Answering Geography Exam Questions

IbanezFreak

I just did my geography mock last week and I feel pretty disappointed with how I did in it, compared to the amount of study I put in to it all year. Its the exam timing that threw me off. For example the regional geography question : Contrast the west of Ireland region with the Dublin region with regards to primary and secondary activities - spend 8 minutes on this question! In my book theres pages on this stuff and I know loads of it but Getting it down on paper in 8 minutes is ridiculous! Take for example the physical geography question : Describe two landforms with reference to suface processes that formed them[30]. OK - Waterfall and Meander. By the time i get fully through the waterfall(the first landform) including physical description (vertical drop in flow of water etc...) and erosion processes (Hyraulic action etc) my time is used up. That was how my mock went. Some questions I wrote way too much on and others I just had to squash in the most basic facts because they suffered from not having enough time. I wont even start on how in the middle of the exam they told us that we had half an hour less to do the exam!! Can anybody help me with this??? I feel Im wasting my time learning loads of information I wont need out of geography book.

Funkstard

We just got a bit of a bombshell back from the Geography inservice day that was last week. For the regional questions, all they want is 8 points. No 4 page long essay answers like we've all been taught, but 8 points linked together.

That's unbelievable. I've been thinking my hand was actually going to explode during the Geography exam because of all the writing. The only essay-type answers they want are in the elective section.

That makes sense so that you only have 8 minutes for the regional question...

Rockerette

Funkstard wrote:

We just got a bit of a bombshell back from the Geography inservice day that was last week. For the regional questions, all they want is 8 points. No 4 page long essay answers like we've all been taught, but 8 points linked together.

what, so would 8 bullet points written down be ok?
do they want them in paragraph/essay style?


hhmmmm.. i havent thougth much about geography, as my class is a bit of a joke, adn the teacher kinda hates us all (in a lovign kinda way... :rolleyes: ) he hasnt told us much about it..


ye are getting me all worried now!

jaspersmiley

Thats awful.. but just use what the mock showed you to focus on the real exam in June. The old course did require writing reams and reams but the new format seems to have done away with that. When you get the questions, look at the marking scheme. if you see 30 marks going for something, it can usually be broken down into three 10's... basically i presume three points, then a little bit of a description (say physical, the name, diagram, description, example).... with the regional... again the same... if they ask you to compare the two regions under the given headings, then it will be half and half for each region, and then break down the marks for each on each of the topics you're comparing... but make sure you stick to the same headings in both... say for example... the west of Ireland under tourism you'd have land features, watersports, whereas in Dublin, you'd have museums, buildings..etc.

dont fret or freak out though.. the mock means nothing. and as its a new course, we're all in the dark about it so that will have to be taken into account.

caesar

jaspersmiley wrote:

Thats awful.. but just use what the mock showed you to focus on the real exam in June. The old course did require writing reams and reams but the new format seems to have done away with that. When you get the questions, look at the marking scheme. if you see 30 marks going for something, it can usually be broken down into three 10's... basically i presume three points, then a little bit of a description (say physical, the name, diagram, description, example).... with the regional... again the same... if they ask you to compare the two regions under the given headings, then it will be half and half for each region, and then break down the marks for each on each of the topics you're comparing... but make sure you stick to the same headings in both... say for example... the west of Ireland under tourism you'd have land features, watersports, whereas in Dublin, you'd have museums, buildings..etc.

dont fret or freak out though.. the mock means nothing. and as its a new course, we're all in the dark about it so that will have to be taken into account.

My teacher seems to be going along those lines aswell. He said that they don't want to see a load of points for a 30 mark question, they want 3 developed points or 2 very well developed points. The only essay type question is in the elective. OP don't worry about it, we are all in the same boat.

Kwekubo

Funkstard wrote:

We just got a bit of a bombshell back from the Geography inservice day that was last week. For the regional questions, all they want is 8 points. No 4 page long essay answers like we've all been taught, but 8 points linked together.

Our teacher has been telling us to do those questions like that (ie bulletpoints) since the start of the year! The days of five-page essays and mutilation of hands are over.

Rob30888

Our teachers been telling us 1 point per 2 marks which is ridiculous for a 30marker! Thank **** it's not true lol

Aporia

in general the paper is an improvement, however being a new course the way in which questions must be answered is unclear.

that will be the case with any new course really we're just going to have to listen to the department and learn from the way our pre papers were corrected.

the short questions are fine, nobody should have a problem with them since their so straight forward.

i have a question - looking through the papers i came across a question on patterns and processes in the physical enviornment.

it was a question two. you had to examine a map of crustal plates and then identify with references to labels [a, b, c and d] on the map

a convergent margin
divergent
transverse
and a mid-plate volcanic island arc.

20 marks.

is this just a case of matching them to a b c and d
or do you have to write something about them?

it can't be that easy to get 20 marks, can it?

jaspersmiley

If the question says.. 'Identify' and nothing else, then ya, its just a matter of labeling the right letter to the right feature... easy marks. However, if its says somewhere in the question, 'Identify and outline' then you would need to give a few points on the features... but from the sounds.. its just a matter of labelling the feature

Funkstard

Rockerette wrote:

what, so would 8 bullet points written down be ok?
do they want them in paragraph/essay style?


hhmmmm.. i havent thougth much about geography, as my class is a bit of a joke, adn the teacher kinda hates us all (in a lovign kinda way... :rolleyes: ) he hasnt told us much about it..


ye are getting me all worried now!

Not bullet points, they have to be linked together to form one overall answer

Aporia

jaspersmiley wrote:

If the question says.. 'Identify' and nothing else, then ya, its just a matter of labeling the right letter to the right feature... easy marks. However, if its says somewhere in the question, 'Identify and outline' then you would need to give a few points on the features... but from the sounds.. its just a matter of labelling the feature

woah, that's like a short question worth 20 marks really if you think about it, it's just in a long question.

i hope something like that comes up in my pre's in march.

Rockerette

Aporia wrote:

in general the paper is an improvement, however being a new course the way in which questions must be answered is unclear.

that will be the case with any new course really we're just going to have to listen to the department and learn from the way our pre papers were corrected.

the short questions are fine, nobody should have a problem with them since their so straight forward.

i have a question - looking through the papers i came across a question on patterns and processes in the physical enviornment.

it was a question two. you had to examine a map of crustal plates and then identify with references to labels [a, b, c and d] on the map

a convergent margin
divergent
transverse
and a mid-plate volcanic island arc.

20 marks.

is this just a case of matching them to a b c and d
or do you have to write something about them?

it can't be that easy to get 20 marks, can it?

i had that question in my christmas exam, and yup, its that simple

Rob30888

All the a) parts of the long answer questions are just one word answers its seems - short and sweet

Aporia

Rob30888 wrote:

All the a) parts of the long answer questions are just one word answers its seems - short and sweet

some of those question a's (in the sample papers) ask for you to draw a sketch map though

it varies really so you should just look over all the sample paper questions to be safe.

i wonder how accurate the sample papers actually are...

IbanezFreak

Aporia wrote:

in general the paper is an improvement, however being a new course the way in which questions must be answered is unclear.

that will be the case with any new course really we're just going to have to listen to the department and learn from the way our pre papers were corrected.

the short questions are fine, nobody should have a problem with them since their so straight forward.

i have a question - looking through the papers i came across a question on patterns and processes in the physical enviornment.

it was a question two. you had to examine a map of crustal plates and then identify with references to labels [a, b, c and d] on the map

a convergent margin
divergent
transverse
and a mid-plate volcanic island arc.

20 marks.

is this just a case of matching them to a b c and d
or do you have to write something about them?

it can't be that easy to get 20 marks, can it?

It was actually those kind of questions tthat were really throwing me off in my mocks. I couldnt believe I was getting nearly the same amount of marks for,taking example, labelling a given diagram, and writing a 3 page answer!

I think understanding exactly what is required in June in these answers and practising them is the best way how to study for this exam. Ive now finished reading my two books and Im guessing from what im hearing I dont need to know half of it!
If only they the department would publish a sample answer, that would be brilliant.

Rob30888

IbanezFreak wrote:

If only they the department would publish a sample answer, that would be brilliant.

It's long ovedue and bloody annoying. Will they actually be publishing one? I think some people have them already...

Anto and Moe

I'm doing my Geography mock tomoro, any thoughts on last minute revision? (Yes I have revised before now, by the by).

Rockerette

Rob30888 wrote:

It's long ovedue and bloody annoying. Will they actually be publishing one? I think some people have them already...

do you mean the exam paper, or the solutions??

cos the sample exam paper has been out a good while
you can get it here
http://www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=ex&sc=sp

IbanezFreak

Its the physical and regional exam sample answers I want to see(Section 1 of the long questions). A section 2 sample answer would also be really handy too as sometimes on the [30m] questions you can be confused on how much to write. The last section (the option) is obviously an essay type answer by theyre nature being an [80m] question and simply saying "discuss" etc. When I go back on Monday to school im going to look into it with my teacher. I think he gave us homework once so im sure hell understand I wanna sort out writing skills! If anyone knows of any suggested sample answers post or write em up! The skoool website isnt much help at all, i tried contacting one of the "experts" but i keep get an invalid page fault! :mad:
For that guy who asked what to revise for his exam, I suggest your regional or physical questions, you cant use much waffle on those questions unless ya know ur stuff.

Muiriosa

What did you all think of the elective questions?? Easy? Hard?

I have mine next week and I don't know how I'm going to answer them they look so confusing in the exam papers...

What were they like for those of you who did them?

Aporia

IbanezFreak wrote:

Its the physical and regional exam sample answers I want to see(Section 1 of the long questions). A section 2 sample answer would also be really handy too as sometimes on the [30m] questions you can be confused on how much to write.

yeah not just confused about how much to write but what to write too. well at least we know that for a 30 mark question they want 3 developed points or 2 very well developed points.

IbanezFreak wrote:

If anyone knows of any suggested sample answers post or write em up!

yes please do people!!

Rob30888

Rockerette wrote:

do you mean the exam paper, or the solutions??

cos the sample exam paper has been out a good while
you can get it here
http://www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=ex&sc=sp

No I've had that for ages, but I desperately want solutions

Aporia

does anyone know what kind of answer you would write to a questoion like;

''discuss the economic challenges in a european region you have studied''


economic callenges seem to be mentioned allot in the sample papers.

sash

Muiriosa wrote:

What did you all think of the elective questions?? Easy? Hard?

I have mine next week and I don't know how I'm going to answer them they look so confusing in the exam papers...

What were they like for those of you who did them?

for the electives acid rain , conflict between progress of the environment or colonisation affects development and the reasons for an area of economic decline easy enuf!:p

jaspersmiley

Aporia wrote:

does anyone know what kind of answer you would write to a questoion like;

''discuss the economic challenges in a european region you have studied''


economic callenges seem to be mentioned allot in the sample papers.

Ok well the answer will depend on whate region you studied... but basically, again ud be look at a 30 mark question with baiscally three 10's.
Say for example you take Spain... talk about the hot climate and how farmers choose to only grow citrus fruits; how tourism is promoted by construction of holiday resorts... how buidings are painted white....
Say your talking about Sweden... forestry is developed in the mountainous terraine and hence an industry of timberwork grows, ports constructed in fjords to accomodate tankers...
basically... state something that the country seems to have adapted to to get over a difficulty. Obviously you'd have to go into a bit of detail and backup the answer with specifics but I hope this helps you with the general idea.