Kay's

AS Geography

 

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Unit GG3 - Investigative geography

    

Unit GG3 is currently a separate assessment designed to test the application of knowledge and understanding and skills acquired in units GG1 and GG2 (including 'generic field skills'). WJEC emphasise candidates need to have experienced fieldwork to be able to answer the questions. The full details are in the specification available from WJEC's website: http://www.wjec.co.uk/geography.html

In 2003 GG3 will continue to be much as sat by candidates in 2002.

Note the specification for 2004 introduces a choice between GG3(a) and GG3(b). GG3(a) will continue to be an externally marked examination paper, but there will be the option of doing instead GG3(b) an internally assessed (externally moderated) "Fieldwork Report". More on GG3 (a) and GG3(b) below.

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Skills required for GG3 (2003)

GG3 assumes candidates will have had experience of group fieldwork. A good example of group fieldwork is Coatham Sands on the Tees Estuary a Newton House Field Centre trip studying spatial patterns in the dunes. Although Chelmsford County High School tackle the personal enquiry for Paper 3 (Investigative Study) of the OCR 9050 syllabus, the enquiry sequence is similar to that expected by WJEC. This particualr trip was also published in the Geography Review, March 2001, Vol. 14, Number 4, pp14-17. http://www.cchs.co.uk/subjects/geography/6thform/resources/sanddune/intro.htm

As part of the course Kay's students will be doing research-based assignments which will be examined in this written paper assessment. For details of these see Work due.

Most of the skills required will be familiar to you from fieldwork, such as examining issues, collecting data, following recording procedures and presenting an analysis. You must be able to describe methods of enquiry (ie how you did your data collection and why), know the limitations of the evidence and draw conclusions from it.

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Check you know about the following:

Check you know how to do the following skills:

Check you can use the following techniques:

Fieldwork - you should have experience of:

For useful tips on questionnaires: questionnaire assignment http://www.zephryus.demon.co.uk/geography/resources/fieldwork/stats/ques.html

Fieldwork - you should be able to:

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GG3 (a) 2004

In 2004 GG3(a) will continue to be exam set by WJEC. This route assesses the skills acquired in Units GG1 and GG2 through a 1 hour 30 minutes paper of structured examination questions that include data from fieldwork investigations of physical and human environments. The unit is externally assessed in early May and represents 30% of the AS specification.

GG3(a) Investigative Geography paper  
A Establish effective sequences of enquiry. Structured questions on how to establish an effective sequence to enquiry.
B Acquire appropriate evidence. Structured questions based on collection of appropriate evidence.
C Organise, record and present evidence in cartographic and diagramatic form making use of IT if appropriate. Structured questions based on organisation and presentation of evidence in cartographic and/or diagrammatic forms.
D Describe, analyse, evaluate and interpret evidence and draw conclusions. Structured questions based on the description, analysis, evaluation and interpretation of evidence presented and the conclusions that can then be drawn.
E Evaluate in relation to geographical knowledge and understanding. Structured questions based on evaluation in relation to geographical knowledge and understanding.

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GG3(b)

In 2004 there will be the option of doing a 'field report' instead of an exam paper. Candidates hand in a 2000 word report of a 'fieldwork investigation' that was part of their work for GG1 and GG2 (ie something organised by your teachers). The report, to be completed by early May, is marked internally by centres and moderated by the WJEC. It represents 30% of the AS award. [The report can also be internally marked against the Key Skills specification and form part of a portfolio of evidence for a Key Skills qualification.]

Note the way marks have been allocated. The fieldwork 'sequence' organised by teachers gets you no marks and because data collection and sampling will be teacher-directed, you get relatively few marks here (5 marks for describing them). The real marks are for the skills-based techniques (such as choosing the right graphs, charts and diagrams and presenting them accurately and neatly). Being able to use the data, saying what it means and saying what the limitations are gets most marks.

There's more detailed information in the specification and you should certainly take a look at the 'level descriptors' on page 24 (2004) before writing the final draft of your field report. Get your 'pdf' copy from http://www.wjec.co.uk/geography.html

GG3(b) Fieldwork Report   marks
A Establish effective sequences of enquiry. Centre-directed sequence of enquiry. 0
B Acquire appropriate evidence. Centre-directed sequence of enquiry. 5
C Organise, record and present evidence in cartographic and diagramatic form making use of IT if appropriate. Candidate organises and presents evidence in cartogarphic and/or diagrammatic forms. 15
D Describe, analyse, evaluate and interpret evidence and draw conclusions. Candidate describes, analyses, evaluates and interprets the evidence and then draws conclusions. (Includes statistical techniques.) 10
E Evaluate in relation to geographical knowledge and understanding. Candidate evaluates the methods and the sequence of the enquiry, the limitations of the evidence, and draws conclusions. 10
F General presentation.   10
 

Total marks

 50

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In 2003 GG3 will continue to be much as sat by candidates in 2002.