EXAMINERS ADVICEUNIT 1 : SECTION B

What do I have to do?

• One question from a choice of 4 – you should spend 30-35 minutes on this

• Each question is worth 25 marks

• The 25 marks is split into a 10 mark part ‘a’ and 15 mark part ‘b’

• There is a stimulus resource for the 10 mark part

Choice of Question

• Questions will be based around 4 key themes

• you can expect to have a genuine choice

• Very importantly you should read all 4 questions

Hazards

Climate change

Globalisation

Migration / Cities / population

Assess the whole question.....

Look at the resources.....

The Resource question, part ‘a’

• Notice that this question uses the command ‘suggest reasons’ which is really another way of saying ‘explain’.

• Even in these 10 mark data stimulus questions do not expect to see ‘describe’ questions.

• Just describing the data in Figure 7 will get you very few marks.

• Do spend some time analysing the Figure before you answer. For Figure 7 it would have been useful to spot:

Manila and Los Angeles : both compulsory case study hazard hotspots

megacities are in the developed and developing world

Most showing significant forecast increases in population, especially in the developing world

Earthquake risk is High in 5 megacities, tropical storm risk High in 3 and Medium in 4; all cities are at some risk from flooding.

Unpick the question

Use the resource, but don’t copy it out.

The ‘open’ question, part ‘b’ • 15 mark question which will be quite open. • There is no Figure to look at -you are ‘on your own’. • good idea to do a very quick plan just to organise your

thoughts and help structure your answer. • The plan should take less than 1 minute

Mark schemes

• For the 15 mark question they use 4 levels.

• Like a flight of sets which you are trying to climb.

• To go up a step, you need to add something new into your answer.

Ticking the mark scheme boxes

• can be a real challenge, but there are various tricks you can use to help write an impressive answer.

• This question is from January 2010 (Question 7b):

• Note that in this question you have to explain two things:• How global warming may lead to increasing natural hazards• How El Nino may lead to increasing natural hazards• Importantly, if you only cover 1 of these you will restrict the mark you

can achieve, no matter how good your answer to that one part is.

Top Tips for extended writing

Structure Organisation; logical order and sequencing Consider a summative statement / very brief conclusion.

Depth Issues, problems, factors, explanations etc. need to be examined and discussed in some depth

Examples Need to be used as a matter of course, don’t wait to be asked!

Case Studies If the question refers to a compulsory case study then considerable detail is expected

Up-to-date Contemporary knowledge always shines more brightly than the tired and dated

Range Narrow answers, around one factor or explanation will rarely attain the top level of the mark scheme

Facts Factual data support – numbers, facts and figures, always impress.

Terminology Use of the correct geographical terminology increases your answers currency

Evaluative style Some recognition that geographical issues are now always black and white, combined with some evaluative language.

Balance Especially in human geography, a recognition of costs and benefits, positives and negatives etc.

Getting Section B, part b summary

• A 4-5 line introduction (definitions) and a 4-5 line conclusion are a good idea (structure + evaluative style).

• Most write around 2 sides, perhaps a little more.• Use of examples, some detail, support etc. is required

for L3 and L4.• A focus on one big case study, especially in the hazard

question usually does not work.• Unbalanced answers are an issue especially in Q9 and

Q10, and sometimes Q8 (global warming) often resulting from only seeing the negative in impacts, consequences, effects etc

Practice question