langb+written+assignment

Back to Lang B Assessment

Students are required to complete a written assignment that is produced under supervised conditions in the classroom and is assessed externally. The word limit for the written assignment at SL is 300–400 words, plus a 100-word rationale, and at HL is 500–600 words, plus a 150-word rationale.

Students who fail to write the minimum number of words or who exceed the maximum will be deducted 1 mark from criterion A: language. If the word limit is exceeded, the assessment will be based on the first 400 words and the rationale, and the first 600 words and the rationale for HL students.

The assignment has two parts: the task and a rationale.
 * The task**: Students produce a piece of writing that may be chosen from the recommended text types listed for paper 2 in this section. The subject of the assignment should have a specific focus, suitable for a piece of writing of 300–400 words in length. The content must be linked to one of the core topics and based on the information gathered from the three sources—such as articles, blogs and interviews—selected by the teacher. The length of each source must be 300–400 words.


 * The rationale**: Students must write a 100-word rationale introducing the assignment, stating their aim(s) and how their aim(s) have been achieved.

The student should: • demonstrate understanding of the core topic • organize the information from the sources in a manner appropriate to the text • use the information from the sources to form a new text without copying • use language appropriate to the text type and purpose.

• The subject of the written assignment must be the choice of the student in consultation with the teacher, based on the three sources selected by the teacher. • This assignment should be written in the second year of the course and must be completed during school hours under teacher supervision. • The written assignment and the rationale must be in the target language and handwritten. • It must be the independent work of the student (with the teacher’s guidance). • Source material must be originally written in the target language and available online (when possible). This information will be entered on the coversheet. The teacher must keep a hard copy of the three sources used for this assignment, which may be requested by the IB. • The use of dictionary and reference material is permitted. • The suggested time to complete the task is three to four hours, which does not need to be in one sitting. This timing includes the reading of the sources, the writing of a draft and of the final text and rationale. If the assignment will not be completed in one sitting, the teacher must collect the work after each session and return it to the students at the beginning of the next one. • The written assignment will be accompanied by: – a coversheet signed by both student and teacher. On this coversheet the teacher will provide the web address for any source material that is available online or a bibliography, the titles of the sources and a brief summary of each – a rationale.


 * HL**
 * The task**: Students produce a piece of creative writing that may be chosen from the recommended text types listed for paper 2 in this section (article, blog/diary entry, brochure, leaflet, flyer, pamphlet, advertisement, interview, introduction to debate, speech, talk, presentation, news report, official report, proposal, review, set of instructions, guidelines, written correspondence). It will be based on a work of literature that the student has read as part of the course and may use related information from other reading material. The task must be 500–600 words in length. Examples of written assignments could be writing a new ending to a novel, interviewing a character, or a diary entry by one of the characters in a story or play.
 * The rationale**: Students must write a 150-word rationale introducing the assignment, stating their aim(s) and how their aim(s) have been achieved.