SL: Structuring the Rationale
The SL Rationale supports the submission of 5 Resolved Artworks. It is a chance to highlight what makes your body of artworks special (technically, stylistically, conceptually) and the connections among them. First, your teacher will assess your artwork for the Internal Assessment (IA) with your written Rationale in mind. Later, a moderator will read the Rationale when they review your artwork files; it is an informative and essential part of the Resolved Artworks submission.
Rationale Details for SL students
| Requirements | SL = 700 words |
| Formatting | Submitted digitally as a PDF with up to 2-screens |
| Language | Use subject-specific vocabulary to develop precision in your writing. |
| Academic Integrity | At the end of your Rationale, you can add a list of sources. This should include acknowledging source images used to help you develop an artwork composition and/or artistic influences used for techniques, styles, compositional choices, or conceptual development. |
| No texts for SL | SL students do not write “extra” texts for each artwork. This means that the Rationale for SL students needs to include some explanatory information concerning their 5 artworks. |
Structuring the SL Rationale
There are many ways to structure your Rationale and you do not have to follow a formulaic requirement. However, because writing about your own artwork may be difficult, we have found several students enjoy a structured approach!
Here is one suggested structure with three distinct sections:
Section 1:
Overview of Relationships
Primary focus: Criterion A (Coherence of Body of Artworks)
Focus: You set the stage, introducing the viewer to your 5 artworks. Share what they are about and establish any underlying concepts, influences, styles, materials and/or thematic threads.
- What core concepts, issues or ideas drive your body of work? How are they linked across the 5 artworks?
- Have specific artistic influences or research contributed to the relationships between your 5 artworks?
Section 2:
Artwork Intentions in your 5 artworks
Primary focus: Criterion B (Conceptual Realization) & Criterion C (Technical Resolution)
Focus: Detail your specific artistic intentions across the 5 artworks. Explain your concepts (Crit B) and how your visual, material, and technical decisions (Crit C) support the meanings in your pieces. You can discuss artwork individually, group 2-3 artworks that share similar themes, techniques or materials, or highlight a central artwork in relation to the other pieces.
If you used source materials, such as artists or inspiration images, this is also a place to highlight these choices.
- What materials, processes, or techniques did you use select? How do these reinforce meaning or ideas in your work?
- What compositional, formal or stylistic choices did you use to communicate your concepts?
- What source materials influenced the choice of imagery in your work (i.e. subject matter, symbols, influences, reference images, quotes, your own source photos)? Why were these chosen?
Section 3:
Bring it together
Primary focus: Criterion A (Coherence of Body of Artworks)
Focus: Bring your Rationale to a conclusion. You can build on any of the specifics laid out in Section 2. Share how your artistic intentions unify, artistic influences of note, and what overall impression you want to leave with the viewer. This section can be short, focused to affirm important points, without being overly repetitive.
- What experience or response do you intend to provoke when the viewer sees your individual pieces coming together as one?
Writing Tips
Be clear and direct in your language, don't try to appear clever or dress it up with superlatives and grand claims. Accuracy and honesty will make a much better impression! Describe what you see, refer to physical and material qualities of the work as well as conceptual. Stick to the subject and don't digress into wider philosophical concepts unless they are clearly relevant to your work.
Further Resources
IA Crit A: Coherence
This page looks at criterion A, Coherence of body of artworks Internal Assessment HL and Internal Assessment SL. Although there is no longer an exhibition requirement and students present only a digitally...
IA Crit B: Conceptual Realization
This criterion measures the synthesis of concept and form in the Resolved Artworks (Internal Assessment). What is the relationship between the ideas driving the work and the realization of the artwork?...
IA Crit C: Technical Resolution
This criterion for the Resolved Artworks (Internal Assessment) is the same for both HL and SL and refers to the skill and manipulation of materials and formal qualities.
photo credit: Image of 5 selected artworks by the author