Mr Olli-Pekka Heinonen started his tenure as the eighth Director General of the International Baccalaureate (IB) in May 2021.

There are four assessment objectives (AOs) for the SL and HL Diploma Programme geography course

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified content

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the core theme—patterns and change
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of two optional themes at SL and three optional themes at HL
• At HL only, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the HL extension—global interactions
• In internal assessment, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a specific geographic research topic

2. Demonstrate application and analysis of knowledge and understanding

• Apply and analyse geographic concepts and theories
• Identify and interpret geographic patterns and processes in unfamiliar information, data and cartographic material
• Demonstrate the extent to which theories and concepts are recognized and understood in particular contexts

3. Demonstrate synthesis and evaluation

• Examine and evaluate geographic concepts, theories and perceptions
• Use geographic concepts and examples to formulate and present an argument
• Evaluate materials using methodology appropriate for geographic fieldwork
• At HL only, demonstrate synthesis and evaluation of the HL extension–global interactions

4. Select, use and apply a variety of appropriate skills and techniques

• Select, use and apply the prescribed geographic skills in appropriate contexts
• Produce well‑structured written material, using appropriate terminology
• Select, use and apply techniques and skills appropriate to a geographic research question

Further guidance on IB approaches

Use of case studies and examples
Case studies and examples must be used where appropriate to illustrate content.
A case study is a detailed, located example for discussion or a discursive approach. Ideally, case studies
selected should be recent; that is, they should have occurred within the student’s lifetime and should not
be historical. The use of historical case studies could lead to students losing marks. For example, using the
destruction of Pompeii as an example of volcanic destruction is not recommended.

Geographic models
Students can study models to illustrate concepts relevant to particular topics but examination questions will
not require students to have prior knowledge of any specific model.

Use of maps and diagrams
Students are expected to include well‑drawn, large, relevant maps, sketches, tables and diagrams as often
as applicable. Only metric maps will be used for examinations.

Annotated maps
Examination questions frequently refer to “annotated maps”. Annotating maps requires students to include
comments on the map itself and to place these comments in the relevant locations. Comments must not be
written separately below the map.

Use of calculators
Calculators are not allowed in IB geography examinations.