AQA A Level Geography: Unit 4B

AQA A Level Geography
Unit 4B
Version 1.0 Copyright © 2009 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
What do you do when you first get the AIB?
Panic, of course…….. and then what?
What is the main issue on this paper?
Title of presentation
What do you do?

• 1. List all words and phrases that you are not sure you
understand fully. Then work with class and teachers to make
sure you do understand them. Glossary?
• 2. List all the topics that you have studied which you think
might be related synoptically to the information in the AIB.
What do you do?

3. List all you case studies that you think might be relevant to the
exam on this topic.
4. What skills might you use to analyse information in the AIB?
5. What fieldwork skills might be needed to support you study?
What do you do?
6. Which websites have you been directed to?.....
7. …….and which other ones might you se, if you have time?
Now, put yourself in my position.
Write the questions. They must be:
• Linked to the AIB

• Testing, and not too predictable
• Suitable for differentiating
• Clear to all candidates
• Fair
• Interesting to geographers
The old and the new
The old GGB5 The new Geog 4B

Papers had: Papers have :
• 50 marks • 60 marks
• 3 or 4 questions • 5 or 7 questions
• Usually 8-15 • From 4-15
marks/question marks/question
• (almost) all writing • Some shorter written
in prose answers
• A fieldwork linked
question
Top Tips
1. You must know the AIB!!!
2. You must look for links between the AIB and you’re a
Level Geography.
3. Be Prepared to use and manipulate data.

Lifting is a level 1 skill
Using is a level 2 skill
Top Tips
4. If you have a map you must use the scale and you
must look for variations between places.
5. When writing you answers be prepared to consider

the problem on a short term and long term basis.
6. When writing you answers be prepared to consider

the problem at a range of scales.
Top Tips
7. When writing your answers be prepared to consider

the issue from different points of view.
8. When writing your answers be prepared to consider

the issue from different points of view……Unless you
are told to write it from a particular point.
Top Tips
9. Plan your time properly.
You have 90 mins for 60 marks.
i.e 1 mark = 1.5 mins

10 marks = 15 mins
15 marks = 22 mins……..etc.
10. If you are given maps, photos, etc. you must

respond to what they show, not to a stereotype
view of that subject!
The AIB
The AIB will always have some or all of the following:
• Specially written text
• Text extracts from documents, magazines or

newspaper articles, academic papers, etc.
• Vox pop Comments
THE AIB
• Maps – often OS extracts but also others when

relevant.
• Statistics – often census stats but also others when

relevant.
• Photos or sketches
• Further research ideas
The AIB
• The Further research ideas will usually refer to

fieldwork ideas and websites.
• Candidates are not expected to go out and do the

fieldwork!
• They should think about how they might carry out the
work in the area reffered to in the AIB or in another
area.
The AIB
• Candidates are strongly advised to visit the sites

suggested. Questions will refer to these sites directly
or indirectly.
• The amount of time to be spect on the web and

fieldwork research will depend on the nature of your
students and the way you have planned the rest of
your course, but …….
The AIB
• ……in Jan 2010 some centres seemed to have adopted a

minimalist approach and their candidates struggled to write
enough.
• …… Others had done very extensive work, including carrying

out fieldwork. This led to some quite excellent responses……
but was there a cost elsewhere?
• Know your students and plan to give them as much scope as

possible without over-burdening them.
• Acknowledgements of other websites on the back page of the

AIB are there for copyright reasons only.
Issues
• The issue dealt with in 4B can come from options

either In the AS or the A2 syllabus.
• No single option will dominate on any paper.
• The key areas of understanding from one or other of

the options will always be explained in the AIB.
• Synoptic links between parts of the spec will

dominate this paper.
Text Books
• Two good text book series support this course and

cover the core and all of the options.
• When a topic is linked to one or more options

candidates should read the relevant sections of the
text book.
……e.g. Diseases of affluence and sustainable

transport planning for the Jan 2010 paper.
Issues
• Real issues in real places – either in the UK or in any

other part of the world.
• Candidates should make absolutely sure that they

know where the place is and how it relates to other
places. Websites (e.g. OS sites, google earth,
multimap) are essential tools for locating the studies.
• But these sources will not usually be referred to in the

AIB.
Quality
• In every exam series I have seen responses of a very

high standard.
• Where responses are disappointing it is because

those candidates do not rise above their limitations.
• The most disappointing papers are those that show

lack of ambition from candidates who seem to be
better than the work they actually present.
Steps towards improvement
• Think and write like geographers.
• Show as much understand of the real places as you

can.
• Show your geographical understanding by linking

together different aspects of your knowledge of the
subject.
Steps towards improvement
• Refer to the Big ideas of geography when you think

that they might be relevant to the question set.
• Use technical terms from the subject. Write in

geography language as one geographer
communicating to another.
• Be ambitious, not just careful.
Copyright © 2009 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723)
and a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334). Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Dr Michael Cresswell, Director General.

AQA A Level Geography: Unit 4B

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AQA A Level Geography

Panic, of course…….. and then what?

What is the main issue on this paper?

What do you do?

What do you do?

4. What skills might you use to analyse information in the AIB?

5. What fieldwork skills might be needed to support you study?

What do you do?

6. Which websites have you been directed to?.....

Now, put yourself in my position.

Write the questions. They must be:

• Linked to the AIB

The old and the new

The old GGB5 The new Geog 4B

1. You must know the AIB!!!

3. Be Prepared to use and manipulate data.

5. When writing you answers be prepared to consider

6. When writing you answers be prepared to consider

7. When writing your answers be prepared to consider

8. When writing your answers be prepared to consider

9. Plan your time properly.

You have 90 mins for 60 marks.

i.e 1 mark = 1.5 mins

10. If you are given maps, photos, etc. you must

The AIB will always have some or all of the following:

• Specially written text

• Text extracts from documents, magazines or

• Vox pop Comments

• Maps – often OS extracts but also others when

• Statistics – often census stats but also others when

• Further research ideas

• The Further research ideas will usually refer to

• Candidates are not expected to go out and do the

• Candidates are strongly advised to visit the sites

• The amount of time to be spect on the web and

• ……in Jan 2010 some centres seemed to have adopted a

• …… Others had done very extensive work, including carrying

• Know your students and plan to give them as much scope as

• Acknowledgements of other websites on the back page of the

• The issue dealt with in 4B can come from options

• No single option will dominate on any paper.

• The key areas of understanding from one or other of

• Synoptic links between parts of the spec will

• Two good text book series support this course and

• When a topic is linked to one or more options

……e.g. Diseases of affluence and sustainable

• Real issues in real places – either in the UK or in any

• Candidates should make absolutely sure that they

• But these sources will not usually be referred to in the

• In every exam series I have seen responses of a very

• Where responses are disappointing it is because

• The most disappointing papers are those that show

Steps towards improvement

• Think and write like geographers.

• Show as much understand of the real places as you

• Show your geographical understanding by linking

Steps towards improvement

• Refer to the Big ideas of geography when you think

• Use technical terms from the subject. Write in

• Be ambitious, not just careful.

Copyright © 2009 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

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