GEOGRAPHY

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Choice of topic

The essay topic may relate to an area of the Diploma Programme geography course, but this is not a requirement. Students can also explore other areas of the wider subject, such as how global issues can be examined through the lens of geography.

Methodology

Students can approach their topic by undertaking primary research, or they can base their research on published data from sources such as a census, weather records, the World Bank, or the United Nations. Both approaches are equally acceptable. It is important that there is a strong component of data in secondary sources used so that spatial patterns can be mapped, and statistical tests applied. Literature review (the reading and analysis of published text) is also an important dimension of geographical research, but this is not the only source an essay should draw from, as data analysis is essential. Students are advised to avoid writing essays of a general nature based on academic written materials other than data that can be analysed and evaluated.

Investigations carried out at a local scale can help students to engage with their topic because:

• they demonstrate connections between the subject and local manifestations and instances

• their narrow focus discourages an over-reliance on published texts and/or images and encourages original research based on primary and/or secondary data

• students become more involved when investigating in a familiar location.

Students should focus on individual research and avoid approaches involving group fieldwork data collection. They must not view the EE as simply an extended piece of fieldwork.

Students must provide information on the methodology they have used. Any primary data must be collected by students themselves and it should be of high quality. It is vital that the investigation is tailored closely to the research question and shows evidence of careful planning.

Students will be assessed for their skills of analysis rather than techniques of data collection and processing. For the EE, the emphasis should be on:

• written analysis

• data interpretation

• discussion

• critical evaluation

• the development of a coherent, reasoned argument.

Resources

Appropriate resources for an EE in geography include:

• primary data/secondary data

• academic literature

• quantitative and qualitative information

• books, newspapers and magazines

• interviews and/or questionnaires

• sources accessed via the internet

• maps

• aerial photographs and satellite images

• digital landscape simulations

• videos

• GIS

• diagrams and models.

Students should analyse their data using appropriate quantitative, statistical, graphical or qualitative techniques and the findings should be critically evaluated.

Illustrations and maps

It is essential that a geography EE be supported by appropriate illustrative graphical material, such as diagrams, maps, tables, images and graphs. Students must acknowledge the sources for each.

Maps

• Locational context is always best introduced through maps.

• All maps should give an indication of orientation and scale, and include a legend or key.

• Students should clearly reference all maps used and give the source of any base maps they have not constructed themselves.

The use of scanned maps or satellite images, or those that are downloaded in unaltered form, is rarely effective and provides little evidence of students’ map skills. However, students are encouraged to modify or adapt such images.

Students are encouraged to include:

• sketch maps

• labelled or annotated diagrams

• maps they have constructed with the data gathered.

If students draw maps using computer software, they should state the proprietary program used. Hand-drawn maps should be neat and clear, and employ standard map conventions.

Images or photographs

Images or photographs should only be used if they are essential illustrative components of the essay, ie not just decoration.

Students should explain the feature(s) an image or photograph is intended to illustrate. Each should be:

• oriented

• sourced

• labelled, annotated or captioned.