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Reply 1
For the 16 marker:

First time round (June 2012) I got 8 out of 16 (C overall). I think the problem was that I included lots if information on things that the question never asked for and also I didn't explain as much as I could have done.

Second time round, on the shorter answers I focused on doing exactly what the questions asked. From mark schemes, I knew what they expected, so I did exactly that, as concisely as possible. I also linked to the resources. For the 16 marker I focused in explaining what they asked and nothing more. Doing this, I managed to get full raw marks over the entire paper.

It will be harder for you guys as you don't get the resources beforehand. I would suggest ensuring you make the most of the reading time. Annotate, highlight, underline anything that could be useful.

I hope I've been some help.

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Reply 2
Great, thanks for your help,
Does any one know what sort of things that may come up in the 2014 OCR b geog SDME exam?
May teacher thinks climatic hazards may come up, most likely not tectonic.

Any tips on 16-mark question structure? We've done zero revision for the SDME.
Original post by itsConnor_
May teacher thinks climatic hazards may come up, most likely not tectonic.

Any tips on 16-mark question structure? We've done zero revision for the SDME.

For the 16 marks question just REMEMBER to include SOCIAL, ECONOMIC and ENVIRONMENTAL to get a HIGH marks
The SDME paper comes with a resource booklet so you can get a few hints from there if you are completely stuck! The paper is broken into three sections:
1. Section A: Background Information - Basic knowledge and what you have learnt about (eg. Why do people continue to live near volcanoes?)
2. Section B: These questions may be based more around the resources in the booklets
3. Section C: The decision - The 16 mark question!
You'll be given a few options which you can choose from. It usually asks you to choose one option from a total of 3-4 options. Also, read the question carefully because it may ask you to include a reference to some resources in the resource booklet! Do NOT write forever about the resource! Just refer to it, for example: "I have chose Option 2. Option 2 suggests the idea of making older buildings more earthquake-proof. This is a technique called Seismic Retrofitting. This is shown in resource 5a."

Once you have chosen your option, start with an introduction saying that you think it is the most sustainable and efficient. You may want to include what your option does (eg. Retrofitting is the addition of new technology to older buildings so these buildings can withstand earthquakes).

After this, explain the advantages of your own option and then say why you didn't choose the other options (eg. I didn't choice Option 1 because all important facilities would be moved out of the area. This will be too expensive, therefore less economically sustainable.) Explain about one or two disadvantages of your own choice and one advantage of each choice you did not choose. This will show that you can see the disadvantages and advantages of each choice! Then round it up with a conclusion.

If you are sitting a higher paper, remember to add in how sustainable the options are: economically, environmentally and sustainably. However, if you are sitting the foundation paper: it'll be broken down for you like: "Give one disadvantage of your own option" and basically tell you what to write!

Best of luck!<3
what about the writing format... if we use PEEL (point,evidence,explanation,link) for every question and have a clear point, evidence and explanation is valid will we get full marks? and of course is a question asks for 2 reasons then make 2 PEEL paragraphs and say the question is out of 6? (Excluding questions that say 'describe')
Original post by lialic
The SDME paper comes with a resource booklet so you can get a few hints from there if you are completely stuck! The paper is broken into three sections:
1. Section A: Background Information - Basic knowledge and what you have learnt about (eg. Why do people continue to live near volcanoes?)
2. Section B: These questions may be based more around the resources in the booklets
3. Section C: The decision - The 16 mark question!
You'll be given a few options which you can choose from. It usually asks you to choose one option from a total of 3-4 options. Also, read the question carefully because it may ask you to include a reference to some resources in the resource booklet! Do NOT write forever about the resource! Just refer to it, for example: "I have chose Option 2. Option 2 suggests the idea of making older buildings more earthquake-proof. This is a technique called Seismic Retrofitting. This is shown in resource 5a."

Once you have chosen your option, start with an introduction saying that you think it is the most sustainable and efficient. You may want to include what your option does (eg. Retrofitting is the addition of new technology to older buildings so these buildings can withstand earthquakes).

After this, explain the advantages of your own option and then say why you didn't choose the other options (eg. I didn't choice Option 1 because all important facilities would be moved out of the area. This will be too expensive, therefore less economically sustainable.) Explain about one or two disadvantages of your own choice and one advantage of each choice you did not choose. This will show that you can see the disadvantages and advantages of each choice! Then round it up with a conclusion.

If you are sitting a higher paper, remember to add in how sustainable the options are: economically, environmentally and sustainably. However, if you are sitting the foundation paper: it'll be broken down for you like: "Give one disadvantage of your own option" and basically tell you what to write!

Best of luck!<3

what about the writing format... if we use PEEL (point,evidence,explanation,link ) for every question and have a clear point, evidence and explanation is valid will we get full marks? and of course is a question asks for 2 reasons then make 2 PEEL paragraphs and say the question is out of 6? (Excluding questions that say 'describe')
Original post by Angelo12231
what about the writing format... if we use PEEL (point,evidence,explanation,link) for every question and have a clear point, evidence and explanation is valid will we get full marks? and of course is a question asks for 2 reasons then make 2 PEEL paragraphs and say the question is out of 6? (Excluding questions that say 'describe')


"PEEL" or "PEE" is the best way to get full marks as it is a good structure to follow because then you cover everything! As long as your point is fully explained, you should certainly get full marks:smile:
I'm not an expert (I have to sit this exam on Tuesday!) but, if you get a question out of 6 marks, I think that you should explain 3 points. I think that there is one mark for the point and evidence (if you can provide evidence from a resource) and another mark is gained for explaining. The rule is to half the amount of marks the question is out of. For example, if the question is worth 8 marks - you should aim for 4 fully explained points.

If you are faced with a question out of an odd number of marks, eg. 5 marks - read the question carefully. It may ask you to use multiple resources from the booklet. Make sure you refer to all of them and then you should gain one mark. Then you'll be left with 4 marks to gain and, therefore, you write 2 PEEL paragraphs.
Hope that made sense!
Original post by lialic
"PEEL" or "PEE" is the best way to get full marks as it is a good structure to follow because then you cover everything! As long as your point is fully explained, you should certainly get full marks:smile:
I'm not an expert (I have to sit this exam on Tuesday!) but, if you get a question out of 6 marks, I think that you should explain 3 points. I think that there is one mark for the point and evidence (if you can provide evidence from a resource) and another mark is gained for explaining. The rule is to half the amount of marks the question is out of. For example, if the question is worth 8 marks - you should aim for 4 fully explained points.

If you are faced with a question out of an odd number of marks, eg. 5 marks - read the question carefully. It may ask you to use multiple resources from the booklet. Make sure you refer to all of them and then you should gain one mark. Then you'll be left with 4 marks to gain and, therefore, you write 2 PEEL paragraphs.
Hope that made sense!

but in my mock it said give 2 reasons and it was 6 marks. what i do then?
Original post by Angelo12231
but in my mock it said give 2 reasons and it was 6 marks. what i do then?


develop the point you are making, then develop it even more. This is like a Level 3 statement (you will see it in the mark schemes) or if it is referring to a specific resource then the extra mark may be for that - you have to quote statistics from a resource, for example.
Original post by Angelo12231
but in my mock it said give 2 reasons and it was 6 marks. what i do then?


Oh sorry! To be honest, I would give two reasons in the form of PEEL paragraphs. Add evidence to each paragraph because that may have been worth a mark. Therefore, you'd get a mark for making a point, a mark for evidence and a mark for explaining in each paragraph which would total up to 6 marks but I'm not entirely sure:frown: I wish I could be of more help, sorry!
Original post by lialic
Oh sorry! To be honest, I would give two reasons in the form of PEEL paragraphs. Add evidence to each paragraph because that may have been worth a mark. Therefore, you'd get a mark for making a point, a mark for evidence and a mark for explaining in each paragraph which would total up to 6 marks but I'm not entirely sure:frown: I wish I could be of more help, sorry!

what mark do you think you wil get on tuesday?
any predictions for the paper tomorrow?
Everyone is saying that it is most likely going to be Hurricanes or Drought
Any tips on how to do well because i've been told it's based on natural ability to interpret data. (resource booklet)
Original post by Mukhstar98
any predictions for the paper tomorrow?
Everyone is saying that it is most likely going to be Hurricanes or Drought
Any tips on how to do well because i've been told it's based on natural ability to interpret data. (resource booklet)

it kinda is... i mean, the only thing you cud physically revise is a small nat hazard booklet
Reply 16
Hurricanes was last year i don't think it will come up again what do u think??
Reply 17
i've been told it will be a climatic hazard
Original post by rohan taneja
Hurricanes was last year i don't think it will come up again what do u think??


Nope, it was Earthquakes last year, with some volcano things.
Reply 19
Original post by rohan taneja
Hurricanes was last year i don't think it will come up again what do u think??


It was earthquakes last year..

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