Writing the IB English Essay

Details

A handbook for writing IB English and History papers can be found on this website:

http://www.fcps.edu/MtVernonHS/academics/forms/ib_writing_handbook.pdf

The following is an excerpt from the pdf above.

An Introduction to the IB paper or How do I write this Paper????

A literary analysis paper is PERSUASIVE in nature. It is NOT:
1. A book report
2. A plot summary

In an analysis paper, you will PERSUADE me (your audience) that there is a relationship between a specific detail or literary device and what the author is trying to say through that literary device. This means that your thesis should have TWO parts:
1.      Mention of a specific detail or literary device.
2.      A theme that this detail or literary device reinforces, develops, or illustrates.

Your thesis is at the heart and soul of your paper. It directs EVERY SENTENCE and IDEA. For clarity's sake, you should always put your thesis at the end of your introduction.

THE INTRODUCTION
      Grabs the reader's attention with a great opening liner.
      States the name of the author and the title of the work.
      States the relevance of the topic chosen (i.e. WHY DO WE CARE?).
      Includes pertinent background information about the novel as it relates to the
thesis statement (NOT PLOT SUMMARY!!!)
      Positions the thesis last.

DO NOT:
-- Repeat yourself (which usually involves chopping the various points of your thesis into long, drawn out sentences stated in a different manner so that we are totally bored by the time we get to the thesis).
-- State obvious generalizations (i.e. materialism is bad).
-- Turn the author into a didactic maniac who wrote the novel only to prove the point you�re talking about.

THE BODY
-- Each body paragraph has a well-positioned topic sentence. The topic sentence is to the paragraph what the thesis is to the paper! You should always be able to see a clear relationship between your topic sentence and your thesis.
-- Topic sentences should NEVER have quotations in them.
-- Each topic sentence should have ONE point.
-- Use quotations when necessary. Use lengthy quotations SPARINGLY.
-- Refer to plot details which are relevant supports for your point.
-- Sandwich your quotations. Introduce quotation, put quotation, and then explain. Make sure the sentence containing the quotation is GRAMMATICALLY correct. If you are taking a fragment from a sentence, add words outside of your quotation so that it is a cogent thought.
-- Move through your analysis from the concrete level to the abstract.

DO NOT:
      Write "this quote means," "this quote is saying" or any variations on these. These are terrible writing habits.
      Summarize the plot. We�ve already read the story. Use a quotation when you can simply refer to the plot detail. Remember: COMPRESSION!
      Quotations should not make up the majority of the paragraph. Your explanations should be longer than the quotations.

THE CONCLUSION
      Beginning with the last point made, re-state your organizational points.
      State your overall assessment of the narrative: its impact, purpose, tone, and
value. A personal response is at the heart of excellent writing. Do this without
saying "I thought." End with a great clincher, a concise WHAMMY! of your point.

DO NOT:
      Re-state your introduction in various words. BORING.
      Philosophize. It�s not a philosophy paper. It�s a literary analysis paper.
      Oversimplify your topic. Don�t pretend that you�ve exhausted your topic and your position is obvious. If it is, why are you writing about it? Who needs convincing of an obvious point?

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