Dear That IB Kid Studying for Paper 1 and 2

First things first: I feel your stress. I do. So do this for me:

1. Think of all the garbage that is weighing you down: the fear, the anxiety, the stress. Make a list of all those feelings.
2. Turn up the speakers on your device.
3. Go here and let them go.

Better, no? Now let's get down to final study tips. This is my final note to you to help organize the best study resources that I have gathered from the far reaches of the internet.

Paper 1

First off, check out Commentary in a Nutshell, for an overview of what is required and how to go about doing multiple readings. That is key, so once again: MULTIPLE READINGS. You have a five minute reading period and then two hours on top of that. Use that time. If you are into highlighters or color marking, you can use them on the Paper 1. The important part is to put the work in BEFORE you start writing. Also, it is important to keep in mind the rubric, so you know what the IB is looking for. Read this for a break down of the rubric, a slew of tips, and a sample paper over "Behavior of Fish in an Egyptian Tea Garden".

There is no prompt and no guiding questions for Paper 1, so the implicit question is always "how". If the mood is tense, how does the author achieve this? If you think a character is chill, how is this implied by the author? Naturally, all your hows should lead to a why, which is author's purpose. All of this is to say, you will need to be up on your lit terms and talk about where they are used and to what effect. You need to do more than compile a mechanical list of them, you need to point out the HOW and the WHY. This is commentary. Like handy formulas for remembering which terms to look for? Try this. Or good, old TPFASTT. Did you like the method from the Underground HL Paper 1 Squad? Go here to try the method with quick practice. 

Review these multiple examples of pieces and responses to get a feel for what is required. Don't pick prose or poetry beforehand; give a quick read to both, then go with the one you feel you can dig the most out of. Then read read read read think think think think.

How to organize? Up to you and what you think works best. Here is one way. Here is a way that involves writing about the piece section by section. Lastly, have a look at this method. Really, there is no proscribed method that you have to stick to you. Pick the one that suits you and the purpose. 

From Cormac McCarthy's early draft of The Road

Paper 2

This is all about how well you know your novels. You will be picking your question from Prose: The Novel and Short Story category, so you need to know the basics of the genre. In our case, that is the novel. The best thing you can do is make sure you know your two best choices exceedingly well. 

Make sure you know all your basics, like the title (which is underlined), author, basic characters, plot elements, themes etc. (Know how to spell it all!) Your novel guides will be good review for that.

Then you might want to engage in some prompt practice. The prompts can be grouped into different categories discussed here. Look at this list of prompts and break them down, then think about how you would apply your novels to them. Use the method you tried when we did outlines. 

As for writing the essay, be sure to give thought to the order you present ideas in. Review this for two different ways to organize an essay. Worried about writing a proper introduction? Read this for examples. Worried about the vague paragraphs you've been writing? Read this for ways to improve them. See a sample essay here. 

Further Ideas of How to Review for Paper 2

•  Condense your notes: reduce your writing on key conventions, characters, themes, and so on into single sheets with relevant quotations and particular moments or events in the work/s to illustrate. If you are a visual learner, use color or space to organize your ideas. 
• Use Venn Diagrams to highlight points of difference and overlap between works. 
• Make tables with a list of conventions down the side and titles at the top. Identify places in each work that make use of the convention. Compare ways they are used in a column on the right.
• Get a study group together and practice with some of the Paper 2 prompts. Have your novels with you. Find good, specific, detailed examples for your support.

If all else fails: