AQA GCSE Geography Course (AQA GCSE Geography): Revision Note

AQA GCSE Geography (8035)

Your complete guide to what you will study, how you will be assessed and the optional content.

Exam papers

Paper 1

• In sections A and B, you need to answer all the questions

• In Section C, you answer 2 out of 3 questions.

  • You choose from Coasts, Rivers or Glacial landscapes.

  • You will only have covered two of the topics in your lessons.

  • Remember in the exam to only answer two questions in this section

Paper 2

• In sections A and B, you need to answer all the questions

• In Section C, you answer Question 3 and one other question

  • You choose from Food, Energy and Water

  • You will only have covered one of the topics in your lessons.

  • Remember in the exam to only answer question 3 and one other question in this section

Paper 3

• In Paper 3, you answer all the questions

  • In section A, you will answer questions on the Issue Evaluation

  • In Section B, you will answer questions on Fieldwork and Geographical skills

Issues evaluation

• Issue evaluation is all about analysing and interpreting information and is found in part A of paper 3

  • It examines critical thinking and problem-solving

  • The total marks for this section are 37 (30%)

• Twelve weeks before the exam, a resource booklet containing a range of secondary sources is sent out by the exam board

  • You will receive your own copy that you can highlight and make notes on

• The booklet focuses on a geographical issue, which may be from any part of the specification and may contain:

  • Maps

  • Written information (quotes and extracts)

  • Photographs

  • Statistics

  • Graphs

  • Field sketches 

  • Diagrams

• The 'issue' could be based in the UK or elsewhere and could vary in scale from local to international

Fieldwork

• The fieldwork section will contain two types of questions:

1. Questions based on the use of fieldwork materials from an unfamiliar context

2. Questions based on students’ individual enquiry work

   1. For these questions, students will have to identify the titles of their individual enquiries

Question types

• In all three papers, you will be expected to answer the following types of questions

  • Multiple choice and short answer questions (1 -3 marks)

  • Longer describe/explain/suggest questions (4 marks)

  • Extended writing questions (6 and 9 mark)

Geographical skills

• Throughout the three papers, you may be required to demonstrate geographical skills, including:

  • Cartographic skills

    • Ordnance Survey maps or extracts may be used for questions in any of the three papers

  • Graphical skills

  • Numerical skills

  • Statistical skills

  • Use of qualitative and quantitative data

Assessment objectives

• The exams cover four assessment objectives (AO)

Key terminology

In each section of the AQA GCSE revision notes, you will find a list of the key terms and definitions for the topic. However, there are some key terms you need to remember for the whole course. These include:

• HIC is a higher-income country

• LIC is a lower-income country

• NEE is a newly emerging economy

Command words

There is a range of command words used in the AQA Geography exams. You must know these as they tell you what you need to do in your answer.

Assess – Make a judgement using the evidence. This is often provided in the figures.

Calculate – Work out a numerical answer.

Compare – Identify similarities and differences.

Complete / Draw / Label – Add information to finish a task.

Describe – Say what something is like (its features or characteristics).

Discuss – Give different viewpoints, including strengths and weaknesses.

Evaluate – Judge how successful or important something is using evidence.

Explain – Give reasons why something happens or is the way it is.

Identify / Name / State / Give / Define – Provide a clear, factual answer. These are often 1 or 2-mark questions.

Justify – Support your answer with evidence or reasons.

Outline – Give the main points briefly.

Suggest – Propose a possible idea or reason.

To what extent – Judge how far you agree or how important something is.