GCSE Geography

Examination Preparations
In the Examination
 Understanding the question
 Achieving top band marks
 Making the best use of resources
 Using your case studies
Understanding the Question

 What do we mean by
understanding the question’?

 When we talk about

‘understanding the question’
we mean that you need to read
the question carefully so that
you understand exactly what
you have been asked to do.
How do you make sure that you
‘understand the question’?

You can either:

 Highlight words and / or phrases
on the exam paper
or
 Underline key words or phrases
on the exam paper
or
 Add words around the question to
help you plan your answer
Command How many?
Word What?

Describe one positive effect which

global warming could have on people.
[3 marks]
Focus of the
question
Important
focus
 How many? What?
Command
Word

Explain two impacts that a large youth

dependent population may have on a
country. [6 marks]

Important
Scale focus
Number of marks illustrate
depth of detail required
Achieving Top Band Marks
 OK, so you have read the
question carefully but you still
need to make sure that you
achieve as many marks as you
can for your answer
 Where you see questions which
are worth higher marks, e.g. 6
marks or more, your answer will
be marked using three levels of
response.
Achieving Top Band Marks
 For these longer answers, examiners use
three mark bands:
 Level 1 – a vague or generalised
statement.

 Level 2 – statement is clear and relates

to the question.

 Level 3 – statement is focused on the

question, detailed and clear. Good use
of subject specific terms and response
shows solid case study understanding.
 REMEMBER:
Top marks are not awarded for
making 6 basic statements. Top scores
are achieved by producing in-depth
responses.

Lists usually only score level 1

Most higher scoring questions will

require case study details. If you
speak generally and don’t
refer to a specific case study you will
never reach level 3.
Question: For an area you have studied explained two
reasons why flooding is common. (6 marks)

Level 1: There are lots of floods as there is often heavy rain

and much of the land is flat.

Level 2: Bangladesh is prone to flooding as the region

suffers from heavy rain during the wet season. As the land in
Bangladesh is very flat, once the waters break their banks a
large area is flooded.

Level 3: Bangladesh has a monsoon climate. For half of the

year the country experiences heavy rain. This rain causes
the river levels to rise and burst their banks. Bangladesh is a
delta region and most of the land is less than 5m above sea
level, so when the banks burst large areas are inundated.
 Use of subject
Case Study Two causes and case study
clearly stated identified specific
terminology

Level 3: Bangladesh has a monsoon climate. For half of

the year the country experiences torrential rain. This rain
causes the river levels to rise and burst their banks.
Bangladesh is a delta region and most of the land is less
than 5m above sea level, so when the banks burst a large
area of land inundated.

Impact of
Knowledge of
causes
case study area.
explained

Notice how little ‘waffle’ there is.

A full marks answer
doesn’t have to go on for ever!
Making the Best Use of Resources

You are often given resources to

help you answer the question; the
resources may be:
 Maps

 Graphs

 Text sources
Making the Best Use of Resources

 How do you make the best use

of resources?
 Quote actual figures by using the
axes of the graph
 Quote specific details from maps,
e.g. by using the key of the map
and referring to places
 State what you see; i.e. look for
patterns on a map or trends on a
graph
Using your case studies
 Geography is not just about theory, it
also involves the study of real places and
real events – case studies
 You might be asked about:
 An earthquake event

 A flood

 A farm

 A river management scheme

 A country’s approach to a particular

problem e.g. migration, population
control, farming output or global
warming.
Let’s look at some examples of questions
where you are asked to answer using a
case study:

Earthquakes have an impact on people.

(1) Name one earthquake you have studied. [1mark]

Command words What?

(2) Describe and explain one impact of the

earthquake on the people of the area. [3
marks]

st u dy
Case s
fact
 Command
Word udy
se st
Ca

Describe one traffic measure used in a

city you have studied within the European
Union (excluding the British Isles) and
explain how it reduces traffic. [6 marks]

Spatial
context
 u dy
e st
s
Ca
For one country within the European
Union (excluding the British Isles),
state fully how one physical and one
economic factor affects its population
distribution. [6 marks]

Command Both required

Word