Paper 2 constitutes 25% of students’ final course grade in the higher level course and 35% in the standard level course. It is a comparative task. Under exam conditions, students will select one of four general questions. They will compose an essay that answers the selected question by comparing and contrasting their choice of two literary works studied in the course. Paper 2 is externally assessed.
The Goal: Defining Superior Performance
Below you will find the rubric language used to describe superior student performance with respect to each of the four criteria. This is your goal for every one of your students with respect to this assessment. All teaching and learning in preparation for this assessment should point in this direction. This complex assessment of reading, critical thinking, and writing will be performed under a strict time limit. Students need time to develop the required skills and early attempts will require more time. As the actual assessment approaches, speed should increasingly be emphasized. You can download a one-page version of the complete Paper 2 Rubric here.
Superior Performance: Paper 2 Exemplar
The following exemplar essay was written under exam conditions to fulfil the requirements of the Paper 2 rubric. It compares and contrasts the way meaning is constructed in two literary works: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Cormac McCarthy’s novel All the Pretty Horses (1992). It was written in response to the following general question:
- Referring to at least two of the works you have studied, discuss both how and why the text invites the reader to identify with situations, characters and/or ideas.
Exemplar: Annotated for Scoring
How do I accurately score mock Paper 2 essays? This question is at the forefront of every Language and Literature teacher’s thinking. Below, you will find an annotated version of the essay linked above. If you want, go ahead and print it out. Annotate it as you proceed through the paper. You are looking for evidence of the level of student performance on each of the four criteria outlined above. For the sample below, evidence for each of the four criteria was notated in a different colour:
- Criteria A. Understanding & Interpretation: green
- Criteria B. Analysis & Evaluation: blue
- Criteria C. Focus & Organization: yellow
- Criteria D. Language: red
Exemplar: Sample Rubric
How does the rubric below compare to your evaluation of the essay? The essay had many good qualities, but the marks were impacted by a lack of balance. There was an insightful analysis of differences in how meaning was constructed in the two works; however, the analysis of similarities was inadequate. General similarities between the two works were presented, but with respect to authorial choices, the analysis was quite thin. The essay would have been much stronger had the writer inserted a paragraph focused on similarities in how the two writers invite the reader to identify with situations, characters, and ideas.
Paper 2: Preparation Workflow
You will be preparing your students for Paper 1 and Paper 2 at the same time. Many teachers select a pair of works well suited for Paper 2 for the final works studied. Two such pairs are suggested in the diagram below. Students read the two works concurrently, using daily discussion and writing activities to keep the focus on the similarities and differences between the works. Particularly, you will want to focus on similarities and differences in how meaning is constructed, with an emphasis on authorial choices suitable for analysis. Paper 2 questions, and conceptual understandings, both explored below, will also be helpful as you prepare students for their exams.
Critical Thinking: Paper 2 Questions
Below you will find four sets of Paper 2 questions. These question sets are suitable for mock exams. They could also be used as discussion prompts or informal writing activities. They demonstrate the range of questions students may be faced with on exam day. Remember, for each question they need to explore both similarities and differences. You can find a printable version of these sets here.
Critical Thinking: Conceptual Understandings
Many Paper 2 questions ask students to consider how key concepts are presented through specific authorial choices in two literary works. Which concepts are present in the works we’ve studied, particularly those works we think are good candidates for Paper 2 essays? Are there concepts that are present in both works? How does each work define and explore the concept? How do they do it similarly? How do they do it differently? You can find an expanded & printable version of this list here.