In this week’s update, we are starting to publish responses from the May 2022 examination session.  Please note that we cannot reprint the actual examinations (IB or others own the copyright).  We wish it were otherwise!  Talk to you IB Coordinator to get the exam itself and they are often available for purchase on the IB store. 

What’s interesting about the May 2022 Paper 1 timezone 2 exam is the question of which text was the “visual” text.  We’ve heard some teachers argue that neither were visual in nature and that both texts on the exam were text heavy.

As for this response, found here, it is incredibly strong.  The language is fluid and convincing.  There is a clearly laid out argument that focuses on the purpose of the text.  While one might take issue with the attention paid to an American audience, there is a clear US bias in the text with so many examples and statistics specifically mentioning the United States.  However, the paragraphs could connect better and the arguments could be more clearly linked.  This is the biggest fault and what stops the essay from achieving full marks.

Again, to access the Paper 1 Sample Response, click here.

Best,

Tim and David