When you're revising for your A-level exams, you want to make the most of your study time.

So, we invited the experts at the AQA exam board to share their tips and advice on preparing for A-level Geography exams.

The article that follows has been written by an AQA curriculum expert, based on their years of experience in the assessment of their subject.  

You can find more articles in this series, covering a range of subjects at both GCSE and A-level, over on our revision section.

Also on The Student Room, you can find student discussion of 2024 A-level exams.

There’s a range of styles of question in the exam, and it can vary depending on which section of the paper you’re in. Make sure you know how to approach the distinct types.

4-mark questions can be asked on any element of the specification – so make sure you’re confident in all the theory of the units you’ve studied.

A common mistake with 4-mark questions is to focus on definitions of terms – even though the command word always shows that the answer wants more, e.g. ‘explain’. Try to develop your points and support them with examples.

The first 6-mark question on each section is focused on AO3; this assesses your geographical skills - not your knowledge of the topic. AO3 questions require you to interpret, analyse and evaluate data and evidence.

• Don’t just describe the data. The question wants you to analyse, not just say what you can see. Data manipulation can be a straightforward way to analyse, as can looking at things like spatial variations.
   
• Don’t try to explain the data. There’s no credit for this.
   
• Link within and between data. Try to look for connections in the data. If more than one resource is provided, can you make a link between them? The L2 mark criteria often says something like clear connection(s) between different aspects of the data and evidence.
   
• Use scales, keys etc. - these are provided for a reason!
   
• Spatial analysis. Look for any spatial variations on cartographic resources. Make sure you know your compass points, continents, oceans, regions etc.

A mistake often made is to be very descriptive of the resource, which doesn’t gain any credit. The marks here are awarded for AO1 (‘demonstrate knowledge and understanding’) and AO2 (‘apply knowledge and understanding’). You need to add something new from your own understanding.

Think – how does the resource I’ve been given connect to what I already know? How can I use both pieces of information to answer the question?

For example, you might be asked to ‘assess the extent’ to which you agree with something, based on the figure and your own knowledge.

9-mark questions are only found in Section C of the papers and ask you to make geographical decisions based on your knowledge and understanding. There’s rarely an expected answer that the question is looking for, and it’s therefore important that you use evidence to create a debate.

It’s also important to note that you need to form a view in relation to the context of the question.

Sometimes these questions might involve a resource, or they might create a cross-unit link – so you could be asked to make links between elements of core units (e.g. from Global Systems and Global Governance to Water and Carbon) or from an optional unit to a core unit (for example, from Hazards to Changing Places). It’s useful to end your answers to these questions with a concluding sentence.

Don't forget that the 20-mark questions make up half the marks on each paper, so performing well in these is the key to overall success.

The 20-mark questions create links within (or sometimes between) units – for example, comparing the impact of volcanoes and earthquakes. You would have studied these separately but may well be asked to use both to reach a conclusion in the exam.

The best responses often involve a very brief plan: what are the key concepts or case studies I want to include? What is my argument and what do I want to conclude?

It’s important that you reach a clear and rational conclusion based on the content of your response.

Engage with the command words in questions. For example, responses to questions that ask ‘to what extent’ should make it clear how much you agree or disagree with the question or statement posed. But try to avoid basic conclusions like ‘therefore I agree to an extent that …’ Add something substantial by adding ‘because’ – what means that you can’t fully agree?

Make sure you address all parts of the question. For example, if you’re asked to use a case study of a transnational corporation to evaluate its role in flows of money and people, you need to cover both flows of money and people not just one of them.

As with 9-mark questions, there’s rarely an expected answer that the examiner is looking for. Ensure, where appropriate, that there’s a balance of discussion and use of evidence to reach your conclusion. Using data from specific examples should allow you to demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of concepts, processes, and interactions, especially case study data.

But - avoid writing everything you know about your case studies and examples. A-level questions are designed to make you apply this knowledge to different scenarios.

It’s important that you’re accurate in your use of elements of theory, case study data etc. Your examiners are all geographers who know the examples you’re using, so it’s important to avoid making mistakes. For example, do not state an incorrect location of a case study.

This also applies to spelling geographical terminology accurately, such as using capital letters for place names.

Finally…
The papers will have extra space in them. You’re not expected to use this – so don’t worry if you don’t.