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How to revise geography case studies

How to revise geography case studies

Molly, one of my readers, wrote to me to ask:

I was just wondering if you had any tips for revising and remembering geography case studies?

When I've asked around some of the things that students find most difficult about revising geography case studies are:

  • Condensing all the information
  • Remembering all the statistics
  • Knowing what you need to know, and what you can afford to forget

Having been a bit of an ace at this kind of thing myself (I got an A* at GCSE, A at A-Level and a degree in the subject) I thought I'd share some of my top tips on how to revise geography case studies today.

1. Make sure you understand the case study

The first step in remembering anything is understanding it. You need to have a clear model in your mind of how the case study works. This includes how it's laid out in space (a mental map), who the people were who were involved and the context of the case study (historical, political, social, economic and environmental. These tips will help you with this:

  • Make sure you've seen a map of the place. In this day and age this is easy with google maps, google earth and google streetview. All of these things can help you understand both the 2-D and 3-D landscape of the case study.
  • Find newspaper articles and pictures to give you some background and also help you to visual the place
  • Watch videos if they exist. For some case studies there are amazing clips of films (Kibera, the Nairobi shanty town at the beginning of The Constant Gardner springs to mind). For others there will be great video clips on YouTube to help you.
  • If you can, visit the place. Nothing is as powerful as this in fully understanding a place.

2. Condense your notes

Once you've thoroughly understood the case study it's time to condense your notes. There are various ways you can do this.

  • Create an A3 annotated map of the area. Colour code things like causes and effects or social, economic, environmental and political factors. Have a key. You can even have flaps. Stick the map up on the wall and look at it frequently. The great thing about this is that the finite size of the page forces you to condense the information.
  • Create a table. You could put things like the social, economic, political and environmental factors along one side and background, causes and effects along the other.  Inside The Extraordinaries Club I have some grids and guidelines for you to download and use. These are exclusively for members. Find out more about the club here .
  • Create index cards. This was one of my favourites as it was quite a kinaesthetic way of separating the information into bite-sized chunks. It was a great format to give other people to test me so that I could learn all those facts and figures. You can even have different coloured index cards for different topics.
  • Traditional revision notes . In my opinion this is a bit boring, and can also be a bit intimidating when you see reams of notes that you have to memorise. I'd go with one of the other options if I was you.

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3. Memorise

Now you've condensed your class notes you need to memorise them. Good memorisation, in my experience comes down to two things:

  • Using the information in different formats.

I'd advise you to do a combination of the following:

  • Read index cards out loud, cover and test yourself.
  • Get other people to test you.
  • Act it out.
  • Make up songs or rhymes
  • Whatever else works for you…

4. Teach someone else about the case study

Teaching someone else is one of the best ways there is to a) check your understanding (because they'll never understand it if you don't) and b) practice putting what you know into words so that someone else understands it.

5. Do Past Papers

The final step is to do past papers. I strongly recommend that you do this in the format of Revision Power Hours.

If you do power hours, and make a point of marking your work, you'll not only do lots of repetition of the case study you've been learning, you'll start to learn to think like an examiner and also get a brilliant insight into exactly what they expect you to know in terms of facts and statistics.

I will say this. I used to remember literally hundreds of stats for my case studies. When I became a teacher it surprised me how few students actually needed to know in order to get good marks. However, this comes with a word of warning. You need to have a good insight into what your exam board expects you to know.

Over to you

That's pretty much a masterclass in how to revise geography case studies. Now it's up to you to put it into practice

In the comments below I'd love to know:

  • What you're finding difficult about revising geography case studies
  • What other subjects you need revision help with

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Geography Case Studies

The following case studies have been listed so that you can either research them yourself, or, if you have already studied them in class, you know which topic area to apply them to.

Case StudyTopic Area
ChinaStrict government birth control
Caribbeans / Asians into UKInternational Migration
International Migration
Mexicans to USAInternational Migration
Internal Migration
Your local areaSite and situation of settlements
Rio de JaneiroShanty towns
Problems in developing cities
Japanese citiesProblems in developed cities
GlasgowChanges in a city
BrasiliaNew Town in the developing world
Urban Redevelopment
NetherlandsOvercoming physical problems / Capital intensive farming
Diversification on a farm
Amazon RainforestShifting cultivation / Influence of physical factors
SahelDesertification – the causes, consequences, solutions
Dust Bowl USASoil erosion
Coal: Primary Industry (raw material location) and Steel: Secondary Industry (changing location factors) and Industrial region in MEDC / Importance of transport
“M4 Corridor”Industrial region in MEDC / Importance of transport
NikeWorldwide location of Trans-national Company
FordWorldwide / European location of Trans-national Company
Textiles in IndiaIndustrial region in LEDC / Change over time
South Eastern BrazilIndustrial region in LEDC / Importance of transport, market
Lynmouth FloodCauses and effects
Features of lower course of river / River flooding
River Nile – Aswan DamRiver management to reduce flooding / drought and Multipurpose scheme / Importance of irrigation
Courmayeur, ItalyUse of glacial valley for tourism
Dorset Coast, S. EnglandErosional features in hard chalk and limestone
Yorkshire Coast, E. EnglandFlamborough Head to Spurn Point
Netherlands (MEDC)Causes / effects / prevention of coastal flooding
Causes / effects of coastal flooding and Hurricanes / Means of preventing loss of life
SaharaTropical Desert
Manaus / AmazonEquatorial Climate
NigeriaSavanna / continental interior

Geography Revision

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GCSE, AS and A Level Geography Revision

Edexcel B GCSE Geography – Revision Notes & Study Resources

Edexcel B GCSE Geography mapping file. Download our comprehensive teaching resources and revision toolkit today. Use the mapping table to align with the Edexcel B examination board. Updated and aligned to the new 2020 specification.

Edexcel B Specification GCSE Document Reference Additional Content
1.1 The atmosphere operates as a global system which transfers heat around the Earth
1.2 Climate has changed in the past through natural causes on timescales ranging from hundreds to millions of years
1.3 Global climate is now changing as a result of human activity, and there is uncertainty about future climates
1.4 Tropical cyclones are caused by particular meteorological conditions
1.5 Tropical cyclones present major natural hazards to people and places
1.6 The impacts of tropical cyclones are linked to a country’s ability to prepare and respond to them
1.7 Earth’s layered structure, and physical properties is key to plate tectonics
1.8 There are different plate boundaries, each with characteristic volcanic and earthquake hazards
1.9 Tectonic hazards affect people, and are managed, differently at contrasting locations
2.1 There are different ways of defining and measuring development
2.2 There is global inequality in development and different theories in how it can be reduced
2.3 Approaches to development vary in type and success
2.4 Development of the emerging country is influenced by its location and context in the world
2.5 Globalisation causes rapid economic change in the emerging country
2.6 Rapid economic growth results in significant positive and negative impacts on people and environment in the emerging country
2.7 Rapid economic development has changed the international role of the emerging country
3.1 The world is becoming increasingly urbanised
3.2 Urbanisation is a result of socio-economic processes and change
3.3 Cities change over time and this is reflected in changing land use
3.4 The location and context of the chosen megacity influences its growth, function and structure
3.5 The megacity in the chosen country is growing rapidly
3.6 Rapid population growth creates opportunities and challenges for people living in the chosen megacity
3.7 Quality of life in the chosen megacity can be improved by different strategies for achieving sustainability
4.1 Geology and past processes have influenced the physical landscape of the UK
4.2 A number of physical and human processes work together to create distinct UK landscapes
4.3 Distinctive coastal landscapes are influenced by geology interacting with physical processes
4.4 Distinctive coastal landscapes are modified by human activity interacting with physical processes
4.5 The interaction of human and physical processes present challenges along coastlines and there are a variety of management options
4.6 Distinctive river landscapes have different characteristics formed by interacting physical processes
4.7 River landscapes are influenced by human activity interacting with physical processes
4.8 Some rivers are more prone to flood than others and there is a variety of river management options
5.1 Population, economic activities and settlements are key elements of the human landscape
5.2 The UK economy and society is increasingly linked and shaped by the wider world
Case study: Case Study - Dynamic UK cities
5.3 The context of the city influences its functions and structure
5.4 The city changes through employment, services and the movement of people
5.5 The changing city creates challenges and opportunities
5.6 Ways of life in the city can be improved by different strategies
5.7 The city is interdependent with rural areas, leading to changes in rural areas
5.8 The changing rural area creates challenges and opportunities
One physical fieldwork investigation linked to Topics 4 and 5
Investigating coastal change and conflict
Investigating river processes and pressures
One human fieldwork investigation linked to Topics 4 and 5
Investigating dynamic urban areas
Investigating changing rural areas
7.1 The Earth is home to a number of very large ecosystems (biomes) the distribution of which is affected by climate and other factors
7.2 The biosphere is a vital lifesupport system for people as it provides both goods and services
8.1 The structure, functioning and adaptations of the tropical rainforest reflect the equatorial climate
8.2 The taiga shows different characteristics, reflecting the more extreme and highly seasonal climate
8.3 Tropical rainforests are threatened directly by deforestation and indirectly by climate change
8.4 The taiga is increasingly threatened by commercial development
8.5 Conservation and sustainable management of tropical rain forests is vital if goods and services are not to be lost for future generations
8.6 The taiga wilderness areas need to be protected from overexploitation
9.1 Energy resources can be classified in different ways and their extraction and use has environmental consequences
9.2 Access to energy resources is not evenly distributed which has implications for people
9.3 The global demand for oil is increasing, but supplies are unevenly available
9.4 The world’s continuing reliance of fossil fuels increases pressure to exploit new areas
9.5 Reducing reliance on fossil fuels presents major technical challenges
9.6 Attitudes to energy and environmental issues are changing

Look at you, you’ve almost got your GCSE Geography certificate! Well done, you’re so close. As exam season gets closer, you’re likely to be feeling a bit overwhelmed by how many exams you have to sit in such a short period of time. How are you supposed to regurgitate all that information so quickly? Worry not, help is here! Here is all you need to know about preparing for your Edexcel GCSE Geography exams and how we can help you.

You may have heard that there are many different examination boards – some of your friends might be taking the very same GCSEs but with different exams. The secret is that although there are so many exam boards, the content across them is fairly standardised. After all, a volcano is still a volcano whether you take AQA or Edexcel Geography! However, there are some small differences in the ways that exam boards assess your knowledge and knowing them can go a long way in helping you prepare. The Edexcel exam board particularly emphasises multiple-choice questions as a means of assessment. You should definitely take this into account when writing your revision plan – try and incorporate as many practice quizzes as you can!

About the Board

What does Edexcel stand for and where does it come from? Edexcel is actually a play on the beginnings of two words: education and excellence. In 2003 it became the first privately owned examination board in the UK after an agreement between the Edexcel Foundation and Pearson Plc. Both of the Edexcel GCSE Geography courses are linear subjects, so you will only acquire your grade if you take all of your examinations and pass which happens at the end of the course (not throughout it).

How long will the course take to complete?

Edexcel GCSE Geography usually takes two academic years to complete. However, some have managed to complete the course in one year and others have been known to start studying early and take three years.

Is any prior knowledge required?

Edexcel specifies that you are not required to have any prior qualifications in geography in order to take this course. However, they also do state that the subject course has been designed to follow the National Curriculum and that it does assume that basic geographical knowledge has been developed throughout earlier stages which prepares all students for the GCSE.

What will I study?

Edexcel is unique in that it offers two different types of GCSE Geography courses. There is GCSE Geography A which takes a thematic approach and breaks down concepts into human and physical geography (like most other exam boards). But there is also GCSE Geography B which takes an issues-based approach with specification content arranged around the UK vs global geography. It is up to you or your educational institution what version of Edexcel GCSE Geography you take. The subjects you will study do differ.

If you took GCSE Geography A then for physical geography you will study the changing landscapes of the UK; weather hazards and climate change; and ecosystems, biodiversity and management. Meanwhile, for human geography, you will study changing cities; global development; and, resource management. Within resource management, you’ll choose between two sub-topics: energy resource management or water resource management.

However, if you took GCSE Geography B then for global topics you will study hazardous Earth; development dynamics; and, challenges of an urbanising world. Whereas for UK topics you will cover the UK’s evolving physical landscape (inc. subtopics: coastal change and conflict, and, river processes and pressures); the UK’s evolving human landscape (including a case study on UK cities); and, geographical investigations (including one human and one physical fieldwork investigation).

What is the examination process like?

The examinations themselves will also depend on whether you elected to take GCSE Geography A or B. If you took GCSE Geography A, then you will take three exams in total. The first two (The Physical Environment and The Human Environment) will be worth 37.5% each and last 1 hour and 30 minutes each. The third assessment (Geographical Investigations: Fieldwork and UK Challenges) will also last 1 hour and 30 minutes but be worth 25% of your final grade.

If you elected to take GCSE Geography B, the structure of your exams will remain largely similar, but the content will of course differ. Similarly, the first two papers (Global Geographical Issues and UK Geographical Issues) will be worth 37.5% each and last 1 hour and 30 minutes each. The second assessment will also cover one physical and one human fieldwork investigation that you are required to complete. Meanwhile, the third assessment (People and Environment Issues – Making Geographical Decisions) will be worth 25% of your GCSE and also last 1 hour and 30 minutes.

To achieve the best possible results, you should revise for your GCSE Geography exams a few hours each day – ideally two to three. Make sure to balance your revision sessions with a healthy lifestyle. Both eating well (vegetables and fruits) and exercising regularly (get out into fresh air!) will help keep you fresh and motivated during the exam season. Meanwhile, if you want to keep revision sessions dynamic and most effective then start engaging with your content actively. Don’t just read for 2-3 hours per day. Instead, take notes, write up some flashcards and draw some mind maps. Not only will you have more fun doing this, but your brain is also more likely to retain the information that way.

As your revision progresses, start working on your time management skills by doing timed practice papers. You can usually use past exam papers for this exercise – it’ll also be useful as you’ll learn about how GCSE Geography exam questions are phrased. At GCSE Geography, we are devoted to helping you succeed in your exams. To do so we’ve got plenty of engaging resources waiting for you, so let’s begin!

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GCSE Geography Revision Notes

Along with our bank of past papers , our GCSE Geography revision notes have been compiled to support you in your revision. Broken down into sections, you can choose a topic to delve into without having to flick through a book to find it!

How can I effectively revise for the physical geography topics in GCSE Geography, like climate and landforms?

Use visual aids like maps, diagrams, and charts to illustrate key concepts. Create summary notes for each topic, emphasising factors that influence climate or the formation of landforms. Practise answering past paper questions to test your understanding.

Should I write my own GCSE Geography revision notes?

Writing your own notes is a good way of actively absorbing the information that you read. You don't have to start from scratch though. You can use our revision notes as a starting points or add to your class notes. You can also create your own flashcards and quizzes and further condense the information you read.

What's the best approach to revising for human geography topics such as urbanisation and population?

Create case studies for urban areas or countries to illustrate concepts and trends. Use flashcards for key terms and statistics related to population. Practice writing essays or short responses on topics like urbanisation to improve your analysis and evaluation skills.

How should I prepare for the fieldwork aspect of the GCSE Geography exam?

Review your fieldwork notes and data collected during field trips. Organise your data into clear tables and graphs. Analysing and drawing conclusions from your fieldwork data will not only help in your coursework, but it will help you to practise as you may be asked similar questions in the exam.

What study techniques can help me remember key geographical facts and figures for the exams?

Create visual aids like infographics or mind maps to consolidate information. Use mnemonic devices or acronyms to remember lists of facts or key terms. For example, "AAHS" can help you remember the four types of erosion (Attrition, Abrasion, Hydraulic action, Solution).

How can I manage my time effectively during the GCSE Geography exam, especially for longer essay questions?

Allocate a specific amount of time to each section of the exam based on the number of marks available. Read all questions carefully before starting. Plan your answers, outline your main points, and stay focused on the key elements of each question.

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River Landscape Case Study ( OCR GCSE Geography )

Revision note.

Jacque Cartwright

Geography Content Creator

River Case Study: The River Wye

  • The Wye River is over 150 miles (120 km) long, it is the 5th longest river in the UK and descends over 700m along its course
  • Both the Wye and Severn rise, within a few miles of each other, in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains in Plynlimon, Wales 
  • The Wye is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Area of Conservation and one of the most important rivers in the UK for nature conservation
  • It is a relatively natural river, with minimal human activity along its course and is considered to be among one of the best rivers for large 'spring' salmon fishing in the UK 
  • It flows through several towns including Rhayader, Builth Wells, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford (the only city), Ross-on-Wye, Symonds Yat, Monmouth and Tintern, and discharges (along with the River Severn) into the Bristol Channel just below Chepstow

Course of the River Wye

course-of-the-river-wye

Upper course

  • Landscape features are bog and heathland with underlying impermeable shale and gritstone, along with patches of limestone from past glaciation
  • The river drops rapidly (approx. 600m over the first 50miles) and this generates enough energy to form steep-sided 'V' shaped valleys in places
  • Sediment transportation is minimal and the river's bed is covered in stepped, large, angular rocks over which the river flows
  • Rhayader (means 'waterfall on the Wye) is the first town the river passes through. The original waterfall was removed when the town's bridge was built, leaving a series of rapids (which are great for canoeists) but doesn’t absorb much water. This leads to higher volumes of water, faster flow rate and therefore, faster erosion by hydraulic action and creation of waterfalls and gorges at Cleddon Falls
  • Above Builth Wells the river is about 27m wide, fast flowing and rocky and as it flows towards Hay-on-Wye 

Middle course

  • Hay-on-Wye marks the point where the river passes into England
  • It is a meandering river, more uniform in depth but with some very deep holes flowing onwards to Hereford
  • The river has widened through lateral erosion
  • Below the city of Hereford, the sweeping meanders cut laterally across the flat, valley floodplains
  • The floodplains are formed from weak/permeable mudstone and sandstones, making the area particularly prone to flooding, but they are highly fertile through the deposition of fine sediments/alluvium

Lower course

  • The Wye River floods annually and this helps with the formation of ox-bow lakes
  • There are very few settlements close to the river between Ross on Wye and Symonds Yat due to the flood risk
  • There are levees and floodplains due to deposition
  • Symonds Yat has limestone outcrops rising over 120m above the river, forcing the river to wind around them, where several tributaries meet generating more erosive potential
  • This is the start of the Wye Valley where the river has cut sheer-sided gorges, between broad valley reaches, with rounded hills and bluffs
  • The geology is a mixture of more resistant limestone and less resistant sand and mudstone, which has produced the Wye gorge valley, running from Goodrich to Chepstow
  • The river flows into the Severn Estuary where it mixes with saltwater 

Geomorphic processes

  • Average rainfall in the Wye River basin is 725mm
  • At Plynlimon it averages 2500 mm
  • Much of the rainfall is in winter with little interception by vegetation, leading to rapid river flows and high rates of erosion
  • Mass movement is dominant due to weathering and high rainfall
  • Freeze-thaw is prevalent due to fluctuating temperatures in winter, which have created V-shaped valleys and interlocking spurs

Human activity

  • Leisure and tourism including rock climbing, canoeing and kayaking
  • Trees were cut down for shipbuilding, but have been replanted since WW2
  • Limestone quarrying has changed the valley’s gradient
  • Agriculture is dominant (90%), particularly chicken farming and water is used from the river for irrigation
  • 9000 properties are estimated to be at risk from flooding
  • This is caused by the number of impermeable surfaces within towns, which decrease the rate of infiltration and increase surface run-off, leading to large amounts of water rapidly entering the river 
  • Storage ponds such as Letton Lakes that were built to store surplus water during storms
  • Planting trees in the upper course to increase interception and storage by vegetation
  • Removable flood walls 

Other management

  • The risk of landslides or other mass movement may be reduced by planting trees which also intercept rainfall and help bind the soil surface together
  • Afforestation has helped the River Wye, by stabilising the slopes which reduces the amount of mass movement
  • It has helped to reduce the height of floods by 20% through increased storage
  • However, the slower flow and deposition rate have decreased the natural formation of levees
  • Parts of the floodplain above Hereford are allowed to flood and this reduces the risk of flooding to properties further downstream
  • This helps with flooding as more water can be held in the channel, although this has a knock-on effect downstream for deposition (lack of) and therefore, increased rates of erosion
  • It also can decrease the rate of natural levee formation

Worked example

To what extent has the impact of human activity been greater than geomorphic processes, on the formation of landforms in your chosen river basin' .

The river I have studied is The River Wye. At 150 miles long, the river Wye is the UK's 5th longest river and one of the UK's main rivers. Its source is in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains in Plynlimon and flows through central east Wales into England and back into Wales to discharge into the Severn Estuary at Chepstow. I agree that humans impact a river's basin but not more so than geomorphic processes. Left alone, a river will naturally collect and discharge precipitation and return it to the water cycle.  At Rhayader, the original waterfall was removed when the town's bridge was built, this left behind small rapids (which are great for canoeists) but doesn’t absorb much water or slow the rate of erosion. This leads to higher volumes of water, faster flow rate and therefore, faster erosion by hydraulic action and creation of waterfalls and gorges at Cleddon Falls. Humans have built bridges at major points along the course of the river, which has further impacted the natural flow of the river. To reduce the risk of flooding, afforestation has been done towards the source and along the middle course vegetation has been planted to increase the rate of infiltration, particularly during periods of prolonged rainfall. 

Before Hereford, the river is allowed to flood naturally to prevent flooding of homes south of Hereford due to the amount of impermeable surfaces within the city. These surfaces increase the rate of run-off, leading to larger amounts of water quickly entering the river's channel and increasing the likelihood of flooding. Other strategies such as removable flood walls have prevented flooding, but this moves the problem downstream and increases the rate of flooding elsewhere.  Geomorphic processes do shape the river, through creating waterfalls in the upper course of the river, meanders in the middle course and floodplains in the lower course. Erosion processes such as hydraulic action and abrasion help to form the plunge pool of a waterfall whilst lowering the gradient of the river's course. All the while the river is increasing in velocity, as tributaries from other parts of the basin, join the main channel. This helps to form meanders in the middle to lower course and deposit alluvium during floods.  I believe that geomorphic processes have the biggest impact on river basins as they occur the whole length of the river whereas, human activity such as flood zoning only work on small sections of the river such as the middle course. 

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Author: Jacque Cartwright

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the last 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to pass those pesky geography exams.

GeographyCaseStudy.Com

Detailed resources for pre-university Geography students

How to revise Geography in … 1 day

By Matt Burdett, 14 March 2020

This article is about how to do your revision for Geography in one day.

I promise that the rest of this post will be a supportive, friendly guide to revising Geography in just one day. But before that, as a teacher, I have to be a bit negative about how you’re leaving this to the last minute. Here goes:

If you’re reading this, you’ve either left your revision to the last minute, or you’re thinking about leaving it to the last minute. This is not a good idea. The earlier you start, the more successful your revision will be, especially if you follow my ‘ 6-point plan to stress-free revision ’. If you have more than a day left to revise, check out my suggestions for a three month , one month , and one week revision plan.

Teacher rant over. Let’s get revising!

Most important: think positive

You are your best self, right this minute, right now. You’ve made the positive decision to do some revision for your exam. Well done. I am 100% genuine in saying this: it would be easy to accept failure in tomorrow’s exam, but you are demonstrating the strength to say you are not a failure. You haven’t taken the exam yet, and you can still do well if you use your time effectively. Well done.

While I’m asking you to think positively, I also want you to think about the impact your emotions will have on your sleep, food intake and concentration levels. If you have that bad feeling in your stomach, it can get in the way of keeping you physically ready for the exam. Here are some ideas of how to deal with it:

  • Remember; you’re working now. Keep going. You’ve made the right choice today. Good for you!
  • Recognise the scale of the task: confront it. And then parcel it up (I’ll show you how to do this below) and deal with it. Accept that parts of the task won’t be finished. It’s ok: the task will not overwhelm you.
  • Take regular, short breaks. Avoid watching television or playing computer games.
  • When you’ve finished reading this article, turn off your laptop or phone and don’t open it again until tomorrow morning. Nothing urgent will happen.
  • Make sure you continue to eat, drink and sleep well. It’s likely that you will feel surprisingly alert when you try to sleep. This is nervousness making your adrenaline pump around your body. Do not get up to do more revision.
  • Try some calming strategies. For example, count backwards from 100 in 3s – 100, 97, 94, 91, etc. Think of a happy place where you feel good, and imagine yourself there; use all your senses to experience the place (what do you smell? What do you feel under your feet? Is there wind on your face?).

Second most important: plan your time

Regardless of how you spend your time today, you need to plan it. Write it out on a piece of paper. Block off your time in 30-40 minute chunks, with a 5-10 minute break between each one. Every two or three hours, have a 40 minute break.

Do not watch TV or play computer games at that time. Avoid your phone: you’re only going to discover everyone else panicking about the exam, or preening about how much they’ve done. Try some gentle exercise instead, in the open air if possible.

Third most important: fill in your plan with textbook chapters

Now you have a plan. Use your syllabus to identify the areas about which you are most confident. Ignore them, and revise the second most confident areas. If one paper is worth more percentage than the other, start with that one. If there is an options paper (where you can choose which questions to answer), choose the easiest options first.

This is the one and only occasion when I recommend reading the textbook as the sole revision activity, and even then, you must make notes. Be specific about what notes you will make:

  • Good: using headings and subheadings
  • Good: definitions
  • Good: specific facts about case studies
  • Good: patterns and trends over time
  • Good: quick diagrams
  • Bad: full sentences
  • Bad: using a computer to write
  • Bad: highlighting

You can probably make notes on ten textbook chapters in a day if you are efficient. Remember: follow your plan.

Fourth most important: go to bed

Your brain will be whizzing around and you think you won’t sleep. And maybe you won’t. But even lying awake is helping your brain to process the information you’ve covered today. This is more effective than staying up to cram even more information into your brain. So, go to bed and stay there for a full eight hours until you need to get up.

I know it’s a horrible feeling, and pretty much everyone has had it at some point. But it will be ok. Do you have any other helpful ideas for revision in one day? Leave a comment below, and good luck with the exam.

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geography case study revision

Urban case study - London

In this unit you’ll investigate the growth of London and the processes and challenges leading to change in the city.

Try the quiz to see how much you know about London and the processes of urbanisation.

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Geography GCSE Revision

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Internet Geography

GCSE Geography Revision Techniques

Techniques to help you revise GCSE Geography

Before you start revising it’s useful to know what you need to cover. Your teacher should be able to help you with this!

The GeoTopics area of the site contains most of the topics you need to revise so you can use these along with your class notes to revise from. To get started you should choose a method of revision that suits you. Take a look at the techniques below. There is a range of revision techniques you can use to revisit what you have studied in class. Here are a few examples:

Technique 1 – Revision Cards 1. Make notes on an area of study. This could involve highlighting information in a revision book or writing information out. Effective students avoid copying huge chunks of text. They read the information – then summarise it.

2. Once you have gathered notes summarise your notes on revision cards – blank postcards or post-it notes are good for this. You can then stick them all around your bedroom, toilet, bathroom etc! Below is an example of a revision card.

Geography Revision Card

3. Read your cards through regularly. Once you’re confident about knowing the information write keywords about the topic on a card. Then revise from these. As your knowledge base builds up you will need fewer prompts to remember information. BRAIN SCIENCE ALERT: By displaying this information and regularly reading it you will create stronger connections between the neurons in your brain which will help you retain information.

Technique 2 – Mind Maps A mind map is a spider diagram that contains information in the form of pictures and text. Mind maps can be used to plot information relevant to the different topics in geography.

When you create a mind map you should use lots of colour and include diagrams and sketches. This makes the information more interesting to your brain. It should also make revision more ‘enjoyable’. Below is a tutorial explaining how to create mind maps.

In the centre of a piece of A4 paper identify the topic you are producing your mind map about. The example below is a case study of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, a volcano in the Philippines.

Mount Pinatubo mind map

You now need to draw the main topic branches. These need to contain the main categories of information that will be included in your spider diagram. In the mind map below we are going to use the What? When? Why? Where? So What? technique.

Finally you need to include the subcategories or detail to your mind map. The diagram below shows a completed mind map for the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.

Technique 3 – Asking questions when taking notes This technique involves asking questions when making notes. The example below considers the main features of earthquakes.

What When Why Where Who So what? Earthquakes

Question cues you can use are what?, when?, why?, where?, who? and how? There are more – can you think of any?

Technique 4 – Change the form of information Your textbooks contain a lot of information. Some people can read this information and remember it! If you find it hard to retain information that you read then do something with it. For example, take a piece of text and transform it into a diagram.

Technique 5 – Teach It! Another useful method of learning information is to try and teach someone else what you have learnt.

A good method to use is to write down the key points of what has been learnt over a set period e.g. 3 lessons and try to teach the other person, who questions everything he or she cannot clearly understand.

Try also setting a test on what you have taught. The other person’s answers will clarify your own thinking!

Technique 6 – What would you tell your brother? Simplify some text about the topic you are revising and write down what you would tell someone younger than you.

Technique 7 – Condense it – 1 Read a paragraph of text and condense it into one sentence.

Technique 8 – Condense it – 2 Read a paragraph of text and identify the six most important words. Highlight them.

Technique 9 – Condense it with a friend Complete technique 5 and/or 6 with a friend. Compare your answers and discuss your choices.

Technique 10 – Sequencing Photocopy a paragraph of text. Cut up the sentences. Mix them up then attempt to arrange them in order.

Technique 11 – Podcasting Use software like Audacity or Garageband to create an MP3 you can upload to your phone. Then, revise on the move.

Technique 12 – Testing Times Get a friend or member of your family to ask you questions.

Technique 13 – Ram Bam (Read a minute – Bullet a minute) Reading through notes without a purpose is DULL and ineffective. Set yourself a target of SCANNING (not close reading) a page or two in a minute. Close the book and then write in a minute (or a bit more) ALL that you can REMEMBER.

Technique 14 – Summary Sheets / Index Cards At the end of each lesson, write a summary sheet of the lesson identifying the key points and examples. From this then write index cards, which just consist of the key points. A few days later, review the index card and on a blank piece of paper write down the examples or principles the key points trigger in your memory. Compare this to your summary sheet or lesson notes. Order your index cards into subject groups and then prioritise. Before another lecture on the same subject, review your index cards to refresh what you have learnt. This reviewing helps aid your long term memory.

Technique 15 – BLANK SHEET Choose a revision area and write for as long as you can on a blank sheet. You’ll be amazed by what you remember. And it’s a revision task that makes you think. Do it in the exam room too, before you open the paper, and see how much actually turns up in the exam questions.

Technique 16 – CONCEPT MAPS Concept maps involve taking the main features of a topic and listing them.

Tropical Rainforest Concept Map Key Words

Tropical rainforest concept map keywords

Next, you identify the links between the different features.

Tropical Rainforest Concept Map Links

Tropical rainforest concept map links

Finally, you should explain the links between each.

Tropical Rainforest Concept Map Links explained

Tropical rainforest concept map links explained

Below are three examples of concept map activities you can download and use.

Rainforest Ecosystem Concept Map

Desert Ecosystem Concept Map

Tectonics Concept Map

Technique 17 – Retrieval Practice

Create your own quizzes based on topics. Create them, test yourself or get someone to test you, it works!

Technique 18 –  Graphic Organisers

Transform the information into visual revision to create links, identify causes, impacts and response and evaluate their importance.

Revision Resources

Explore the revision resources below.

Geography Revision Techniques

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    Allocate a specific amount of time to each section of the exam based on the number of marks available. Read all questions carefully before starting. Plan your answers, outline your main points, and stay focused on the key elements of each question. Revise anywhere with our online GCSE Geography revision notes, guides, and approach exams ...

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  18. How to revise Geography in … 1 day

    Second most important: plan your time. Regardless of how you spend your time today, you need to plan it. Write it out on a piece of paper. Block off your time in 30-40 minute chunks, with a 5-10 minute break between each one. Every two or three hours, have a 40 minute break. Do not watch TV or play computer games at that time.

  19. Urban case study

    Urban case study - London. In this unit you'll investigate the growth of London and the processes and challenges leading to change in the city. Try the quiz to see how much you know about London and the processes of urbanisation. BACK TO GCSE MENU. Open PowerPoint. Get in Touch. The Geographical Association. 160 Solly Street, Sheffield, S1 4BF.

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  22. Revision Techniques

    Take a look at the techniques below. There is a range of revision techniques you can use to revisit what you have studied in class. Here are a few examples: Technique 1 - Revision Cards. 1. Make notes on an area of study. This could involve highlighting information in a revision book or writing information out.