This page last updated July 2008 and now ARCHIVED.
This is Module 3b of the AS paper (6463), and is worth more than each of Papers 1 & 2: 20% of AS in total. It is also one which most students do very well on, despite the general lack of focused preparation specifically for it. It also 'saves' several students who have underperformed in 6461 and 6462. It is usually sat before the other papers, early on in the exam season, usually in the first week of the exam season.
The second part of the exam is based on the fieldwork days that we spent.
ADDED PAST QUESTION SHEET (April 2008) (Word Document)
I have put together a revision booklet for students which contains sections adapted from the following very useful textbooks:
"A-Z Advancing Geography: Fieldwork" - D. Holmes & D. Farbrother (GA, 2000) ISBN: 1 899085 79 3
"Methods of Statistical Analysis of Fieldwork Data" - P. St. John & D. Richardson (GA, 1990) ISBN: 1 899085 16 5
"Advanced Geography: Revision Handbook" - G. Nagle & K. Spencer (OUP, 1997) ISBN: 0 19 914668 3
"Practical Geography: Presentation & Analysis" - K. Briggs (Hodder & Stoughton, 1989) ISBN: 0 340 41567 3
"Geographical Data" - H. Matthews & I. Foster (OUP, 1989) ISBN: 0 19 913328 X
Download a POWERPOINT PRESENTATION showing these...
Go to this LT Scotland site for some VERY USEFUL presentations on useful statistics for Geographers...
The SEASHORE site also offers some great advice on the use of STATISTICS.
Also materials now on the NING.
It is important that students know how to use all these, and they are better taught during the course rather than being tacked on the end. Click on the skill below to go to a small section on each one.
These will be added to as and when - probably more as than when to be fair.
By A2, students should be familiar with using topographical maps from anywhere in the world, including Europe.
They should also be able to apply the skills and techniques specified in each unit of the syllabus.
You should not be complacent about the exam just because there is no obvious 'revision' that needs to be done. It is obviously important as it contains more marks than the actual Physical paper: bear in mind that we have spent time doing the various skills during the year, so we have actually been doing preparation for it all the way along.
Remember that if the main body of the exam is about physical topic, then the fieldwork that you will need to describe is the human fieldwork, and vice versa.
Be prepared to discuss the pros and cons of methods of representing data in various forms.
You are unlikely to come up against more than a short paragraph, within which the content will be fairly straightforward. You should be able to read by this stage so there shouldn’t be a problem with this skill other than taking your time of course.
The paragraph may have a comprehension task attached, or it will be used as part of the context within which the answers for the section need to be completed.
Tables of data are commonly used in many lessons. You may be asked to
complete a partially finished table by adding in extra values which have been
calculated, or which are provided in the question. Statistical tests may then
have to be carried out on the contents of the tables. Again, this should pose no
problem.
Entries may need to be made in correct parts of a table.
You are used to using OS maps from Years 7 through to the present. The
symbols will always be provided anyway. Due to cost implications, it is also
quite unlikely that there will be an actual OS map extract provided as an insert. You should be
familiar with the obvious link between rock type and surface drainage: e.g. on
limestone there will be few obvious streams and lots of rock outcrops (probably
called scars on the map)
Look at a variety of maps and ensure that you can use them.
Land use maps are often constructed using standard classifications. These include the famous acronym RICEPOTS. Each of the main land-use types will be shown on a key which will be provided. These will be colour code, or use density shading. If you have a problem identifying between colours you should let your exams officer know, as this will be taken into consideration.
Which land use classifications are you familiar with ?
What are the issues with classifying anything into groups ? How do you decide on the boundaries and the class sizes ?
For a site which goes through HOW TO CONSTRUCT ISOLINE MAPS, go here.
Remember that isoline maps are constructed according to certain rules. Isolines have to go between points which have values either side of them, and join up places which are the same. They should be identifiable, although they don't all have to be numbered. They should never touch or cross.
Choropleth shading is density shading: higher values are shown by darker colours or denser shading. Since most students find it difficult to construct hashed shading accurately, colours are most often used, although in exam questions, density shading using lines or stippling is more likely.
There are several types of both of these images which you may come across. Increasingly, to cut costs, exam boards are cutting back on colour photographs as inserts, and using black and white. The photos may be vertical or oblique: straight down or at an angle. They will possibly be linked to a map. If not, they will be used to highlight specific features which are mentioned elsewhere on the site.
A field sketch is a good way of highlighting the main features of an area, and can be an extension of a tracing overlay placed over a photograph: 'the lazy person's field sketch.' There are few opportunities with the reduction in fieldwork for students to do these. If included, they will be used as an additional piece of fieldwork data alongside all the rest that is provided in the question.
A simple sketch map used to be a vital tool for all geographers, but it is becoming less common. These will perhaps be annotated already, or it may be the task required of the candidate to add additional annotation, whether specifically directed or not.
You WILL HAVE TO DRAW A SKETCH MAP on Part B of the examination.
A skill they are used to using from lower down the school. Points and line may have to be plotted to finish off a partly completed graph. There may also be divided graphs, where 100% is separated off into sections. There may also be several lines on the same graph, or you may be asked to compare patterns over time.
These also speak for themselves. What is the difference between the 2 types of graph though ? Graphs need to be drawn accurately - what needs to be included on graphs ? When are certain graphical techniques appropriate ?
Importance of ANNOTATION.
A method which very quickly separates percentage data into a form which can be easily interpreted. EXCEL can now save a lot of time drawing these. In the exam, you may be asked to use them to support a statement or conclusion, or possibly finish constructing them.
These are also becoming less common in the examination, but still crop up from time to time. Again, you may be asked to plot points.
Always a mystery to many. How exactly do you work out how to go along the axes ?
But seriously, this is just a way of illustrating 3 variables. These are used for plotting soils: which have 3 textures such as sand, silt and clay. Also used for plotting Primary, Secondary and Tertiary employment.
They are explained in most SKILLS sections of textbooks.
Haven't seen them for a while.
A good method of illustrating traffic and pedestrian counts which are so diligently (and no doubt fraudulently) carried out by many a student. They show the VOLUME of movement between places. They involve drawing arrows: the direction of the arrow shows the direction of flow, the width of the arrow shows the volume. These may be ABSOLUTE values, or percentage values. They can show the pattern easily, for example, where are people moving from and to in Brazil.
Remember to keep the background simple.
A flow line shows the flow of something: this could be people, traffic, water in a river or anything else that flows. They will sometimes have one or more arrows to represent the axis along which the movement is taking place.
You'll need a base map which shows the routes along which the flow occurs, but don't include lots of detail. The choice of scale is important, especially where there are extreme values, or where there is a large difference between the smallest and largest values that need to be plotted.
Make sure that you include a key, or read a key carefully.
Problems are that they will sometimes be difficult to plot accurately and interpret correctly. They are not as intuitive as some other types of presentation.
Sections are lines drawn across or through a section of landscape or a feature of some kind.
Area of symbol is proportional to value. A scale will be provided. May be asked to plot them.
The mean is the average of the sample: add up the total and divide by n: the number of observations. Median is middle value when sample is arranged in rank order (if even number of observations, take the mean of the middle two values). Mode is most frequent value observed.
Example below may be useful:
Wave heights in cm: - first of all, put the results in order - this has been done in the example below
67 71 72 74 76 76 81 84 90 93
Median is the middle point: 76+76/2 = 76
Mean = 78.4
Mode is the most frequent value, which is 76
The larger the sample the better, the bigger the difference between the mean and the median the more the data is said to be skewed.
In the normal distribution, 68.2% should lie within one standard deviation of the mean, and 95.4% within 2 standard deviations.
We can calculate the standard deviation for rush length (see below)
72 84 71 93 90 76 76 67 74 81
The lengths are not identical. Lengths should fit the normal distribution (bell-shaped curve). Work out mean and median.
Quartiles are, as the name suggests, when data is split into quarters. First quartile is the 25% value, upper quartile, the 75% value - tend to be plotted on a cumulative frequency curve.
The interquartile range is the difference between the 25% and the 75% values...
Used to compare the relationships between 2 sets of data which have been placed in rank order.
The test is fairly simple to use, as the maths is quite straightforward and the table will be provided by the exam paper. Equation will also be provided.
This is a statistical technique to compare 2 sets of data, or compare 1 set with a hypothetical distribution. The data will be included and tabulated appropriately. The equation will be provided, as well as the required extract from the significance table, with the correct degrees of freedom for the data set that has been provided. If you get a value that is nothing like the ones on the table, it's a clue that you may have worked it out incorrectly!
For a full explanation of HOW TO DO THE CHI SQUARED TEST go here.
There are several methods of sampling. The ones students are likely to have to be familiar with are the following ones. They should know when to use particular methods.
Random - beware using this unless it is appropriate
Stratified
Systematic
Line or Transect
When we take students out into the field, they need to be made aware of the sampling methods employed as this forms part of the skills paper, although doubtless the exam reforms we are promised for next year may remove some of this.
In addition, you will be expected to be able to consider the following:
- the importance of measuring accurately - why is it important ? what factors affected your data collection ? - the limitations should be evaluations not excuses
- the difference between primary and secondary data sources should be known
Some useful additional information can be found in this textbook.
"Skills and Techniques for Geography 'A' Level" - Garrett Nagle and Michael Witherick. One of the EPICS series of Stanley Thornes
ISBN: 0 7487 3188 1
There is also useful information in "Essential Mapskills" by Simon Ross