Analysing a geographic topic at a global scale (internal)
Internal 3 credits Global pattern Factors & processes Significance Geographic terminologyThree components: describe the pattern using geographic terminology, explain the factors and/or processes that produce it, and explain its social and economic significance for people. Excellence evaluates that significance rather than explaining it.
1 Reading the notation
Precise definitions of "global", "pattern" and "geographic topic" — check your chosen topic against all three.📖 Terms the schedule grades you on
3 terms- Global
- Regions or nations across DIFFERENT CONTINENTS or HEMISPHERES.
- Pattern
- A DEFINITE spatial or temporal arrangement.
- Geographic topic
- A natural and/or cultural study with a GLOBAL spatial dimension.
2 The three components
Pattern → factors and processes → significance for people.The three components in order
- DESCRIBE the pattern, using geographic terminology.
- EXPLAIN the factors and/or processes that produce it.
- EXPLAIN the SOCIAL and ECONOMIC significance for people.
3 Describing the pattern
Terminology is explicitly assessed — use it directly.A pattern description that scores
- The overall distribution in one sentence, using terminology.
- Highest and lowest concentrations, named regions with figures.
- One anomaly that breaks the pattern — and later, why.
- A map or choropleth, titled, with a key and a source.
4 Factors and/or processes
Factors explain WHERE; processes explain HOW it got that way. ✕Naming a factor without connecting it to the pattern
"Climate" or "colonial history" named on its own explains nothing. Trace the MECHANISM: how does this factor specifically produce the distribution described in component 1?5 Social and economic significance
Achieved explains it; Excellence evaluates it, showing insight.| Grade | What component 3 requires |
|---|---|
| Achieved | Explain the social and economic significance for people |
| Merit | Explain it IN DETAIL |
| Excellence | EVALUATE it, showing INSIGHT |
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.