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IB Geography Paper 2: Core, Infographic and Essay
Geography: the time split is the mark scheme
Paper 2 tests the Global Change core: Section A three questions for 30 marks, Section B an infographic for 10 and Section C an essay for 10, with the same paper at SL and HL. The marks turn on the time split – 35 minutes for Section A, 10 to 15 for the infographic, 20 to 25 for an essay with a definition, both sides and a named case.
How is IB Geography Paper 2 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 1 (Themes): SL two questions/40 marks; HL three/60 marks (SL 35% / HL 35%); Paper 2 (Core: Global Change): Section A three questions 30 marks, Section B infographic 10, Section (SL 40% / HL 25%); Paper 3 (HL only): HL extension: global interactions, 28 marks (a 12 + b 16) (HL 20%)
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Themes) | SL two questions/40 marks; HL three/60 marks | SL 35% / HL 35% | SL 1 h 30 min / HL 2 h 15 min |
| Paper 2 (Core: Global Change) | Section A three questions 30 marks, Section B infographic 10, Section C essay 10 (same paper at SL and HL) | SL 40% / HL 25% | 1 h 15 min |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | HL extension: global interactions, 28 marks (a 12 + b 16) | HL 20% | 1 h |
IB Geography Paper 2 technique: about 10-12 minutes per Section A question (10 marks means roughly ten points, and calculations must show the working and the units); in Section B read the title, units and legend first and answer evaluation questions as usefulness, limits, then judgement; the 10-mark Section C essay needs a definition, both sides, a named case study and an explicit conclusion. Inside 1 h 15 min: 35 minutes on A, 15 on B, 25 on C.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Themes) | optional themes (two of seven at SL) | An essay on Paper 1 describes without a named case or a clear position, so the evaluation marks never arrive. |
| Paper 2 (Core: Global Change) | core: population, climate, resources | Section B reads the numbers but not the title, units and key, so the answer heads the wrong way from the first line. |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | HL extension: power, places and networks | An SL candidate spends time on Paper 3, squeezing the 35 minutes Section A needs, and neither part becomes secure. |
What is each IB Geography Paper 2 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 1 (Themes): optional themes (two of seven at SL); Paper 2 (Core: Global Change): core: population, climate, resources; Paper 3 (HL only): HL extension: power, places and networks
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
Should drilling go by topic first or by year?
By topic first, then whole papers by year, then the mark scheme. The first third of the time goes topic by topic (8-10 years of the same topic back to back), the middle switches to timed whole papers, and the last fortnight only redoes the recurring errors from your log.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Weeks 1-3: population. One definition, one named case and one set of figures per concept.
Weeks 4-6: climate. Keep risk, vulnerability and adaptation in three columns; evaluation covers use, limits and a judgement.
Weeks 7-9: resources and their link to Global Change. Drill the infographic: title, units, key, trend, anomaly.
Weeks 10-12: whole papers to time at 35, 15 and 25 minutes; redo only the answers that ran short of points.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Themes) | SL 1 h 30 min / HL 2 h 15 min | about 45 min per question |
| Paper 2 (Core: Global Change) | 1 h 15 min | Section A 35 min, B 10-15 min, C 20-25 min |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | 1 h | both parts inside 1 h |
How should the time be split inside each IB Geography Paper 2 paper?
Paper 1 (Themes): about 45 min per question; Paper 2 (Core: Global Change): Section A 35 min, B 10-15 min, C 20-25 min; Paper 3 (HL only): both parts inside 1 h
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formulas without numbers | Quoting the footprint formula | Loses both method and answer marks | show the working, the substitution and the units |
| Answers without units | Writing 14,400 alone | Marked as incomplete | give 14,400 people, 6.0 per 1,000, 174 million gha |
| Section B describes only | Copying the percentages | Only 1-2 of the 4 evaluation marks | usefulness, then limits, then a judgement |
| Essays with no named case | Generic theory only | Caps the top-band marks | one named case with data per argument |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: the question and how many points were written, the scheme key words (definition, named case, by comparison, use and limits, judgement), and whether the loss was the count, the case or the judgement. Point counts deserve their own tally – they are the most underrated.
How many years should you drill?
The current Paper 2 is bounded by the core units, and older papers arrange and phrase them differently, so do not drill them wholesale. Three to five years fix the rhythm of Sections A, B and C; the official specimen covers newer question types.
How many years of past papers is enough?
The current Paper 2 is bounded by the core units, and older papers arrange and phrase them differently, so do not drill them wholesale. Three to five years fix the rhythm of Sections A, B and C; the official specimen covers newer question types.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB Geography Paper 2 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the IB Geography Paper 2 mock papers linked under Related.
By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.
How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.
How many points does a ten-mark question need?
About ten, one sentence each, two where possible. List them before writing prose; a paragraph started too early runs out of time halfway.
Should an SL candidate practise Paper 3?
No – Paper 3 is HL only. SL time belongs to Sections A and C of Paper 2, which carry most of the paper.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IB Geography subject page (IBO) | Confirm the times, marks and weightings for Papers 1-3 |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-geography-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IB Geography Paper 1 drilling mock (optional themes) |
Related: practice area · IB Geography Paper 3 drilling mock (HL) · IB Geography Paper 1 drilling mock · IB History Paper 1 mock · IB Geography drilling guide
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
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