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ISBN: 978 1 3983 2549 4
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© Michael Chiles, Philly Simmons, Michael Witherick and Dan Cowling 2021

First published in 2017.
This edition published in 2021 by
Hodder Education,
An Hachette UK Company
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Get the most from this book

Everyone has to decide his or her own revision strategy, but it is essential to review your work, learn it and test your understanding. These Revision Notes will help you to do that in a planned way, topic by topic. Use this book as the cornerstone of your revision and don’t hesitate to write in it — personalise your notes and check your progress by ticking off each section as you revise.

Track your progress

Use the revision planner on pages 4 and 5 to plan your revision, topic by topic. Make a note when you have:

•  revised and understood a topic

•  tested yourself

•  practised the exam questions and gone online to check your answers and complete the quick quizzes.

You can also keep track of your revision by ticking off each topic heading in the book. You may find it helpful to add your own notes as you work through each topic.

Features to help you succeed

Key concepts

Essential concepts are explained more fully to aid understanding.

Exam tips and summaries

Expert tips are given throughout the book to help you polish your exam technique in order to maximise your chances in the exam. The summaries provide a quick-check bullet list for each topic.

Typical mistakes

The authors identify the typical mistakes candidates make and explain how you can avoid them.

Now test yourself

These short, knowledge-based questions provide the first step in testing your learning. Answers are at the back of the book.

Definitions and key words

Clear, concise definitions of essential key terms are provided where they first appear. Key words from the specification are highlighted in colour throughout the book.

Skills activities

Skills activities are provided for each topic. Use them to consolidate your revision and practise your exam skills.

Revision activities

These activities will help you to understand each topic in an interactive way.

Exam practice

Practice exam questions are provided for each topic. Use them to consolidate your revision and practise your exam skills.

Making links

Overarching themes help you to make links between different geographical ideas and concepts.

Online

Go online to check your answers to the exam questions and try out the extra quick quizzes at www.hoddereducation.co.uk/myrevisionnotesdownloads

My Revision Planner

Introduction

Assessing A-level Geography

The A-level exam papers

1 Tectonic processes and hazards

Spatial variations in the tectonic hazard risk

Tectonic hazards become disasters

The management of tectonic hazards and disasters

2 Landscape systems, processes and change

Option A Glaciated landscapes and change

Past and present distributions of glacial and periglacial environments

Glacier systems

Glacial landforms and landscapes

The use and management of glaciated and glacial landscapes

Option B Coastal landscapes and change

Different coastal landscapes and their processes

Coast landforms and landscapes

Coastal risks

Coastal management

3 Globalisation

The causes and acceleration of globalisation

The global shift

The challenges of globalisation

4 Shaping places

Option A Regenerating places

How and why places vary

The need for regeneration

How regeneration is managed

Assessing the success of regeneration

Option B Diverse places

Population structure, time and place

Living spaces

Tensions in diverse places

Managing cultural and demographic issues

5 The water cycle and water insecurity

Processes operating within the hydrological cycle

Changes in hydrological systems over time

Water insecurity

6 The carbon cycle and energy security

The carbon cycle and terrestrial health

Consequences of the increasing demand for energy

Links to the global climate system

7 Superpowers

Changing superpowers

The global impacts of superpowers

Contested spheres of influence

8 Global development and connections

Option A Health, human rights and intervention

Human development

Human rights

Interventions and human rights

The outcomes of geopolitical interventions

Option B Migration, identity and sovereignty

Impacts of globalisation on international migration

The evolution of nation states in a globalised world

The impacts of global organisations

Threats of national sovereignty in a more globalised world

9 Synoptic themes

Glossary

Now test yourself answers

Exam practice answers and quick quizzes at www.hoddereducation.co.uk/myrevisionnotesdownloads

Countdown to my exams

6–8 weeks to go

•  Start by looking at the specification — make sure you know exactly what material you need to revise and the style of the examination. Use the revision planner on pages 4 and 5 to familiarise yourself with the topics.

•  Organise your notes, making sure you have covered everything on the specification. The revision planner will help you to group your notes into topics.

•  Work out a realistic revision plan that will allow you time for relaxation. Set aside days and times for all the subjects that you need to study, and stick to your timetable.

•  Set yourself sensible targets. Break your revision down into focused sessions of around 40 minutes, divided by breaks. These Revision Notes organise the basic facts into short, memorable sections to make revising easier.

2–6 weeks to go

•  Read through the relevant sections of this book and refer to the exam tips, summaries, typical mistakes and key terms. Tick off the topics as you feel confident about them. Highlight those topics you find difficult and look at them again in detail.

•  Test your understanding of each topic by working through the ‘Now test yourself’ questions in the book. Look up the answers at the back of the book.

•  Make a note of any problem areas as you revise, and ask your teacher to go over these in class.

•  Look at past papers. They are one of the best ways to revise and practise your exam skills. Write or prepare planned answers to the exam practice questions provided in this book. Check your answers online and try out the extra quick quizzes at www.hoddereducation.co.uk/myrevisionnotesdownloads

•  Use the revision activities to try out different revision methods. For example, you can make notes using mind maps, spider diagrams or flash cards.

•  Track your progress using the revision planner and give yourself a reward when you have achieved your target.

One week to go

•  Try to fit in at least one more timed practice of an entire past paper and seek feedback from your teacher, comparing your work closely with the mark scheme.

•  Check the revision planner to make sure you haven’t missed out any topics. Brush up on any areas of difficulty by talking them over with a friend or getting help from your teacher.

•  Attend any revision classes put on by your teacher. Remember, he or she is an expert at preparing people for examinations.

The day before the examination

•  Flick through these Revision Notes for useful reminders, for example the examiners’ tips, examiners’ summaries, typical mistakes and key terms.

•  Check the time and place of your examination.

•  Make sure you have everything you need — extra pens and pencils, tissues, a watch, bottled water, sweets.

•  Allow some time to relax and have an early night to ensure you are fresh and alert for the examinations.

My exams

A-level Geography Paper 1

Date: ……………………………

Time: ……………………………

Location: ……………………………

A-level Geography Paper 2

Date: ……………………………

Time: ……………………………

Location: ……………………………

A-level Geography Paper 3

Date: ……………………………

Time: ……………………………

Location: ……………………………

Introduction

Assessing A-level Geography

As a student of Geography it is important that you understand three things in relation to your A-level examination:

1  The key assessment objectives

2  The main command words and their meanings

3  The structure of the course

Assessment objectives

•  AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of places, environments, concepts, processes, interactions and change, at a variety of scales.

•  AO2: Apply knowledge and understanding in different contexts to interpret, analyse and evaluate geographical information and issues.

•  AO3: Use a variety of relevant quantitative, qualitative and fieldwork skills to:

•  investigate geographical questions and issues

•  interpret, analyse and evaluate data and evidence

•  construct arguments and draw conclusions.

Command words

It is crucial you have a clear understanding of the command words that you will expect to see in your examination papers. This will help you to focus your response so that it meets the expectation of the command word used in the exam question. Prior to answering the question it is a good idea to BUG the question — BOX the command word, UNDERLINE the key words and GLANCE back at the question.

As a Geographer, the core command words that you will expect to find in your examination papers are as follows:

Command word | Mark tariff | Assessment objective | Definition
Calculate | 4 | AO1 | Produce a numerical answer, showing relevant working.
Draw/Plot | 4 | AO1 | Create a graphical representation of geographical information.
Suggest | 6 | AO1 | For an unfamiliar scenario, provide a reasoned explanation of how or why something may occur. A suggested explanation requires a justification/exemplification of a point that has been identified.
Explain | 8 | AO1 | Provide a reasoned explanation of how or why something occurs. An explanation requires understanding to be demonstrated through the justification or exemplification of points that have been identified.
Analyse | 8 | AO1/AO3 | Use geographical skills to investigate an issue by systematically breaking it down into individual components and making logical, evidence-based connections on the causes and effects or interrelationships between the components.
Assess | 12 | AO1/AO2 | Use evidence to determine the relative significance of something. Give balanced consideration to all factors and identify which are the most important.
Evaluate | 16/18/20/24 | AO1/AO2/AO3 | Measure the value or success of something and ultimately provide a balanced and substantiated judgement/conclusion. Review information and then bring it together to form a conclusion, drawing on evidence such as strengths, weaknesses, alternatives and relevant data.

The A-level exam papers

Your Geography A-level is split into four core components, which are three written papers and one NEA (non-examined assessment).

Paper 1 Physical Geography

Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Structure: Split into three sections

Core content

Section A relates to Topic 1: Tectonic processes and hazards.

Section B relates to Topic 2: Landscape systems, processes and change. You must answer questions on either Topic 2A: Glaciated landscapes and change or Topic 2B: Coastal landscapes and change.

Section C relates to Topic 5: The water cycle and water insecurity and Topic 6: The carbon cycle and energy security.

Paper 2 Human Geography

Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Structure: Split into three sections

Core content

Section A relates to Topics 3 and 7: Globalisation/Superpowers.

Section B relates to Topic 4: Shaping places. Students answer questions on either Topic 4A: Regenerating places or Topic 4B: Diverse places.

Section C relates to Topic 8: Global development and connections. You must answer questions on either Topic 8A: Health, human rights and intervention or Topic 8B: Migration, identity and sovereignty.

Paper 3 Synoptic Paper

Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Structure: A series of questions that build in demand using a resource booklet and links to prior knowledge.

Core content

This synoptic paper will require you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding based on a geographical issue that is linked to the synoptic themes from two or more of the compulsory topics of study.

NEA Independent Investigation

An internally assessed and externally moderated geographical investigation based on a topic of your choosing that is linked to the specification.