Philosophical, political or social issues Students can choose as their topic a philosophical, political or social issue arising from a work of literature. However, the major focus of their essay should be the literary treatment of the issue. They must not treat the literary work(s) simply as documentary evidence in a discussion of the particular issue. In addition, students should not use the essay solely as a vehicle for their own thoughts on the issue. Students must focus first on their analysis of the presentation of the Then author’s ideas. they can present their personal views on the way the author has treated the subject. Use of literary criticism Students should aim for a compromise between building on the wisdom of experienced critics and introducing new personal elements. An essay that simply repeats the views of established literary critics will not receive a high mark. Use of literary biography Essays that interpret literary works in terms of the to produce reductive writer’s life tend readings based on second-hand information. Such essays receive low marks and the IB therefore advises students to avoid biographical topics. Examples of topics, research questions and suggested approaches—category 1 Once students have identified their topic and written their research question, they can decide how to research their answer. They may find it helpful to write a statement outlining their broad approach. These examples are for guidance only. Topic An exploration of evil as a motivating force in drama Research question How effectively does Christopher Marlowe present his view of evil in Dr Faustus? Approach A detailed study of the play to include selected quotations to support the argument, with reference to secondary source material if appropriate. Topic The treatment of prejudice in novels Research question How far are the approaches to prejudice and discrimination different in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Kite Runner? Approach The identification of types of prejudice (religious, racial, caste, gender, as appropriate) in the novels and the selection of detailed incidents and/or character studies for close analysis. Some
Philosophical, political or social issues Students can choose as their topic a philosophical, political or social issue arising from a work of literature. However, the major focus of their essay should be the literary treatment of the issue. They must not treat the literary work(s) simply as documentary evidence in a discussion of the particular issue. In addition, students should not use the essay solely as a vehicle for their own thoughts on the issue. Students must focus first on their analysis of the presentation of the author’s ideas. Then they can present their personal views on the way the author has treated the subject. Use of literary criticism Students should aim for a compromise between building on the wisdom of experienced critics and introducing new personal elements. An essay that simply repeats the views of established literary critics will not receive a high mark. Use of literary biography Essays that interpret literary works in terms of the writer’s life tend to produce reductive readings based on second-hand information. Such essays receive low marks and the IB therefore advises students to avoid biographical topics. Examples of topics, research questions and suggested approaches—category 1 Once students have identified their topic and written their research question, they can decide how to research their answer. They may find it helpful to write a statement outlining their broad approach. These examples are for guidance only. Topic An exploration of evil as a motivating force in drama Research question How effectively does Christopher Marlowe present his view of evil in Dr Faustus? Approach A detailed study of the play to include selected quotations to support the argument, with reference to secondary source material if appropriate. Topic The treatment of prejudice in novels Research question How far are the approaches to prejudice and discrimination different in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Kite Runner? Approach The identification of types of prejudice (religious, racial, caste, gender, as appropriate) in the novels and the selection of detailed incidents and/or character studies for close analysis. Some
Studies%20in%20Language%20and%20Literature.docx