Analysing a significant contemporary event (internal)
Internal 3 credits Contemporary event Planning & decision making Impacts Geographic perspectiveThe standard names three required components: outline the nature of the event, explain the planning and decision making involved, and explain its social, economic and/or environmental impacts. Merit explains the last two in detail; Excellence explains them comprehensively, showing insight.
1 Reading the notation
Three precise definitions the standard supplies, easy to miss.📖 Terms the schedule grades you on
3 terms- Significant event
- An event of global, national or regional importance that is PLANNED, and may occur in one or more locations.
- Contemporary event
- An event that has taken place within the last FIVE years.
- Geographic perspective
- A spatial dimension, and the interaction between people and the environment.
2 The three components
Outline, then explain twice — and link the two explanations.Where to spend the words
- NATURE OF THE EVENT: an outline only — what, where, when, scale. It never escalates above "outlining".
- PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING: the options, the criteria, the consultation, the reasons. Escalates at every grade.
- IMPACTS: social, economic and/or environmental, each evidenced and attributed to named groups.
3 Planning and decision making
Alternatives rejected, and the reasons — this is where decisions become visible. ✕Reporting only the outcome
"The council approved it" is an outcome, not an analysis of decision making. Name the OPTIONS that were considered, the CRITERIA used to weigh them, and who was CONSULTED — the decision only becomes visible once the alternatives are on the table.4 Social, economic and/or environmental impacts
Two categories done thoroughly beats three done thinly.What each impact needs
- The TYPE named — social, economic, or environmental.
- WHO or WHAT is affected, specifically.
- Evidence — a figure, a named location, a documented change.
5 Reaching Excellence
Evaluate, show insight, and link planning to impact causally.The Excellence moves
- EVALUATE the planning and decision making, not just explain it.
- EVALUATE the impacts, showing INSIGHT.
- Link a SPECIFIC decision to a SPECIFIC impact — causally, not just chronologically.
Practice
Recall it first, then use it — testing yourself builds the memory, where rereading the notes above only feels easier.
Recall and application shuffled together — you have to work out what each item wants before you can answer it, which is the part the exam actually tests. Both kinds feed the same spacing schedule, so anything you miss comes back sooner.
Say the answer out loud before flipping — that attempt is where the learning happens, even when you get it wrong.
Exam-style only. Instant feedback, shuffled each attempt, best score saved on this device.