IB Geography is offered at both Higher (HL) and Standard Level (SL). For students who would like to further their studies in Geography, Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Land Economy or Urban Studies at university, it is recommended that they take Geography at 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 study 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% 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 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. In addition, we would 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.
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 & 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 and 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.
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. Firstly, you must make sure to answer your question well and stay on topic the whole way through. Then, 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 good 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 if you include some statistical calculations, with correlation, variance, or deviation, etc. you will have more rich data to draw from. It is ideal to have statistics to legitimise and back up the research you conduct. Using numerical and statistical examples to calculate results are good because they are a format that everyone recognises and trusts. Use these results to evaluate and conduct analysis and arrive at a conclusion that supports your research question - overall, your investigation sounds very scientific that way. 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, make sure to express your information in a scientific and measurable way. It is important to have some measurement criteria, or make some up. For example, some students like to look at the effects of urban renewal. These effects may not be immediately quantifiable, but students can solve this problem by splitting up the different aspects of urban renewal, and then thinking of how to measure each one. 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 introduction why you want to set this survey. 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.
Make sure your research question includes the theory that you are using.
State the background theory behind your concept in the introduction. For example, if I examine “to what extent urban temperature will decrease with increasing distance from CBD [Central Business District]”, then the theory I am using is the urban heat island effect. Therefore, I should talk about the urban heat island effect within the introduction. 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 give some explanation for the theory and justify its applicability to your case.
It is also best to use numbers and graphics to illustrate your theory, in the body of your analysis. For example, let’s look back at the urban heat island effect question. Generally, it is good to look at further considerations, such as:
By how many degrees is the temperature in CBD higher than the other districts?
How about compared to other rural areas?
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.
For example, let’s take this hypothesis: Urban temperature will drop with increasing distance from CBD [Central Business District] because traffic count is highest in CBD, spraying out pollutants that trap heat. The interpretation, explanation, and analysis of all your data must subsequently follow this argument.
Of course, you can discuss deviations or talk about unexpected results, but it is crucial to keep referring to your focus (the effect of traffic count) as it relates to the hypothesis. If you talk about other unrelated factors to explain the urban temperature drop, then the whole argument becomes less persuasive. Some examiners may think: “Why are you doing this study? You did not end up testing the hypothesis and the chosen factor you set out to investigate - instead, you talked about an unrelated factor.” So remember to always refer back to your original hypothesis, keep focused, and explain everything well.
Here’s another piece of advice for your analysis. Don’t just give statements - explain why the statement is valid. For example, urban temperature will drop with increasing distance from CBD because of the higher concentrations of traffic flow in CBD. In this way, you can have more than one hypothesis in your IA. 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.
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 which locations you selected, and have several sampling sites if possible. If you’re not sure about exactly how many, ask your teacher for a recommended number specific to your research question.
Talk in detail about the sampling method you chose, and why it is suitable for your sampling location. For example, is it random or systematic sampling? Both options are acceptable, but you must explain what your methods are and why you chose this method.
When you have more than one sample site, it is a good idea to justify the reasoning behind your choice. Some justifications can be quite simple. Perhaps you want more consistency in the results, or you want a more diverse range of sampling locations. 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 less subjective. 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? Such details are important to note.
Lastly, 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 find out if the real temperature changes reflect your statement of 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. You can include this information in your body paragraphs or in your appendix, but it is crucial to clearly state this rationale somewhere in your IA.
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, portray 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
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 elect to 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 and express them in a clear way. Describe the data with graphs, diagrams, or different visual tools - take special care while illustrating the key parts of your graph that can be used to answer your hypothesis. 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.
The result is a correlation scatter diagram: it is very important that all your diagrams are well annotated!
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, 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 see 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 go deeper into detail with the numbers and sort your data points. There is no need to name each point, but try to categorise which places are higher and which are lower (that shows your spatial sense), and point out the differences (using percentages, mean, standard deviation, etc.). Use a scientifically accepted method to explain your numbers. 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 and valuable pieces of 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 first. How is it negative, and why is it negative? 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 now becomes extremely useful. Don’t focus in detail on the data but just use it as a way 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 from 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 negative 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. To sufficiently take note of these exceptional cases, it’s good to find a sampler. This means that if you have 10 locations, choose 1 very representative outlier to speak about. This is enough!
Of course, you must 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. Such details are very important to include in your analysis.
To summarise, Criterion C refers to how you use 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.
For each hypothesis, use one paragraph to describe the results and then use 2-3 paragraphs to explain the reasons behind the results, and address outliers. 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, and restate your answer 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 first state “To a large extent, this relationship is valid. Urban temperature does drop with increasing distance from the CBD.” This part is very important, because it ties all your analysis and calculations together.
Address your primary 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”.
Then address your secondary hypothesis. 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. Like Criterion E: Conclusion, this part is also worth 0-2 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 no repeats or overlaps, and very wide distances between them. This results in a more balanced study with less error.
Timing: This is a common weakness that is easy to talk about.
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 affected the study.
For example, taking temperature data in the evening during the coldest hours results in poor data accuracy, undermining the validity of the research. 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.
Presentation format/style: Is there room for improvement in the way you actually presented your research and analysis? Could you be more clear/concise/neat?
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 included a strength, two weaknesses, and detailed solutions for an extended study to make it 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 locations you used to answer the research question, make sure to discuss why you did it in this way, and how it helps with the good quality of your research. Then, you can assess ways to make it even better.
Most students who are unaware that they must include such detailed reflections end up writing weak reflections. Make sure to know the expectations so you can fulfil them well.
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.
