Understanding the IO
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Question
How long is the IO?
Answer
15 minutes: 10 prepared + 5 of examiner questions.
Question
How is the IO marked?
Answer
Out of 40 — criteria A–D, each out of 10.
Question
What two works does the IO use?
Answer
One literary work and one non-literary body of work.
Question
What is a global issue?
Answer
A real-world concern (power, migration, identity…) explored through both works.
Question
What must the IO be organised around?
Answer
One global issue present in both works.
Question
Is the IO a summary or a talk?
Answer
No — a focused analytical argument about authorial choices.
Question
What is the IO worth?
Answer
30% at SL, 20% at HL.
Question
The four criteria?
Answer
A knowledge (works+issue), B analysis, C focus/organisation, D language.
Question
Where do half the marks come from?
Answer
A + B — knowledge and analysis of authorial choices.
Question
The IO task in one line?
Answer
How do a literary and a non-literary work each explore one global issue?
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Topic 4.14 hub
Understanding the IO
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