How to use Detailed Specific Examples in 7 Mark Questions (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography): Revision Note

What is a detailed specific example?

• A Detailed Specific Example (DSE) is a real, named case study you use to answer certain questions on Paper 1 and Paper 2

  • This is a specific river, country, city, volcano or company, rather than a general description

• The syllabus does not name these examples for you: your teacher chooses which ones you study

  • You need to be able to name them precisely and use real detail from them in the exam

Where are detailed specific examples required?

• There are 16 parts of the specification across the ten topics that require a detailed specific example

  • Eight on Paper 1 (Physical Geography)

  • Eight on Paper 2 (Human Geography)

Paper 1

• Changing river environments

  • The causes, impacts and management of a flood for a named river

  • The causes, impacts and management of pollution in a named river

• Changing coastal environments

  • Coastal erosion and storm protection for a named country or coastal area

  • The importance, threats to, and protection of a named coral reef

• Changing ecosystems

  • Deforestation impacts and management for a named country or tropical rainforest area

• Tectonic hazards

  • The causes, impacts, responses and management of an earthquake for a named country or area

  • The causes, impacts, responses and management of an eruption for a named volcano

• Climate change

  • The impacts, responses and management of climate change for a named country or region

Paper 2

• Changing populations

  • The reasons for growth/decline and impacts of a population policy for a named country

  • The push and pull factors of a named international migration (named origin and destination country)

• Changing towns and cities

  • The opportunities, challenges and management of rapid urban growth for a named urban area

• Development

  • The level and strategies to raise development for a named MIC or LIC

• Changing economies

  • The impacts of globalisation and of a named TNC in a named country or area

  • The growth, benefits, problems and management of tourism in a named country or area

• Resource provision

  • The factors, problems and strategies around food supply in a named country or area

  • The energy mix, impacts and management of energy supply for a named country

• The Antarctic ecosystem is the one exception

  • The syllabus specifically does not require a DSE here, since the whole sub-topic is already based on Antarctica itself

What is an 'explain' or 'describe' 7 mark question?

• In CIE IGCSE Geography (0460), there are two types of 7 mark question

  • In Section A on each of Paper 1 and 2 there is a 7 mark "Assess the extent to which" question which requires an evaluative judgement

  • In Section B (Questions 2–4(c)), the 7 mark questions use "Explain" or "Describe" and only test knowledge

    • No judgement is required in these questions

• This guide will explain how to complete the Section B 7 mark questions

Command phrases and assessment objectives

• This question type uses command phrases 'explain' and 'describe'

• The question tests:

  • AO1 (Knowledge and understanding)

How are these questions marked?

• This question is not point-marked, it is a levelled response

• The examiner reads your whole answer and decides which level it best fits, then places it within that level's mark range

• Within a level examiners award:

  • The top mark if your answer convincingly meets the level statement

  • The middle mark if it adequately meets it

  • The bottom mark if it just meets it

Level 3 (6-7 marks)

• Uses named example (when appropriate)

• A comprehensive answer with developed statements showing detailed knowledge and understanding which is relevant to the question

• Answer includes specific details about place or process

Level 2 (3-5 marks)

• Developed statements showing good knowledge and understanding which is relevant to the question

Level 1 (1-2 marks)

• Simple statements with limited detail, showing basic knowledge and understanding which is relevant to the question

Level 0 (0 marks)

• No creditable response

How to use a detailed specific example well

• Name it precisely

  • A real place, not a vague description

  • "Bangladesh" and "the River Ganges/Brahmaputra" score higher than "a poor country" or "a river in Asia"

• Use specific facts

  • Figures, dates, place names within the example

  • The mark schemes for these questions specifically reward "specific details about place or process," not general statements that could apply to anywhere

• Match the example to the question

  • Know what your named example is meant to illustrate (e.g. is it your flood example, or your pollution example, for that same river?) so you don't just use whichever example you remember best

• Examples from the 2000s onwards tend to work best, since more recent data and reporting is usually available to draw on

How to answer an 'in an area you have studied' question

Step 1 

• Read the question carefully and underline the command words

"Explain the importance of coral reefs to a coastal area you have studied."

• The command word "explain" means that you need to say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence

Step 2

• Underline the key words. 

"Explain the importance of coral reefs to a coastal area you have studied."

• In this example, you need to focus on why coral reefs are important using your detailed specific example

Step 3

• Plan the information you are going to include. This can be a short list of bullet points. For example:

  • Where the coral reef is located

  • Reasons that it is important including:

    • Storm protection

    • Ecosystem

    • Reducing erosion

    • Tourism

    • Cultural significance

Step 4 

• Write your answer

  • To achieve 7 marks, you need to write at least 3 detailed statements

  • Do not make general statements

  • Be specific, for example:

'the reef supports tourism by attracting millions of visitors for diving and snorkelling, which contributes over AU$6 billion (about US$4 billion) to the Australian economy each year.'