Tired of looking for revision resources? GCSE exams can be stressful, especially when you have no idea where to start and how to revise.
As the last geography paper, paper 3 assesses your geographical application skills. The questions involve data interpretation and fieldwork. The primary assessment objective of the paper is to improve your problem-solving skills regarding real-world scenarios. How to revise this paper? Let’s find out:
Geography Paper 3 Exam Format and Content
GCSE Geography paper 3 contains extended writings, multiple choice, and short answer questions.
The paper accounts for 30% of your GCSE with 76 marks. You have 90 minutes to complete your exam.
You need strong geographical skills to get higher grades for this paper.
AQA GCSE Geography consists of 2 sections:
Section A: The Issues Evaluation
The questions in this section are based on your booklet designed by your exam board. The booklets are different every year.
Familiarity with the booklet helps you be more comfortable with exam timings and clear your thoughts. Reading them throughout is good since you get the booklets 12 weeks before the exam.
The good thing about this exam is that you don’t have to memorise any stats; everything is in your booklet. And the exam centre will provide the exact booklet on exam day.
The assessment objective is to test your ability to:
- Analysing skills
- Applying geographical knowledge to evaluate the issue presented in the booklet.
- Making informed judgments regarding an issue.
At the end of section A, you will see a nine-mark question about choosing between two options regarding an issue. Let’s take a look at AQA GCSE Geography paper 3 in 2023:
Do you think the cruise ship terminal and port facility development proposed by the Cayman Islands government in 2019 should go ahead?
- Yes
- No
Explain your answer using evidence from the resources booklet and your own understanding. (9 marks)
Whether you choose the “Yes” or “No” option, the only thing important here is how well you support your argument.
How Do You Answer the Nine Markers of Issues Evaluation?
Use the booklet. All the data you need is there. Memorising the booklet would be unnecessary, but getting familiar with the booklet will help you support your argument with more detail.
- Read the booklet: gather all relevant information about the proposed development. Focus on the positive and negative impacts outlined in the booklet.
- Structure your answer: start with a brief introduction stating your position (Yes or No). Follow with paragraphs that present arguments supported by evidence from the booklet. Include at least one counterargument to show balanced reasoning.
- Use Geographical knowledge: Incorporate relevant geographical concepts, such as sustainable development, environmental impact, and economic benefits, to strengthen your argument.
- Summarise your argument: reinforce why your position is justified based on the evidence.
Section B: Fieldwork
This section tests your understanding of the methods used in fieldwork. The primary focuses are the human environment and the physical environment. The details depend on the fieldwork you do during your course.
You’ll be asked to describe your fieldwork process, discuss the results, and reflect on the effectiveness of your methods.
The fieldwork sections are divided into two sections: the human environment and the physical environment.
At the beginning of each section, you are asked to write the title of the fieldwork inquiry. The following are questions about geographical applications. Generally, the questions are about:
- Why was the location important?
- What was your hypothesis?
- What were the risks regarding the environment?
- Results of your fieldwork.
- What were your data collection methods?
- What were your data representation methods?
Question examples:
- Assess the effectiveness of your data presentation technique(s) in your physical geography enquiry. (6 marks)
- For one of your fieldwork inquiries, to what extent did the data collected help you to obtain accurate results and reach a valid conclusion(s)? (9 marks) (+3 SPaG marks)
How to Answer FIeldwork Questions on Paper 3 Geography
Your fieldwork is the most important resource for answering this section’s questions.
- Describe your fieldwork: outline the fieldwork inquiry, including the hypothesis, location, and data collection methods.
- Evaluate data accuracy: discuss the reliability of the data collected. Were there any challenges or limitations in the data collection process? How did you address them?
- Link to conclusion: explain how the data supported (or contradicted) your hypothesis. Did it lead to a clear and valid conclusion? Use specific examples from your fieldwork to illustrate your points.
The last essay question has 3 extra marks for spelling and grammar.
Best Revision Resources for GCSE Geography Paper 3
Practise past papers to get comfortable with exam format and timing. Also, adjust the past papers to your fieldwork and booklet. You can download past paper PDFs below:
Review the topics of the physical environment and human environment. Websites for GCSE geography revision are valuable resources. The table below has valuable resources to help you improve your exam skills:
| Best GCSE GEography Resources | |
| Resource | Type |
| BBC Bitesize | Revision website |
| Seneca Learning | Revision website |
| GCSE Geography AQA | Revision book |
| Revision Question Cards | Flashcards |
Tips for Effective Geography Revision
Paper 3 is about how effectively you understand Geography. Revising GCSE geography papers 2 and 1 helps you do well on your exam. Here are 8 revision tips:
- Read the booklet before the real exam.
- Review your fieldwork.
- Ask for expert help from your teachers or a GCSE tutor.
- Practise past papers and answer the fieldwork questions based on your fieldwork.
- Answer the past paper section A based on your booklet.
- Try to complete answering past papers within the exam board’s time frame.
- Pay attention to marking schemes to understand what the examiners value.
- Learn key terms and phrases.
GCSE Geography Paper 3 FAQ
- How much is Geography Paper 3 worth?76 marks. The geographical application papers assess your understanding of geography.
- What are geography 3 questions?The questions are about what you have learned so far. Section B, Fieldwork, what you have observed during the course, the results, methods, etc. Section A questions are based on a booklet. Exam boards provide the booklets several weeks before the exams.
- Do you get the pre-release of Geography Paper 3?You will receive a booklet about a current geographical issue. You need to read this booklet to get familiar with the information. You won't need to memorise it. You will also receive the same booklet on your real exam day.
- How long is Geography Paper 3 in Edexcel?You have 90 minutes to complete paper 3 GCSE geography Edexcel. The paper consists of 3 sections: Physical Environments, Human Landscapes, and UK Challenges.