This blog will give you tips and tricks on how to ace your upcoming Geography exam. Before we dive into all that, let’s first discuss what Geography is all about.
What comes to mind when you think of Geography?
According to National Geographic, Geography is the “study of places, and the relationships between people and their environments.” It is all of that – and so much more!
The places we live in, form and shape the stories that make up our history. Geography is the study of these places. When we study Geography, we gain a unique perspective on the world. We learn to value the many cultures that exist, as well as form a deep appreciation for the spaces that surround us. The combination of this knowledge, can help us develop unique solutions to problems that others may not be able to see. This can be especially helpful when it comes to problems surrounding the effect of climate change.
If we study Geography, we can understand how humans have influenced different areas as well as the weather patterns and climate changes throughout history. By discovering and sharing this knowledge, we can help people understand the effects of climate change on our society, and what we can do to help.
Now that we understand WHY we need to study Geography, lets learn HOW to study it so you can do well, come exam time.
Exam Structure:
There will be two papers in the Geography examination. Paper 1 has a weighting of 75% and is compulsory, while paper 2 has a weighting of 25% and is elective - for extra credit.
Important Note: Markers of past papers have noticed that a common mistake among students, is answers that are too brief and are lacking important information. Be sure to include as much detail as possible and ALWAYS provide explanations where you can.
Paper 1: Compulsory Time: 2 hours 45 mins A. 20 Multiple-choice questions (20%) B. Data-based questions (30%) C. Short essay (10%) D. Fieldwork-based (15%)
Paper 2: Elective Time: 1 hour 15 mins A. Data-based questions (15%) B. Essay (10%)
7 Top Tips
J. Yeung, a tutor at Beacon College and Titus Chan, a Geography tutor at Modern Education, offer these helpful tips:
Students should spend time honing their map-reading skills before this year’s exam, because the map-reading multiple choice questions in the upcoming paper will have a higher weighting than it has in previous years.
When it comes to the fieldwork topic, be sure to write as much information as you can. Brief answers may be missing crucial information for extra marks. Allocate about 45 minutes to these questions and be sure to include detailed explanations.
When asked about ‘The City,’ students may be required to investigate the need for urban renewal so be sure to familiarise yourself with these concepts.
Students need to be familiar with the formation procedures of certain landforms and be able to analyse the solutions of the three tectonic hazards, namely: Volcanic eruptions, Earthquakes and Tsunamis.
Students must be able to explain the climatic constraints of farming in California in great detail. They must also be able to analyse the effectiveness of farming technologies such as irrigation and precision farming.
Students should be able to detail rock formation and its mechanisms step by step.
Students should also be able to explain why high temperatures or high pressure, leads to metamorphism, or how metamorphism is affected by temperature or pressure, and how minerals are produced.
Thomas Edison said it best when he said, “there is no substitute for hard work.” If you put in the time, learn your material and focus on the tips above, you will reap the rewards of a smooth examination and a result you can be proud of.
Best of luck to all our students! We have every faith in your success.
If you are a student, or the parent of a student who needs help preparing for their exams, please contact us on 2383 0300 or info@meeducationhk.com to see how we can assist you.
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Liuna
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