school to be sent off to the IB. You likely will not get your grade until after you graduate.

Remember that in the middle of these milestones, you'll need to schedule two other reflection sessions with your advisor . (Your teachers will actually take notes on these sessions on a form like this one , which then gets submitted to the IB.)

I recommend doing them when you get feedback on your drafts, but these meetings will ultimately be up to your supervisor. Just don't forget to do them!

The early bird DOES get the worm!

How Is the IB Extended Essay Graded?

Extended Essays are graded by examiners appointed by the IB on a scale of 0 to 34 . You'll be graded on five criteria, each with its own set of points. You can learn more about how EE scoring works by reading the IB guide to extended essays .

• Criterion A: Focus and Method (6 points maximum)
• Criterion B: Knowledge and Understanding (6 points maximum)
• Criterion C: Critical Thinking (12 points maximum)
• Criterion D: Presentation (4 points maximum)
• Criterion E: Engagement (6 points maximum)

How well you do on each of these criteria will determine the final letter grade you get for your EE. You must earn at least a D to be eligible to receive your IB Diploma.

Although each criterion has a point value, the IB explicitly states that graders are not converting point totals into grades; instead, they're using qualitative grade descriptors to determine the final grade of your Extended Essay . Grade descriptors are on pages 102-103 of this document .

Here's a rough estimate of how these different point values translate to letter grades based on previous scoring methods for the EE. This is just an estimate —you should read and understand the grade descriptors so you know exactly what the scorers are looking for.

Here is the breakdown of EE scores (from the May 2021 bulletin):

How Does the Extended Essay Grade Affect Your IB Diploma?

The Extended Essay grade is combined with your TOK (Theory of Knowledge) grade to determine how many points you get toward your IB Diploma.

To learn about Theory of Knowledge or how many points you need to receive an IB Diploma, read our complete guide to the IB program and our guide to the IB Diploma requirements .

This diagram shows how the two scores are combined to determine how many points you receive for your IB diploma (3 being the most, 0 being the least). In order to get your IB Diploma, you have to earn 24 points across both categories (the TOK and EE). The highest score anyone can earn is 45 points.

Let's say you get an A on your EE and a B on TOK. You will get 3 points toward your Diploma. As of 2014, a student who scores an E on either the extended essay or TOK essay will not be eligible to receive an IB Diploma .

Prior to the class of 2010, a Diploma candidate could receive a failing grade in either the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge and still be awarded a Diploma, but this is no longer true.

Figuring out how you're assessed can be a little tricky. Luckily, the IB breaks everything down here in this document . (The assessment information begins on page 219.)

40+ Sample Extended Essays for the IB Diploma Programme

In case you want a little more guidance on how to get an A on your EE, here are over 40 excellent (grade A) sample extended essays for your reading pleasure. Essays are grouped by IB subject.

• Business Management 1
• Chemistry 1
• Chemistry 2
• Chemistry 3
• Chemistry 4
• Chemistry 5
• Chemistry 6
• Chemistry 7
• Computer Science 1
• Economics 1
• Design Technology 1
• Design Technology 2
• Environmental Systems and Societies 1
• Geography 1
• Geography 2
• Geography 3
• Geography 4
• Geography 5
• Geography 6
• Literature and Performance 1
• Mathematics 1
• Mathematics 2
• Mathematics 3
• Mathematics 4
• Mathematics 5
• Philosophy 1
• Philosophy 2
• Philosophy 3
• Philosophy 4
• Philosophy 5
• Psychology 1
• Psychology 2
• Psychology 3
• Psychology 4
• Psychology 5
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 1
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 2
• Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 1
• Sports, Exercise and Health Science 2
• Visual Arts 1
• Visual Arts 2
• Visual Arts 3
• Visual Arts 4
• Visual Arts 5
• World Religion 1
• World Religion 2
• World Religion 3

What's Next?

Trying to figure out what extracurriculars you should do? Learn more about participating in the Science Olympiad , starting a club , doing volunteer work , and joining Student Government .

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Not sure where you want to go to college? Read our guide to finding your target school . Also, determine your target SAT score or target ACT score .

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

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Tips for HL English Literature Paper 1

There are two papers for HL English Literature. Paper 1 is a guided literary analysis of unseen literary passages from different text types. Paper 2 is a comparative essay based on two literary works written in response to a choice of one out of four questions. For students taking the exam in May 2022, Paper 2 has been removed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. That means performing well on Paper 1 is more important than ever! Here are some tips for preparing and completing Paper 1.

Preparing for Paper 1

In Paper 1, you will be given two unseen literary texts: a poem and a prose passage. You’ll have 2 hours and 15 minutes to write a literary analysis for each of the texts. Although it may seem as if Paper 1 is too difficult, there are various ways you can prepare for it. 

First, familiarize yourself with different literary devices/authorial choices. This website has a list of different literary devices with explanations and examples for each. Not all of them will come up in the passages, but make sure you know the more common ones, such as similes, metaphors, and symbolism. 

Next, I recommend looking up past papers and writing just the introduction paragraph for your analysis. Start with a hook, introduce what you’ll be talking about in your analysis, and end with a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement should not simply restate the question – instead, it should make clear what you’re trying to prove. The introduction paragraph is the most important part of your essay because it sets up everything that comes after it. By practicing writing your first paragraph, you’ll get used to forming an outline quickly and you can jump right in on exam day.

As you get closer to the exam, try doing full practice runs . Look up past papers and use them as a practice. Spend the first 15 minutes reading and annotating the passages, and then form a quick outline of your essays. In the outline for the introduction, write out your full thesis statement and set up your body paragraphs. Your thesis statement should explain what authorial choices are being used in the text and why. When you outline your body paragraphs, include topic sentences, direct quotes from the text (write only the line numbers to save time), and how the quotes support your thesis statement.

For your conclusion, think about a larger meaning to the text and why it’s important. After writing your outlines, you’ll have 2 hours to write the essays, so spend about 1 hour on each one. You might go over the time limit in the beginning, but you will get faster the more you practice! Also, familiarize yourself with the mark scheme and what the examiners are looking for.

On the Exam Day

By this point, you should have done multiple practice exams and feel fully prepared for Paper 1. Make sure you go to bed early the night before and eat a good breakfast to keep yourself energized. Don’t study too much the night before the exam – take the time to rest and clear your mind instead!

You have 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete Paper 1. Use the reading time and the first 15 minutes to absorb the texts. Read each text once without annotating them. Then, go back and read them more in-depth, annotating each one and noting the literary devices used. You can even start making an outline for your analyses – draft your thesis statements and the main points of your body paragraphs.

Focus your topic sentences on authorial choice. The things that occur in the texts aren’t happening passively – the author is making these things happen. Identify what the author is doing in the text and how the author’s style, language, structure, and tone contribute to the overall meaning. 

Quote the passage multiple times per paragraph. Paper 1 is a literary analysis, so your argument must be supported with evidence from the passage. Don’t choose random lines from the passage – choose quotes that demonstrate authorial choice. Try to use many short quotes instead of a few long ones, and explain how the quote supports your argument. Rather than simply restating the quote, explain what authorial choice is being used, why the author may have used that authorial choice, and what effect it has on the reader. My English teacher always tells us to “go for the low hanging fruit.” In other words, choose the quotes with the most obvious authorial choices so you’ll have an easier time explaining them. Remember that literary analysis is incredibly subjective. There is no “wrong” interpretation, as long as you can back it up with textual evidence.

Finally, use your time wisely ! Try not to spend more than an hour on each analysis. If you have extra time, you can go back and proof-check or expand upon what you already wrote.

I hope you found these tips helpful and made you more confident about Paper 1. The most important thing is to do the preparation – that way, you won’t have to worry on exam day. Trust in your abilities, and I know you’ll do great! Good luck!

You may also like:

• Vaishnavi’s tips for Group 1 Exams
• Victoria’s advice for English A Literature HL

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How to Write a Strong Thesis Statement: 4 Steps + Examples

What’s Covered:

What is the purpose of a thesis statement, writing a good thesis statement: 4 steps, common pitfalls to avoid, where to get your essay edited for free.

When you set out to write an essay, there has to be some kind of point to it, right? Otherwise, your essay would just be a big jumble of word salad that makes absolutely no sense. An essay needs a central point that ties into everything else. That main point is called a thesis statement, and it’s the core of any essay or research paper.

You may hear about Master degree candidates writing a thesis, and that is an entire paper–not to be confused with the thesis statement, which is typically one sentence that contains your paper’s focus. 

Read on to learn more about thesis statements and how to write them. We’ve also included some solid examples for you to reference.

Typically the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, the thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your essay. When your reader gets to the thesis statement, they should have a clear outline of your main point, as well as the information you’ll be presenting in order to either prove or support your point. 

The thesis statement should not be confused for a topic sentence , which is the first sentence of every paragraph in your essay. If you need help writing topic sentences, numerous resources are available. Topic sentences should go along with your thesis statement, though.

Since the thesis statement is the most important sentence of your entire essay or paper, it’s imperative that you get this part right. Otherwise, your paper will not have a good flow and will seem disjointed. That’s why it’s vital not to rush through developing one. It’s a methodical process with steps that you need to follow in order to create the best thesis statement possible.

Step 1: Decide what kind of paper you’re writing

When you’re assigned an essay, there are several different types you may get. Argumentative essays are designed to get the reader to agree with you on a topic. Informative or expository essays present information to the reader. Analytical essays offer up a point and then expand on it by analyzing relevant information. Thesis statements can look and sound different based on the type of paper you’re writing. For example:

• Argumentative: The United States needs a viable third political party to decrease bipartisanship, increase options, and help reduce corruption in government.
• Informative: The Libertarian party has thrown off elections before by gaining enough support in states to get on the ballot and by taking away crucial votes from candidates.
• Analytical: An analysis of past presidential elections shows that while third party votes may have been the minority, they did affect the outcome of the elections in 2020, 2016, and beyond.

Step 2: Figure out what point you want to make

Once you know what type of paper you’re writing, you then need to figure out the point you want to make with your thesis statement, and subsequently, your paper. In other words, you need to decide to answer a question about something, such as:

• What impact did reality TV have on American society?
• How has the musical Hamilton affected perception of American history?
• Why do I want to major in [chosen major here]?

If you have an argumentative essay, then you will be writing about an opinion. To make it easier, you may want to choose an opinion that you feel passionate about so that you’re writing about something that interests you. For example, if you have an interest in preserving the environment, you may want to choose a topic that relates to that. 

If you’re writing your college essay and they ask why you want to attend that school, you may want to have a main point and back it up with information, something along the lines of:

“Attending Harvard University would benefit me both academically and professionally, as it would give me a strong knowledge base upon which to build my career, develop my network, and hopefully give me an advantage in my chosen field.”

Step 3: Determine what information you’ll use to back up your point

Once you have the point you want to make, you need to figure out how you plan to back it up throughout the rest of your essay. Without this information, it will be hard to either prove or argue the main point of your thesis statement. If you decide to write about the Hamilton example, you may decide to address any falsehoods that the writer put into the musical, such as:

“The musical Hamilton, while accurate in many ways, leaves out key parts of American history, presents a nationalist view of founding fathers, and downplays the racism of the times.”

Once you’ve written your initial working thesis statement, you’ll then need to get information to back that up. For example, the musical completely leaves out Benjamin Franklin, portrays the founding fathers in a nationalist way that is too complimentary, and shows Hamilton as a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that his family likely did own slaves. 

Step 4: Revise and refine your thesis statement before you start writing

Read through your thesis statement several times before you begin to compose your full essay. You need to make sure the statement is ironclad, since it is the foundation of the entire paper. Edit it or have a peer review it for you to make sure everything makes sense and that you feel like you can truly write a paper on the topic. Once you’ve done that, you can then begin writing your paper.

When writing a thesis statement, there are some common pitfalls you should avoid so that your paper can be as solid as possible. Make sure you always edit the thesis statement before you do anything else. You also want to ensure that the thesis statement is clear and concise. Don’t make your reader hunt for your point. Finally, put your thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph and have your introduction flow toward that statement. Your reader will expect to find your statement in its traditional spot.

If you’re having trouble getting started, or need some guidance on your essay, there are tools available that can help you. CollegeVine offers a free peer essay review tool where one of your peers can read through your essay and provide you with valuable feedback. Getting essay feedback from a peer can help you wow your instructor or college admissions officer with an impactful essay that effectively illustrates your point.

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Acing IB English Language & Literature Paper 1 | A Comprehensive Guide

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• Writing Metier

The IB English paper is a very nerve-wracking paper you must give in your IB . Not only do you have to show exceptional written skills, but you also have to be very analytical at that time. For most students, it is a rather scary experience because they find it very hard to decide what they will write about and how that will affect their final grades . But if you have a basic know-how of how you are supposed to go through the entire process, then things become simpler, and you can also come up with strategies to go through the whole English Language & Literature Paper 1 well. 

As part of your overall grade on this paper, you have to work hard and cover the basics at the very least so that you can score well on the whole. Remember, like with the English paper 2 , that if you put your whole heart into this and you try to score very well, then you can end up doing so. You just need to be ready to give your best to what you are doing.

BTW…we can write a custom IB English Language & Literature Paper 1 following your instructions

We at the Writing Metier are experts in handling the IB English Language and Literature Paper 1 and other IB assignments . We assure you that you will score well if you get in touch with us to help you through this. This is one of the most important papers that you have to give.

We, being in the business for quite some time now, have many years of experience. We assure you that we can help you get through this in the best way possible. 

Understanding English language & literature paper 1

There are a few basics of the IB English Language and Literature Paper 1. The most basic one is that you should engage with numerous texts and media forms so that you understand what is required of you.

Like with IB IO, you should also develop many skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to help you deal with this. Additionally, you should also be able to interpret and evaluate different texts and should be able to develop an understanding of different texts and an appreciation of how these contribute to different responses and meanings. 

The structure of the paper is as such that you start with the introduction paragraph, after which you write the body and then the conclusion. You start with a thesis where you first talk about the main argument you are trying to get through, then write a guided question. In the main body, you talk about the crux that you are referring to. You are graded based on how well you interpret the text and the kind of language that you use to do that. 

Developing essential skills for paper 1

To do well on paper 1, you have to make sure you do all your readings very thoroughly. Remember that you have to work very hard when you read the text so that you can focus on what you are doing and also do the analysis well. The idea is to ensure you thoroughly do what is in your plan to help you get a decent grade.

You have to compare and contrast different texts that show your understanding of what you are studying. The idea is to see how well you have performed and how this has led to things working out well for you.

This paper is not only about looking at your language skills but also about how well you perform on the whole in terms of showing your understanding of different stylistic and literary devices. 

Effective strategies for paper 1 success

This paper can be fairly simple for you if you have the right strategies in place to help you with what you are doing. To make sure you give your best in the limited time you have, you need to practice time management very well. You have to make sure that you are very organized in your approach and that you know where you are headed.

Not just that, but you also need to be annotating and taking notes so that you have the right things in your head to help you through things. You also must create a thesis statement correctly based on the information that you have, and must also try to develop a very coherent and structured response when you work on things. 

Tips from an experienced IB writing service 

The best advice from our IB writing service there can be is to have confidence in what you do. If you believe you have it in you to do well, you most definitely will be.

Now let me give you some extra tips to follow while writing your IB English paper.

Tip 1: Analyze the text thoroughly

Before you start writing your IB English Language & Literature Paper 1, take the time to read and analyze the text carefully.

Consider the following:

• Identify the main themes and ideas in the text.
• Analyze the author’s use of literary devices, such as imagery, symbolism, tone, and structure.
• Examine the text’s context, including its historical, social, and cultural background.
• Determine the purpose and intended audience of the text.

Tip 2: Create a solid thesis statement

Craft a clear, concise, and arguable thesis statement that reflects your understanding of the text and its main themes.

Your thesis should:

• Clearly state your argument or interpretation of the text.
• Be specific and focused, avoiding vague or general statements.
• Be debatable, allowing for different perspectives on the topic.

Tip 3: Use evidence to support your argument

To effectively support your thesis, you need to provide textual evidence and examples.

When doing so, keep these tips in mind:

• Choose relevant quotations and examples that directly support your argument.
• Avoid long quotations; instead, focus on key phrases or lines that illustrate your point.
• Analyze your chosen evidence, explaining its significance and how it supports your argument.
• Maintain a balance between analysis and evidence, ensuring that your essay isn’t too heavy on either one.

Tip 4: Structure your paper effectively

An organized essay is crucial for conveying your argument clearly and persuasively.

To achieve this, follow these suggestions:

• Begin with an introduction that provides context and introduces your thesis statement.
• Organize your body paragraphs in a logical order, addressing one main point per paragraph.
• Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that outlines the main idea of the paragraph.
• Use appropriate transitions to guide your reader through your argument and maintain coherence.
• End with a strong conclusion that restates your thesis, summarizes your main points, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Try to not be overconfident, and give your best to what you are doing. When you do so, you will be able to score very well on the paper. 

Choosing a text for IB English language & literature paper 1

The best way is to select the right text to work on. Remember that when you work with something that you are comfortable with, it will help you through the process and show in your analysis.

Below you will find exact advice on how to select the text that will rock your IB English paper 😉

Hint 1: Choose a text that interests you

Select a text that genuinely captures your attention and interest. Engaging with a text that you find intriguing will not only make the analysis process more enjoyable, but it will also lead to a more thorough and thoughtful examination. Keep these factors in mind:

• Consider the subject matter, theme, or genre that you find most appealing.
• Think about the complexity and depth of the text, as this can provide ample material for analysis.
• Reflect on the author’s style, tone, and use of literary devices, as these elements can contribute to a richer understanding of the text.

Hint 2: Assess the text’s potential for analysis

When choosing a text for your IB English Language & Literature Paper 1, consider its potential for generating a strong, well-supported argument. To assess this, think about the following:

• Identify the text’s main themes and ideas, ensuring that they are rich and multi-faceted.
• Examine the author’s use of literary devices, looking for elements that can be analyzed in depth.
• Evaluate the text’s context, including its historical, social, and cultural background, as this can provide valuable insight into the author’s intentions and the text’s meaning.
• Consider the text’s potential for generating multiple interpretations, as this can lead to a more engaging and thought-provoking analysis.

When you select a text to work on, you should have the right rationale behind it. You should know why you are choosing this text and how does this help you. 

Examples of works that can be used for English & literature paper 1

Example 1: george orwell’s “1984”.

If you have an interest in dystopian literature or social commentary, George Orwell’s “1984” could be an excellent choice for your IB English Language & Literature Paper 1.

The novel explores themes such as totalitarianism, surveillance, and the manipulation of language and history, providing ample material for analysis. Orwell’s use of symbolism, imagery, and irony, as well as the novel’s historical and political context, offer many opportunities for a thorough examination and a strong, well-supported argument.

Example 2: Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”

For those interested in autobiographies or works exploring themes of identity, race, and personal growth, Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” could be a compelling text to analyze.

The book deals with Angelou’s early life experiences, touching on topics such as racism, trauma, and resilience. Angelou’s poetic language, vivid imagery, and powerful metaphors make for an engaging analysis, while the historical and cultural context of the book provides further depth and insight into the author’s experiences and intentions.

When choosing a text for your IB English Language & Literature Paper 1, consider your personal interests and the potential for generating a rich, multi-layered analysis. Both of these examples offer a wealth of material to explore, allowing you to create a compelling and well-supported argument in your essay.

Seeking additional support

Students often struggle with this paper , which is why it is recommended that you get help if you need it. You can get help from your tutors and even online forums if you need to. You can build a support network with fellow students and teachers who can guide you through the whole process and help you with whatever you are struggling with. 

Start writing your IB English paper

If you have a strong belief in yourself and if you know what you are doing, then you will surely be able to score well on it. Just remember that you have to put in all the hard work that is needed from you to help you get through this. We at the Writing Metier have been in this business for a very long time now.

You can get help from us as and when you need it, and we will be there to walk you through the process as easily as possible. 

Free topic suggestions

Vasy kafidoff.

Vasyl Kafidoff is a co-founder and CEO at WritingMetier. He is interested in education and how modern technology makes it more accessible. He wants to bring awareness about new learning possibilities as an educational specialist. When Vasy is not working, he’s found behind a drum kit.

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Intro to the IB Thesis Process (Presentation for Juniors, Apr 27 '23): Slides

Thesis in IB

A thesis is not required for the IB concentration, but is necessary if you aspire to highest honors. (Honors and high honors are obtainable without a thesis, but require a high within concentration GPA.  For more information on Honors calculations, click here ). There are in addition many research opportunities within OEB that permit you to do some serious research without necessarily submitting a thesis.

Doing research?

Research can be exhilarating, but it can also be time-consuming, tedious, and frustrating. Before committing yourself to a major research project (e.g. a thesis), we recommend that you take time to gain the requisite experience to determine whether or not research is for you.

To get a sense of the kind of research done by IB and OEB students over recent years, check out the listing of recent Senior Theses .  If you're interested in obtaining a pdf of one or more of these theses, send email to James Poolner .

A typical undergraduate research career at Harvard would look like this (but this is only one of a very large number of possible research paths through Harvard):

Freshman/Sophomore years . It is not essential to start research this early, but many students do, and find it a rewarding experience. Find a lab whose work interests you. For advice on finding a lab, consult with Assistant Head Tutor, Andrew Berry , or Director of Science Education  Dr. Logan McCarty .

Some students "spam" the faculty by broadcasting email to every professor.  This is not the way to go!   You are far more likely to get a positive response from faculty to whom you express a specific, focused interest.  Figure out what may interest you and, via their lab websites, find faculty members whose interests are aligned with yours.  Once you have found a long list of potential faculty, shorten the list by reading in more depth about each lab's research.  Faculty websites will link to PDF's of recent publications.  You probably won't be able to follow every word of a highly technical article, but reading up in such detail should give you a real sense of whether or not you want to do research on these topics.  This reading will also help when finally you approach the faculty member: rather than being a spammer, you have actually made a considerable effort to investigate the research going on in the lab.  The email you send should additionally include information about yourself and why you and the lab are a good match.  Attach a scientific c.v.  A faculty member isn't necessarily interested in your non-scientific accomplishments, so don't over-emphasize these.  Don't worry if you have no previous lab experience.  List courses that you have taken, such as LS 1a that include a considerable lab component.

To start with, most people start life in a lab as a volunteer.  It's during this phase that you'll gain a sense of whether the lab is really for you, and also it's when you'll get trained in some of the basic techniques used in the lab.

Summer research . Many students use their summers to do research. There are many fellowships that make this an affordable option.

Junior/Senior years . Typically, research gets more serious at this stage and students will often gain credit for a semester of research. This is known as a 99r (where 'r' stands for 'can be repeated for credit,' not research. Note, however, that only one 99r is counted as contributing to fulfilling IB's "two advanced courses in biology" requirement). For details, see the information that comes with the 99r form . If you plan to do a thesis, you must submit a thesis abstract form  at the beginning of the semester in which you are submitting your thesis (typically Senior Spring). Students doing theses typically enroll in 99r for both their senior semesters. 99r usually requires a 10 page or so final report; for the last semester, the thesis substitutes for this.  If you're writing a thesis, check out the IB Thesis Writer's Guide .

Sources of Financial Support: HCRP, MCZ GUR, HUCE .

There are several sources of funding available to support research, both over the summer and in term time.   Harvard College Research Program is a major source of support.

Further sources of funding, including deadlines, are listed  here .

Unique to IB, the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ)  awards small grants in support of faculty-supervised research by Harvard undergraduates. Projects in any subject area are eligible for support, although priority may be given to projects that utilize the MCZ's research collections, laboratories and other facilities, and to related field work. Projects that facilitate senior honors theses or associated preliminary studies are particularly encouraged. Applications must include a brief research proposal (maximum 500 words) and identify a Harvard faculty member who has agreed to supervise the project. The proposal should describe the project's goals, the specific plan to accomplish those goals, and the role of the faculty sponsor. Awards range from $500 to $2500 and may provide support for the academic year (fall and spring semesters) or summer.  

Writing a thesis?   Check out the IB Thesis Writer's Guide

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Individual Oral

IB English Individual Oral (IO) Explained

Free introductory guide to the IB English Individual Oral by IB45 and IB43 graduates Richard Nguyen & Jerica Nieva.

In this guide, IB45 graduate Richard Nguyen and IB43 graduate Jerica Nieva will share their wisdom on how to tackle the IB English IO. The guide covers everything from choosing global issues to selecting a good extract to structuring the IO to preparing for the question section at the end!

Richard and Jerica both achieved 7s in IB English Language and Literature, with Richard scoring an almost perfect 38/40 for his IB English IO.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is the IO?

First things first, what is the IB English Individual Oral ?

• It's a 15 minute oral exam.
• The first section is a 10 minute presentation by you, the student, followed by a second section consisting of 5 minutes of questions asked by your teacher.
• The IO is centered around a Global Issue.
• For IB English Language and Literature, you must analyze a literary text and a non-literary body of work.
• For IB English Literature, you must analyze two literary works (one of them must be a work-in-translation).
• Comparison and contrast is not a requirement (unlike in Paper 2)

How do I choose a good Global Issue?

A strong house requires a stable foundation. And if you want to get a 7 for your Individual Oral, then you must have a strong global issue (GI).

The global issue should* belong to one of the following 5 themes:

• Culture, identity and community 
• Beliefs, values and education
• Politics, power and justice 
• Art, creativity and the imagination 
• Science, technology and the environment 

*Actually, that's a lie. According to the current IB English syllabus (First assessment 2021), your global issue doesn't need to belong to any of the suggested themes. The themes are simply suggested by the IB to help you with brainstorming.

First, an excellent Global Issue is one that is relevant to our current society. It must be relatable to many people across diverse cultures and national borders.

Global Issue Examples

To make it clear exactly what we mean, here is a weak global issue as an example…

Now let's look at an example of a strong global issue …

If you're stuck on choosing a global issue, check out this detailed lesson on choosing your global issue. We also include 25 global issue starters to get your creative juices flowing.

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How do I pick good extracts for my IB English IO?

Throughout IB English, you'll study various literary and non-literary texts in class that you may choose to use in your IB English IO. How you select your extracts can greatly impact your IO as they need to relate to your global issue. 

Before selecting your extract, you should consider how well it can support your chosen global issue. To do this, consider breaking down your main topic into different explanations for how and why it is a global issue, and making these specific for each text. 

Let's read about Richard's experience to see how he approached this process:

“I talked about societal expectations placed on women for one body of work ( The Thing Around Your Nick by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), and how these expectations reduce their autonomy in Nigerian society. For another body of work (this was a collection of essays by Marina Keegan my school put together), I discussed how several different norms affect human life: having a stable and high-income job rather than pursuing a risky passion, doing vain acts of charity such as saving whales rather than making a homeless man walk to a shelter. Everything links back to the global issue, that's how you remain focused.” Richard Nguyen, IB45 graduate

You should also consider how the maximum number of lines that you can include in your extract for each text is 40 lines. This gives you some freedom in choosing how in-depth you want your analysis to be. Overall, you want your close analysis to be covering the whole extract – meaning that there is no point in choosing 40 lines and only analyzing the first 20 lines of it. You could lose marks for failing to demonstrate your full knowledge of the extract in Criteria A! So sometimes, less is more and choosing 20-25 lines is the better call. 

Alternatively, you may find that analyzing a long extract is necessary for having enough evidence to support your global issue in a close analysis. Using up to 40 lines in this case would instead be a good approach! Having an effective close analysis will make more sense when we learn about structuring an IO in the next section.

Steps for selecting extracts:

• Read both texts and find a common global issue.
• Find different extracts within your texts that relate to the global issue.
• Compare the different extracts for each text, and pick the one that has a variety of literary and structural techniques that will best support your global issue. Remember these techniques must serve a purpose in portraying the author's intention and commentary on your global issue.
• Consider cutting down your number of lines if you are struggling to include everything in your analysis planning, or adding more lines if you find you need more evidence. 

For Step 3, you must know how to find and analyse literary, visual and structural techniques. Analysis is one of the most difficult skills to master–and yet it is crucial to scoring highly on the IB English IO (and HLE, Paper 1, and Paper 2).

How should I structure my IB English IO?

Overall, an IO speech is 10 minutes long and covers an introduction, text analyses, and a conclusion. Afterwards, there is a 5-minute period in which your examiner will ask different questions – this may seem daunting, but we will guide you on how to prepare later on. It is very important that you are spending the correct time on each section of your speech as criteria C is about organization! Generally, you should aim to have 1 minute for your introduction and conclusion, and 4 minutes for each text analysis.

What do I say in my introduction?

Firstly, your introduction is vital in establishing your global issue and how you plan to explore it through your literary and non-literary texts. As it is only 1 minute, you want to ensure that the information you include is necessary and wholly contributes to your examiner's understanding of your IO.

• Introduce the global issue. Don't be vague in this section and spend around 2-3 sentences specifying how and why your global issue is relevant and multifaceted enough for an IO.
• Introduce your first text. Give only the most significant details such as the author's name, date, text type, and text source. You may also consider detailing the extract pages and whether your text is from a collection. 
• Briefly explain (1-2 sentences will be sufficient!) how your first text relates to the global issue.
• Complete steps 2 and 3 for your second text. It would also be helpful when introducing your texts to specify which is literary and non-literary. 
• Don't be tempted to include a comparison in your introduction! It works better in your conclusion if you wish to include it. 

Secondly, how you structure your textual analyses can vary a lot depending on the number of ideas you aim to cover, and how you organize them to appear cohesive. Before planning your IO structure, you should thoroughly understand the difference between close analysis and wide analysis .

How do I analyze in IB English IO?

There are two different types analysis required in the Individual Oral: Close analysis and Wide analysis. It's important to pick an essay structure that balances the two types of analysis.

What is close analysis?

Close analysis is similar to how you would analyze for a Paper 1 – you reference specific quotes, images, or scenes from the extract when making your analysis and evaluations. Of course, we need to link to the Global Issue in the right way, and also find insight in these links. This is why choosing your extract lines is a critical process as you want to be demonstrating a full understanding of your extract.

Just like in Paper 1, we recommend that you learn how to analyze the 7 main techniques. There are a lot more, but these are a great starting point if you're unfamiliar with literary techniques and analysis.

Learn Analysis

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How do I choose a balanced IO structure?

The Close and Wide analyses for both texts need to be balanced. There are two main structures that we recommend, which we delve into in the Pro lesson below.

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How do I prepare for the IO Questions?

Not gonna lie–the questions can be curveballs.

While your response to these questions cannot make you lose any marks in an IO (which is a relief!), this section is still very crucial in securing those bonus marks to bring you up a grade. 

Questions that are asked may be about:

• Ideas in your IO speech that could be explored in more detail (this is the most common source of questions!). 
• Providing further examples from the text or extract on a certain topic or line of inquiry. 
• Providing further explanation on the author's intention or audience effect of a specific literary technique that you mentioned. 

While these questions are generally relevant to your global issue, they may not be. Ultimately, it is up to your examiner. 

For example, your examiner may ask if there are other extracts that explore “how patriarchal values inhibit women in Nigeria”. And you'll have to answer if there is such an extract and do some light analysis on how this inhibition is caused. Does it inhibit opportunities? Or self-expression? Freedom?

Although your preparation for the IO questions is crucial, the timing of your responses can also influence your performance as you want to be making the most out of the 5-minute period. Here are some tips for during an IO: 

• Spend around 1-1.5 minutes for each response – this allows you to answer up to 4-5 questions. While it might seem insightful to give a 4-minute-long answer, it also restricts the examiner from asking more questions which are generally about parts of your speech that needed a bit more support. 
• If you are nearing 4.5 minutes, it is best to not finish your current response for a new question as you won't be able to give another response in 30 seconds.

Let's read Richard's wise words on how he prepared for his IB English IO questions:

“The best advice I can give you is to know your texts inside out. After each section or chapter from a body of work, write notes about what is explored regarding your global issue. This way, you'll be actively thinking about how the global issue is depicted through your texts. Think: 'what does this section tell me about the global issue?' You should also prepare other examples that prove your point in your analysis. When writing about how the author portrays the global issue through a scene, know if a similar scene pops up in your body of work where the global issue is portrayed in the same way or another one. Essentially, read the entire bodies or work and have a general idea of how the global issue seeps through the entirety of the texts.” Richard Nguyen, IB45 graduate

More lessons in the IO Study Guide

We can't cover everything in this introductory guide.

LitLearn's Pro lessons take you step-by-step through choosing your global issue, planning your IO and choosing the right structure.

We also show you how to approach the IO with the right mindset to avoid costly mistakes, and detailed worked examples to show concrete strategies to score a 7 in your analysis and IO insights.

Wrapping up

We hope this guide has helped you navigate one of the most important (and stressful!) parts of your IB English assessment. Thanks to Jerica and Richard for collaborating on this guide to help fellow IB English students out there.

Question​bank

Paper 1 Practice Exams

Past Paper 1 Solutions

Paper 2 Guide

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Questionbank

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Try Question 23 from the Analysis Questionbank

Free introductory guide to the Paper 1 guided analysis exam

The 3 ingredients you're not including in your thesis

Free introductory guide to the Paper 2 comparative analysis exam

Covers the levels of knowledge crucial to Paper 2 preparation

Free introductory guide to the Individual Oral assessment

Helpful list of global issue starters to kickstart your imagination.

Higher Level Essay

Free introductory guide to the HLE assessment