THE GEOGRAPHER ONLINE

  • Home
    • How to make a website: Tools and experiences
    • Maps and Regions
    • Travel Photographs and Videos
    • Live: Global Hazards and Disasters
    • Geography in the news
    • The Big Geography Challenge
  • New IB Geography 2017 onwards
    • IB Geography Introduction
    • Part 1: Geographical Themes >
      • Option B: Oceans and coastal margins >
        • 1. Ocean–atmosphere interactions
        • 2. Interactions between oceans and coastal places
        • 3. Managing coastal margins
        • 4. Ocean management futures
      • Option D: Geophysical Hazards >
        • 1. Geophysical systems
        • 2. Geophysical hazard risks
        • 3. Hazard risk and vulnerability
        • 4. Future resilience and adaptation
    • Part 2: Core Units (SL&HL) >
      • Unit 1: Changing Population >
        • 1. Population and economic development patterns
        • 2. Changing Populations and Places
        • 3. Challenges and opportunities
      • Unit 2: Global climate—vulnerability and resilience >
        • 1. Causes of global climate change
        • 2. Consequences of global climate change
        • 3. Responding to global climate change
      • Unit 3: Global resource consumption and security >
        • 1: Global trends in consumption
        • 2: Impacts of changing trends in resource consumption
        • 3: Resource stewardship
    • Part 3: HL Core Extensions >
      • Unit 4: Power, places and networks >
        • 1. Global interactions and global power
      • Unit 5: Human development and diversity
      • Unit 6: Global risks and resilience
    • Internal Assessment
    • Why should I study IB Geography?
  • IB Geography (Old Syllabus)
    • IB Core >
      • 1. Populations in Transition
      • 2. Disparities in Wealth and Development
      • 3. Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
      • 4. Patterns in Resource Consumption
    • Part 1: Geographical Themes >
      • Oceans and their Coastal Margins
      • Hazards and disasters - risk assessment and response
      • Freshwater - issues and conflicts
      • Urban Environments
    • Global Interactions - HL >
      • Measuring Global Interactions
      • Changing Space - The Shrinking world
      • Economic Interactions and Flows
      • Environmental Change
      • Sociocultural Exchanges
      • Political Outcomes
      • Global Interactions at the Local Level
    • IB Guidance >
      • Syllabus Guidance
      • IB Examination Guidance
    • Extended Essay
  • IGCSE Geography
    • Theme 1: Population and settlement >
      • Population Dynamics
      • Migration
      • Settlements
      • Urban Settlements
      • Urbanisation
    • Theme 2: The natural environment >
      • Plate Tectonics
      • Coasts
      • Rivers
      • Weather and Climate
      • Climate and Ecosystems
    • Theme 3: Economic development >
      • Development
      • Food Production
      • Industry
      • Energy
      • Tourism
      • Water
      • Environmental Risks of Economic development
    • GCSE Key Terms
    • GCSE Coursework
    • Alternative to Coursework
    • IGCSE Geography Examination Advice
    • IGCSE Revision Games
  • Key Stage 3
    • Year 6 >
      • My Place
      • Rivers
      • Brazil
    • Year 7 >
      • Maps and the world
      • Rocky Landscapes
      • Settlement
      • Weather & Climate
    • Year 8 >
      • Maps Introduction
      • Plate Tectonics
      • Economic Activity
      • Biomes
    • Year 9 >
      • Map Skills - review
      • Development
      • Coasts
      • Tourism
      • Paradise lost - Tourism in Thailand
  • AS Level Geography
    • World at Risk
    • Crowded Coasts
  • Geography Skills
  • Donations & Contact
  • YouTube Channel
  • Essential computer programs
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CIE Geography - Paper 1

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This paper tests the whole entire IGCSE Geography course and is the only paper where there is a choice of questions. This is also the only paper you will need to know Case Study information for.
Examination Tips:
Tip 1: 
One mark indicates one separate point. 
If the questions is worth 5 marks and you give 3 pieces of information you can only get a maximum of 3 marks from 5. Always use the box on the bottom right of the question as guidance. It will look like this [5]
Example
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In this question you will need to give 5 reasons why the governments of MEDCs are concerned about the ageing population. (Note: it does not have to be the UK, it can be any MEDC country)

Tip 3:
'C' style questions test case study knowledge.
To be able to answer the 'C' style question worth 7 marks in Paper 1 you will need a lot of case study material over the IGCSE course. This is the only question which take the quality of your writing into account. 
Example
With this type of Question you need to be specific. Make sure you know your facts for each case study. 

Name of country: China
Policy: One Child Policy
Impacts: talk about how this particular policy affected the country and the people. What did it do to the birth rate, did it have side effects etc?
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Tip 2: 
If it is relevant to draw a quick diagram you should.
Certain questions especially in Physical Geography such as the units on Rivers and Coasts will ask you to explain the formation of a certain feature. Sometimes they will say with the aid of a diagram, but sometimes they will not. Even if they do not specifically ask for one (and you have the time) you can quickly sketch on in on the left hand side of the question in the blank space there. You never know it might help you get all the marks!
Example
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In this case you could quickly sketch the diagram you have learnt on Collisional Plate Boundaries. 

Warning
Do not draw your diagram or right in the area that says 'For Examiner's Use'

Tip 4:
Always read the question carefully and follow instructions to the letter. 
The easiest way to lose marks in your Geography IGCSE is to not answer the specific question. If anything is written in 'bold' it is important and you need to pay attention to it. If the question says use figures or evidence, do so!
Example
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In this question you need to focus on the people aged 75 and over (bar graph with dots) if you look at the other bar with the hashed line this will not get you any marks for this question. Ignore that information completely! Support your answer with figures. Have you done this? If not you will likely lose at least one mark from the total [3] it is worth. 

CIE Geography - Paper 2

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Paper 2 has two main sections to it (even though the exam does not visibly distinguish between the two). So for the purpose of this guide I will call them:
Section A - Map Skills (20 marks)
Section B - Short answer questions (five 8 mark questions)

Examination Tips:
Tip 1: 
This is the skills based paper. You will need to bring the following equipment to your examination.

  • Black pen 
  • Pencil (with a sharpener and eraser)
  • Ruler (30cm)
  • Protractor
  • A pair of compasses
  • Calculator
  • Piece of string

Tip 3:
You always need to use the map extract.
When you are answering the questions you need to ensure that you are using the map extract to answer the question not only the outline map in the question paper.

Example:
Picture
You should only use the above figure to help you identify the correct area on the full colour map extract. Do not use it to identify the features only to locate them on the full map.

Tip 2: 
OS Map skills are a must for this paper. 
You need to be familiar with a whole range of skills.
Picture


Geography Map Skills

Tip 4:
You need to provide evidence

When the question requests it you need to provide actual map information (evidence to get all marks). Do not forget this as failure to include it will lose you marks.
Picture
Map evidence can include things like:
  • Naming a location
  • Providing a grid reference 
  • Identifying specific features round in the location
  • Interpreting land use and the lie of the land (relief)


CIE Geography - Paper 4

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Paper 4 is the alternative to coursework paper and as such will largely test your field studies knowledge. Largely speaking this whole paper requires a sensible application of logic, common sense and attention to detail. It is impossible to predict the topics that will be examined but there will be a Physical and a Human part each worth 30 marks. Divide your time evenly and spend 45min on each.

Examination Tips:
Tip 1
Yes it really is that easy

Do not over-complicate the question. They are asking you for straightforward things so as to assess your common sense. 

Example:
Picture
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Possible answers can be as simple as:
  • One rain gauge is made from an old plastic bottle and is simpler.
  • One requires the use of a ruler to measure rainfall the other a measuring cylinder.

Tip 3
You need to prove or disprove hypothesis
Any question asking you to look at data and a hypothesis will require you to say if the hypothesis is correct or not. Failure to do so can mean that you lose all the marks for that question. Even if you do not know you stand a 50% of getting it right so do not leave a blank. 
Picture
After saying that this hypothesis is correct you will get 1 mark. The other two marks will come from explaining your answer, refer to data - in other words use data from table 6 and 7. 
Tip 2
Questions are not always easy to spot

It is often possible to miss questions on this paper. They can ask you to fill in table, complete graphs and many other activities. Do not always look for a questions but instead look for the box that tells you there are marks. It will look like this [2]. 
When you see marks there is always a question for you to answer. 
Picture
You will be amazed how easy it is to miss this question under exam pressure. Spot the box saying this is worth [2] marks? Well you will need to fill in the graph with the correct data. An easy question to answer but also an easy way to lose 3% of your Paper 4 marks.


www.thegeographeronline.net
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Created and Developed by: Steven Heath

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  • Home
    • How to make a website: Tools and experiences
    • Maps and Regions
    • Travel Photographs and Videos
    • Live: Global Hazards and Disasters
    • Geography in the news
    • The Big Geography Challenge
  • New IB Geography 2017 onwards
    • IB Geography Introduction
    • Part 1: Geographical Themes >
      • Option B: Oceans and coastal margins >
        • 1. Ocean–atmosphere interactions
        • 2. Interactions between oceans and coastal places
        • 3. Managing coastal margins
        • 4. Ocean management futures
      • Option D: Geophysical Hazards >
        • 1. Geophysical systems
        • 2. Geophysical hazard risks
        • 3. Hazard risk and vulnerability
        • 4. Future resilience and adaptation
    • Part 2: Core Units (SL&HL) >
      • Unit 1: Changing Population >
        • 1. Population and economic development patterns
        • 2. Changing Populations and Places
        • 3. Challenges and opportunities
      • Unit 2: Global climate—vulnerability and resilience >
        • 1. Causes of global climate change
        • 2. Consequences of global climate change
        • 3. Responding to global climate change
      • Unit 3: Global resource consumption and security >
        • 1: Global trends in consumption
        • 2: Impacts of changing trends in resource consumption
        • 3: Resource stewardship
    • Part 3: HL Core Extensions >
      • Unit 4: Power, places and networks >
        • 1. Global interactions and global power
      • Unit 5: Human development and diversity
      • Unit 6: Global risks and resilience
    • Internal Assessment
    • Why should I study IB Geography?
  • IB Geography (Old Syllabus)
    • IB Core >
      • 1. Populations in Transition
      • 2. Disparities in Wealth and Development
      • 3. Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
      • 4. Patterns in Resource Consumption
    • Part 1: Geographical Themes >
      • Oceans and their Coastal Margins
      • Hazards and disasters - risk assessment and response
      • Freshwater - issues and conflicts
      • Urban Environments
    • Global Interactions - HL >
      • Measuring Global Interactions
      • Changing Space - The Shrinking world
      • Economic Interactions and Flows
      • Environmental Change
      • Sociocultural Exchanges
      • Political Outcomes
      • Global Interactions at the Local Level
    • IB Guidance >
      • Syllabus Guidance
      • IB Examination Guidance
    • Extended Essay
  • IGCSE Geography
    • Theme 1: Population and settlement >
      • Population Dynamics
      • Migration
      • Settlements
      • Urban Settlements
      • Urbanisation
    • Theme 2: The natural environment >
      • Plate Tectonics
      • Coasts
      • Rivers
      • Weather and Climate
      • Climate and Ecosystems
    • Theme 3: Economic development >
      • Development
      • Food Production
      • Industry
      • Energy
      • Tourism
      • Water
      • Environmental Risks of Economic development
    • GCSE Key Terms
    • GCSE Coursework
    • Alternative to Coursework
    • IGCSE Geography Examination Advice
    • IGCSE Revision Games
  • Key Stage 3
    • Year 6 >
      • My Place
      • Rivers
      • Brazil
    • Year 7 >
      • Maps and the world
      • Rocky Landscapes
      • Settlement
      • Weather & Climate
    • Year 8 >
      • Maps Introduction
      • Plate Tectonics
      • Economic Activity
      • Biomes
    • Year 9 >
      • Map Skills - review
      • Development
      • Coasts
      • Tourism
      • Paradise lost - Tourism in Thailand
  • AS Level Geography
    • World at Risk
    • Crowded Coasts
  • Geography Skills
  • Donations & Contact
  • YouTube Channel
  • Essential computer programs