A Level and GCSE Geography Revision A Complete Guide to Exam Preparation

A Level and GCSE Geography Revision A Complete Guide to Exam Preparation Let's Ace that Geography Revision ChaptersGeography: Not Just ‘Colouring In’Paying Attention, the First Time RoundTextbooks, Friends, and Online Resources: The Core Revision MaterialMaps and Geographical SkillsUsing Past Papers: Developing the Skills for Your Geography ExaminationsWhere to Find Extra Information? Reading Around Your Geography CurriculumRemembering to Ace those Geography Case StudiesFinding a Private Tutor to Get You through Your Geography Exams â€" at Whatever LevelTaking it Easy: Learning to NOT ReviseConclusion.When you reach the age of about fifteen, every year at secondary school seems to be split into two halves: the first, in which you are taught something, and the second, in which you are taken over it again. The second we call ‘revision’, a name which is probably fair, but which implies you’ve already learnt the thing that you are re-studying. We all know that this isn’t exactly true, as, at the start of the year, your exams feel far enough away to be hardly worth thinking about. So, like the rest of the students in your classroom, you don’t really take it all in, but rather bank â€" often correctly â€" that you are going to cover it again later in the year. At GCSE, this might immediately seem like the correct approach; by A Level, you should probably know a little better! Revising shouldn’t be learning from scratch, but merely filling the gaps in your knowledge and making sure everything sticks in your brain. It’s a lot less stressful this way.And, importantly, studying with friends makes the whole process much more enjoyable, and this is something that really needs to be achieved.Maps and Geographical SkillsBut geography isn’t all about the knowledge that you collect â€" the facts you learn, the statistics you find, the texts you have read. Rather, a really crucial part of the assessment framework â€" for both GCSE students and for students of A Level geography â€" is these things we call geographical skills. These are things like being able to re ad maps: what contour lines are, how to locate yourself and other geographic features, and what the main features of a landscape might be.It also refers to the skills that are required for reading diagrams accurately â€" taking data from a chart, for example â€" and identifying the key features of images. As you’ll see below, these are all things tested in the geography exam.How do you develop these skills? The most obvious response to this is to look at a map. What do these things show, and what information is included in them? Why are these important in the world today, and what do they actually tell us about our world? These are the questions you need to ask yourself when looking at them. SerenaGeography Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoelGeography Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChloeGeography Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MatthewGeography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidGeography Teacher 5.00 (10) £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ConnieGeography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LaurieGeography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamGeography Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUsing Past Papers: Developing the Skills for Your Geography ExaminationsPast papers are the cornerstone of any revision programme, and if you have not made space for them in your timetable, then more fool you.Using past papers is the most authoritative way to test the knowledge that you have â€" and the appropriateness and relevance of that knowledge. Used in conjunction with the mark scheme â€" which will be available on your exam board’s website along with the past papers â€" they can show you the gaps in your knowledge as well as the bits that you solidly know.Use them from the very beginning of your revision, to keep track of progress and to reassure yourself that you are getting there.Another thing they offer is a chance to hone your exam technique. These days, we all write on the computer and phone â€" and the pace of our writing on these technologies is usually very high. Actual, old-fashioned handwriting though is a different story altogether and, as part of your exam technique is making sure you finish the paper, it is essential that you practise writing quickly by hand.Finally, past papers show you the sort of questions you should expect from the exam. The phrasing of the questions, the type of answers that the examiners are expecting, and the sorts of skills they are testing. As your exam paper â€" whether GCSE or A Level â€" will include questions on diagrams, maps, and images, you should practise these over and over, as often they will not require any external knowledge whatsoever. (As you have been reading maps though, you should be absolutely fine with this.)And remember, alongside the past papers and the mark schemes, you’ll find the course specification â€" which shows you precisely the topics, themes, and ideas that you will be tested on â€" and the previous years’ examiner’s reports. These often tell you the pitfalls of previous students â€" so pay attention to these too!There are specific articles on GCSE geography past papers and A Level geography past papers with us too!Where to Find Extra Information? Reading Around Your Geography CurriculumWe said above that textbooks aren’t sufficient to get you to achieve the highest grades. They are great, but not everything.You will, instead, be expected to read around the topics that you are covering in your course â€" especially if you are an A Level student. This shows the examiner that you are able to apply to new things the knowledge and skills that you have learned in class. For A Level students, you can find some handy tips on where to start with our article on A-Level geography revision.In brief, let’s say here that books, magazines, and newspapers are your best bet. Newspapers like The Guar dian, The New York Times, and The Times are all very prestigious publications that often report on geographical issues from urban geography to globalization and migration. The Guardian’s ‘Cities’ section might be a great resource for you specifically â€" or else you can try magazines like National Geographic, which focus specifically on geography.Otherwise, there are many best-selling books that cover geographical topics, and you won’t have too much trouble tracking down some very readable, engaging, and even fun ones.Newspapers are full of info that could be helpful for your geography revision.Remembering to Ace those Geography Case StudiesThese resources can provide the main source of information for your case studies â€" those examples of geographical phenomena that seem to dominate GCSEs and A Levels. Find as much data on these as you can and try your best to find case studies that actually interest you.It cannot be stressed enough how important case studies are for your geography courses. They pin down your theory and concepts into real-life examples and are essentially an exercise in applying your knowledge to something real. Do not neglect them!Finding a Private Tutor to Get You through Your Geography Exams â€" at Whatever LevelWhat might also be helpful is for you to seek sessions with a private tutor. Often super-qualified and experienced â€" and usually alumni of geography courses at universities â€" academic tutors can make a huge difference to your revision, whether it’s for talking you through thorny theoretical issues or for setting you extra work during the revision period.Superprof is a great place to find private tuition, at any level, and you can take classes both online and face-to-face in the comfort of your own home.Taking it Easy: Learning to NOT ReviseFinally, it’s important to know that revision should not be an exercise in solitude or in self-imprisonment in your own room. And neither is it a fifteen hour a day job.Revise w ell, and revise efficiently, but don’t wear yourself out doing it. Make sure that you take time to relax, and make sure that, at some moments at least, you precisely don’t revise. You have to switch off.Conclusion.Check out our dedicated guides to GCSE geography revision and A Level geography revision too!