What is the IOP all about?

The Individual Oral Presentation is a task completed at the end of your study of the three Part 4 'Options' works. It will be in the form of a 10-15 minute presentation in which you explore an issue that has arisen out of the works studied, and which you have taken a personal interest. The topic could be concerned with just one of the texts, or it could compare.

You can choose which topic you want to speak about, as well as the format in which you want to present your ideas (e.g.formal, critical or creative -- or mixture of both). It is important, however, to ensure that

• the topic is focused and specific, rather than general - and that you have an interest in it
• you think carefully about how to present in a way that engages the attention of your audience

How do I come up with a topic?

As mentioned above, it is vital that you have an interest in the aspect you choose. As soon as you begin your Part 4 studies, keep a record of potential ideas somewhere in your notes. Something interesting may emerge from your independent reading, from something your teacher or classmates say, or something that emerges naturally from class discussion.

What kind of topics might I choose?

Almost anything, as long as it allows you to fulfil the assessment criteria in as effective a way possible. Official suggestions from the IB are as follows:

• the cultural setting of the work(s) and related issues
• thematic focus
• characterization
• techniques and style
• the author's attitude to particular elements of the works (e.g. characters, subject matter)
• the interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives

In practice, this means you should choose a topic closely connected to one or more of the works studied, which allows you to demonstrate 'knowledge and understanding' in as detailed and interesting a way possible. Here are some examples from past students.

Work		Presentation focus
The Fall of the House of Usher, by Edgar Allan Poe		An assessment of the way typically gothic elements are revealed through the presentation of Usher’s house. The presentation made use of gothic architecture and painting.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou		An extract from the student’s autobiographical writing in which she explores the meaning of books in her life. This was used as a way to examine the importance of literature to the central character’s development in the text.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey		An exploration of the personality, role and significance of the character of Nurse Ratched in both the novel and the film adaptation.
Selected Poems by Tony Harrison		An investigation into the use of irony in Harrison’s poetry, including a pastiche of the author’s work.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy		Question: In what ways is the natural setting important to the presentation of the relationship between the father and the son? Comparisons made with screen shots from the film version.
No Exit,  J.P. Sartre		Using three paintings as points of reference, a presentation that explored the importance of the motif of eyes to the play.
The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks		A performed monologue, written from the point of view of Frank’s father, in which he ‘explains’ his treatment of Frank. This was accompanied with an analysis of their relationship and its development in the novel.
Maus, Art Spiegelman		A defense of the novel against the charge that it is not a ‘literary’ work.
Short Stories, Gabriel Garcia Marquez		The evolution of Magic Realism as a genre, and its presentation in two of Marquez’s short stories. References made to both visual art and music.
Various Hypertext Novels		In what ways is the subject of time presented in the form of three hypertext novels? An ‘interactive’ presentation.

How should I prepare?

As with any extended piece of work, whether oral or written, it is crucial that you set about the process in a careful, methodical and detailed manner. Here's a suggested approach:

Stage 1: Choose a topic

As stated above, the topic must be one in which you feel personally engaged, not least because if it is interesting to you, then it will be to your audience. Make sure that the topic is associated directly with the text, even if you choose to talk about something biographical or contextual, because you will need to be able to demonstrate detailed 'knowledge and understanding' of the work in question - not only, for example, the period in which it was written.

Furthermore, make sure that the topic allows you to 'say' something about the work. It is important that skills of analysis, interpretation, and evaluation are present in the presentation. If it amounts to nothing more than a 'description' of a character or theme then you are obviously not going to do very well. Some students find it appropriate to set themselves a question, rather like for an essay, so that they have clear sense that they must argue a point

Stage 2: Research

Once you have decided on a topic, you need to set about making notes. This will involve

• re-reading the work, looking out for anything that is relevant to your chosen topic. You can pick out important events or moments, helpful quotations and write down points of analysis

• doing any necessary research, e.g. into the literary, historical or cultural context of the work

• reading book reviews or (perhaps) secondary criticism that provide you with alternative ways of seeing it

• (perhaps) exploring associated art work, or music

• (perhaps) exploring film, television or radio clips

Step 3: Decide on a format

As you make your notes on the topic, consider also the best way for presenting your ideas. PowerPoint may not be the most effective means of presenting your topic, nor of engaging your audience. Keep in mind that one third of the marks will be awarded for your presentation skills, so you want to give as much thought to the format as you do to the content.

Consider, for instance

• use of drama / dramatization - dramatic monologue, role-play, costume, symbolic props
• using images - your own or otherwise
• giving a speech or using speeches
• drawing on your own creative writing
• referring to film or television clips
• using music - your own production or from other sources

Think of the topic first, then the format. You may, for example, be a good actor but this does not necessarily mean that a dramatic performance will be the best means of exploring your topic. Nor should you rush into PowerPoint, unless you are confident that you can use it in an appropriate and effective manner. This means using it as a visual aid to support your talk, not the other way around. The focal point for the presentation should be you, not the screen.

Remember that if you choose a creative option (rather than a formal presentation), make sure to accompany it with a more formal analysis that explores, among other things, the intention behind the creative choice.


Stage 4: Develop a plan

Once you have decided on a topic and the way you intend to present it, you will need to devote sufficient time to organizing and developing your ideas. With 10-15 minutes for the IOP, you need to ensure

•  that there is a sense of development, not just repetition of one or two core ideas
• that the time allocated to each section takes into account the most effective way to engage and sustain the interest of the audience

It is also important to make clear the point(s) you want to make in each section. This means your points amount to more than just description or explanation. You must show ample evidence of your analysis, interpretation and evaluation of the material.  If you are uncertain how to organize your oral presentation, contact us.

Stage 5: Delivery

You will recognise the hallmarks of successful presentations because you have encountered them before, many times.  For this reason, you will know that good presentation technique comprises of the following kinds of elements:

• maintaining eye contact: there are few things less engaging than a talk given by someone who does not look at you 

• knowing your material: if you read verbatim from a sheet or if you learn your talk off by heart, you will automatically adopt a rather artificial register that, once again, will detach you from your audience. Know your material well, but use notes that keep you on track. When in doubt, turn your speech into bullet points, rather than complete sentences. This will make you do a little more work on the day, but will almost certainly improve the sense of engagement with your audience. 

• talking at an appropriate pace: nerves often result in people speeding up and sometimes being hard to follow. Take deep breaths before you start to talk, take time to let points sink in with your audience by including judicious pauses, and above all, ensure that what you are saying makes sense.

How will I be marked?

There are three bands in the marking criteria, each marked out of 10:


A: Knowledge and Understanding

•  How much knowledge and understanding does the student show of the work(s) used in the presentation?

Have you referred in detail to the text - both to particular moments, scenes or events, as well as to quotations? Make sure that all of your points are rooted in evidence. In addition, try to make sure that your presentation demonstrates a variety of ways of thinking about those texts - e.g. elements of description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

B: Presentation

• How much attention has been given to making the delivery effective and appropriate to the presentation? To what extent are strategies used to interest the audience (for example, audibility, eye contact, gesture, effective use of supporting material)?

Keep in mind the points made above about successful presentations i.e. make sure that both what you present and how you present are going to engage and sustain your audience's interest. Try to be varied, clear and confident.


C: Language

• How clear and appropriate is the language? 
• How well is the register and style suited to the choice of presentation? (“Register” refers, in this context, to the student’s use of elements such as vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and terminology appropriate to the presentation.) 

Have you referred in detail to the text - both to particular moments, scenes or events, as well as to quotations?  Make sure that all of your points are rooted in evidence. In addition, try to make sure that your presentation demonstrates a variety of ways of thinking about those texts - e.g. elements of description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation. Keep in mind the points made above about successful presentations i.e. make sure that both what you present and how you present are going to engage and sustain your audience's interest. Try to be varied, clear and confident. Make sure that your language is appropriately formal unless you are adopting an informal register in, for example, a character monologue. To score well in language you do not need to be overly sophisticated; you do need to be clear, precise and consistent.

If you'd like advice about any aspect of the IOP, contact us. New? Use our free trial session to start.