The Paper 2 exam consists of six essay questions, only one of which must be answered during the timed period. The essay is to be written about the Part 3 literary texts. Therefore, it is a test of understanding literature in context. Although the questions will change from exam to exam, they will always focus on the connection between, style, form, author, purpose and audience. Selecting good Part 3 texts is therefore essential. These pages offer an overview of the requirements, the criteria, sample student work and tips on Paper 2 essay writing. Besides familiarizing yourself with these pages, you will want to study previous exam questions, practice writing under exam conditions and research your literary texts carefully. You can find several activities that help you develop the skills you need for the Paper 2 exam on the ‘skills’ page. Although it seems as if a quarter of your IB grade is determined in one brief sitting, in fact you can do a lot to prepare for this exam so that it is not so nerve-racking. Careful planning and a clear strategy are half the battle. What one writes is only the tip of a very large iceberg. The basics Answer 1 of 6 essay questions. SL and HL students receive exactly the same 6 questions. Essay must answer one question in relation to both literary texts that were studied for Part 3. Essay must answer one question in relation to 2 or 3 of the literary texts studied for Part 3. has 1.5 hours to answer this essay question. has 2 hours to answer this essay question. Paper 2 grade counts for 25% of the final grade.