Issue Evaluation Introduction
What is issue 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
- Make sure that you understand all the information, particularly that you:
- Know all key words
- Can interpret all graphs/diagrams
- Understand how it connects to the issue and the topics you have studied during your GCSE course
Past 'issue' evaluations
- Some past 'issues' have included:
- Energy production and the location of a wind farm
- Squatter settlements
- Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest
- Water management in the UK
- Changing energy mix in the UK
What happens in the exam?
- You will answer questions about the 'issue' discussed in the resource booklet and your own knowledge
- Don't worry, a new resource booklet will be available during the exam
- You cannot take in your copy, so any notes you made, you will need to learn them
- The exam will have a series of short skills questions of 2–3 marks, 6 mark extended written questions based on sources, which lead into a decision making exercise worth 9 marks
- The questions examine:
- Geographical skills and application of knowledge
- Interpretation and analysis of the materials provided
- You will also have to write an extended answer on what decision you have come to and why (decision making and evaluation)
- Decision making is where you take all the knowledge gained from the booklet and decide a possible solution to the 'issue'; i.e. should a wind farm be located in a specific place and why?
- You also need to take into consideration:
- Stakeholder and interest group views
- Advantages and disadvantages of the scheme
- The possible options
- It does not matter whether 'yes' or 'no' is chosen for the decision: what matters is how your answer is justified
- But your answer must be supported with evidence from the booklet and your own knowledge
- Take no longer than 35–40 minutes to complete this section
Exam Tip
- DON'T leave it until the last week to look at the resource booklet. You must become familiar with it.
- The information you are given all link and will give you a clue to the types of questions that might be asked.
- E.g. if there is a table on rates of desertification in Africa, you will probably have to compare them.
- Try and work out what types of questions the examiner could ask you based on the material.
- Then try answering them.