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If you've ever felt puzzled during your Geography exam about what to include in the essay section of any test, you're not alone. I used to be only able to write the introduction with confidence. Though in contrast to those who quit and now face the daunting task of writing three essays in HL History, I learned understand what is expected from a Geography essay, and the errors many students commit:

To begin with, there is no set time for your essay since, if you are in SL, you compose it along with your short-answer questions. The simplest way to address this is by using the 1 mark = 1 minute method. Most Geography essays are worth 10 marks, so you would save about 10 minutes of writing time for the essay.

In HL, during paper 3, similar rules work, but I would allocate more time to the 16 mark essay compared to the 12 mark (25-35 minutes instead of 30-30).

Depending on the question, a Geography essay can be a blend of an argumentative paper and an opinion column or just one of each. You offer various viewpoints on a certain subject or share your personal stance.

Structure distinguishes the various essay types.

A common problem in essays is the way you convey the perspectives. If you think you’re right, you’re wrong (you will understand). Even if you include a paragraph for counter-arguments, you risk making them too brief, which makes it seem like you wrote the viewpoint for the sake of the criterion and lose unnecessary time.

The optimal approach to achieve this is to check the key terms. If the essay prompt starts with "Evaluate," "Explain," or "Analyse," I would write one paragraph in favor of one perspective and another paragraph in favor of opposing viewpoints like this:

Introduction-Argument 1-Argument 2-Conclusion.

If the essay starts with, for instance, "To what extent do you agree with this statement?", this is the point at which you express your views, including two paragraphs backing your position with distinct case studies, along with a paragraph that, at minimum, recognizes a counterargument. Then, provide a response:

Introduction-Your first argument-Your subsequent argument-Counter Argument-Conclusion

That way, you can produce an insightful essay without needing to manually write an EE.

The most essential components in your essay are your examples, your case studies.

Unlike public opinion, it is not necessary to go over every case study in the universe, nor should you create your own. I doubt the examiner would be interested in your cousin in the Galapagos stopping a flash flood with sticks.

Typically, a single Geography essay will require you to use 2 case studies on a subject.

Don’t select any case study. Select one case study that reinforces one viewpoint (or your own) and another that backs the opposing argument.

Furthermore, please don’t write case studies you know nothing about. Don’t be performative, be authentic. I tried this method before and failed miserably at it.

For the courageous HL Geographers, the essays worth 12 and 16 marks have similar structures, but differ in argument:

In the 12 mark essay, instead of presenting arguments about a process, you analyse it, detailing how it occurs and why. You wouldn't argue a viewpoint when discussing globalization, but rather examine its underlying causes and consequences, such as outsourcing. Your essay presents a singular, neutral perspective. It would be similar to an essay with the prompt of "To what extent do you agree with this statement?", except the point you are trying to make is not entirely your own. There are more than two causes and effects to globalization, but I would still choose two.

The 16 mark essay is the final boss of all Geography exams. You need to present a view, consider opposing views, and connect to other units. Since you have three things to cover in your essay and more time than a 10 mark essay, it feels tempting to write a research paper. Actually, your essay may be as straightforward as a 10-mark essay, with adjustments between paragraphs instead of increasing the word count. Remember the PEEL method? L, for link, is commonly employed for "linking" your arguments. You can also connect the argument with other units. You obviously need some understanding of other units, either SL or HL, and you must be creative in your connections. Case studies can enhance the links.

As you have seen, I never suggested writing more but to write better, enhancing the readability of your essay and conveying your message better.

Think smart.

Badara NDiaye

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