[HotfireLegend]

(Date to be confirmed)

I know this is pretty early, but hey! Nothing beats good ol' preparedness, right?

So yeah, let's hear the topics you're doing and revision tips. I'm doing Globalisation, Tectonics and Associated Hazards, Ecosystems, World Cities and maybe some more that we haven't actually started yet.
Predicted grade is A, with possibility of A*.

For revision, there's this really good book by Collins - Student Support Materials for A2 Geography.

Let's all beat this paper, just like how 4A beat some(?) of us! LastquestionI'mlookingatyou



HOW TO GET A*
I did some digging, and I've found the average mark you need, to obtain an A*. (This is assuming you've also achieved a high percentage in Paper 4, but I will explain paper 4 in a minute)

The average mark for the 90% UMS you need on this paper to be eligible for A* is about 67/90 in raw marks. (75% ish)
Please note that the UMS changes every year.
One year it was 66/90, and then it changed to 67/90. This means that for a safe A*, aim for 80%+ in raw marks. (Over 72/90)

As for paper 4(A), you need:
45/60 (Again, 75%)

This means that if the year was 2011, and you obtained 45+/60 in Paper 4 and 67+/90 in Paper 3, you should have an A*. (AS papers don't count)

[DavidCrow]

Hey,

The exam is on the 13th of June, I think. I'm doing Tectonics, Weather and World Cities, and I'm also being taught Globalisation at school which I'm using for general interest.

I'm making my own detailed notes using a combination of what we have been given in class, the AQA textbook (its pretty bad, lol!), the Philip Allan book and the notes we were given when we went to the Tectonics Conference.

Is it me or is there too much to learn for this exam! Its all really interesting, but there is a LOT to cover

[katiehockey22]

Hi

I'm doing Tectonics, World Cities and Ecosystems We've finished learning tectonics, nearly finished world cities and have just started ecosystems.

I'm using the Nelson Thornes book which seems quite good. I've just seen on amazon that a new book is due out on the 30th March and is called My Revision Notes: AQA A2 Geography. Anyone heard anything about how good its expected to be?

[HotfireLegend]

Oh sweet, very similar setups then? I use the Philip Allan and Nelson Thorne book myself. They're not too bad, but they really need to both be looked at at the same time, since one is more 'visual' whilst the other has some more detail that may be required in the exam.

I'll look into that 30th March book. Haven't heard much about it though.

David, be glad you aren't doing Psychology Paper 2! There's much more in that! (Well, except you don't get 40-mark questions in that paper...)

[clareramos]

3A? don't you just mean unit 3?

Which AQA book? As assuming you meant Phillip Allan as seperate?

[HotfireLegend]

Yes, Phillip Allan is a separate book.

(Not sure why the A is there, that probably came from the Unit 4 topic, now I look at it xD - can a mod please delete the "A"?)

[clareramos]

what AQA book are you using?

[DavidCrow]

I'm using the AQA-endorsed Nelson Thornes book, along with the Philip Allan book for my notes. I agree that the AQA-endorsed one is better for diagrams, whereas the Philip Allan one is better for the more technical aspects of the theory.

For example, at the moment I'm making notes on how urban structures affect wind speeds - the AQA book has a big diagram and a 6-line paragraph, whereas the Philip Allan book has a whole page of writing!

[HotfireLegend]

(Original post by clareramos)
what AQA book are you using?

(Original post by DavidCrow)
I'm using the AQA-endorsed Nelson Thornes book, along with the Philip Allan book for my notes. I agree that the AQA-endorsed one is better for diagrams, whereas the Philip Allan one is better for the more technical aspects of the theory.

For example, at the moment I'm making notes on how urban structures affect wind speeds - the AQA book has a big diagram and a 6-line paragraph, whereas the Philip Allan book has a whole page of writing!

This exactly.
Nelson Thornes.

[clareramos]

Phillip Allan has his advantages, he is far better for revision.
The Nelson Thornes is far better for teaching with, I use it when teaching A Level. which I don't currently teach, but will be soon, and often borrow a diagram if needs be if I need it in a lecture. I do however find there are some awful bits in there, but also some good bits, and tend to use other resources as well as the books or write something myself.

[ihateocr]

I've got the Nelson Thornes, Phillip Allan and the Oxford one
They're all good in they're own ways, my biggest criticism of them is the Nelson Thornes one is littered with mistakes (especially diagrams)

[clareramos]

I have noticed several, there is 4 maps and the Isle of Wight seems to move in them. It's in the A2 textbook. I run a seminar on how to do handouts and resources, it's a cross exam board seminar, and there are diagrams used from Nelson Thornes book.

[HotfireLegend]

Ooh, I'll have a look at the 'moving' Isle of Wight! What pages?

[clareramos]

Page 48, the topic is Weather and Climate

[DavidCrow]

(Original post by clareramos)
Page 48, the topic is Weather and Climate

LOL I never noticed that before!

[clareramos]

I didn't realise until I'd taught it the 2nd time, had 2 A2 sets at the time.

[ihateocr]

On page 54 figure 2.11 says a high pressure zone and 2.12 a low one, yet both figure 2.11 and 2.12 are the same pressures.

[HotfireLegend]

... I think this has turned into a 'what errors can you find in diagrams in books' topic

[clareramos]

(Original post by ihateocr)
On page 54 figure 2.11 says a high pressure zone and 2.12 a low one, yet both figure 2.11 and 2.12 are the same pressures.

they're is a very slight difference in numbers, still makes them wrong though.

[FHickman]

Would everyone advise to use Phillip Allan? I have been using the textbook (which is not great) and GeoFactsheets that we have been given in class and they are very useful but I still feel I am not very prepared with just these! Also, how far through the syllabus is everyone as we have only just started our third topic and it doesn't seem we will get everything done in time?