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A2 AQA Geography 4B Advanced Info Booklet

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As selfish as it sounds, I'm so glad so many of you found it challenging. My teacher was like "YEAH WE THOUGHT IT WAS BRILLIANT AND LOVELY" and I was like, hold on, what?

But overall as I said, I thought it was alright.
Original post by lukas1051
Right, now I've got a chance to sit down I'll say what I thought about the exam.

Personally, I thought it went badly. Not necessarily because the questions were bad (there were some stinkers, but some nice ones too), I just couldn't focus, I feel that my writing lacked flair and focus, definitely didn't feel Level 3. I did a lot of research beforehand, but there were no opportunities to insert any of the extra stuff I found out, and I kept writing a lot about one point and then realising I was running out of space and time so rushing the rest. Bleeeeh :frown:

The first question seemed OK. For the human side I spoke about the congestion affecting peoples lives eg. making them late to work, and the fact that the state of the current bridge means people don't want to cross it, so Hamworthy becomes isolated from Poole, the local economies suffer etc. the physical side was more difficult in my opinion, I mentioned that congestion causes pollution which could have a knock on effect on people's health and noise from congestion could affect the birds... apart from that not much else. I hope they weren't expecting equal amounts of each.

The fieldwork question was good I guess, I was expecting it, however I wish it would have been worth more marks as I had a lot I wanted to write but couldn't.

For the data presentation question, I said choropleth for pop density, and stacked bar chart for the housing tenure, and expanded on these points, not much else to say really. The next question I spoke about how you can make assumptions about some factors eg. areas with higher pop density may be terraced inner city housing which is cheaper and poor quality, so maybe the people are poorer... for the housing tenure and employment I kind of said the same about how you can make assumptions from the proportions of people in each category, seemed pretty obvious though.

The 12 marker should have been a good question, but I'd lost focus by that point and it was all over the place... I really should have done better. I can't really remember what I put, it was just really obvious stuff like how the redevelopment will provide lots of jobs in the short term and long term, it will attract investors and have a ripple effect, it will give children motivation to do well (wtf was I going on about here?)... but it all felt a bit general like you could relate it to anywhere and it just didn't feel like a high level answer.

The last question was pretty painful too... I spent the whole first page rehashing what was written in the AIB basically, prattling on about how the birds are so important and rare despite the fact that I kind of agreed with the engineer, but I couldn't think of any major problems that would occur if they were gone... I mean it's a shame for any animal to go extinct, but the effect on people would probably be minimal, no? Then I wrote some bull**** about how if the birds are gone it could affect tourism (birdwatchers) and damage the heritage of the area... idk. I did mention that some of the constraints would prevent effects stretching beyond the birds ie. contamination could be dangerous to people as well, but I don't know if that will score me marks.

So overall I'm feeling pretty bad about it, but I guess if everyone found it hard maybe the grade boundaries will be low? What are they normally like for these papers anyway?


I feel you. Those lines ruined it for me completely, i gave up the chances of starting a new point because of the lack of room and the effort to ask for more paper even though I should have. They should lay it out like Economics and I'm guessing other AQA exams too, where you just get an answer booklet with lines. Rage.
Reply 242
Original post by alittlehelp
I feel you. Those lines ruined it for me completely, i gave up the chances of starting a new point because of the lack of room and the effort to ask for more paper even though I should have. They should lay it out like Economics and I'm guessing other AQA exams too, where you just get an answer booklet with lines. Rage.


At the end of the exam, the invigilator said " a lot of you asked for extra paper, please put your names on those as well" I had no idea I could ask for extra paper:tongue:
I think it went OK, didn't like the last question as I felt is was unfairly weighted having 15 marks. I would far prefer the 10 mark to be 15 and that question to be 10 but hey, what can you do! I felt that it was OK but not really what we had been focusing on in lessons :/ It was tight for time, I think they key it to write concisely!
Reply 244
Original post by lukas1051
Right, now I've got a chance to sit down I'll say what I thought about the exam.

Personally, I thought it went badly. Not necessarily because the questions were bad (there were some stinkers, but some nice ones too), I just couldn't focus, I feel that my writing lacked flair and focus, definitely didn't feel Level 3. I did a lot of research beforehand, but there were no opportunities to insert any of the extra stuff I found out, and I kept writing a lot about one point and then realising I was running out of space and time so rushing the rest. Bleeeeh :frown:

The first question seemed OK. For the human side I spoke about the congestion affecting peoples lives eg. making them late to work, and the fact that the state of the current bridge means people don't want to cross it, so Hamworthy becomes isolated from Poole, the local economies suffer etc. the physical side was more difficult in my opinion, I mentioned that congestion causes pollution which could have a knock on effect on people's health and noise from congestion could affect the birds... apart from that not much else. I hope they weren't expecting equal amounts of each.

The fieldwork question was good I guess, I was expecting it, however I wish it would have been worth more marks as I had a lot I wanted to write but couldn't.

For the data presentation question, I said choropleth for pop density, and stacked bar chart for the housing tenure, and expanded on these points, not much else to say really. The next question I spoke about how you can make assumptions about some factors eg. areas with higher pop density may be terraced inner city housing which is cheaper and poor quality, so maybe the people are poorer... for the housing tenure and employment I kind of said the same about how you can make assumptions from the proportions of people in each category, seemed pretty obvious though.

The 12 marker should have been a good question, but I'd lost focus by that point and it was all over the place... I really should have done better. I can't really remember what I put, it was just really obvious stuff like how the redevelopment will provide lots of jobs in the short term and long term, it will attract investors and have a ripple effect, it will give children motivation to do well (wtf was I going on about here?)... but it all felt a bit general like you could relate it to anywhere and it just didn't feel like a high level answer.

The last question was pretty painful too... I spent the whole first page rehashing what was written in the AIB basically, prattling on about how the birds are so important and rare despite the fact that I kind of agreed with the engineer, but I couldn't think of any major problems that would occur if they were gone... I mean it's a shame for any animal to go extinct, but the effect on people would probably be minimal, no? Then I wrote some bull**** about how if the birds are gone it could affect tourism (birdwatchers) and damage the heritage of the area... idk. I did mention that some of the constraints would prevent effects stretching beyond the birds ie. contamination could be dangerous to people as well, but I don't know if that will score me marks.

So overall I'm feeling pretty bad about it, but I guess if everyone found it hard maybe the grade boundaries will be low? What are they normally like for these papers anyway?


I believe June's were 42 marks for 90%, meaning a C looks like it'd be around half marks which I'd be more than happy with as I have the exact same feelings on this exam.. Not confident at all as I was all over on the 12 marker as well as the first question throwing me off a bit. Just curious, did you use located stacked bar charts or just normal ones for the skills ten marker?
Original post by Stoof
I believe June's were 42 marks for 90%, meaning a C looks like it'd be around half marks which I'd be more than happy with as I have the exact same feelings on this exam.. Not confident at all as I was all over on the 12 marker as well as the first question throwing me off a bit. Just curious, did you use located stacked bar charts or just normal ones for the skills ten marker?


Oh that sounds ok actually! Preferably I'd like an A but I can maybe get away with a B, it's risky though. For that question I said they'd be superimposed onto the map, so located I guess.
Reply 246
Anyone know what the exam was out of? like what was total marks?

and estimations for C, B ?
Hey Guys!

About 36 hours to go! How is everyone thinking about this? I thought it was OK, I am just hoping that the grade boundaries are similar to previous series, were its been like 42/60 UMS for an A* :eek:
Original post by LGrosvenor101
Hey Guys!

About 36 hours to go! How is everyone thinking about this? I thought it was OK, I am just hoping that the grade boundaries are similar to previous series, were its been like 42/60 UMS for an A* :eek:


Hey! Yeh not too sure about it to be honest... It's so hard to tell! What do you want/need? I've got a timed plate tectonics essay in my lesson tomorrow :frown: fun!
Original post by stevop21
Hey! Yeh not too sure about it to be honest... It's so hard to tell! What do you want/need? I've got a timed plate tectonics essay in my lesson tomorrow :frown: fun!



Yeah, thats the worst part! All my other subjects involve answers which are either right or wrong, no in between, when geography its all 'if it sounds feasible, then yeah its good' type attitude :L Well, I need a minimum of a B, but to study Chemistry at Warwick I need AAB, and Geography is one of the subjects I will probably get an A in, which is good, but I got 90% of AS, so an A* would make my day, especially with the low grade boundaries :L how about you? :smile: I already had a plate tectonics timed essay, that was just incredibly boring, do you know what your question is? I managed to get 35/40 though, which made me ecstatic! It will be fine, good luck :biggrin:
Original post by LGrosvenor101
Yeah, thats the worst part! All my other subjects involve answers which are either right or wrong, no in between, when geography its all 'if it sounds feasible, then yeah its good' type attitude :L Well, I need a minimum of a B, but to study Chemistry at Warwick I need AAB, and Geography is one of the subjects I will probably get an A in, which is good, but I got 90% of AS, so an A* would make my day, especially with the low grade boundaries :L how about you? :smile: I already had a plate tectonics timed essay, that was just incredibly boring, do you know what your question is? I managed to get 35/40 though, which made me ecstatic! It will be fine, good luck :biggrin:


Ahh I see so geog is like the odd one out! Nice! I got 75% at AS so would take a B but would like an A. Yeh I do luckily, we had to plan it beforehand for homework. I've revised some case studies. We've got to write about adaptions to tectonic risks... hmm should be fun! :P I hope it goes OK. I much prefer physical geog to human so glad I don't have to do a world cities essay.
Original post by stevop21
Ahh I see so geog is like the odd one out! Nice! I got 75% at AS so would take a B but would like an A. Yeh I do luckily, we had to plan it beforehand for homework. I've revised some case studies. We've got to write about adaptions to tectonic risks... hmm should be fun! :P I hope it goes OK. I much prefer physical geog to human so glad I don't have to do a world cities essay.



Yeah, but for some reason I seem to do the best in geography :L Thats good :biggrin: and I did a similar one I believe, but that was ages ago :L I've done 3 tectonics essays and adaptations rings a bell :L It will be fine don't worry! I am exactly the same, my college have done it so we only study 3 topics, unlike 4 that they use to do, everyone does plate tectonics and world cities, and if you want to do human, you do development and globalisation, but if you are more physical you do weather and associated hazards, which is what I am doing at the moment, and I prefer! :biggrin:
Original post by LGrosvenor101
Yeah, but for some reason I seem to do the best in geography :L Thats good :biggrin: and I did a similar one I believe, but that was ages ago :L I've done 3 tectonics essays and adaptations rings a bell :L It will be fine don't worry! I am exactly the same, my college have done it so we only study 3 topics, unlike 4 that they use to do, everyone does plate tectonics and world cities, and if you want to do human, you do development and globalisation, but if you are more physical you do weather and associated hazards, which is what I am doing at the moment, and I prefer! :biggrin:


Geog is somewhere in the middle for me. Ahh mine do that too defo makes more sense. 4 would be such a cram + the AIB... Yeh I'm defo more of a physical geog fan so chose weather aswell!
Reply 253
Grade boundries for those who'd like to know:

A* - 42
A - 38
B - 34
C - 30
D - 26
E - 23

Good luck for tomorrow everyone! :bhangra:
Attached:

GEOG4B Markscheme and Examiners' Report.

Enjoy.
Original post by tehforum
Attached:

GEOG4B Markscheme and Examiners' Report.

Enjoy.


I've just read the mark scheme. And I think I've done worse then I thought I did :L horrible mark scheme! ;(
Reply 256
So was this out of 80UMS?
I got an A, 70/80 UMS,, absolutely over the moon! This was the one I was dreading most (and my GEOG2 went up to an A too), hope everyone else did OK too :smile: :smile: :smile:
Reply 258
Original post by lukas1051
I got an A, 70/80 UMS,, absolutely over the moon! This was the one I was dreading most (and my GEOG2 went up to an A too), hope everyone else did OK too :smile: :smile: :smile:


Congratulations, well deserved!
Reply 259
I also got an A, 68 out of 80 UMS, really pleased. Somehow i totally aced my Unit 1 resit as well, got 136/140! Means that i only need 71/120 UMS in the summer for an A :smile:

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