All Geography guides

Geography IA Criteria Guide

Turn a focused fieldwork question into evidence-rich analysis and evaluation.

Use this guide to keep the geographic context clear, the method justified, and the findings connected to the question.

Assessment criteria

What each criterion measures, how many marks it carries, and what stronger evidence usually looks like.

Criterion names, marks and mark bands follow the IB subject guide. The band descriptions are our own summaries, so check your subject guide for the exact wording.

Criterion A: Fieldwork question and geographic context (3 marks)

How focused and geographical your fieldwork question is, how it links to theory, and how well your maps show the location.

Stronger evidence
A focused geographical question with a precise location, a described link to theory that allows hypotheses, and maps that follow conventions.
Early-stage evidence
The question is not a proper geographical question, is too broad, lacks a location, or cannot use primary data; the map is missing or unsuitable.

Criterion B: Method(s) of investigation (3 marks)

How well you describe your methods and explain why the data they collect is relevant, and whether you use them correctly.

Stronger evidence
Methods are described with a clear explanation of how the data fits the theory, question, or hypotheses; correct use of instruments and sampling gives reliable primary data.
Early-stage evidence
Methods are listed or vague, may not collect enough relevant data, and instruments or sampling are not used correctly.

Criterion C: Quality and treatment of information collected (6 marks)

How relevant and sufficient your data is, and how well you present it.

Stronger evidence
All data is relevant and sufficient for full analysis, the best presentation techniques are used, and conventions are followed.
Early-stage evidence
Much of the data is irrelevant or insufficient, presentation techniques do not suit it, and graphs or tables often break conventions.

Criterion D: Written analysis (8 marks)

How well your analysis explains the data and links it to the question, hypotheses, theory, location, and methods.

Stronger evidence
Suitable descriptive and statistical techniques (with confidence levels where relevant); trends, statistics, and anomalies are explained and linked to the question, theory, location, and methods; the question can be answered with at most minor gaps.
Early-stage evidence
Some descriptive techniques are unsuitable, data is outlined without linking it to the question, and only obvious trends are listed.

Criterion E: Conclusion (2 marks)

Whether you reach a clear conclusion to the fieldwork question that the analysis supports.

Stronger evidence
A clear conclusion is given, supported by the analysis.
Early-stage evidence
A conclusion is given, partly supported by the analysis.

Criterion F: Evaluation (3 marks)

How well you explain the strengths and weaknesses of your investigation and the likely impact of improvements.

Stronger evidence
The most relevant strengths and weaknesses of methods, question, data presentation, and location are explained, with improvements and their likely impact.
Early-stage evidence
Strengths, weaknesses, and improvements are listed but are mostly superficial or irrelevant.

Mark bands

Want to know where your IA sits in these bands? Upload your draft and get a mark for each criterion.

Grade my IA

How to build it

Most weak drafts fail on order, not on ideas.

  1. 1

    Formulate a precise question

    Make sure the question is geographic, location-specific, and answerable with primary data.

  2. 2

    Justify the methods

    Explain why the chosen collection methods and sampling choices are appropriate to the question.

  3. 3

    Present clean information

    Use the most suitable graphs, tables, and figures so the data is easy to interpret and compare.

  4. 4

    Evaluate the investigation

    Balance strengths, weaknesses, and improvements so the conclusion feels earned by the evidence.

Before you submit

  • The fieldwork question is specific and clearly linked to geographic theory.
  • The methods are described and justified with the data they produce in mind.
  • The analysis is explicit, descriptive where needed, and evidence-based.
  • The evaluation is specific and tied to the investigation choices you actually made.

Quick wins

  • Write the geographic context paragraph before collecting data so the scope stays tight.
  • Check every figure for labels, titles, and usefulness before inserting it.
  • Add a short sentence after each result explaining how it answers the question.

Turn Fieldwork Criteria Into A Strong Draft

Marksy grades your geography IA draft against IB criteria and helps you tighten the analysis, evaluation, and presentation. The result includes a mark for every criterion, evidence from your draft, and the changes to make first.

Start IA GradingSee Pricing
  1. 1

    Upload your IA draft as a PDF

  2. 2

    Get a mark and feedback for every IA criterion

  3. 3

    Revise and grade the new version

A mark for every criterion
A mark for every criterionSee where the draft is now, criterion by criterion.
Comments on your sentences
Comments on your sentencesEach comment points at the passage it is about.
What to fix first
What to fix firstConcrete next edits instead of "improve your analysis".