May 2025 Paper 1: Sample Response 1 (Digital Divide)
This week, we are publishing a new Paper 1 sample from the May 2025 examination. This particular exemplar is based on an infographic from the Good Things Foundation, a charity focused on “fixing the digital divide – for good” in the UK.
As we know, the IB loves infographics! They are a very popular text type and this exam should not have come as a surprise to students. The guiding question was also typical of past IB exams: How do image and text work together to promote digital engagement?
Do note that we struggled to find this exact infographic online. It is the Good Things Foundation 2022 Digital Divide infographic. We found 2021 and 2025 infographic (among others), but we struck out locating 2022. You do have some options here though. You can always buy it from the IB Store. This one is available. Alternatively, according to the Good Things Foundation website, you can “email our Research, Data & Insights team at [email protected] to access any of our previous Digital Nation reports from 2016-2024.” And finally, you can find the 2025 infographic if you want a similar text here:
As for this model example, it is consistent and steady in terms of demonstrating their understanding of the text. There are places where the analysis of the writer’s choices could be enhanced, or go deeper, but overall, this is an excellent model to use with students because it systematically focuses on the guiding question while providing solid references to the text.
Best,
Tim and David