The Student Room Group

My AQA Geog3 Predictions.

Little background story, first time I did this exam (June 2012), got 84/120. Decided to do it again in Jan 2013, managed to get 120/120, 76/90 overall. I account my success partly down to understanding how to get 40 marks in the essay, (got 37), and predicting the essay that would come up.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS EXAM IS THE ESSAY.


Here is my spreadsheet that I used for predictions (PredictionsMAY), I have updated it for June 2013 on requests from some people, I haven't gone over it as much as I did in January, but I'm sure some of you can do it for yourselves.

Note: These only have Plate Tectonics, Weather and Development,

Along with this, I had a word document where I put all my possible questions for the Jan 13 exam, I predicted both the essays to come up and a couple of questions (see for yourselves), but there are still many more that could come up.

http://hostr.co/TaZwXoBzEMfT
https://mega.co.nz/#!7UIWQQxK!S9pctAukAEeEJGMmCtC0jkFGByU0hg1is9qI7ki1zXs
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By96Xbp_nMSrS0dsbDdSNkY2ZkE/edit?usp=sharing

==============================

MY EXAM ADVICE

==============================

Basically, if you are trying to get the A or A*, you NEED to aim for 30+ in the essay to guarantee anything. What I discovered that my teacher wasn't really telling me was how to write the essay and what to include, basically you need 2 parts to it, the technical content, and SYNOPTICITY.

I'll give you a example of synopticity from a example essay, I'll take Jan 2013 for example.

Imagine the topic is UHI (Urban Heat Island), the technical side would be

Temperature
Precipitation
Wind

That kind of stuff.

The synopticity comes from explaining the UHI theory.

Points you could make:

The UHI is stronger in different seasons (particularly summer)
UHI is dependent on the city size, and other physical factors like a mass of water (rivers).
Density of the city.
How developed the cities are, green roof technologies, parks, London is a great example, as it has many parks and trees even in the centre of London (preventing UHI?)

You also get synopticity to relating your topic to OTHER parts of the specification, so for example, the point of "How developed the cities are", could interlink with climate change.

Climate Change suggests world temperatures may rise by 1c by the end of the century. As seen in the 2003 European Heatwave, cities are particularly vulnerable to the heat. Undoubtedly the occurrence of climate change will make these heatwave events worse, and perhaps occur more frequently. However, the more developed of the cities in the world, such as those in Europe have the resources and the capital to prepare and manage for these events in the future. The city of Paris that was particularly affected has taken measures as stocking up fans in warehouses to be distributed to retirement homes, as old people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat. However developing nations will not have this luxury, (should give case study here if you can) they have considerable social, human and economic problems and cannot prioritize the effects of a UHI over some of their other problems. Climate change will make the UHI occur in places where it has never really occurred, and amplify its effects in places where it does. Developed nations will be able to come somewhat, if not entirely, yet developing nations shall not.

That's just a taste of what would get top marks, if you wrote it a bit nicer, and included another case study.


7 markers literally require you to lift information off whatever source you are given, but also to make comments about something that aren't entirely obvious.

8 markers are the nicest, as you just have to spam information.

10 markers are horrible.

Hope that helps. :biggrin:

EDIT:

THE JAN 2013 FOR WEATHER AND DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ACTUALLY READ JUNE 2013 IVE GOTTEN SO MANY PMS STOP IT PLEASE, IVE PREDICTED ALL 3 FOR YOU
(edited 10 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Original post by acedlol
Little background story, first time I did this exam (June 2012), got 84/120. Decided to do it again in Jan 2013, managed to get 120/120, 76/90 overall. I account my success partly down to understanding how to get 40 marks in the essay, (got 37), and predicting the essay that would come up.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS EXAM IS THE ESSAY.


Here is my spreadsheet that I used for predictions (PredictionsMAY), I have updated it for June 2013 on requests from some people, I haven't gone over it as much as I did in January, but I'm sure some of you can do it for yourselves.

Note: These only have Plate Tectonics, Weather and Development,

Along with this, I had a word document where I put all my possible questions for the Jan 13 exam, I predicted both the essays to come up and a couple of questions (see for yourselves), but there are still many more that could come up.

http://hostr.co/TaZwXoBzEMfT
https://mega.co.nz/#!7UIWQQxK!S9pctAukAEeEJGMmCtC0jkFGByU0hg1is9qI7ki1zXs


==============================

MY EXAM ADVICE

==============================

Basically, if you are trying to get the A or A*, you NEED to aim for 30+ in the essay to guarantee anything. What I discovered that my teacher wasn't really telling me was how to write the essay and what to include, basically you need 2 parts to it, the technical content, and SYNOPTICITY.

I'll give you a example of synopticity from a example essay, I'll take Jan 2013 for example.

Imagine the topic is UHI (Urban Heat Island), the technical side would be

Temperature
Precipitation
Wind

That kind of stuff.

The synopticity comes from explaining the UHI theory.

Points you could make:

The UHI is stronger in different seasons (particularly summer)
UHI is dependent on the city size, and other physical factors like a mass of water (rivers).
Density of the city.
How developed the cities are, green roof technologies, parks, London is a great example, as it has many parks and trees even in the centre of London (preventing UHI?)

You also get synopticity to relating your topic to OTHER parts of the specification, so for example, the point of "How developed the cities are", could interlink with climate change.

Climate Change suggests world temperatures may rise by 1c by the end of the century. As seen in the 2003 European Heatwave, cities are particularly vulnerable to the heat. Undoubtedly the occurrence of climate change will make these heatwave events worse, and perhaps occur more frequently. However, the more developed of the cities in the world, such as those in Europe have the resources and the capital to prepare and manage for these events in the future. The city of Paris that was particularly affected has taken measures as stocking up fans in warehouses to be distributed to retirement homes, as old people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat. However developing nations will not have this luxury, (should give case study here if you can) they have considerable social, human and economic problems and cannot prioritize the effects of a UHI over some of their other problems. Climate change will make the UHI occur in places where it has never really occurred, and amplify its effects in places where it does. Developed nations will be able to come somewhat, if not entirely, yet developing nations shall not.

That's just a taste of what would get top marks, if you wrote it a bit nicer, and included another case study.


7 markers literally require you to lift information off whatever source you are given, but also to make comments about something that aren't entirely obvious.

8 markers are the nicest, as you just have to spam information.

10 markers are horrible.

Hope that helps. :biggrin:


Thank you for this! really insightful.
I can't get the last link for the Excel spreadsheet to work or the very first link to work for some reason.

I'm aiming to do the plate tectonics 40 marker, what are your possible predictions for this as I too have looked through the papers and every aspect seems to of been done for them?
Reply 2
Sorry I can't seem to open the practice question document from either link? very useful advice :smile:

Edit: I made it work now :tongue:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Included google docs link. Should work, although google has messed up my formatting a little, just do File->Download and it should work, if it doesn't it's not my problem.
Reply 4
Also, you don't need to write pages and pages, I would suggest though that you try to finish one booklet, I myself got up to the last line of the last page of the first booklet with 1 page of planning at the front.

If you aren't writing 4+ pages for the essay, it just isn't enough to get top marks (even mid-range marks), but its definitely quality > quantitiy, one paragraph or even a sentence can boost your mark by several points. Just don't dive straight in, and think about where your essay is leading to and from.

This is handwriting dependent though, although I would consider mine fairly small.
Reply 5
Wow! Many thanks
Reply 6
Original post by acedlol
Little background story, first time I did this exam (June 2012), got 84/120. Decided to do it again in Jan 2013, managed to get 120/120, 76/90 overall. I account my success partly down to understanding how to get 40 marks in the essay, (got 37), and predicting the essay that would come up.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS EXAM IS THE ESSAY.


Here is my spreadsheet that I used for predictions (PredictionsMAY), I have updated it for June 2013 on requests from some people, I haven't gone over it as much as I did in January, but I'm sure some of you can do it for yourselves.

Note: These only have Plate Tectonics, Weather and Development,

Along with this, I had a word document where I put all my possible questions for the Jan 13 exam, I predicted both the essays to come up and a couple of questions (see for yourselves), but there are still many more that could come up.

http://hostr.co/TaZwXoBzEMfT
https://mega.co.nz/#!7UIWQQxK!S9pctAukAEeEJGMmCtC0jkFGByU0hg1is9qI7ki1zXs
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By96Xbp_nMSrS0dsbDdSNkY2ZkE/edit?usp=sharing

==============================

MY EXAM ADVICE

==============================

Basically, if you are trying to get the A or A*, you NEED to aim for 30+ in the essay to guarantee anything. What I discovered that my teacher wasn't really telling me was how to write the essay and what to include, basically you need 2 parts to it, the technical content, and SYNOPTICITY.

I'll give you a example of synopticity from a example essay, I'll take Jan 2013 for example.

Imagine the topic is UHI (Urban Heat Island), the technical side would be

Temperature
Precipitation
Wind

That kind of stuff.

The synopticity comes from explaining the UHI theory.

Points you could make:

The UHI is stronger in different seasons (particularly summer)
UHI is dependent on the city size, and other physical factors like a mass of water (rivers).
Density of the city.
How developed the cities are, green roof technologies, parks, London is a great example, as it has many parks and trees even in the centre of London (preventing UHI?)

You also get synopticity to relating your topic to OTHER parts of the specification, so for example, the point of "How developed the cities are", could interlink with climate change.

Climate Change suggests world temperatures may rise by 1c by the end of the century. As seen in the 2003 European Heatwave, cities are particularly vulnerable to the heat. Undoubtedly the occurrence of climate change will make these heatwave events worse, and perhaps occur more frequently. However, the more developed of the cities in the world, such as those in Europe have the resources and the capital to prepare and manage for these events in the future. The city of Paris that was particularly affected has taken measures as stocking up fans in warehouses to be distributed to retirement homes, as old people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of heat. However developing nations will not have this luxury, (should give case study here if you can) they have considerable social, human and economic problems and cannot prioritize the effects of a UHI over some of their other problems. Climate change will make the UHI occur in places where it has never really occurred, and amplify its effects in places where it does. Developed nations will be able to come somewhat, if not entirely, yet developing nations shall not.

That's just a taste of what would get top marks, if you wrote it a bit nicer, and included another case study.


7 markers literally require you to lift information off whatever source you are given, but also to make comments about something that aren't entirely obvious.

8 markers are the nicest, as you just have to spam information.

10 markers are horrible.

Hope that helps. :biggrin:


Hi, great piece there but i was wondering if there was a typo for the plate tectonics and development sections as there is 'jun 12' written twice on tectonics and you may of meant 'jan13' for the second one and meant 'jun 13' for the main one? or were they just predictions for January?
Reply 7
Hey there,

I am amazed at your generousity and general helpfulness with this post! Was wondering if you have any insight into a possible tectonics essay question for this exam? I'm definately thinking volcanos, but can there be a question simple on lanforms and features? It would be the most obvious from the gaps.
Reply 8
This is absolutely brilliant +rep given.

I don't suppose you have any idea about World Cities? I have a few of my own predictions but they always seem to fail me.
Reply 9
Original post by SimpleTom
This is absolutely brilliant +rep given.

I don't suppose you have any idea about World Cities? I have a few of my own predictions but they always seem to fail me.


Heyy :smile:

I'm doing world cities too, what are your predictions for this exam ?
Original post by suzanne23
Heyy :smile:

I'm doing world cities too, what are your predictions for this exam ?


I was hoping something to do with sustainable waste management or maybe retail shopping centres but in all honest I don't have much idea - guess I will have to learn all of it :frown:

How about you?
Reply 11
Original post by Crms123
Hey there,

I am amazed at your generousity and general helpfulness with this post! Was wondering if you have any insight into a possible tectonics essay question for this exam? I'm definately thinking volcanos, but can there be a question simple on lanforms and features? It would be the most obvious from the gaps.


The logical choice for the chief examiners would be to do a volcanic essay, although from my experience they rarely do the logical thing. I agree that some sort of landforms and features essay would be the essay, if they could be creative enough to write an essay that allows for discussion / opinions, as this is required in a essay.

"To what extent are the physical landforms we see on Earth a result of convection currents within the mantle?"
"How do the physical landforms from convection currents on Earth affect human life?"

Not really those, but something alone those lines isn't impossible, it would be harsh though.


Original post by SimpleTom
This is absolutely brilliant +rep given.

I don't suppose you have any idea about World Cities? I have a few of my own predictions but they always seem to fail me.



Sorry I've never done world cities :{

Original post by suzanne23
Heyy :smile:

I'm doing world cities too, what are your predictions for this exam ?


Sorry I've never done world cities :{
Original post by acedlol
The logical choice for the chief examiners would be to do a volcanic essay, although from my experience they rarely do the logical thing. I agree that some sort of landforms and features essay would be the essay, if they could be creative enough to write an essay that allows for discussion / opinions, as this is required in a essay.

"To what extent are the physical landforms we see on Earth a result of convection currents within the mantle?"
"How do the physical landforms from convection currents on Earth affect human life?"

Not really those, but something alone those lines isn't impossible, it would be harsh though.





Sorry I've never done world cities :{



Sorry I've never done world cities :{



Are you SURE the short answer question's this year wont be on Volcanoes - not doing the 40 marker for it so I am risking not revising Volcanoes at all - just doing Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes - do you reckon this is ok?
Reply 13
Original post by SimpleTom
Are you SURE the short answer question's this year wont be on Volcanoes - not doing the 40 marker for it so I am risking not revising Volcanoes at all - just doing Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes - do you reckon this is ok?


I'm not sure about anything :biggrin:

Several years the chief examiners go against the logical next step, and do a two sections in a row. I can't promise that, especially this year.

I think the questions will be more about the theory of plate tectonics / earthquakes this year, rather than solely earthquakes or volcanoes, but I can't promise that. I've been wrong before ^^.
Reply 14
Original post by acedlol
The logical choice for the chief examiners would be to do a volcanic essay, although from my experience they rarely do the logical thing. I agree that some sort of landforms and features essay would be the essay, if they could be creative enough to write an essay that allows for discussion / opinions, as this is required in a essay.

"To what extent are the physical landforms we see on Earth a result of convection currents within the mantle?"
"How do the physical landforms from convection currents on Earth affect human life?"

Not really those, but something alone those lines isn't impossible, it would be harsh though.


I haven't even gone over certain parts of the plate tectonics course because in previous essays they haven't came up such as landforms and features. I am only going to do the plate tectonics essay so should I just try quickly cover the whole course? I thought that was only a small range what they could ask for a essay question.
Reply 15
Original post by ben10101

I haven't even gone over certain parts of the plate tectonics course because in previous essays they haven't came up such as landforms and features. I am only going to do the plate tectonics essay so should I just try quickly cover the whole course? I thought that was only a small range what they could ask for a essay question.


If you are limiting yourself to only the plate tectonics essay, I'd say it would be worth going over it all quickly. However I do understand why you didn't learn some parts, and I agree with you. There are things they haven't done essay-specifically on, but its really hard to write enough about certain topics, hence why they don't do them. (I think). Maybe they could be really ****ing mean this year, I don't know.

The essay is important, as it is almost half your exam. I wouldn't learn it totally word for word, but enough to know about it if something crazy comes up, which it probably won't (maybe:colone:)
Great guy :biggrin:
Reply 17
Original post by acedlol
If you are limiting yourself to only the plate tectonics essay, I'd say it would be worth going over it all quickly. However I do understand why you didn't learn some parts, and I agree with you. There are things they haven't done essay-specifically on, but its really hard to write enough about certain topics, hence why they don't do them. (I think). Maybe they could be really ****ing mean this year, I don't know.

The essay is important, as it is almost half your exam. I wouldn't learn it totally word for word, but enough to know about it if something crazy comes up, which it probably won't (maybe:colone:)


Yeah i am now going through page by page through the textbook, starting with landforms at plate margins. I don't see how they could do a extended question on that. Think I have left it too late now to get an A in this exam.
Reply 18
Original post by ben10101
Yeah i am now going through page by page through the textbook, starting with landforms at plate margins. I don't see how they could do a extended question on that. Think I have left it too late now to get an A in this exam.


It's never too late, truuuuust me. And I do mean that.
Original post by acedlol
It's never too late, truuuuust me. And I do mean that.


I can only echo this, got 100% UMS in Geog4b from like 2 days of cramming! :biggrin:

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