IB Geography is offered at both Higher (HL) and Standard Level (SL). For students who would like to further their studies in Geography, Sustainable Development, Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Land Economy or Urban Studies at university, it is recommended that they take Geography at a higher level.
How to get a 7 in IB Geography?
IB Geography focuses heavily on application. To do well, students shall be able to memorize multiple detailed case studies from different countries, and be able to see the theoretical underpinnings of the geographical topics. In addition, students need to observe the connections between different topics and synthesize materials from a range of topical materials and case studies to tackle the essay based questions. Omissions when answering is a common weakness, as students do not know how buzzwords (e.g. development level, disparities, financial flows, cultural traits) used in questions could be broken down and tackled systematically.
Moreover, the Geography IA (the field-trip report) composes of 20% (HL) or 25% (SL) of the total grade. Students need to structure their report and organize and present their field-trip data effectively. Effective use of map and field-trip evidence to address the research question is also crucial.
To improve on IB Geography, students shall read news and books on latest environmental, development and geo-political issues, develop a list of glossary for each topic, digest the respective definitions and use the concepts effectively in exams, and do more past paper drills.
How CANA coaches students to achieve a 7 in IB Geography
In CANA’s IB Geography lessons and courses, we:
focus on explaining the key theoretical underpinnings and clarifying commonly over-looked/ mis-understood concepts of each topic, and studying how theoretical concepts could be used effectively in past paper questions.
replace the lengthy list of case studies into a management list. The case studies used are mostly recent cases that students can relate to. Students will also be taught how to use succinct case study details for multiple topics in structured questions and essay questions.
provide exam style practices addressing students’ weaknesses.
Tutors at CANA are experienced in providing guidance for Geography IA (field trip report). We help students plan their field-trip data collection, and assist students to develop an effective analytical and presentation framework for their field-trip reports. We would also use exemplar questions and field-trip reports to show expected standards of the Geography IA.
Commonly Asked Questions
Students often ask for research question ideas on their EE (Extended Essay). Realistically, a good EE research question/ topic should be appropriately designed so that you would be able to 1) gather meaningful primary and/or secondary data if needed through feasible data collection methods, 2) be able to scope things like the interpretation of the data, analysis and evaluation of the data / events within the 4,000-word limit, 3) stay focused on a few specific concepts of the broader geographical theories.
Here are some sample Geography EE research questions:
How has the urban renewal project in the CBD of (a place) changed the land use pattern and living standard there? (Option G)
What are the varied impacts of climate change in (names of two distinctive places)? (Unit 2)
To what extent is sustainable tourism in (a special tourist destination or a city) successful? (Option E)
How far does the farm programmes in (a place) improve food supply there? (Option F)
To what extent does city development and coastal protection work in (a place) change the coastline there? (Option B)
Here are some sample IB Geography sample IA topics
To what extent does the land value of (a place) decrease with an increasing distance from the PLVI? (Option G)
To what extent does temperature/ air pollution/ traffic congestion decrease with an increasing distance from CBD of (a place)? (Option G)
To what extent does (a tourist destination in a named city) comply with the Butler Model? (Option F)
To what extent does velocity/ discharge increase with an increasing distance from the river source in (river name and city name)? (Option A)
To what extent does sediment size increase from an increasing distance from the coastline of the beach in(a place)? (Option B)
Conducting an IB Geography IA involves doing a fieldwork investigation and then writing a report of what you found out. It is similar to the kinds of research papers that you might get in university, and the assessment criteria are strict but very specific and helpful. You should structure your investigation in a clear and logical way. Moreover, everything that you include in the IA should be relevant to your investigation’s aims.
Here are some pieces of advice to consider when starting your planning process:
Be specific in your research question
Set yourself up for an easier time by choosing a specific and clear research question. Throughout the IB Geography course, you will learn a wide range of diverse concepts, from urbanisation to flooding, etc. Be decisive with what you want to investigate and avoid being wishy-washy or vague in your question.
You can begin thinking from general concepts but crucially, you need a specific focus so people can tell right away what you want to investigate. For example, if your question is: “What are the factors affecting urbanisation?” then that is too broad of a concept. Instead, clarify by asking: “What are the human factors affecting urbanisation rates in X location?” or “What are the social factors affecting X urbanisation element in X location?” In these examples, you can see the big concept but also the specific factor that your investigation focuses on. You can also see where this study is located, which gives clear geographical context.
Overall, make sure the focus and scope of your argument is clear and easily identifiable.
Go for quantitative or measurable topics
There’s no rule against conducting a qualitative investigation for Geography, but it will be good if you include some statistical calculations, with correlation, variance, or deviation, etc. and have statistics to legitimise and back up the research you conduct. Numerical and statistical calculations are also credible ways of data analysis to arrive at a conclusion. Numbers and statistically based analysis can also lead to more persuasive findings, because numbers don’t lie (at least in theory).
Advice on qualitative topics
If you are determined to pursue a qualitative topic, it is important to have some measurement criteria for hypothesis testing. For example, some students like to look at the effects of urban renewal, and then develop criteria that are quantifiable. Let’s say one of the aspects was street cleanliness - a student could make up a survey with ratings from 1-5, and assign each street a score. Even though this doesn’t give you statistical data, you’ll still have numbers to express how high or low something rates.
Students might then consider: What method should I use to define the terms of this survey? Won’t it all be very subjective? True, but this is why you should explain at the methodology part (Criterion B) why you think the survey is suitable. To decide what structure or reasoning you want to use in the survey, conduct some background research and look at previous studies that used similar methods or examined a similar question. This helps give ideas on what variables or factors you could measure.
Either way, you can pursue a qualitative topic but you must have a way to grade your qualitative analysis in order to have clear results.
Lastly, just remember these two pieces of advice for a good start to your Geography IA:
Narrow your investigation down to something focused and specific, and make it very clear in your research question.
Your research question must lead to measurable results, whether it is quantitative or qualitative.
To fulfil Criterion A in your Geography IA, there are several requirements to consider. These requirements should be addressed clearly in your introduction, hypothesis statement, and the body of your analysis.
Context and theory
State your geographic context clearly. It is best to give a full scale locational map to give your examiner an approximate idea of where it is located - don’t assume that they will already know what location you are talking about. It is not advised that students only give screencaps, or zoom in too much into the specific location on their map.
State the background theory behind your concept in the introduction. It is the theoretical ground for forming your hypotheses. For example, if I examine “to what extent urban temperature will decrease with increasing distance from CBD, then the theory I am using is the urban heat island effect. Therefore, I should mention its definition, and explain how it will manifest as a phenomenon - perhaps due to the build-up environment, or because of traffic count, etc. You only need a few sentences, but it is crucial to explain the theory and justify its applicability to your case. You may consider supplementing the explanation with graphs.
Using these deeper considerations proves to the examiner that the student’s knowledge and understanding of theory is confident and comprehensive, rather than superficial.
Keep focused on your hypothesis
The explanation of your hypothesis statement is very important, because every following section of your study must link clearly back to it in order to create an effective and consistent study. Make sure your hypothesis is phrased well and justified.
For example, let’s take this hypothesis: Urban temperature will drop with increasing distance from CBD because traffic count is highest in CBD, spraying out pollutants that trap heat. The interpretation, explanation, and analysis of all your data must subsequently be framed to examine whether the hypothesis is valid. Don’t be too descriptive and make sure that your hypothesis is justified (e.g. traffic count being highest in CBD introduced as a factor leading to a higher temperature in CBD).
Some students have 1 primary and 2 secondary hypotheses, and some students have 2 parallel, equally important hypotheses. No matter what option you choose, all the hypotheses must help you to successfully and coherently answer the research question, and shall be measurable (could be both quantitative and qualitative attributes, depending on the research question. For example, traffic stated above as the measurable variables, or air pollutants, wind speed, building height etc. - any variables related to urban heat island effect).
In the Geography IA requirements, Criterion B refers to methods of investigation. This section is fairly straightforward to address and doesn’t require any in-depth analysis. It does, however, require you to justify exactly why you set the fieldwork study in this way and why you need this data, and explain how you collected the data. Here are some tips on how to address these areas.
How did you collect the data?
Clearly state and justify which locations you selected, and have several sampling sites if possible.
Talk in detail about the sampling method you chose, and why it is suitable for your sampling location. Random, systematic or stratified sampling strategies are acceptable, but you must explain what your methods are and why you chose this method.
For example, let's take the previous research question: To what extent urban temperature will drop with increasing distance from CBD. For such a question, a student would collect data from the Central Business District, but might also select farther, non-CBD locations. A potential criteria for locations might be systematic - every 500 metres farther from the CBD, a sample will be taken. This is the systematic sampling style, and this method is usually more consistent and allows trend analysis. It is also beneficial because it already offers a system for choosing data points.
Be visual! Use a table to document all your research methods and data collection methods. Remember to include pictures to illustrate what kind of tools and equipment you used.
Another important element to include is: how did you use the equipment and what kind of data were you collecting? It is vital to make this obvious in your report. For example if you were collecting temperature data, you must state what units you are using. Also, where did you collect it - at the MTR entrances, or on the street walking every 10 steps or every 10 metres? Did you take a single sample at every location or did you take 3 samples per location and take the average result to eliminate the impact of extreme data? Such details are important to note.
Also, explain why you used this specific method for data collection. You may explain it on the basis of ensuring greater data consistency or reducing errors. For example, a student might write “I used a thermometer to ensure the greatest accuracy in measuring temperature, rather than using my phone.”
Why do you need this specific data?
Remember to justify your collection of the data and relate it back to your hypothesis and research question. For example, to the collection of temperature data, you might mention that you need to validate the hypothesis “urban temperature drops with increasing distance from CBD”. Basically, you can justify the collection of data if it is relevant to you proving your hypothesis and answering your research question.
Equally, students should also justify their use of certain statistical calculations and formulas, if they are using any. Explain why you need to use these equations, and what the equations are calculating. This is applicable to most quantitative studies. Alternatively, if you are doing a qualitative study, state clearly why you need to conduct a survey, describe what your survey sheet is like, and what your grading criteria are.
If you ask your peers or teacher to review your Geography IA, and they still comment: “After I read all your methods of investigation, I still don’t understand why you need to collect that data”, this is a warning sign. It usually means that you have not explained how the data you collected helps you to answer your research question. This is why it is so important to justify your reasoning behind collecting this particular data, elaborate how your methods will help you to do good research, and explain how the data will help you to answer your research question.
To recap, the methods of data collection and investigation include the following:
State how you collected the data
Justify:
Why you need to collect data using a specific method
Why you need this specific data to answer your question
Follow the above directions and you will complete your Criterion B easily!
In the Geography IA requirements, Criterion C refers to the quality and treatment of information collected and Criterion D refers to written analysis. Most students will group these two categories together into a main section containing approximately 1300 words total.
To do well in this section, it is important to show the sequence of how you processed the data, and drew conclusions from it. When presenting the information you collected, you must explain your findings, express them in a clear way, and make reference to the data presented. Describe the data with graphs, diagrams, or different visual tools. All ways of data presentation must be ‘up to standard’ (e.g. maps with proper legends, scattergram with a trend line).
Graphs and diagrams
For example, let’s say you are investigating the question: “To what extent does urban temperature drop with increasing distance from the Central Business District (CBD)?” Ideally, your treatment of information might look something like this:
First apply Pearson correlation to understand the extent of correlation between distance data and temperature data collected.
Present the result using a scatter diagram.
Clearly list out the sampling sites you have included. For example, if you have 10 sites stretching from Central to Sha Tin, they each need to be named clearly on the diagram.
Add a trend line, which is crucial for your analysis.
Lastly, double check that the xy axis is annotated clearly, and calculate the r value.
The above data processing addresses Criterion C. Make sure to get this first part correct, because the rest of your statistical analysis is dependent on the interpretation of this information! It is also very important to clarify which equation/s you’re using for your analysis under Criterion B, so your readers will know how the raw data is being used.
Categorising and interpreting your data
Now let’s look at the section that covers Criterion D, the written analysis portion. This section is all about the student demonstrating that they have the ability to analyse and draw conclusions from raw data. Begin by first describing your data, e.g. “My results show a weak positive correlation between X and Y ''. Make sure to mention specific data points and numbers!
Organise, categorise and treat your data in a way that shows your knowledge of geography. Taking the previous example question, any non-geography student could expect that
Temperatures are higher in Central
There is a drop in temperature the farther we move away from Central
Temperatures of places like Sha Tin that are further from CBD are lower
However, as a knowledgeable geography student, you must further categorise your data and put forward your insights/ analysis. For example, try to categorise which places are higher and which are lower (that shows your spatial sense), and point out the differences and their extent/ significance (using percentages, mean, standard deviation, etc.). Avoid simple descriptions of what happened and what the numbers are, and instead show that you’ve understood and interpreted this data for your question.
Collecting and using supporting data
While you are collecting your primary data (temperature) during fieldwork, it is good to also collect supporting data. Using our CBD and temperature example, you might also collect data on traffic count, types of buildings and environments, building gaps (how close buildings are to each other), and take photos. All of these are valid supporting data to strengthen your analysis.
In your explanations and analysis, you can use this material to help back up the results you got in your primary data. For example, when we see the results of weak negative correlation - temperature dropping with increasing distance from CBD - we must explain the correlation to support the finding. A possible reason is because traffic count is highest in CBD, while it drops with increasing distance from CBD. The traffic count data that we collected as supporting evidence to validate your primary results, using tables, bar charts, or maps produced by ArcGIS. You can also use several street maps and photos to show the traffic around your chosen locations, or illustrate the kinds of environments.
There are many different ways to present supportive evidence. It is helpful to consider this when you first design your research. Think to yourself: What are other methods that can support my original and most important argument available?
Giving reasons and addressing outliers
After explaining the correlation, you must also explain why it is strong or weak. As with any kind of data collection, you might have outliers that prevent a perfect correlation.
You should describe the outliners (to what extent the data deviates from the identified trends/ patterns) and explain why it is an outlier: What data is there to provide reasons? You might look at land use maps, traffic count, road designs, etc. Perhaps a combination of these factors can cause certain locations to have a higher concentration of cars, and therefore higher recorded temperatures, even if it is far away from the CBD.
To summarise, Criterion C refers to how you consolidate the data and present it through words and graphics, and Criterion D is when you explain what your findings are like, and how and why they are like this.
At the end of each hypothesis-focused paragraph, conclusively state to what extent your hypothesis is proven accepted/correct/valid, and for what reason. Repeat until your Criterion C and D section is done.
Criterion E: Conclusion is only worth a maximum of 2 marks, but students who end up writing unrelated or irrelevant points may fail to earn the full marks, simply because they are confused about the requirements.
The requirements for a Geography IA conclusion are straightforward and simple to fulfil.
Make sure you have answered the research question in the IA in the conclusion. For example, if our research question is: “To what extent does urban temperature drop with increasing distance from the Central Business District (CBD)?” then you must state “To a large extent, this relationship is valid. Urban temperature does drop with increasing distance from the CBD.”
Address your hypothesis again. State what kind of relationship you have found, e.g. a weak negative correlation. This applies no matter whether your research was based on quantitative statistics or qualitative information.
Give a few words on the primary reasons behind these results you ended up with, e.g. “This investigation reveals that traffic count is the most significant factor behind higher temperatures in CBD, because of the exhaust they give out, and the high concentrations of traffic flow in CBD”.
Repeat the above for all hypotheses. Make sure the reasons supporting the key findings are provided.
Most importantly, do not add new points but just summarise what you have previously discussed. Aim to be clear and concise. Fulfilling these requirements, getting full marks for Criterion E should be a breeze!
Criterion F focuses on the student’s ability to self-reflect, and is often overlooked but very important. To fulfil this part, students must reflect back on the entire study, point out the strengths and weaknesses, and discuss the extent that they addressed the research question to its full potential. The part is worth 3 marks, and many students are unable to get full marks because they haven’t addressed it well enough. Here are some tips to ace Criterion F!
Firstly, we recommend that you discuss 1 strength and 2 weaknesses, and suggest potential improvements that you could make in an extended version of your study. Most strengths and weaknesses fall under the following categories.
Data collection methods: Have you used the tools and equipment accurately? Are there possible errors or room for improvement? This can be applied whether it is raw data or not.
Location choices: Did you use enough sampling locations? If you used only 10 locations, you might suggest that a better investigation would include more. Using the example from the previous criterion, you might also suggest that including even more remote locations - such as a country park - away from the CBD may improve the results and reduce chances of statistical errors. The lack of diverse sampling locations is a common issue for fieldwork conducted in Hong Kong, so this may be a good point to consider.
Sampling methods: If you used systematic sampling in the methodology, this might be a strength you can mention e.g. you chose 10 locations with fixed intervals between the locations and no repeats or overlaps. This results in a more balanced study with less error.
Timing: Let’s say that your data collection is insufficient because the data was not taken at peak hours, or was taken during the coldest time of the day rather than the hottest. You then must discuss in detail how this undermined the data reliability. You would then propose an improvement, e.g. all temperature data should be collected at noon, on 10 consecutive days. This would reduce the previous problem and increase the accuracy of the study’s results.
Limitations of a short study: Consider ways that you could improve the study if you just had more time and resources for it. E.g. if you could take a whole year to do your IA, you could measure results once in the winter and once in the summer. Or, you could take a set of data in the daytime and another set in the nighttime. You would then have two sets of temperature data to compare, to see whether the temperature drop is always true no matter the conditions/timing.
Overall, make sure you have full coverage of strengths, weaknesses and suggestions on the extended studies to make this part more inclusive or comprehensive. When you point out a weakness, make sure to talk about how it weakens your analysis, offer a solution, and explain how the solution actually helps you to improve the study. When you discuss the strength of your methods or sampling locations, make sure to discuss why you did it in this way, and how it helps with the good quality of your research.
Here at CANA Elite, we truly believe that every student is unique and has the potential to reach their goals with the right guidance. Academic excellence is derived from both passionate teachers and eager students. That is why we provide a unique learning experience tailored to each individual student. Named after the location of the first miracle in the Bible, we hope CANA elite can be the place of miracles for all our students, allowing them to achieve their dreams.
