Tips for a good Paper 1

From an IB English A LangLit and Lit teacher with 10+ years experience.

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Tips for a good Paper 1

• THINK & PLAN before you write!!!

  • Before you write, you need to know what the topic sentence for each of your paragraphs will be, and you should have decided what evidence (examples from the text) you will give for your claims.

• Don’t spend too much time explaining the ideas that are expressed/explaining the argument and theme of the text. Most of your text should be an analysis of the authorial choices and the reason for these choices (devices and their effect on the intended reader).

• Structure: Don't go through the text chronologically (For example by saying: “In the first paragraph… In the second paragraph…” or “In the first panel of the comic… In the second panel…").

  • No need to say where he says things ("In the first paragraph" … "then he" … "further on" … "at the end"), unless you are commenting on the structure of the text you are analyzing

• In the introduction, mention author, title of text, genre, year, where it was published, country if you know.

  • A brief description of the content, and the text’s purpose/message, and the intended audience can also be explained in the introduction (don't just say what the theme is, explain what the text says about this theme, and to who). These things must be explained early in the text. sometimes, some context is given in the introduction, but sometimes this is dealt with later in the text.
  • You need a thesis statement at the end of the introduction. The thesis statement typically uses words from the guiding question. It usually sums up your whole text by stating the text’s message or purpose, and listing the techniques you will explore (not all good texts list devices, so that is not an absolute requirement).

• Body paragraphs that analyze the devices (for example one about how the tone is created and what effect it has, another paragraph about the effect of figurative language, etc.).

  • Always explain the effect/function of the devices used (how the device affects the reader/helps create the message that the text as a whole expresses).
  • Start paragraphs with topic sentences that tell the reader what the focus of the paragraph is. Sometimes it's a good idea to sum up the main point being made in the paragraph in the topic sentence. (There is no need to save your conclusions until the end of the paragraph or the text. you are not trying to entertain the reader. It will be easier for the reader to follow your argumentation if there is helpful signalling and linking throughout the essay).
  • The rest of the paragraph needs to "stay on topic" (not lose focus).
  • Sometimes it can be helpful to have a summing up sentence at the end of the paragraph.

• If you are going to deal separately with visual and linguistic/literary devices, it's often a good idea to write about the written mode first, and then the visual mode. In discussing the visual mode, discuss the relationship this has with the written mode.

  • Sometimes it works well to deal with both visual elements and verbal text in the same paragraph, for example if the overriding theme of the paragraph is how characterization contributes to creating meaning, or how an atmosphere/tone is created.

• In the conclusion, you may explicitly recognize that meaning is constructed and (potentially) contested; in so doing, you can suggest an alternative, oppositional reading to the text you have analyzed. It is also possible to briefly comment on the significance of the text (why/how is it important?, Can this text have an impact on society?, etc).

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Other tips:

• Name the author by surname only (except the first time they are mentioned you use the full name)

• Quotation marks for short texts like articles, e.g. “Climate Change.”

  • Underline the titles of long texts like magazines and books, e.g. Science Tales: Lies, Hoaxes, and Scams.
  • Capitalize each word in a title (except “the”, “and”, “in”, etc).

• Be concrete, not vague. Which requires that you have thought through things properly before you write. Give evidence by referring to the text and quoting.

• Quote to give examples and back up your argument. For direct quotes use quotation marks & the exact words.

  • You don´t have to quote entire sentences:
  • The writer compares the world leaders to "a pack of larking hyenas."
  • A short quote is often best.
  • When you quote several words, each word needs to be surrounded by quotation marks.
  • Quotes integrated into your own sentence can´t break the rules of grammar.
  • You need to comment on/explain quotes - don´t leave it up to the reader to do draw the connections.

• Unnecessary (and a bit childish): "In this text I will look at…", "This text will analyse…" (just do it!)

• Avoid: "I will get back to this" and the like. Instead of saying "As I have mentioned, the protagonist is characterized as a hero", build on what you have said: “Since the protagonist is characterized as a hero, it is likely that the reader will… ”

• Do not repeat yourself (e.g. He uses negatively loaded adjectives. The fact that he uses negatively loaded adjectives creates…). Be to-the -point, and not too "wordy".

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Your language:

• Students are often advised not to use the pronoun “I”, but conventions (unwritten rules) are changing. Don’t worry too much about this. You can say things like “One might say that the text…", instead of “I think that the text…", but it’s not a serious issue.

• Don´t say "you" or "we" about the reader. We may not be the intended reader.

• Avoid informal expressions such as “loads of”, abbreviated forms like “ad”, contractions like “they’re”.

  • Use a formal/academic language, but focus on clear explanations (don´t use "fancy" language or complex sentence structures, especially if your explanation would be clearer if you used simpler language).

• Use jargon, e.g. literary analysis terms like "metaphor" and "tone". (You don´t need to explain what the words mean. Your analysis will make it clear that you understand).

• Use linking words (see chart below) to help the reader understand how your points are connected (e.g. however, on the other hand). Vary them (don´t use "however" many times in the same text). But it is important that the linking words are logical, and show the correct relationship between different points.

• Vary your vocabulary: explains, shows, illustrates, indicates that, suggests that, expresses, says, claims, states, comments on, examines, etc.

• Modify your language: "this might", "seems" (but don´t overdo it)

• Don´t use figurative language, sarcasm or emphatic/strong language. Your tone should be neutral and objective and your reader should not feel that your personality colours the text/ that you are "present" in the text. Therefore avoid words like “very”, and “terrible”.

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Linking words and expressions

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