From the Global Politics Guide: The first question tests understanding of a source. This can be demonstrated, for example, by identifying the main political issue or viewpoint expressed in a particular written source or by describing the political information in a visual or table-based source.

Question 1 tests Assessment Objective 1 (AO1): Knowledge and Understanding, in particular, understanding of source material. The command terms you're likely to find in question 1 are: "identify" or "describe", though it is possible to also see "outline" or "define".

Question 1 can be asked with reference to an image, chart, graph, political cartoon, or excerpt of text. Historically, it has been a visual but that doesn't mean it couldn't be on the basis of a written component in the future. Don't count on Source 1 being of a particular type.

Definitions of the command terms used in Q1

Describe – give a detailed account

Define – Give the precise meaning of word, concept, phrase, or physical quantity

Identify – Provide an answer from a number of possibilities

Outline – Give a brief account or summary

1. Highlight the important words from the question. 

2. Look for the answer from the source or something that the source highlights more generally. 

3. Whether you make a direct reference or draw an inference or deduce something from the photo, if you make a reasonable connection between the photo and your point, you'll receive full points.

4. Do use BOTH the image AND the text describing the image (located immediately above the image in our example) to develop your response. Both components constitute "Source A" and can be used.

5.  Students receive 1 mark for each valid point they make up to a maximum of 3 marks.

6. You should ideally give 5 minutes to solve this question. 

7. Structure:

• Point form or paragraph

• Maximum of two lines for each point

• Leave a line between each point so that it is clear that you have made three points.

• While using quotes in this question is acceptable (if it is text-based), they should be kept short, no more than the 4-5 words range, and seamlessly incorporated into your response. 

The following comes directly from the IB markscheme that is given to examiners when they grade this paper:

Answers may include:

• Non-state actors can help empower individuals and groups and provide opportunities for action. From the photo, it can be deduced that those represented are (1) from indigenous communities; (2) include many young people; and (3) are demonstrating in a non-standard way, in a non-standard place

• Non-state actors often address important global and regional issues in a direct and locally based way. The fact that the individuals in the photo are standing in the ocean brings home the importance of water. Candidates might add that unusual demonstrations of this type may become more mainstream in future

• Non-state actors can help to raise awareness through organized campaigning and publicity eg social media coverage (eg powerful visual images of the effects of climate change)

Other relevant points related to the ways non-state actors influence global politics can also be rewarded.

Award [1] for each relevant point up to a maximum of [3].

Some candidates appeared to take a longer amount of time or write lengthier answers for question 1 than had been seen in previous years.

Candidates are advised to look closely at the wording of the question, in this case ‘ways in which non-state actors can influence global politics’ and provide three precise and succinct points.