AQA AS Geography Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Geography examiners reward locational specificity. Writing 'flooding affects many countries' earns nothing. Writing 'the 2015–16 winter floods in Cumbria resulted from Storm Desmond delivering 341.4mm of rainfall in 24 hours at Honister Pass, overwhelming the River Derwent and causing £500 million in damage' demonstrates the specific knowledge that scores marks. For each topic, prepare at least two detailed case studies with facts, figures, dates, and named locations. Quantitative data (statistics, measurements, costs) is particularly valued because it demonstrates genuine engagement with geographical evidence rather than generic description. Fieldwork questions test your understanding of the entire investigative process, not just results. Be prepared to justify your choice of sampling method (systematic, stratified, random, or pragmatic), explain why your chosen sample size was appropriate for the investigation, identify potential sources of error in your data collection, and evaluate whether your conclusions were supported by the evidence. The strongest answers acknowledge limitations honestly — 'our sample of 30 questionnaire responses from one high street on a Tuesday afternoon may not represent the broader population's place perception' — rather than claiming perfect methodology. Statistical tests require careful setup. For Spearman's rank correlation, state the null hypothesis (there is no significant correlation between the two variables), calculate the coefficient, compare it to the critical value at the 5% significance level for your sample size, and make a decision about whether to reject the null hypothesis. Every step must be shown explicitly. The most common error is forgetting to state or properly test the null hypothesis, which loses both the marks for statistical procedure and the marks for drawing justified conclusions. For extended response questions (9 or 12 marks), plan before writing. Identify the command word, the topic focus, and the geographical scale. Use a brief structure: introduction establishing your argument, three or four substantive paragraphs with case study evidence, and a conclusion that directly answers the question. Time pressure is significant — with 80 marks in 90 minutes, a 12-mark question deserves no more than 14 minutes.