Every Resource You Need to Succeed in IB Global Politics
Guides, model answers, practice questions, and frameworks — all structured around the IB assessment criteria and organised by component.
Source Analysis & Core Concept Application
Paper 1 tests four distinct question types — from describing what a source shows to evaluating its value and limitations. Every resource here teaches you how to approach each type and how to apply the four core concepts (power, sovereignty, legitimacy, interdependence) directly to source material.
Paper 1 Complete Study Guide
A complete walkthrough of Paper 1 — the four question types, how marks are distributed across them, what examiners reward at each mark band, and a structured method for approaching each question. Includes a clear guide to applying the four core concepts to source material. The essential starting point before any timed practice.
- Q1–Q4 question type breakdown with mark allocation
- Four core concept application guide with source examples
- Response structure templates per question type
- Annotated mark-band exemplars showing what evaluation looks like
Paper 1 Complete Guide
The essential foundation for every IB GP student
Power & Sovereignty — Core Concept Application Guide
A detailed guide to applying two of the four core concepts in Paper 1 source responses. Shows how to move beyond identifying that power or sovereignty is present, to explaining what the source reveals about how they operate — the distinction that separates middle from top mark bands.
Legitimacy & Interdependence — Core Concept Application Guide
A focused guide to applying the remaining two core concepts — legitimacy and interdependence — across different source types. Covers the most common misconceptions: students often describe interdependence without explaining why it matters politically, or assert legitimacy without tying it to the source evidence.
10 Timed Paper 1 Practice Sets — Q1 to Q4 with Model Answers
Ten full timed practice sets covering all four question types. Each set includes a source stimulus, student model response, and a mark-band breakdown explaining why the response sits where it does — so you can self-assess accurately, not just check answers. All 10 sets now available — covering all four IB Global Politics themes: Climate, Human Rights (×3), Peace & Conflict (×3), Development (×2), and Environment (×2).
Q4 Source Evaluation — The OPCVL Guide
A complete guide to the highest-mark question in Paper 1. Covers what Q4 actually asks, all five OPCVL elements with worked examples, the three levels of response (Grades 4–5, 5–6, and 7), and five common mistakes that cost marks.
Source Types Guide — How to Read Each Source Analytically
Six source types appear in Paper 1 — political speeches, statistical data, news reports, international documents, NGO reports, and personal testimony. This guide explains what each type reveals, what its typical limitations are, and what analytical questions to ask every time.
Q3 Source Comparison — How to Compare at Three Levels
Most Q3 responses earn middle marks because they list what each source says separately rather than comparing them. This guide teaches integrated comparison — sentence stems, three-level comparison method, and a full worked example across two COP28 sources.
Practice Set 2 — Human Rights, Sovereignty & Accountability
A second full practice set on the Human Rights theme. Two contrasting sources (UN Special Adviser on R2P and Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Q1–Q4 questions, and model answers showing how OPCVL applies to government and international institution sources.
Analytical Response Writing — Argument, Evidence, Evaluation
Paper 2 rewards students who argue, not just those who explain. Every resource here teaches the Point → Evidence → Explanation → Link → Evaluation method, shows how to integrate real-world case studies as analytical tools, and develops the evaluative thinking the top mark bands require.
Paper 2 Model Response — Human Rights, Migration & Sovereignty
A full top-band model analytical response on human rights and migration, with detailed mark-band commentary. Shows how to construct a focused argument, use case studies (including the Rohingya crisis and EU migration governance) as evidence, and reach evaluation — not just explanation — in every paragraph.
Paper 2 Writing Method: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link, Evaluation
A step-by-step framework for planning and writing Paper 2 analytical responses under timed conditions. Covers how to write an introduction that establishes a clear line of argument, how to build body paragraphs that evaluate rather than just explain, how to use a counterargument effectively, and how to write a conclusion that directly answers the question.
Case Study Bank — All Four Themes & Core Concepts
A curated bank of contemporary case studies across Peace and Conflict, Human Rights, Development and Sustainability, and Environment — each mapped to the relevant core concepts. Includes Russia–Ukraine, the Paris Agreement, Belt and Road, Black Lives Matter, and more. Structured so you can deploy evidence precisely, not just drop names.
Grade 7 Model Response — Human Rights, Accountability & Sovereignty
A second fully annotated top-band response. Covers the ICC's Putin arrest warrant, the Rohingya crisis, and the asymmetry of institutional effectiveness — with PEELE breakdown and examiner commentary on every paragraph.
Essay Plans — All Four Themes, Eight Questions
Pre-built essay plans for the most common Paper 2 question types across Peace & Conflict, Human Rights, Development, and Environment. Each plan includes the three-paragraph argument, the evidence to use, and the counterargument — ready to adapt in five minutes.
Paper 2 Timed Practice Set — 3 Questions with Model Answers
Three full exam-style Paper 2 questions covering Peace & Conflict, Human Rights, and Environment — each with a complete model answer, mark-band commentary, and a self-assessment grid.
Political Issue → Real Engagement → Analytical Reflection
The EA has three components the criteria assess: a focused political issue, genuine engagement in a real political context, and reflective analysis using the core concepts. Most students struggle because they describe their engagement rather than analysing it. This program removes that ambiguity — criterion by criterion.
EA Topic Selection Checklist — Is Your Issue Genuinely Political?
The most common EA problem begins at topic selection: broad issues, topics without a clear political dimension, or engagement that amounts to only reading articles. This checklist walks you through the IB requirements so you can evaluate your idea before committing — and avoid the most costly mistake before the work begins.
Political Engagement Planning — What Counts and How to Document It
Genuine engagement means direct contact with the political world — interviews with stakeholders, attending events, participating in campaigns or advocacy, speaking with NGOs or political actors. This framework shows you how to plan that engagement, document it meaningfully, and connect it to your conceptual reflection in the written report.
EA Written Report — Reflective Analysis, Not Just Description
The written report must do more than describe what you did. It must analyse the political issue through the core concepts, reflect on what your engagement revealed, and acknowledge limitations honestly. This guide covers every section of the report against the criteria, with a full model report annotated to show what each mark band looks like in practice.
Start Here — No Account Required
Four essential resources, completely free. Download them now and start building your foundation immediately.
Paper 1 Complete Study Guide
The essential overview of Paper 1 — assessment criteria, source types, response structure, and mark band examples.
Model Essay — Sovereignty Under Threat (Grade 7)
A fully annotated grade-7 Paper 2 essay on sovereignty, the BRI, and Russia–Ukraine — with PEELE breakdown and examiner commentary.
EA Topic Selection Checklist
Before you commit to a topic, use this checklist. It covers the IB requirements and most common reasons topics are rejected or lose marks.
How to Use These Resources Effectively
A structured approach — from your first session to your final exam.
Download the free Paper 1 guide and the Paper 2 model response. Before touching any practice questions, understand the four core concepts — power, sovereignty, legitimacy, interdependence — and how they are used as analytical tools, not just labels.
Decide whether Paper 1, Paper 2, or your EA needs the most work. Focus your first two weeks there — not everywhere at once.
Explanation can reach a middle mark band. Evaluation pushes toward the top. Read every model response actively — ask yourself where the student moves from explaining what happened to judging why it matters and what it limits.
Use practice sets with the timer running. When you review your response, do not just check whether your answer is broadly correct. Ask: Did I use a concept analytically? Did I use a real case study as evidence? Did I answer the question directly? Did I evaluate, not just explain?
Ready to Go Beyond the Free Resources?
Unlock every guide, model answer, practice set, and the complete EA program with Full Access.
14-day money-back guarantee. Cancel anytime.